Brand Storytelling on LinkedIn, or How to Shine in 2024
Storytelling has been a thing in the digital world of marketing and communication for ages. It goes beyond simple words, actions and mindsets. In fact, it helps us connect with others and understand their way of living, their point of view and their behavior. In the article below you will be able to explore the world of storytelling, its origins and last, but not least its lasting impact on our lives.
At its core, storytelling has always been more than just a sequence of events. It is a way of living. Telling a story is like watching a movie. You never know what the end will be, but despite all events, you always seek it, no matter if it is a good one or a bad one. It is like a mesmerizing dance of words that somehow creates vivid pictures in our minds and lets us relive someone else’s life. No matter if the story is shared around a campfire or on some of the social media platforms, it has always brought people together. Stories bring up people together, as in most of the times they make you feel, spark ideas within your mind and leave an ever-lasting impression on us all.
Within the scope of all social media platforms that are present in 2024, and all the information, or better said misinformation, storytelling usually shines like the lighthouse in the ocean, that helps us navigate through all the noise. The stories can sometimes even transform into fairy-tales, which honestly do not distinguish from some of the masterpieces that are rotating in the bookstores. The best stories are not just some random facts and numbers, on the contrary, they are a showcase of what it is to be a human and more importantly – a better human being. By sharing stories and sometimes struggles, we can relate to the lives of others, we can unite and feel like one whole. In fact, we can say without any prejudice that stories bring us together.
When it comes to business development, storytelling is a powerful tool for all brands across the world. People are honestly bored of listening to all the products and services that a company offers. People tend to prefer publications on social media that are profound and somehow represent their values. No matter if it is simply by sharing the journey of the founders of the company, or just highlighting the success of an employee, this is a way to influence. This way you craft your company culture and turn these narratives into the identity of the brand.
To back up the aforementioned information, we will give you some statistics, highlighted by @TheBrandShop. They share that:
- “Companies with compelling brand stories have a 20% increase in customer loyalty.”
- “68% of consumers say that brand stories influence their purchasing decisions.”
This easily leads us to the fact that if we want increased customer flows, purchases and therefore retaining clients, so they can become loyal to us, and at some points even ambassadors to our own brand, we should share our stories. No matter whether the stories are about our successes or the lessons we’ve learned from our failures, they can always influence, and they most probably will.
You are probably wondering – what types of storytelling exist? We will swiftly answer your question with just a few bullet points:
- Oral storytelling, which dates back from ancient societies, consists of songs, chants and poetry recitation. Different people from the past, such as Homer, influenced his audiences with his epic stories. Nowadays, oral storytelling has developed significantly, resulting in technical innovations such as podcasts and radio formats. These platforms allow users to simultaneously share their story, no matter the distance, reaching millions of other users.
- Visual storytelling, which in fact has been integrated to human nature for millennia, arises from the ancient cave paintings that have illustrated narratives such as hieroglyphs of ancient Egypt. Throughout the years, this led to the creation of film and television as sophisticated platforms on which storytellers may captivate audiences with compelling tales.
- Written storytelling dates back to the era of written language, when the oral and visual stories have been transcribed into written form. The invention of the printing press transformed storytelling by making it possible for a wide range of narrative forms – from novels to fairy tales to newspapers.
- Digital storytelling, last but not least, has revolutionized the way you tell your story completely! With the resources that the Internet provides to society, everyone can access a vast amount of stories without any bother. People usually participate in storytelling on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, adding to the collective story of human existence.
Wait a minute! This all sounds awesome, doesn’t it? Before telling your story to the world, first make sure you have the right audience. To do so, we must first answer a few questions that will help us navigate through the process.
- Who are your audiences on social media and especially on LinkedIn?
To gain a deeper understanding, begin by putting yourself in the shoes of your audience. What makes them behave in a certain way? What are they going through every day? How do they perceive themselves? Do they like their job? What books are they reading? When you spend time thinking about your audience, chances you can resonate with them are getting higher and higher, and thus you will find a common way to understand each other.
- What challenges do they face?
The more people see other people facing common challenges, the more sympathy and affection they feel for them. Try to understand better what kind of problems your audience faces and make them see that you understand them, you can even give them some practical advice if you’ve ever been through something similar. If you haven’t, you can still share about your challenges and what are your thoughts.
- What aspirations drive them?
Discover the goals that your audience has, since they are the threads that will be braided most tightly into the story. Part of the plan is to help your audience achieve anything, no matter how small it may seem to you. You can help them by sharing useful information about a topic they are genuinely interested in, you can share tips and tricks on how to achieve goals, step-by-step guides and so on. Be their aspiration! Share your success stories and mention how you managed to achieve your goal.
If you follow all bits of advice, given above – define your audience, understand their challenges and figure out the aspirations that drive them, you can guarantee yourself a more meaningful and personalized interaction with them. Connecting with them is not a matter of a few hours or days. At some points, it can take weeks, even months. You should make sure that you always try to transform storytelling into more than just a means of communication, rather, it becomes a link between your brand and the aspirations of your target audience.
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