Why Storytelling Is an Impactful Content Strategy

Date: October 24, 2019

Humans are innately drawn to the narrative of a good story, so why not use that approach to deliver engaging online content?

Have you ever wondered why stories are undeniably captivating? It’s because, as humans, we are innately drawn to the narrative of a good story — partly because we’re psychologically wired to share information through the act of storytelling, and partly because we’re suckers for anything with a beginning, a middle, and an end.

Storytelling is a time-tested way of connecting with our past, with each other, and to the world around us. Before humans knew how to write, they would share stories to relay information. And because storytelling was used as a primal means of communication, stories are innately easier to remember than even simple facts. They are also enjoyable, entertaining, and they engage our imagination. 

Studies conclude that 65% of the conversations had in public are performed via the act of storytelling. If nearly two-thirds of the information we share with friends and family are stories, wouldn’t it stand to reason that you could build higher levels of engagement if you approached your online content the same way? 

Why use storytelling as a content strategy?

Stories increase the engagement of your readers. When you use storytelling as a content strategy, your blogs will become something that people want to read. 

In addition, stories add clarity to your message, making it more concise and understandable. And perhaps most importantly, stories resonate with people, meaning your audience will remember the overall message of your content, along with your brand. And what happens when you leave a lasting impression on your audience? They are more likely to take your desired action.

How do I use storytelling in my blog posts?

• Draw inspiration from your surroundings: Coming up with engaging stories can be a daunting task, but the world around you can be just what you need to garner inspiration. Take stock of your experiences and interactions, and then turn them into relevant short stories. 

• Use stories to create examples: Examples and metaphors make blogs digestible and enjoyable to read, and short stories or anecdotes are a great way to spruce them up. For example, Sally was experiencing a little bit of writer’s block, so she used a story from her own experience to kick off her blog post. 

• Ensure your message and story align: Stories are only impactful if the meaning aligns with your marketing message. Make sure that every story’s takeaway coincides with the message of your blog post.

• Utilize the essentials of a good story: To tell a good story, you should distinguish a character, an issue, an action, and a resolution, just like in Sally’s example above.

Why is storytelling good for SEO?

When you use stories as a way to convey or underscore your marketing message within a blog post, you’re ultimately creating content that your audience will enjoy reading. And, since Google loves nothing more than when you create enjoyable content, the search engine will reward you with higher SEO rankings. 

If your audience enjoys your content, there is also an increased likelihood that they will stay on your site longer, which increases your time on page and decreases your bounce rate. Both of these are substantially weighted ranking factors, and they can drastically boost your SEO score. 

Lastly, in addition to making your blog posts more exciting to read, using stories is beneficial for SEO in another way. Enjoyable content invites engagement. People are more likely to leave comments on a blog post they enjoyed reading and may feel more inclined to share it on social media. Not only will this draw more traffic to your post, but Google will take notice, too. When you write content that humans want to engage with, your SEO score will be higher in the long run. 

Need help integrating storytelling into your content strategy? Drop us a line.