Storytelling in advertising matters a lot more than you might initially think. Ads that tell a story are a way your business can connect with your customers in more ways than one. SEO Design Chicago can answer any questions you might have concerning storytelling advertising. We have a team of experts who can help you with all of your advertising needs. This article will cover what commercial storytelling is and how you can make an advertisement effective.
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Storytelling in Advertising
Stories are one of the advertising methods that resonate with people the most. People are more likely to remember stories than statistics. That is the power of storytelling in advertising. The stories that you tell are what set you apart from your competition. Your marketing campaign should include a powerful message that consumers can emotionally connect with and relate to in their own lives. Whether it’s a good story about your business owner, or an ad with a story about a pet, stories work. Think of your favorite story advertisement from the Super Bowl. Chances are, it had a narrative arc. That is what all ads should claim to do.
So, what exactly is storytelling advertising? Storytelling marketing is using narrative as a means to communicate a message. The goal of storytelling marketing is to make the view feel something. As a result, the person will feel something enough that the message will inspire them to take action in something, like buying your product.
Story advertising helps the audience understand why they should care about what the brand is advertising. At the same time, it works to humanize the brand.
This type of storytelling isn’t only limited to film advertising, though. Because of the nature of storytelling advertising, your stories can also be told through photos, verbally, or in written form. There is also a wide range of content marketing channels you can use to tell your stories.
As you begin to experiment with narratives in advertising, you can dabble with these different methods and channels until you find which ones work the best with your specific business and goals. SEO Design Chicago can help you create great storytelling content that you can share with your target audience.
Storytelling Ads
Your storytelling advertisements have power. First of all, because of the nature of great storytelling, your brand’s stories can stick in your audience’s memory long after they’re told.
Consumers want personalized experiences and they want brands to tell their own stories. Marketers need to tell personal stories that is able to communicate an overall message that the brand is trying to get across. At the same time, marketers should also give opportunities for the consumers to share stories of their experiences with your brand. With the level of technology at people’s fingertips, your business has the capacity to take this type of approach. When you create a storytelling advertisement, take note of the consumer’s response and behaviors. Each person responds to the same story message differently, so it’s a good idea to understand how your audience members react to your message.
There are many large brands who have developed their way of storytelling advertising. You can use their examples as you create your own story. Some of these storytelling advertising businesses examples include Disney, Coca-Cola, and Apple. As you look at their examples, you can keep in mind what marketers are repetitively doing, what works, and what doesn’t.
Then, you can try those same techniques in your own storytelling advertising. If you find something doesn’t work as well as you thought it would, you can change it. Also, what works for one business might not work for your business. Remember that your story doesn’t have to be perfect the first time. Companies such as Disney or McDonald’s have years of experience with perfecting their advertisements, so don’t feel distraught if you don’t have success the first time.
What Makes an Advertisement Effective
You might be wondering what types of stories are most efficient when it comes to advertising. There are many techniques you can try as you work towards the perfect storytelling ad. For more help on creating great advertisements, contact a representative at SEO Design Chicago. Our team of content creation experts who can help answer any questions you might have about creating effective advertisements.
Know Your Audience and Target Your Customer
Knowing who you’re trying to reach is an important concept when it comes to advertising. The same applies to storytelling. It’s hard to tell a story if you don’t know who you’re telling the story to. For example, your story would be slightly different between an audience of four-year-olds and an audience of seventy-year-olds.
Emotion plays a critical role when it comes to storytelling advertising. In fact, emotion is one of the most important aspects of storytelling advertising. Why? Because the content can send a simple, funny, or heartwarming message. For example, using an image of a baby, animal, or meme.
As you create content, you need to understand what type of content your audience wants to see and how your content can reach that goal. You also need to know what your brand is about and how your brand sets you apart from your competitors. After understanding that, you can develop advertisements that make you memorable.
As you come up with content for your brand, make sure it brings out a positive reaction that also plays into the larger narrative. You’ve accomplished this if you’re able to revisit old content, whether it be one year or a few years old, that is still engaging.
Use Authentic and Relevant Ad Stories
Not every story you think of will be the right story you should use to advertise your brand. One way to add weight and authenticity to your stories is by using photography and engaging characters, as well as other forms of imagery. By using imagery, you don’t necessarily have to use professional photographers either. You can also save money by using royalty free stock images. However, keep in mind that using free images could feel less personal, and it doesn’t always give your story the look you want.
You can also include infographics, video, icons, and other forms of media to get the attention your story deserves, while, at the same time, making your story more visually appealing.
Tell a Better Story
Telling a great story takes time and effort. When it comes to advertising, storytelling is similar to writing a good book: your story will usually have a problem that needs solving and an apex so the reader can connect emotionally to the story. Think about what real-world problems you’re trying to solve as a brand, and build your story based on the information you find.
Also keep in mind, as you think about problems you’re trying to solve, that you want your story to resonate with your audience on an emotional level. Remember that what resonates with your audience will be different depending on the demographic makeup of your audience. For example, what resonates with a teenage boy will be immensely different from what resonates with an elderly woman.
The tone of voice you use to tell your story is also important to pay attention to. When you use the right tone of voice, your audience will want to listen to your story, instead of them simply hearing and forgetting your story.
Figuring out how your audience feels about your story will help you know if you are on the right track, or if you need to do a major turn in the other direction. How people react to your message will be a key indicator of whether or not there are changes you need to make.
As you develop and write your brand story, keep these tips in mind:
- Develop a level of trust with your audience by creating resonating characters
- Use the right tone of voice in your story
- Solve a problem in a different way than your competitors
- Use strong details so you can tell a memorable story
- Stay away from fear tactics and gimmicks–keep your story real and relevant
Share Your Story
Sharing your story has become easier in the last several years. Now we have access to the internet, which gives more options to the methods we can use in how we advertise. Using the traditional methods can also be beneficial to your business. If you want success in your storytelling advertising, you need to keep in mind who your audience is and where they’re located. After you know who your audience is, putting your message in the right place becomes simple.
There are many ways and places you can share your story:
- Traditional print
- Billboards
- YouTube
- Vimeo
- Video Ads
- Polls
- Blosts
- Giveaway
- Contest
- Face-to-face contact
These are only a few of the many ways you can spread your brand’s story. As you start with your own brand’s storytelling advertising, you can try incorporating these various methods on the different channels.
However, one of the best ways is through face-to-face interaction. Through face-to-face interaction, you can even provide your audience with physical items for them to take away, such as narrative-driven pamphlets or business merchandise. Using this method can improve your brand’s association. It’s also a great way for your audience to remember you by.
Your Turn to Practice Storytelling Advertising
Now that you know more about storytelling advertising, you are ready to begin writing your own brand stories and share them with your audience. SEO Design Chicago can help with any additional questions you might still have concerning storytelling advertising and help you come up with a marketing strategy for your business.
FAQ:
- What is storytelling advertising?
- Tips for storytelling in advertising?
- How can I share a story in advertising?
- What are some brands that use storytelling ads?
- How do I make an effective advertisement?
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