Storytelling tips for digital content creaters

Storytelling is an art where content creators look into perfecting the delivery of the message whereas digital storytelling is when a story is told making use of all the tools of technology. Digital media production is best used in addition to traditional storytelling techniques. Digital Storytelling is using the digital medium to the best of its ability by enhancing everything traditional storytelling has taught us. Storytelling in marketing helps consumers to understand why they should care about something, and it works to humanize your brand.

When the world switched from print to digital media, the thing that stood out the most was the limitless possibilities it offered. No more restriction of space, no more grey content, layers, and layers of information that could be designed to optimize readability.

As a publisher, you may find a wide array of stories to tell. If you focus on a niche, this may be slightly more difficult. But as you develop your brand, and write content about different subjects, it’s easy to get stuck. How do you present it? Will your readers be interested in this story? How can it be presented better?

When it comes to storytelling, it takes talent and skill. This is amplified with the options digital media gives us. If you have the right tools to tell your story, then the story becomes all the more powerful, simple, and impactful. You no longer have to depend on text for storytelling. Here are a few ways to tell stories on digital platforms :

1. Visual storytelling

Visual storytelling has evolved as readers have started depending on more visual cues for information. From simple signs to overbearing infographics, users prefer information that can be understood quickly. This is where you can make use of visual storytelling, using tools like - google’s web stories, you can give bite-sized information to your audience. It’s easy to swipe/click to consume and you get to reuse it over time.

2. Audio/video storytelling

As a content creator, don’t shy away from trying different mediums to distribute your story. Try mediums like podcasts, video stories, live reporting, etc to keep your content dynamic. Understanding your audience can help you prioritize your primary content format however having diversity ensures that you have better chances of getting more traffic.

3. Listicles

If you have a story that can be broken down into smaller statements and bullet points, listicles are the way to go. It involves creating lists with good headlines that can be read quickly and understood. The stories are crisp and easy to share as well. You can target quick readers and give them information without the fear of it being overwhelming.

4. Data-driven storytelling

Data is democratic today. A Reuter's report or government survey is accessible to all. How you, as an information source, deliver is what it comes down to. Data-driven journalism has been on the rise because of the demand and interest in the same. Digital media allows you interactive ways to present large chunks of information in a way that doesn't overwhelm the audience.

• Know your audience - A simple google analytics search can help you get the insight you’re looking for with your user behavior. Knowing your user’s behavior on your website can help you polish your content strategy, content format, and overall tone.

• Have clear objectives with your content. The reason why some content pieces are hit and miss is because they lack context and do not come full circle. Define a reason for writing/creating the content and re-read it to ensure it delivers that purpose.

• Curate a list of broad topics that are important to your brand/audiences. Make sure you have a long tail and short tail keywords and right SEO tools to get the most out of these content pieces.

• Don’t forget to repurpose and reuse your old content. Find new data on the same topic and revamp your old quality content to get the best results.

• Find technology that will support your content strategy. Future-proofing your content is the only way forward in the digital publishing space.

With new devices and an increasing number of netizens, it’s important to stay relevant. Content creators need to look into content/story formats that are best suited for their audience and the nature of their story. Storytelling has been relevant since the time of the human race, the evolution of it has depended largely on the medium of communication. As the digital media evolves and gets more participation, it is important that digital publishers put effort into their storytelling techniques.