Why Storytelling Is Key To Your Content Strategy

Copywriting / 07 Jun 2022

Why has the storytelling tradition survived for millenia? Because stories draw people in. 

Whether you’re talking about a New York Times bestseller or your company blog, storytelling is a way to entice people to discover something new, something they won’t stop thinking about afterwards. 

This is why storytelling in copywriting should be a key part of your content strategy. By combining content marketing and storytelling, you can better communicate your value and this will encourage those all-important conversions. 

Need more convincing on the power of storytelling in marketing? Then read on.  

Why use storytelling in marketing?

Storytelling probably isn’t the first thing on your mind when you think about your company’s blog or content strategy. 

Above all, you want to convert. So is there any need to take a creative writing course for that? 

Well, technically no, but only if you’ve got a copywriting service on hand who can take care of your content marketing and storytelling for you. 

Here are 3 reasons why storytelling in copywriting really does matter if you want those conversions. 

1) It makes it easier to communicate

List off facts and figures alone and your target audience will switch off. Weave those facts and figures into a story and you’ll have a rapt audience. 

By building a narrative around what you do and why, your audience is more likely to empathise with you and this increases your chances of converting them. 

2) It makes it easier to connect 

It might feel good to tell leads that your product or service has benefited 99% of customers, but what does that actually mean? 

Once again, narrative saves the day. Showcasing how your product or service has changed people’s lives with a good story (or several) makes it easier for your leads to imagine themselves benefitting from your product or service too. 

3) It helps establish loyalty

People connect with brands that are intrinsically human. 

By establishing a narrative in every piece of content you produce, you can, therefore, better connect with your audience. String together these narratives into an overarching content strategy and your brand becomes more compelling, more persuasive and ultimately more likely to generate brand loyalty. 

You know your brand’s story better than anyone, but not everyone can craft a successful narrative. If you’re not a natural storyteller, a copywriting service with a firm grasp of content strategy can help turn your brand identity into engaging stories.  

While you chew on that, here’s a quick rundown of how to get started with storytelling in copywriting.

Before You Start Your Story

Understand your customer

Before you start crafting your narrative, it’s imperative that you fully understand your customer.

Storytelling is, first and foremost, about emotion. You’re not likely to re-read a book that didn’t make you feel anything, and you probably won’t give it five stars, either.

You want to make your readers feel – whether that feeling is awe, interest, inspiration, or even anger at a problem they want to solve.

But to do this, you have to understand them and their key pain points. This is why every successful story-driven content strategy starts with creating your buyer personas. 

First, consider your current customers: what do they care about? What problems are they facing? Why do they use you and not a competitor? 

After that, you can focus on delivering similar messaging to prospective customers.

Creating a content strategy

Now that you know exactly who your customers are, you can create a content strategy that successfully speaks to them – and storytelling is part and parcel of that. 

As any copywriting service will tell you, a high-performing content strategy should be cohesive and consistent. Every piece of content you create should convey the same key messages, reducing customer confusion and reinforcing your brand identity. 

When you organise content around a narrative, with an easily replicable structure, you’ll undoubtedly achieve more consistency. 

Creating a content strategy is one of the most important aspects for any marketing campaign. If you’re struggling with it, a copywriting service can help.

Telling a Successful Story With Content Writing 

Decide on your purpose

Stories can have different purposes, and you have to decide what you want yours to be. 

Do you want to inspire your readers to buy your product? Convey exactly what your brand is all about? Or educate them on a topic you care about?

A story without a purpose simply won’t be as effective. Your chosen purpose will affect how you tell your story and, consequently, how effective it is. 

Follow a structure

It’s Literature 101: every story has a beginning, middle and end. As simple as it is, this structure can help when you’re thinking about how to write content that has a story, whether that’s a blog or a social media post. 

To start with, your opening line has to be memorable. 

Think about Moby Dick’s three-word opening line, “Call me Ishmael.” It’s written in an active voice, it speaks directly to the reader, and it’s a little bit mysterious. All this makes for an engaging story.

After you’ve created a memorable opening, turn to the core of your story. What will occupy the middle? Conflict. 

Your chosen conflict doesn’t have to be as big as, for example, the Battle of Troy (though it did make for a good story) as long as it will inspire the reader. 

End with your grand finale. Where are your characters now? How have their lives changed? 

Your ending should resonate with your audience. Ultimately, if your story’s a good one, your customers will be thinking about it long after they’ve left your website. 

Establish a call to action 

Think of the call to action (CTA) as an epilogue. The core narrative has ended, your audience knows what’s happened – but that isn’t the end of the story.

To finish your tale, you’ll need to convert. Isn’t that what good copy is all about, anyway?

Your CTA will depend on the purpose of your story. You might want people to share your insights with others, to spread the word about your business. Or, you might just want to direct people to your products, so they can be part of your story.

Whatever it is, make your CTA direct and clear. That way, your readers won’t miss it. 

Creative writing not your forte? 

Get in touch with us to find out how our specialist copywriting and content strategy services can help you craft engaging content that hooks your audience.