At the very center of content marketing is storytelling.
We all love stories, whether they’re presented in books, conversations, commercials or movies. Simply put, our brains have always responded best to story formats. It’s a rich connection we make that causes us to become emotionally attached to the narrative, and it’s that connection that causes us to remember what it is we’re reading or hearing.
Can you remember the plot of the last movie you saw? How about the main points from the last business article you read? It’s probably easier to remember details of the movie because a story packs a powerful emotional punch that an academic article couldn’t hope to match.
With so many other things competing for our attention, especially on the Internet, marketing content must be compelling. For instance, if you’re browsing headlines on a news site, how much time do you spend looking for items that grab or tug on your emotions? When do you catch yourself clicking out and moving on to the next story?
If you work in marketing, don’t forget about the human being that’s going to read your content? Your content marketing plan should include important key messages and optimization, but it also needs to emphasize the telling of stories that the audience will enjoy reading.
If good storytelling can build an emotional connection between the brand and consumer, it can lead to loyalty, positive word-of-mouth and repeat business — just like a movie.
