Why Does Digital Storytelling Work?
The practice of focusing on digital stories in marketing can be considered the modern embodiment of brand storytelling. Like any use of narrative to sell products and promote brands, digital storytelling works because it attracts consumers and makes them feel involved. It continues to prove to be an effective tool, capable of reaching widespread audiences, whether through online ads, social media, video platforms, websites, blogs, or any of an ever-growing number of possibilities. Digital storytelling has the power to go beyond specific brands to create meaningful and relatable content, connecting with buyers in ways that advertising strategies of the past could never manage to achieve. Digital marketer, Todd Kunsman, puts it this way: “The mid-century Mad Men style slogan is still ubiquitous…but comes off as specious, faceless, and is never sufficient anymore.” He goes on to say that these days it is necessary to capture the attention of an audience by “…being creative and sincere about a narrative by creating a story behind the content.” (https;//everyonesocial.com).
For marketers, connecting with consumers is key. Narratives not only quickly grab the attention of buyers, but also enable companies to transform messages into readily digestible forms, easier to deliver through what are often limited windows of opportunity. It is crucial for a company to have a thorough knowledge of its audience in order to insure the receptibility of its story. After clearly defining its target base, perhaps through the use of buyer personas, a company can create a story that not only promotes its products, but also conveys its values and the underlying humanity. From here, the story needs to be told as often as possible, concentrating on the platforms most frequented by its target audience. If a story is able to strike the right chord, connecting to consumers with empathy and a sense of shared experience, then sales will increase and customer loyalty will thrive and prosper.
Data-driven Storytelling
Data-driven stories can be especially effective, since they have the advantage of weaving together numerical data and human experience, providing a captivating narrative that is also grounded in facts. This type of storytelling can employ imagery found in the realm of data visualization, including elements such as charts, graphs, maps and other applicable images. It never makes sense to simply throw out a bunch of numbers and expect consumers to figure out what they mean. To effectively communicate data, marketers need to present them in a compelling manner. Storytelling has proven itself, time and again, to be the best way to engage people, even those who would ordinarily be resistant to hard facts. Marketing strategist, Ling Wong, points out, “In today’s environment in which we’re besieged by data and struggle to make sense of them, data-driven storytelling offers a valuable tool that not only presents the data, but adds context, meaning, relevance and clarity to help the audience interpret the information and extract value from it.” (https://www.gokantaloupe.com). The inclusion of facts and numbers can also enhance a company’s credibility, leading to greater trust in the messages it promotes. In addition, by intermingling visual data elements into a story, consumers can be reached both analytically and emotionally, through the very same story.
Even when the goal of a narrative is to relate specific factual information, a data-driven story must communicate on a deeply relatable human level. It is important for marketers to choose visualization methods that are not only best-suited for the facts they wish to transmit, but that also will also be the most engaging to their audience. This involves including just the right amount of factual material, always working it back into real-life situations and personalized scenarios. Data overload needs to be avoided at all costs. One way to accomplish this is to focus on a single aspect at a time, providing facts within the context of human insight. To further this end, the graphic content needs to be easily assimilated and self-explanatory whenever possible. Another plus is to actively solicit consumer-sharing of images on social media by providing share buttons and calls-to-action wherever possible.
An example of this is when the home goods retailer Homebase came up with the plan to “engage customers with personalized targeted emails to boost email open and click-through rates (CTR) to drive campaign ROI.” (eConsultancy.com) Homebase developed what they called the “Kitchen Trigger” program, with the goal of getting potential customers to consider their store before making a purchase elsewhere. They gathered data from newsletter subscribers and sent them targeted emails with clear calls-to-action in hopes that they would visit a Homebase store and consider their services, using this data to tell their story. This campaign was deemed successful, as 48% of the recipients booked appointments, with 40% of those people making final purchases.
Customer-generated Storytelling
Going a step farther than encouraging the sharing of personal content, a company can actively provide the means for consumers to tell the company’s story in their own words by hosting social media “takeovers,” as well as customer-conducted question and answer sessions. Incorporating the inclusion of customer input on a blog or website, in the form of personal narratives, photos, and videos, also provides a platform for customer-generated content. According to marketer, Natalya Bucuy, “Your customers are the best billboards you can find for your business…because they are human. They tell stories. And a story-telling human is the best marketing device there could be.” (https://www.livehelpnow.com). By continuing to stay connected to its consumer base, a company is better able to encourage customers to communicate their stories. Collecting and sharing them is not only beneficial because it involves current customers and draws in new ones, but also because it provides valuable feedback, clearly delineating what is working and what areas could use improvement.
Customer-generated storytelling has been a marketing strategy from the inclusion of before-and-after photos in magazine and newspaper ads to the infomercials of the 1980s. The advent of social media significantly changed the landscape by enabling consumers to impact a company’s promotional thrust. This can be accomplished via personal posts and blogs, but also can be directed by the companies themselves, through soliciting stories to be shared with others. One successful example of this can be found on the blog of the real estate company, Trulia. It includes a variety of customer-written home buying stories, mixed in with compelling articles and practical information. (https://www.trulia.com). Human beings have always been drawn to storytelling. Sharing stories can forge a powerful bond between companies and their customers.
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OTIS KOPP
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