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Everyone has a story to tell, and everyone likes to hear a good one. Vivid, well-described detail makes a story enjoyable, and in marketing it can make your message stick long after the facts are forgotten.
But there is a time and a place for stories. You would not tell the whole “this one time at band camp” tale at a family dinner. Marketing works the same way: know your audience. A story can fit well in a blog post, a presentation to a prospective client or the content of your website, but it needs care. Used properly, storytelling is very effective for online marketing. Here are six do’s and don’ts of storytelling etiquette for marketing.
DO tell a story that is relevant to your topic
Informal content can turn dry quickly. Opening a blog post with a short story is a good way to pull readers in before you get to the substance. People like to be entertained, and a blog is a good place to do it. The story should lead naturally into the point you want to make.
DO be descriptive yet succinct
That is not as contradictory as it sounds. Ernest Hemingway is often credited with a six-word story, and you can tell a vivid one in a few sentences. You rarely need dialogue. A simple anecdote about an event that is relevant to your business is enough. Save longer personal stories for pages that call for them, such as an About page or a case study.
DO place stories where they help the reader
If the moment calls for a story, tell one. Storytelling shows a willingness to be relatable and helps you connect with your audience. Keep the reader’s needs in mind and think about the response you want. Customer stories are often the strongest choice: a real before-and-after, told in the customer’s words, is more convincing than any description of your own products. Stories also travel well as short videos and social posts, where a quick narrative can hold attention in a busy feed.
DON’T tell a story with no point
Even a funny or dramatic story will leave readers confused if it ends badly. They will wonder what the point was. A pointless story is the fat on your content, so cut it. Give every story a beginning, a middle and an end, and tie it back to what the reader came to learn.
DON’T let the story overshadow your business
A well-told story that supports your website is a real asset. A well-told story that stands alone belongs somewhere else, like a literary journal. If you are a writer with a passion for storytelling, it is tempting to go on, but keep your story to a short paragraph or two. Do not let it push your services, your offer and your call to action out of view. Be honest, too. A story that exaggerates or is made up damages trust, and an AI-written story that does not reflect real experience tends to sound generic. Use your own details.
DON’T be crude or offensive
This should go without saying. If your site allows comments or you tell stories on social media, monitor the responses, too. Leaving a borderline inappropriate comment up makes your business look unprofessional, even if you did not write it.
Tell stories that earn trust, then guide readers to act
Storytelling works best as part of a clear plan. Decide what you want a reader to remember and do, choose a story that supports that, and end with a simple next step. Check how your stories perform by looking at how long visitors stay on the page and whether they click through to a service page or contact you. Keep what works and drop what does not. Happy storytelling.
“The campaigns have helped increase qualified website traffic and generate new leads through paid search.”
Jared ShiffmanCornell surgical co
