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Storytelling
Your Secret Marketing Tool to Elevate Your Online Presence
Everyone loves a good story, whether you are young or old. There are things that all stories have in common; they grab your attention, evoke emotion, and give you something you can relate to. In addition to these goals, stories all follow a similar structure, which keeps you captivated from beginning to end. The common storytelling structure consists of a beginning, middle, and an end; all of which play an important role in how the message is relayed over to the readers.
Storytelling has been around for many decades, but in more recent years, it became a key tool in marketing. Let’s take a dive into how you can boost your online presence and why this is so important in making a good first impression.
Before we dive into the nitty gritty of building an effective online presence, let’s start by talking a bit more about what exactly storytelling is in marketing.
What is Storytelling?
Storytelling is a narrative brands or companies use to communicate a marketing message. The purpose behind this is to evoke feelings in the reader, enough feelings that it will inspire them to take action (which is the ultimate goal in marketing). By including storytelling in your brand’s marketing, it will allow consumers to understand why they should care about something, and it adds a nice human touch to your brand. As consumers, we want to feel a human connection to something (if not everything), which is an important aspect of brand storytelling.
The key to good marketing is a clear message. A good tale will keep your desired audience engaged and hold their interest, and persuade them that you are the expert who can help them solve their problems.
You can develop your business if you can tell a good customer-centred story on your website, email, blog, and social media. If you can’t, your potential clients will become confused, lose interest, and look for another option.
The ‘StoryBrand Framework’ is a popular marketing tool among company leaders.
The book called ‘Building a StoryBrand’ written by the author Donald Killer introduces the ‘StoryBrand Framework‘.
This framework helps businesses simplify their message by using a story-based approach that places the customers at the centre of the hero’s journey, helps grow your business, as well as connects and resonates with your customers.
You can tap into what your clients are seeking for if you use the StoryBrand Framework – their wants, motivations, and difficulties.
There’s a reason why content marketers adore the power of storytelling. Stories are ingrained into the human brain. This effective structure aids in the comprehension and retention of your message, ensuring that customers pay attention.
It also aids organisations in refocusing their attention away from themselves and toward what they do to assist clients.
How to Create an Engaging Online Presence through Storytelling
Simply speaking, an online presence is determined by how easily consumers can find your brand or company online. For this reason, it is very important to build your brand’s reputation, increase your brand awareness, and provide visible services or products when consumers are searching for related keywords.
If you would like to find out effective ways to tell your story, keep your eyes glued to your screen.
- Create Value
The main focus here is for your brand to be customer-focused and create value. A great way to create value is by providing your consumers with free, educational online content. This will not only help your customers, but will greatly improve your online presence.
It is as simple as jotting down some of your consumer’s pain points and motivations, brainstorming content that would answer their questions, and providing advice through guest posting, responding to social media comments, appearing on a podcast, or answering your customers’ questions.
- Be active online
Being active is an important part of building your online presence. This involves regularly posting to your website and social media accounts. Another great way to achieve this is by
Additionally, you should be active in other areas, as well. For example, you should engage with followers and subscribers on social media. If there’s something that everyone is talking about in your industry, you can engage in the conversation.
- Maintain social media presence
Social media is an important tool for contacting your target audience on their preferred channels. Having a social media presence instils trust in your present and potential customers.
Furthermore, social media is an excellent approach to establish your reliability and reputation while also promoting your brand. When potential customers are studying your company, the first place they will turn to is social media to see what you are posting and what others are saying about you.
- Produce quality content
As a business owner, do you question why you aren’t receiving the website traffic you desire? Are you wearing many different hats with limited time to write fresh blog content or add a new landing page? Professional content writing is an investment. It’s great for SEO growth, connects you to your targeted audience and gives you flexibility to focus on other elements of your business. Here at Digital Fusion we often make use of the ‘StoryBrand Framework’ for a strong digital footprint.
The StoryBrand Framework has become a ‘secret marketing weapon’ that has helped thousands of businesses grow by placing the client’s journey at the centre, instead of their own. This framework assists companies to clarify their brand message through a seven-step process that uses the power of story.
When used properly, this powerful tool can help your company become a useful asset in your consumers’ journey.
