How to Use Storytelling in Your Blog
Each day, internet users circulate more than four million blog posts around the world.
So unless you have an exceptional blog post on your hands, it’ll just get lost in the sea.
The good news is, you can turn the odds around. And you can do so by unleashing a powerful weapon:
Stories!
In this post, you’ll learn how to use storytelling to write more convincing content for your audience. This way, you can increase your conversion rate and generate more sales and leads.
Find real-world inspiration (and feature examples)
That empty alley you passed by on your way to work? That person who brings you coffee every day?
These are just two things that could spark an inspiration for your writing. And any kind of inspiration that could make your writing better is worth your readers’ time!
So find ways on how these seemingly mundane events in your life can help breathe new life to your writing.
In fact, you can conjure your imagination for stories that can hook the readers into your blog posts.
Take Henneke from Enchanting Marketing. She is one of the best bloggers/copywriters in the business, and here posts are proof of that.
Here’s her introduction to personification examples:
Use relevant stories
There’s no question that storytelling in sales is powerful. But this power has a lot to do with how you use the stories to carry out their meaning. You can think of them as a means to an end.
If you want readers to react to your blog post with happiness or something positive, you need to stay relevant. Only use stories that can help emphasize what you’re trying to say.
If you write a blog post about memorable days in Fort Atlantica, for one, don’t include generic stories about plants. Otherwise, storytelling won’t be as powerful.
Even if they’re interesting, these irrelevant stories won’t power you up. And most likely, readers’ reactions to them is this:
You just wasted their time.
Use elements
In every great story, you’ll always find the main character.
If this character lived a perfectly ordinary life, his story is less likely to capture the interest of your readers. But if he lived his life in the opposite direction, he’s up for some attention.
So when telling a story, make sure to include the right elements. Start by introducing a character with a conflict that he looks forward to resolving, as well as the answer to his problems.
The character in this case is your buyer persona.
You want that character to embody the needs and wants of your target readers. And the only way to do that is to put them on the shoes of the character in your post.
Having these elements is a surefire way to keep readers glued. And remember, great stories are also memorable, thought-provoking, and entertaining.
Create relatable situations
Telling stories is also very powerful if the stories are relatable. And a simple way to make stories relatable and getting people to hear you out is to appeal to their emotions.
Just think of this approach as a means of reaching out to your readers. Let them know that you can get on the same page. This is favorable, instead of talking about a topic that they won’t easily understand.
So introduce a character with a relatable situation, as mentioned earlier. It has to be someone they can empathize with. It would even be better if they are the character.
You can also tell a personal story. That’s the reason why readers love case studies because they come from personal experience. More importantly, readers can replicate their success by following the steps.
Include images
Did you know Medalia Art, a site that sells art online, increased conversions by 95% after using images on its homepage? All it did was revamp its landing page to include photos and voila!
This is because seeing images make stories easier to understand. And when they’re easier to understand, the more hits they’re going to get.
Let’s say you’re selling products that emphasize the importance of dental hygiene. And if you put yourself in the shoes of your readers, what will you do?
Will you be more interested in reading a story with nothing but text in it? Or will you find another post that features a picture?
Elaborate on your story
You need to talk about your story well. And not as if you’re in a hurry.
Doing this helps you introduce a realistic story. Plus, it’s a way to get your readers tied to their seats.
It’s just like how TV show creators do it. They don’t just throw the pieces of a story for audiences to pick up. Instead, they make it a point to elaborate on what they’re showing them.
The result? People reward them with attention!
So follow their lead by elaborating on your story. Because you don’t want your blog post to read and finish like the final season of Game of Thrones!
You want to write a piece that’s akin to Breaking Bad – meticulous, thought-out, and rewarding at the end.
Final thoughts
While they hold power, stories are just that: stories. They can’t help your content marketing efforts and give your blog an edge on their own.
It’s up to you to tap into that power and get them to take your conversion rates up a notch. You can use them to teach people, inspire growth, and more. Basically, you can do plenty of wonderful things with them!
