Having the ability to tell great stories on social media is a sure way to stand out. But how do you tell your brand story without it sounding repetitive? Or without sounding like everyone else’s?

 Easy. What do all your favourite stories have in common? They have a beginning, a middle and an end/conflict. Storytelling on social media is really no different.

Customers are more likely to be drawn to your brand for the long term if there’s a personal story attached. They want the human story behind the company, and they want it told in a manner that speaks to them. This is how companies build strong relationships with their customers. 

Here’s how to tell a good story on social media:

1. Figure out your story:

You can’t tell a story you don’t know exists. What is your why? Why did you start your business, what are you hoping your products or services do for people? What are you most passionate about? And how do you measure your success? 

 Answering these questions can help you get started in understanding your why. Have the courage to tell the parts of you, you rather not tell, your story could be the reason you find that one loyal customer that talks about your product to everyone he/she meets.

2. Know your audience:

In my last blog post, I spoke about finding your tribe and why it’s so important. Your target audience is the core of everything you do. You can’t speak to everyone because everyone won’t buy your product. But if you know your target audience, you can shape your content and/or products for the customers you want to serve.

 I like to think of choosing a target market as choosing the smallest amount of people you want to serve. If you were forced to only market to 10 people, you’d have to be choosy, right? Apply this to when deciding on your target market.

3. Find your brand voice:

People don’t like the thought of a robot speaking to them. Don’t be afraid to establish a brand voice and stick with it. This is social media you can choose anything if you’re consistent and respectful with it.

However, be sure you don’t confuse brand voice and brand tone. Brand voice is your company’s personality, it’s consistent and it doesn’t change. Whereas brand tone is the emotional nuance applied to your voice, it changes depending on the particular content.

4. Get social:

After you’ve established your actual story, how do you tell it in a way across social media that it reflects your business goals?

Every post that you put out should be a piece of the puzzle of your overall brand story. Think of every piece of content as a piece of the puzzle that connects your entire brand. Everything should have an end goal.

And every platform has a different way to tell a story. Facebook, for example, doesn’t limit the number of words, so a long piece of content would go great here.  Instagram, a visual app leans more towards visual storytelling. How you do it is purely up to you. But the easiest option is a visually appealing picture accompanied by either promotional content or a post that highlights your story or values. 

 Brand storytelling is an art, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes manageable. With everything, it requires strategy and consistency. 

How are you telling your brand's story?