Every writer has a different reason to have specialized in the art of language and shows their talents differently. Some writers focus on illustrating fantasies of wizards and dragons, while others write their own life stories. Writers will even focus on the monotony of writing instructions or memos with technical writing. Every writer takes a different approach, but many learn most of the same strategies and skills.
As a content writer, you might be built more towards writing technical articles instead of fantasy novels. Regardless, you must learn to be just as capable of storytelling even in the nonfiction genre. Why would you need this experience? Even if you never write about insurance claims of dragons roasting cars, you still need a basic understanding of writing structure. By knowing and specializing in many fields and angles of writing, you write stronger content that better engages your audience.
The headline above seems to read like an oxymoron initially. After all, storytelling typically is not real, you must be thinking. If anything, storytelling cannot possibly be real because storytelling is just that: telling a story. But perhaps you have seen or heard the label, “based on a true story”? While at times you may stretch stories to keep them exciting, you can still tell stories with real facts.
Even when they are not entirely true, readers still look for a good story in content. Audiences are inspired by real stories with real elements. They want real people, real feelings, real locations and places, real times, and real events. Real elements help readers attach themselves to the situation or story in marketing content and see themselves in it. It also helps convince readers to buy into whatever you are selling.
Ultimately, to truly persuade readers to buy into products and services, you must know how to write and construct stories. If you cannot learn to be a decent storyteller capable of carrying the reader through the motions, you fail to be persuasive.
As discussed above, storytelling helps involve the reader and connect them to the subject. It helps provide a sense of relevance to the reader and what they are reading about. Any blog or website is rooted in relevance, whether the audience realizes it or not. A law firm that helps victims with car accidents will not write articles about handling accidents with Amish buggies. Why? Because unless a country town fair is a regular occurrence, buggies lack relevance in most accidents.
Providing real tips and stories about incidents such as accidents with semi-trucks provides much more relevance. A person would probably read this article because either they or a close relative have been in a semi-truck accident. If you choose to tackle irrelevant stories, including accidents with buggies, readers will not continue reading. They will click the Back button and move on because they cannot relate nor care about the topic.
Storytelling not only provides relevance and helps the audience feel connected. It can be downright entertaining, assuming you tell the story well. The element of entertainment stands as another important reason why storytelling is crucial to content writing. If the content makes the reader feel involved, feels relevant, and reads in an entertaining manner, they will stick around. Not only might readers stay long-term, but they will be more inclined to share your content with others.
How do you make your storytelling entertaining? Consider how to pace stories and topics, ways to incorporate light-heartedness (when appropriate), and swaying emotions in others. Adding this life and energy to your marketing content keeps the audience hooked and makes your content memorable. People are naturally attracted to ideas and sharing experiences with one another. With the right expertise, you can reel the audience into your work and sell them your products and services.
If you find yourself struggling to sell with storytelling, you can find the assistance you need. Through services such as law firm marketing, social media management, and blog distribution networks, Actionable Agency can help you. By offering many marketing solutions and web development for law firms across the country, we extend their reach and develop their business. At Actionable Agency, we can provide an analysis of your current strategy and website of your firm to help formulate new solutions. For more information, call us toll-free at (855) 206-9689.
