The writer Paul Auster said, “We grow older, but we don’t change. We become more refined, yet deep down, we remain just as we were when we were little, creatures who wait anxiously to be told a story, and another and another.” And this couldn’t be more true!
Telling stories is inherent to human beings. Since the dawn of humanity, men painted their caves with figures that, together, formed a narrative. Stories are present in ancient rituals that tried to give meaning and significance to events.
And even today, we use stories to assimilate our emotions, explain phenomena, and understand ourselves.
So, if we all like a good story, brands and companies must create narratives and authentic messages that captivate people.
In marketing, this is called storytelling, which is the art of telling stories through various techniques. And, as we have seen before, this art has always been present in our lives, even without us realizing it.
When we can tell a good story, we go beyond the rational and logical and into the emotional realm. And that’s where the magic happens! Most purchases and brand choices are not logical and are much more emotional and intuitive than anything else.
Storytelling makes the customer identify in such a way with the values transmitted that, besides never forgetting the story, he will want to be part of it. This results in a powerful connection between companies and their customers, which is subsequently transformed into loyalty and trust, fundamental to sustaining and growing a brand in the long term.
The storytelling strategy on Pinterest
According to the social network, Pinterest currently receives about 478 million users every month. The main objectives of these users are the search for new ideas, the creation of wish lists, and above all, they see this platform as a way to spend their time-consuming Pinterest content.
Pinterest is a photo-sharing platform, and that’s where storytelling comes in: you can tell a story through each photo you post.
Since this platform is mainly dedicated to inspiration and explanations for users to do things with their own hands (known as DIY, do-it-yourself), it is elementary for Pins to tell stories on their own.
For example, a cooking recipe may only feature a picture of the final dish, but if images of the ingredients used are also included, the post will tell the whole story of the cooking process. When the entire process is explained in a Pinterest Pin, a story is told, and a deeper connection is established for the user with the recipe. This will further attract the user when they know they have those ingredients in their home and can easily replicate the recipe in their own home.
In photographs, we find enormous emotions by portraying and eternalizing special moments as no other form of storytelling can do. A picture, despite being static, tells about an event and transmits a feeling, a thought, and many times even a smell, referred to by our affective memory.
One thing is guaranteed: no matter how crazy, uninteresting or unusual your story may seem, an audience is eager to hear it. So take your picture and make the most of what Pinterest offers!
What’s the story you’re going to tell the world?