We’ve all asked our parents those same questions before, haven’t we? How did you meet? Where was your first date? How did you propose? We then ask things like, where did you travel or what concerts did you go to?
Why do we ask these questions? Because we all love a good story, especially those that feature important people in our lives. People love to tell us their stories too – after all, nostalgia is one of the most powerful feelings there is!
Why do stories matter?
It matters because brands harness this power too, through good storytelling. It’s not enough to talk about your products and services and, during the pandemic, it is near impossible for those businesses which sadly remain closed.
But using stories to indirectly market is not an idea exclusive to the pandemic. Related content has and always will be extremely valuable, whether you are operating as normal or not. We’ve been giving this advice for years and it’s more relevant than ever.
So here’s just a few initial things to consider when it comes to content creation and storytelling:
What type of content is going to appeal to your audience?
Well, that depends entirely on your business. Take Red Bull as an example: On their Instagram, the majority of their content is nothing to do with the product. In fact, trying to find one those blue and silver cans on their grid is somewhat of a Where’s Wally situation.
Red Bull products appear very rarely and their messages are not sales-y in the slightest. If you look at any of their channels, you are going to be served content around extreme sports with everything from cliff diving to snowboarding.
What they are doing is telling a story and determining a very definitive brand identity, targeting a specific audience and lifestyle. Despite this, no one will ever forget the famous tagline ‘Red Bull gives you wings’ and everything they post comes back to this message, without them having to physically say it.
What platforms should I use?
There is not an organisation in the world that cannot benefit from some form of social media. Unless of course they have a product/service that doesn’t require research prior to purchase, have no FAQs from customers, and also have no competitors. Only then, if all three instances apply might you consider not using social media and content marketing. Not very likely right?
That said, not every brand needs to use every channel. Focus on what is relevant to you, where your target audience can be reached, and where your content will get the most engagement. For example, an outsourced HR company may not consider Instagram a priority for them, because their audience is better reached on LinkedIn.
If you’re using the ‘same’ content on multiple platforms, be sure to change it up. What works on Instagram may not perform well on Twitter, so adapt the copy and creative as needed.
When is the best time to release content?
Well, this one is a complicated answer because posting content is not confined to just one short period of time. Posting content is just the start – your content will go on what is called The Content Journey.
However, there will be ideal times for different business sectors, platforms, and audiences. Your own channel analytics and insights can go a long way in helping you to determine this.
The important thing to remember in all of this is that you are telling a story, showing a lifestyle, and creating a brand identity. Everything you post should come back to this as part of your wider content plan and strategy.
Learn More About Content Marketing:
When deciding what stories to tell and how to tell them, you want to also consider your brand archetype. If you’ve never heard of Brand Archetypes before, you can watch our QuickBuzz video about them to find out more.
If you want to improve your content marketing knowledge and strategy, our brand new Content Marketing Course launches on 25th March. Please get in touch or book your place if you’re interested in joining us for this online training.