The seven-step process of the StoryBrand Framework consists of:
1. A character (the client)
You are the Guide. Your brand message, your story, must centre on the Hero and what the Hero wants.
Who is your customer, and what do they want?
What is their ultimate end goal?
2. Has a problem (they need help in solving their problem)
What are the problems your customer is facing?
- Villain: This is the thing or idea you and your customer are fighting. (The Villain isn’t your competition.)
- External Problems: These are the surface issues your customer faces. Think of what they are Googling when they are looking for products like yours.
- Internal Problem: When they don’t have a solution like yours, what feeling do they experience? In most B2B situations, the feeling is overwhelmed, frustrated, unsure, or confused.
- Philosophical problem: Why is it wrong that your customers would experience this problem? Usually begins with "it's wrong to..." or "you shouldn't have to..."
3. And meets a guide (this is your business)
A good Guide should always demonstrate two things:
- Empathy: This where you understand the Hero’s problems.
- Authority: You have what it takes to help the Hero overcome their problems.
4. That has a plan (how to solve their problem)
The Guide always has a plan for the Hero.
5. And calls them to action (how to buy your product/service)
You need a Direct CTA and a Transitional CTA (also called a Lead Magnet).
- Direct CTAs: Buy our product or engage our services.
Schedule a Consultation, Buy Now, Get Started
- Transitional CTAs: You're not ready to buy? That's OK. Here are some resources to help you on your journey.
Download the Free Guide, Register for the Webinar, Learn More
6. That helps them avoid failure (assist your client survive)
It’s easy to lose interest in the Hero’s journey if there are no stakes in the game.
Remind the Hero of what will happen if they do not pick you as their Guide if they fail. They will be unable to resolve their issues. They will not develop or achieve their goals. Or, in the worst-case scenario, they’ll go backwards.
7. Which leads to success (assist your client thrive)
You must create a clear vision of the future for your customer as a brand. Remind them of their happy ending and why you are the best option for them.
Finally, sketch out your Hero’s Character Transformation by completing your ‘BrandScript’. You can use the free software at www.mystorybrand.com
Before publishing your content online, think about the marketing platforms (e.g. Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn) you want to appear on and prioritise the platforms your customers are active on. Once you have nailed this, you can start brainstorming content that is best-suited for those mediums.
- Create an email list
Create and grow your email list. This is a great way to promote engagement with existing and potential consumers on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
In order to grow your email list, you will need to develop content that readers sign up to receive, for example, like newsletters. In addition, you can also include a call to action (CTA) on your website or social media pages to promote your email newsletter. This way you will be able to collect leads and convert these into potential new customers. There are multiple ways to achieve this; forms, pop up advertisements, and slide-in CTAs.
- Personify your brand
One of the best ways to build your online presence is by personifying your brand.
Having a clear brand helps users relate to your company and makes them want to engage with you, whether through a social media comment or by signing up for your email newsletter.
- Find the right influencers for your brand
Connecting with the right influencers can help build your online presence and a great way to remain active in your community.
Surprisingly, many consumers look to influencers for their honest reviews and promotion before purchasing a product.
Additionally, influencer marketing will get the word out about your brand online. The more people are talking about you, the more often you will show up online.
- Build positive relationships
Developing relationships with those in your industry is an important way to build your online presence. Forging relationships with others in your industry will ultimately help you show up online.
- Show up where your audience is
To show up online, you have to figure out where your audience is. If your audience is on Instagram, but they aren’t on Twitter, you shouldn’t be putting all your efforts into Twitter. On the contrary, you should be focusing your content and promotion strategy on Instagram.
If you show up where your audience is, you will build a strong online presence that customers can’t ignore.
- Automate your processes
Building an online presence includes a lot of tedious tactics. In order to ensure the system runs smoothly, automate some of your processes. For instance, you can schedule your content to go live on your CMS and social media.
Additionally, you can curate other people’s content, which enables you to provide valuable resources for your audience without constantly creating fresh content.
You can also plan your email marketing newsletters in advance, and set up email sign-up forms on your site that show up automatically.
These marketing methods can aid in the development of your online presence, brand awareness, and reputation. Building an online presence takes time and work, but it will pay off in the long run with greater sales and brand exposure in your industry.
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