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Storytelling is an Essential Component of Social Media


In 60 seconds, there are 3.3 million Facebook posts, 448,800 tweets, 65,972 Instagram photos uploaded. In 60 seconds. Every hour. Every day. Amid all the noise, how do you ensure your blogposts, your Facebook videos and your Instagram Stories are read and shared by the right audiences? Two elements are essential: list building and storytelling.


Article Highlights

  • ·       AI makes list building easier
  • ·       Storytelling is a trend in 2018
  • ·       Business leaders must participate in their stories

Software makes list building easier


As social media continues to climb in popularity and profitability, more tools emerge to manage and accelerate it. These tools make list building easier. You can find influencers, join in at-the-minute conversations, and follow new users daily to become part of their conversations. How many users varies with the network, but it’s likely more than you think. Twitter, for example, will allow you to follow up to 1,000 new users daily, though it recommends no more than 100 for a smaller account. This is true of all the social networks, and each produces its own analytics so you can measure your success against your competitors. While much of it still requires your interaction, each tool becomes more user-friendly and WYSIWYG every day. List building is easily outsourced or relegated to your mental downtime once you solve the formula.

Storytelling is trending

However, storytelling as an art form and as a business strategy, requires more of you, the business leader or CEO, than ever. This year, Entrepreneur interviewed business leaders about what will make businesses successful in 2018. trends they were anticipating for 2018. Many pointed to storytelling as an upcoming trend. Gary Vaynerchuk, an author and leader in social media marketing, is considered a lead storyteller. His recent publications, as well as his highly rated blog and podcast, focus on helping businesses, small and large, share their story, their mission and their role in the marketplace with the world.

Additionally, changes in Facebook and Google are making storytelling a necessity—tags, SEO baiting, and other behind-the-scenes strategies are no longer working to capture clicks and attention.

You, as a business leader, must create your story. In the upcoming posts, I’ll walk you through how to decide what your story is and how to promote it on the various media platforms. However, the key here is remembering why you started your business in the first place. The more entrepreneurs I meet and work with, the more certain I am that no one starts a business without passion. There’s too much risk, too much work, and too much sacrifice to simply start it for the money.

It’s tempting sometimes to simply focus on the product, but, let’s be honest, there are so many choices for consumers nowadays that a product is rarely the differentiator. Buyers are looking for more than a widget. Sometimes, they are looking to participate in a social enterprise; they are looking for mascara that helps fight human trafficking (Eisley Rose), shoes that give soles to children in need (Tom’s), and grocery delivery that gives free memberships to military service members (Thrive Market). Who are you, truly, and what is your brand doing in the marketplace and in the world? Or, do you offer an unforgettable customer experience, a knowledge-based product and consulting, world-class design services? Are you the only business offering a hassle-free experience in a marketplace saturated with missed deadlines and overwhelming decisions? What makes your company different from the competitors?

Business Leaders Are Key to Sharing Their Stories

The storytelling aspect of social media requires either a storyteller who understands and believes in your business and is willing to engage, or you as the business leader putting your hands in the marketing mix—your blog, your website, and your independent posts on the various social media platforms. If you don’t like to write, or don’t have time, because, you know, you’re running your business, choose a social media manager who gets you and your business. Understanding social media is important, but your story is what will make those posts clickable and draw prospective customers to your front door.

Are you ready to share your story?

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