Many years ago, storytelling had a different meaning and was not even used for business purposes. Instead, older people came up with interesting stories and shared them with anyone who cared to listen, especially kids. Anyone who could tell good and fascinating stories then is said to have a valuable skill, except that it was used for other purposes. Drummers, Griots, and percussionists identified as storytellers, telling tales in cultures and passing down history. 

Many decades later, storytelling is an entirely new thing that has evolved from casual get-together talks to an effective tool for businesses, brands, private institutions, and many other organizations. Unlike traditional storytelling, modern storytelling has taken a different route and proven that it is the best way forward in this digital world. 

What is Digital Storytelling?

When speaking of digital storytelling, the idea of storytelling still holds, only that it now has a touch of newness referred to as "digital". Hence, digital storytelling can be referred to as the creative process of conveying stories and sharing information using different digital elements such as texts, videos, websites, blog posts, and social media posts. If you are looking to attach a clearer picture to the concept of storytelling, think of the Instagram reels that you see every time you open the app, the tweet threads that you engage, and websites or newsletters you must have subscribed to for one reason or the other. Even, when you post something as simple as a WhatsApp status, you are conveying a message and it's taking a digital route; this implies that it could also pass as digital storytelling. 

Yes to Digital Storytelling! 

You are not sure if digital storytelling is important? It is. Brands, businesses, organizations, product owners, and many other institutions have come to understand that storytelling helps customers and consumers connect better with products. This is because stories have the power to teach, enlighten, and communicate feelings. With storytelling, content cannot be bland, bare, and boring.  

Brands with the intention of introducing a new product may hire a storyteller who tells their story in such a way that it relates to the product, and brings you to see the importance of purchasing it. These stories are told through videos, podcasts, or blog posts and they resonate with you so well. 

Videos, especially, do the magic. People can see what you are talking about, read your emotions and body language. We came across a content on Instagram, and the idea was to sell a savings app. The story communicates how a person was scammed from being part of a local contribution (popularly known as thrift or Ajo). Considering that this person has once been duped, it may be hard for them to keep saving. The storyteller goes ahead to explain that they have been in similar shoes but they can now save because the savings app allows them to manage their money, lock it until they need it, and even give them some interest. Digital storytelling is important and several sectors have leaned towards it, using it in different ways to reach their business goals. 

Digital storytelling for business 

Who would have thought that storytelling would finally come to be a thing that would help businesses thrive and reach the right audience? People love stories and are naturally drawn to them, the concept, and even the people telling them. This is why, recently, storytelling has been proven to be a successful approach in marketing and branding strategies, building customer loyalty and organic engagement. 

The story-telling process for business purposes, however, requires strategic moves. If you are a storyteller, you need to have it at the back of your mind that people want to be thrilled, they want to learn something new, and at the same time be convinced enough to engage your call to action. 

Some brands/businesses that have used the power of storytelling to make a difference include: 

• Netflix

• Barbie

• Dove

• Crocs

• Nike

• Apple

• Coca-Cola

• Spotify

• AUDI

• MTN

There are several others and these are just a few.

Who can be a Digital Storyteller?

Mostly, creatives tend to be digital storytellers because they have the majority of the skills required. A photographer, content creator, writer, designer, and any other creative who can tell sharp stories can be a digital storyteller. This is why you see that most brands and businesses collaborate with photographers, content marketers, and content creators to bring their ideas to life. Crocs worked with Eni the beauty boy because they believed that he could tell the Crocs story perfectly, Maltina and Cadbury also viewed the popular Tomike as an amazing storyteller and trusted her enough to tell their brand stories respectively.

A good digital storyteller must: 

• Have an interesting, catchy, and engaging narrative because people don't want to be bored. 

• Know how to communicate simply such that the audience can understand and enjoy the storyline. 

• Must be able to switch into different characters that people care about and can connect with. 

• Must understand what their audience is likely to engage with and come up with stories that are relevant to their interest. 

• Must be able to use languages and expressions that are easy to decode. 

• Must be able to tell a story that will last a while. 

Read also: Pro Guide on How to be a Digital Marketer

What makes storytelling effective? 

It is good that you want to tell or have told your story, but how do you know that your storytelling is effective? Look out for these pointers: 

Relevance/Point of View

Funny enough, on social media, there is a new concept that works for videos and sometimes written texts - storytellers add a caption to their videos and tag it "POV" which means point of view. Before the audience dives right into watching or reading, they have an idea of what the story/content is about. They can also conclude if it catches their interest, needs, or values. These two elements help the audience to decide if they want to spend time engaging the content. 

Action 

Effective storytelling prompts the audience to take action or effect a change. This usually happens at the end of the story. The CTO (call to action) may be to sign up on an app, donate to a cause, or buy a product. Whatever it is, the story must inspire, motivate, and push the audience. It is easy to see if this happened especially if your story was well engaged. Also, you also need to track the results to see if people really yielded to your story. 

Emotional effect

Ordinarily, stories don't do enough magic. The expression and emotions are really what make the audience even more interested in what you have to say or have written. They want to see through your laughter, cackles, inspiration and empathy. They want to be able to feel the same thing too. 

Outstanding

When a story is outstanding, people are likely to remember it and every single event of the story. This means that they find it interesting and cannot get it out of their heads. People still use memes from Layi Wasabi's content because they can relate to it for a long time. Even when he makes new content, people hold on to memes that can come in handy for them. 

Story shares

Story shares only suggest that a person has viewed your story to be good enough and they think other people need to see it too. Social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter allow you to do that. People can either share a story directly to their friend's DM or on their Instagram story feature for every other person to see. This says that your story is solid and is worth sharing. 

Simple ways to make your story stand out

Now that we know how many people ( customers or consumers) are thrilled by stories, they are likely to come across a lot of them daily. Considering this, it is important to make your story different. How do you do this? 

Share a story they've never heard

This logic is equivalent to showing your friend a meme they have seen before. How do they react? Uninterested. But, when you show them a new one, they laugh out loud and have something to say. This is how it works with storytelling too; people don't want to see or hear stories they have never heard before. They want something different, that can spark a new curiosity in them. Make your findings about new and unconventional stories and leverage them; people have not heard about certain things and you can take this opportunity to steal the show. 

Don't compromise on quality

People are more likely to stay and concentrate on a video with rich visuals, and perfect audio compared to low-quality video content. Of course, your content is more important but the audience should also have a good experience watching. Straining their ears to listen or missing some parts of the video may discourage them from engaging your stories subsequently. So, if you can, put in your best while telling the story because you're doing more than storytelling. You are bringing light to people's lives. 

Consistency will always be key

Consistency is the fuel of success. One of the best ways to be a good storyteller is to do it from time to time. Show up with the same or even better energy every day and do your thing. Imagine that people get to see you on their screens every now and then or receive your newsletters in their emails consistently. You are constantly putting yourself in the faces of your audience and it won't be long until they get used to you and look forward to your stories every time. 

Bring your emotions along

Don't ever tell a story without expressing what you feel. While all storytellers may not physically discharge these emotions, they must be seen in the writings or heard in their voices. Some even exhibit it physically, think of the spoken word artists; the level of connection must be established. After all, that is what makes the story worth telling. 

Storytelling feels like a new thing again and the good part is, there are several styles and approaches to it. Also, it even makes a lot of sense now because it is more useful than ever to large business owners, entrepreneurs, educationists, brands, and more. 

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