3 minute read
Choosing the Medium to Tell Your Story
Contributed By: Webfitters
Every brand has a story to tell.
Your origin, your employee experiences, and how your products or services change lives are all worthy of a story.
Come to think of it, that’s not just a story. That’s stories - many of them!
But when it comes to distributing your stories in the online space, you have a lot of options. Stories can be told through video and posted on YouTube, recorded in an audio format and shared on a podcast, or captured in the written word and published on your website - and anything in between. Social media provides even more options for reaching your audience with your stories, with a platform tailored to just about every demographic.
There’s no right or wrong answer for choosing the medium to tell your stories, but there are certainly better choices, depending on your message and your audience.
Match the message to the audience
When we talk about a message, we’re going beyond the typical “we sell X” or “we provide Y.” We’re talking about what you’re trying to convey through your messaging. You see, every story should produce some kind of actionable response. Desired actions could include buying a product, donating to a cause, or sharing on social media. And for a person to be willing to take any action in today’s very crowded online marketplace, you need to spark feelings.
Three examples that we’ll cover today are “emotional,” “inspirational,” and “educational.”
Is your message emotional?
People are driven by their emotions. If you want to impart an emotional response from your audience, choose a visual medium to share your story. Video is the best example of this, but visual media such as photos, graphics, infographics, and animations are also very effective.
Now, where can we find an audience that is primed for emotional messaging?
Facebook and Instagram are the best platforms for sharing emotional messaging. These are very personal spaces; people share their biggest life moments on Facebook and Instagram. They interact with friends and brands that share stories of personal significance.
And when they browse their feeds, they’re looking for content that makes them feel something. They are primed for liking, commenting, and sharing content that provokes an emotional response. So the next time you have a video testimonial of a very happy client or a silly photo of your dog on Bring Your Pet to Work Day - choose Facebook or Instagram to distribute your story.
Is your message inspirational?
We’re living through heavy times. When people need a pick-me-up, they seek inspirational stories that help them see that there is still good in the world. If you’re sharing an inspirational success story, choose a medium where people go for growth.
LinkedIn, TikTok, and podcasting are your best platforms for inspirational stories. LinkedIn is polished, and stories of success and growth spark great engagement. TikTok is eclectic and draws a young audience, yet inspirational (and funny) content goes a long way. And podcasts draw growth-minded people.
If your story is about an employee overcoming hardship or offers a glimpse into how your product or service changes the world, choose LinkedIn, TikTok, or a podcast to share your message.
Is your message educational?
People spend time online for self-improvement, so if your stories help people learn how to improve an area of their lives, choose a medium that’s educational.
Which platforms draw an audience primed for learning?
YouTube and Twitter are your best platforms for sharing educational content. Twitter is full of opinions, where people go to speak back-and-forth conversations and experience healthy debate. You can be part of those conversations. And YouTube is the go-to spot for all things learning - from cooking videos to online courses and everything in between. When you have useful hacks that will help your audience better use your product or a helpful opinion to add to a timely event, choose YouTube or Twitter to tell that story.
Treat your website as your marketing hub
To house all of this content and messaging, your website is your marketing hub. It’s like the center of your marketing solar system - everything should point back to your website, where you give your full brand experience.
Your very best content should live on your website, since your audience views that as the most reliable place for information about your organization. Those impactful videos, inspiring stories, and educational hacks will live longer on your website so give them the home they deserve!
