The explosive growth of social media and content marketing has changed the way brands market themselves. Nowadays, a compelling story serves better than a catchy slogan. In fact, 92% of consumers want brand marketing initiatives to be delivered as a story.
Naturally, social media is a major outlet for storytelling: it supports visual, video, and written storytelling–as we show you below. We hope you take these examples as inspiration for telling your unique brand story.
Demonstrate what your product means to people.
There’s no faster way of connecting with people than talking about people. Your company doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and neither do your products. How does your product empower people, bring them together, or make them smile?
With this regram of employee @krusk1 and her engagement announcement (the lovebirds met when he submitted an application), Starbucks positions itself as a place for happy meetings.
Teach your followers something new.
This is about establishing your brand as an authority, and as a valuable entity to follow. Share a DIY trick, debut an innovative recipe, or show off a lifehack as Chobani has done here on Vine.
Share how you care.
LUSHUSA.COM
Every brand has its own ethos and, hopefully, a way of giving back. Demonstrate your brand’s values by sharing the ways in which you help the community. LUSH Cosmetics, for example, has a Pinterest board dedicated to its Charitable Givings program, which has worked to rehabilitate wildlife, access clean water, and save the honeybees.
Show us your roots.
Everyone loves a good origin story. Social media is a great way to show us where you came from. Interpret this however you like: from the crowded apartment in which you worked to the mentor who inspired you to start your business, it’s all of interest to your fans.
Samuel Adams takes a slightly different approach with this bird’s eye view of Tettnang hops growing in Germany, an homage to the literal roots of its beer.
Be a platform for your followers’ stories.
In the end, building a brand is about allowing people to express themselves through your product. Levi’s turns the tables and asks users the world over to share how they #LiveInLevis, building a larger narrative out of fan-generated content. It’s an effective way to rally the community and strengthen loyalty among followers.
Interested in learning other ways you tell stories through social media? Get additional tips on what works well on Instagram by checking out our free eBook: The Complete Guide to Selling on Instagram which will show you how to use Instagram as a way to connect with your followers.