To convey a strong message, digitally, brands must take on the role of a storyteller. The narrative has to be robust enough to withstand the shortened attention spans and quick turnaround of information found on the web. Now that nearly half (49.7%) of U.S. mobile subscribers have smartphones, and Google is activating 1.3 million Android devices per day, it is clear we live a hyper-connected lifestyle that requires mastering mobile and digital storytelling.
The ability to speak in sound bites and effectively humanize your message to your following– a tribe of potential employers or customers, and even other brands–in a compelling, clear, concise transmedia format in real-time is expected.
Let’s cover a few quick strategies on how you can use photos, tweets, hashtags, videos and short bursts of content to create positive brand touchpoints.
Optimize Your Site’s ‘About Me’ Section: The “About Me†(or “About Usâ€) page is the most viewed area on your site/blog. Make sure it is written in third person and includes working links to relevant content like media coverage or social networking sites.
Write a Worthwhile Twitter Bio: Your Twitter bio is your personal ad in 160 characters or less. In this small space, you want to provide a sound bite and link people to your other digital assets. Twitter recently redesigned user profiles, giving people the ability to visually tell their story.
Maximize YouTube Descriptions: Creating concise, memorable video content is important, but embedding information that gives people the ability to connect with you on a deeper level is absolutely essential. Make sure you include a clear description, relevant social media content and tags, as well as links to your website.
Upload Relevant Photos Only: Your profile photo needs to be relevant and align with your brand. Also, the use of Instagram or other photo-sharing tools can be an effective way to create a visual experience.
Allow a Story to be Told Via Hashtags: Whether you use Twitter or not, the power of hashtags is evident. Tagging tweets, photos and other content with hashtags is a great storytelling strategy.
Get Brands/Influencers Involved by Tagging: When posting status updates on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Google+, tagging people, brands and places are beneficial. It creates a digital trail and fosters relationship building. Note: The tags need to be relevant to each post.
Digital storytelling should be a transmedia experience that crosses social media platforms with unique content in all mediums–audio, video, photography and written content. Every person has the power to create an impactful digital story instantly and in a very powerful way.
How do you tell your story online? Share your strategies in the comments section.