I think it’s great that everyone thinks of themselves as a writer these days. There are now MILLIONS of content creators out there on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, making videos, writing blogs, developing video games, commenting on articles, and on and on. It’s great people are expressing themselves, but therein lies a problem – more chatter equals more noise. And let’s be honest, most of what’s out there is loud, annoying and just plain crap.
It’s easy to spot good content quality – it’s creative, it’s moving, it’s hilarious. It’s this. And this. And this.
Now, to stand out today, businesses have to create content that rises above the muck. They do this with GOOD STORYTELLING.
Companies that employe good storytellers onto their creative team are one step ahead. This storyteller could simply be a subject matter expert. According to the 2010 Edelman Trust Barometer, people are increasingly viewing subject matter experts as trusted authorities. These folks are a good start, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg, the easy way out.
Marketing guru Seth Godin says: “…if I were trying to invent a mythic brand, I’d want to be sure that there was a story, not just a product or a pile of facts. That story would promise (and deliver) a heroic outcome. And there needs to be growth and mystery as well, so the user can fill in her own blanks.”
Businesses need to have their online communicators (subject matter experts included) equipped with a compelling narrative. This narrative should be going on at a dozen places at once (if possible), all with a common theme, an intricate branded web that stretches as far as it can, hits as many relevant eyeballs as possible. It should be thought through with the entire creative team, and implemented by communicators (writers, video makers, subject matter experts, etc.) who know how to tell good stories, what mode to tell these stories (text, video, images, audio, games, etc.), where to place those stories on the Web so as many folks can see them, and do by keeping the main marketing or benefits message close to the narrative.
This type of storytelling is the future of business marketing. Companies who develop a good story and a plan on how to distribute that story will rise above the noise of the masses.