
The brands winning right now on social media are leveraging the magic of storytelling. In this blog, I explain what storytelling on social media looks like, why it's so important right now, and how you can use it to gain traction for your business.
You may have noticed a significant shift happen on social media over the past couple of years, particularly on Instagram. With the algorithms moving to keep people on the platforms for longer, you no longer just see content from people you follow, but instead, you are served a bunch of engaging content matched to your interests. On Instagram, this used to be limited to the Explore page, but now content from non-followers dominates the Reels tab and, increasingly, even your home feed.
Whenever I speak to business owners, they express frustration that their followers don't see their posts any more, but if you think like this, you are missing a huge opportunity. There has never been a better time than right now on Instagram to reach a large audience in a short amount of time. Why can't it be your content that's pushed out to millions of people who don't know you? It absolutely can. But only if you understand that with this algorithm shift has also come a shift in the way that people consume content, and you must adapt if you want your content to be seen.
Yes, the algorithms have changed, but only because what people want to see when they scroll has changed.
Overtly promotional and 'telling' content doesn't do well any more. People log on now for connection and entertainment, and with this, a new type of content has emerged: content that tells stories.
The smart brands and content creators have realised that whatever your niche and whatever you sell, using storytelling gets your message seen and, more importantly, moves people to take action.
Why? Well, as humans, we are wired to listen to stories. Long before any modern marketing channels were even a thing, stories were how we passed on wisdom and life lessons. If you see a story, you stop and listen.
That is why storytelling is your most powerful secret sauce on social media right now, but what exactly is it?
What is storytelling on social media?
Storytelling on social media is about weaving a narrative that creates an emotional connection. It's about showing, not telling.
Think about when you scroll on Instagram, those bits of content that stop you in your tracks and make you feel something.
It's when visuals and text come together to tell a story, for example:
- The founder sharing the story of why they started their business
- The maker showing what happens behind the scenes to bring their handmade goods to life
- The artist who opens up about creative blocks and breakthroughs
- The brand that highlights how real customers use their products
I know you've seen all these and stopped for them because telling a story connects with people on an emotional level that other content simply can't.
And it's why I often share storytelling hook examples with you on my own Instagram and in The Clubhouse because when people connect with your story, they're more likely to press that follow button and stick around.
Some storytelling examples to inspire you
Here are four types of story to tell:
1. Your personal story or reason your business exists (“the why”)
This is a story explaining where your business started and your reason for existing, and maybe even the broader context or need for why you do what you do.
Why tell this story: This helps your potential customer understand why on earth you do what you do, which builds a personal connection and makes you memorable
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
2. The story of your customer or market (“the who”)
This story shares a customer case study or explores a specific problem that they have.
Why tell this story: It shows that you understand your customer’s world, which builds trust and credibility, which is a huge step in moving people to be interested in buying from you.
View this post on Instagram
3. The story of your product (“the how”)
This is a story about the features and benefits of your product, how it works, how it is made, or how it came to exist.
Why tell this story: To show your customer how much work goes into making it, how it can help them or improve their life. This is the story that makes them realise your product or service is the one for them, and when it follows story 1 or 2 it moves people to take action and buy.
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
4. Storytelling about obstacles and hard decisions
This story talks through a bump in the road, a hard decision you have had to make and the outcomes.
Why tell this story: To show your customers that you are just like them and evoke emotions to get them invested in your journey. Nothing connects more than being authentic and this final story helps turn customers into loyal fans.
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
You can use storytelling on any social media platform, even LinkedIn, you just adapt the format of your story.
And even on the same platform, you can tell a story in more than one way.
For example, here I am telling a story in a Reel in my product business:
View this post on Instagram
And the exact same story in a carousel:
View this post on Instagram
I repurposed both of these pieces of content across Facebook and TikTok where storytelling works brilliantly too, and they got hundreds of thousands of views, the Reel even hitting 1M on Facebook!
How you can start to use storytelling on social media
Six tips from me if you want to leverage storytelling in your next post:
- Think of a challenge you've had or a lesson you've learnt, and think how you can turn this into a carousel or Reel.
- Use the classic story arc: this is where I started - this is what happened - this was the result
- Make it personal. All good stories need characters people can connect with!
- Focus on connecting with your audience and use emotion. Ask yourself, 'how does this make me feel?' And if it doesn't make you feel anything, rework the wording until it does!
- Talk like a human, not Google or ChatGPT! Share lesssons based on your own experiences, not something that could have been written by anyone else.
- Start a folder called 'storytelling' and start to save posts that made you feel something, then take a moment to look back on them and ask yourself why?
And you can also try a storytelling hook...
Storytelling hooks to use on social media
You might notice that all the bits of content shared above start with some emotive text that catches the attention and stops the scroll. These are examples of storytelling hooks.
Another way to plan storytelling content is to start with the hook first. Here are 10 examples to get you started:
- [Amount of time ago] I ___ and this is what happened next…
- When I say I ___ this is what I mean…
- POV: you make ___ and this is what your week looks like…
- My life changed when I realised ___
- POV: You ___ but what people don’t see is…
- POV: you decided to ___ and now your life looks like this…
- What my ___ looked like before versus…
- One thing I wish I knew when I started ___ is ____
- I never thought I’d be the kind of person who ___ but ____
- You won’t believe what happened to me when ___
Your next steps
Bookmark this to come back to and remember storytelling is your opportunity to show the heart behind your content and make you stand out in a sea of sameness! So, next time you are about to post, think 'what story am I telling?' and 'how can I make someone feel something today?' and I promise you'll see the difference.
Have you intentionally tried storytelling recently, or might this post inspire you to start? Come let me know in the comments below!
P.S. Need some storytelling inspiration?
Here's how I can help:
1. The Clubhouse - click here for weekly content ideas, community support and weekly challenges to keep you accountable and motivated.
2. The Secrets to Instagram Growth - click here to learn how to grow your brand on Instagram in this new world. Storytelling is one of hundreds of 'secrets' explained across 59 easy-to-digest lessons!