Karan Gupta, CEO, AndBeyond.Media talks about the importance of story-telling and how the art needs to evolve with time to stay relevant.
Since I was a kid, I’ve always been enthralled by the idea of story-telling. It’s rather captivating to watch someone weave a narrative slowly and deftly. On many such occasions, over the years, my thoughts have circled back to the fact that irrespective of field, faculty or domain of work, some of the most successful people out there have one trait in common - they’re all exceptional story-tellers!
In an era where people know and demand exactly what they’re looking for, and at a time where marketers now have to deal with shorter attention spans, there is an immense need for story-telling skills to be immaculate.
Over the past few years, I’ve been rather piqued by video as a medium through which brands and marketers can craft meaningful messages and using it as a tool to not just drive business but to engage with audiences. Multimedia and visual media have always served as a medium that publishers and brands can pull their audiences into. Digital video, today, however, has taken it a notch further by creating a forward-leaning, high-engagement space for audiences and advertisers alike.
Given the heightened user engagement and measurable performance that video as a story-telling medium offers, it is turning out to be a highly preferred medium for digital leaders to invest in. But sometimes even the most effective mediums of narrative can hit a roadblock.
Now that I’ve got you thinking about it, let’s take a look at what could aid you in unleashing the story-teller within…
Relevance is a big, big deal when it comes to the narratives you craft. In a world where listeners have close to a million sources of information at the touch of their fingers, showcasing audience-worthy content goes a long way in forging long-lasting bonds.
A very common yet erroneous effort we often see is organizations pumping in large amounts of money into creating content. While this approach may work in the short-run, you’re sure to burn a gaping hole in your pocket over time! Having experimented and toyed with ideas to resolve these issues, I’ve realized that working with technology innovators who offer capabilities that are in-sync with your needs is a wise move to consider.
Preserving the ethos of your story-telling is crucial. The last thing anyone wants to do is subject their readership to a barrage of irrelevant ads or content. We all gravitate towards what we call the ‘Last Ditch Effort’ - a final attempt to succeed. Sure, we have to give it all, but we need to consider if we’re going to do that at the cost of offering an obtrusive reader experience. If alternatives are what you’re looking for, explore avenues such as native content that presents an opportunity through which engagement can be enhanced and spends can be effectively utilized. Adopt practices that will maintain the integrity of your narrative above everything.
It is imperative to focus on delivering premium content. The hottest brands out there today are the ones who succeed in reaching out to their consumers through relatable stories while striking an emotional chord with them.
The art of storytelling is widely reliant on the art of understanding and self-reflecting. It’s about knowing what is the need of the hour, what drives your consumers, and introducing personalization at every single touch-point. Just as we, humans, evolve, learn and adapt to change, so must our brand, our marketing strategies and our approach towards engagement. In a world full of noise, it's time to step up your game and be the change you want to see.
Feedback: karan@andbeyond.media
