Content marketing presents you with the unique opportunity to present information that your readers want, in a format that they are going to engage with. Learning to tell stories, instead of just slapping down cold hard facts, make that information much easier to swallow and more people are going to engage with it. This is why infographics are so popular. But how do you pull visual story telling off? Here are some tips:
1. Use your technology.
Twenty years ago, getting a picture on the internet was a long process. Today, you can snap a picture with your phone and upload it to your social media account instantly. Use these tools to tell stories visually. If your business is doing something interesting, take pictures and share them to your social media pages with a little bit of text to give context. Make this a part of your regular social media marketing strategy.
2. Be authentic.
Consumers can sense phoniness like Spiderman can sense danger. They want reality, not something trussed up to look better than it is. Present your business and your products as they are, rather than as idealized versions. Your customers will be able to tell when you are putting on a face and they will jump ship if it becomes a pattern.
3. Be aware of culture.
The best way to create content that is going to tell a story and be well and widely received is to comment on something that is happening right now. That means that you need to be on top of not just pop culture, but what is going on politics, gender, religion, and beyond. Simply being online can help you keep up.
4. Combine visuals with other media.
If you can find a way to make your story interactive, as well as visual, do it. Even simple requiring the viewer to click to move on to the next image or part of the story makes him or her feel like part of that story, so they are more likely to pay attention and to walk away with the impression you wanted to create.
5. Stick to your brand.
It can be tempting to go off-brand when there is something you really want to talk about it or post a picture of. Don’t do it. It will drive your current followers away and confuse those that find you in the future.
Content marketing presents you with the unique opportunity to present information that your readers want, in a format that they are going to engage with. Learning to tell stories, instead of just slapping down cold hard facts, make that information much easier to swallow and more people are going to engage with it. This is why infographics are so popular. But how do you pull visual story telling off? Here are some tips:
1. Use your technology.
Twenty years ago, getting a picture on the internet was a long process. Today, you can snap a picture with your phone and upload it to your social media account instantly. Use these tools to tell stories visually. If your business is doing something interesting, take pictures and share them to your social media pages with a little bit of text to give context. Make this a part of your regular social media marketing strategy.
2. Be authentic.
Consumers can sense phoniness like Spiderman can sense danger. They want reality, not something trussed up to look better than it is. Present your business and your products as they are, rather than as idealized versions. Your customers will be able to tell when you are putting on a face and they will jump ship if it becomes a pattern.
3. Be aware of culture.
The best way to create content that is going to tell a story and be well and widely received is to comment on something that is happening right now. That means that you need to be on top of not just pop culture, but what is going on politics, gender, religion, and beyond. Simply being online can help you keep up.
4. Combine visuals with other media.
If you can find a way to make your story interactive, as well as visual, do it. Even simple requiring the viewer to click to move on to the next image or part of the story makes him or her feel like part of that story, so they are more likely to pay attention and to walk away with the impression you wanted to create.
5. Stick to your brand.
It can be tempting to go off-brand when there is something you really want to talk about it or post a picture of. Don’t do it. It will drive your current followers away and confuse those that find you in the future.
Published on October 19, 2015
About the Author: Tatyana Mournier
