Link storytelling and search engine optimization together

What at first sounds like two different pairs of shoes is a topic that helps you make your content more palatable to customers. Anyone who thinks of SEO probably initially only considers the optimization of a website in order to persuade customers to make a purchase. That this intention is now outdated should be well known. Google is increasingly including user signals in its evaluations. Storytelling can tip the scales here. Because what pleases the user is also interesting for Google.

What ist digital storytelling?
What does good storytelling do for companies?
What are the basics of good storytelling?
Storytelling and online marketing: where are stories applicable?
What are the forms & media for corporate storytelling?
What is storytelling about – company or customer?
Our conclusion

What is digital storytelling?

Basically, this is the telling of stories or tales that are intended to convey emotions. The term is originally known from literature. In books, there is always a thread that leads us as readers through the story. There is drama, love stories, sadness or struggles – everything that touches us and brings us closer to the protagonists is relevant. It’s similar with storytelling in SEO. While it doesn’t have a keyword aspect, which is a relevant KPI for marketers, it is a crucial factor, especially in content marketing, in gaining the interest of users. Because SEO has long since ceased to mean conveying mindless information. Instead, you use storytelling to link information with an emotional message. The focus here is on the user’s needs. A good story can only work if the user feels picked up.

What does good storytelling do for companies?

High performance content is not just SEO texts. The focus is not exclusively on keywords and details. It’s not about a specific product that you’re desperately trying to sell. By telling a story that is not primarily focused on the sale, you generate the following results:

• Corporate identity: Build your brand and do not pursue the goal of acting transactionally. Interpersonal factors are more interesting here. A good example of this would be the commercials at Christmas time. It’s about love, time together – the corporations move into the background. Nevertheless, the commercials are remembered and ensure that users shop there.
• Brand development: Strategic storytelling naturally always includes the company’s own brand. But it’s more important to sell the story than to sell yourself. It’s not about creating content that compulsively puts your company name in play. Build your brand by delivering information that interests users. You’ll still be remembered.
• Emotion development: What would life be without a good story? It inspires us, makes us root for it, grieve and shed tears. It’s not about sales, but about arousing emotions. People who associate a text with emotions are also interested in the company, the product or the service behind it.
• Identifications: People identify with stories that come from everyday life, that may even resemble their own story. You can achieve this identification with storytelling. Is one of your company’s goals sustainability, for example? Then an uninspired text is bad. Rather tell a message, address your users and enable them to identify with it.

What are the basics of good storytelling?

In today’s world, where the range of products and services is almost unmanageable, it is becoming increasingly difficult for companies to stand out from the crowd and capture the attention of potential customers. This is where storytelling comes into play. Storytelling is a technique that has been used for millennia to tell stories and evoke emotions. But how can companies use storytelling effectively to win over customers? In this blog post, we provideTips on what a company needs for good storytelling.

1. A clear message
   Every good story has a clear message. So before your company starts storytelling, you should think about what you want to communicate to your customers.
   
   
2. Authenticity and credibility
   There is no point in telling a story that does not correspond to the truth or was only constructed for marketing purposes. Customers quickly notice when they are being hoodwinked, and this can cause lasting damage to their trust in the company.
   
   
3. A clear target group approach
   Storytelling only works if the story is tailored to the target group. A company should therefore think in advance about who the target group is and what their needs and interests are. This is the only way to ensure that the story actually reaches the customer and convinces them.
   

Read here in our eo:magazine article on how to conduct your target group analysis.

4. A consistent brand communication
   Storytelling is an important part of brand communication. It is therefore important that the stories the company tells fit the brand and support consistent brand communication. Only in this way can the company create a clear identity and recognizability and build trust with the customer.

Storytelling and online marketing: where are stories applicable?

Developing trust, appearing more authentic, responding to customer needs – none of this works with bland or uncharitable text. Storytelling can therefore be decisive in marketing, whether users are interested or not. But what options do you have?

How did your company come into being?

Surely you did not wake up and suddenly there was your company. There is always a story behind it that you should share with others. Many users are interested in what hurdles and pitfalls you had to overcome for your success. Tell a story about your motivations, about the ideas behind your company. Use storytelling to give your company not only a name, but also a vision.

What is this product?

There are products where a sober consideration of the technical data is relevant for the purchase decision. Nevertheless, storytelling can also be an effective tool here. Whoever is looking for a product usually has a problem, the solution to which you may just have in your store!

What are the forms & media for corporate storytelling?

When it comes to choosing the form and the medium, the world is literally open to you 😊We have summarized a few examples for you here. You have to decide for yourself and your company which form is best suited for your storytelling. Not every medium is suitable for your target group.

1. Videos
   Videos are one of the most popular forms of storytelling in marketing. A well-made video can tell a story in an emotionally engaging way and keep viewers engaged. Whether it’s short clips for social media or longer formats for YouTube, companies have many options here to tell their stories.
   
   
2. Social Media Posts
   Social media offers businesses a platform to share their stories in creative and engaging ways. Whether in the form of images, short texts or videos, social media offers your business many ways to reach your customers and build an emotional connection.
   
   
3. Blog posts
   Blog posts are another great way to tell stories and engage customers. You can share more detailed stories here and show off your expert knowledge at the same time. Kill two birds with one stone. Blog posts can also serve as a platform for customer feedback and experiences to increase the credibility and authenticity of your business.
   
   
4. Influencer Marketing
   Influencer marketing is an effective way to reach target audiences and capture their attention. By working with influencers, companies can tell stories while increasing reach and credibility.
   
   
5. Podcasts
   Podcasts are becoming increasingly popular and offer businesses another way to tell their stories. Here, companies can tell more detailed and longer stories while building a bond with their listeners.

What is storytelling about – company or customer?

Storytelling in marketing is not primarily about your company itself, but about customers and their needs. By telling stories that are tailored to customers’ needs and interests, your company can build an emotional connection with customers and strengthen its brand image. Customers want to know not only what products and services a company offers, but also how those products and services can improve or make their lives easier. That’s why your company should always focus on the customer in storytelling and tell stories that address these needs and interests. Only in this way can you inspire your customers and retain them in the long term.

Our conclusion

In summary, storytelling in marketing is a powerful tool for building an emotional connection with customers and establishing a brand. Stories have the potential to inspire, motivate and excite people and can therefore be an effective way of communicating. Through a well-told story, your company can convey its messages in a way that customers will remember. However, storytelling is not an end in itself. It’s important that the story is relevant to the target audience and the brand and reflects the company’s values and beliefs. Also, with your company, you should always make sure that the stories are honest and authentic in order to gain and keep the trust of customers.