The art & opportunities of digital storytelling

In the digital jungle of 2023, flashy digital campaigns win the battle for the most attention. How do you stand out and make a genuine connection with your intended audience? Do you focus on trendy tools or opt for visibility in public spaces as a counteroffensive? The answer is a double no: the very best way to engage your audience is with a strong story. And to do so consistently. From storybeing to storydoing: this is how you do digital storytelling!

6 min. read8 may `23

Knowledge & Inspiration

Storybeing: write your core story

Digital storytelling cannot exist without brand thinking. Before you can share your story with the outside world, it’s important to have that story clear for yourself. Who are you? What do you stand for? How and where do you want to convey that?

In your core story, you make choices that not everyone may relate to. That’s not necessarily a bad thing: it’s mainly a sign that you’re positioning yourself clearly. This provides inspiration and motivation but, most importantly, helps you stay true to yourself. The key is to be recognizable. And that’s more than just a logo. Your core story isn’t only your name, your house style, or the colors you use. It’s also embodied by your organization in the way you interact with your customers & employees. This is how you build a strong brand.

Exercise

To refine your core story, it sometimes helps to mentally go back to your first day at this organization. What did you feel then? What was your first impression? Revisiting this can motivate and inspire you, while also bringing you back to the DNA of your organization. These values can be conveyed or sharpened in your core story.

Storytelling: time to tell

Here’s what to keep in mind when conveying your core story.

Digital first, because data is key

Everyone is online in their own way today. That’s convenient because it allows you as an organization to measure your reach and adjust your strategy accordingly. This online measurability is the only way to determine whether all your efforts are effective. Focus on online marketing and work data-driven.

Curious about how to approach this? Read more about data-driven work.

Visual appeal matters

Make your content visually appealing. You can scale this up or down depending on your resources. A campaign featuring photos of colleagues or ambassadors makes everything more personal and accessible. Simple, yet effective. If you have a bigger budget, invest in high-quality video content. Write a script, create a storyline, and give people a concrete idea of what to expect. A consistent partner can help develop a recognizable signature.

Don’t fall for trends

Don’t innovate just for the sake of it. Trendy tools are flashy but only effective if your audience values them. First, determine your strategy and then choose your tools based on that. And do you have a loyal fan base on Facebook, even though everyone says Facebook is outdated? Just maintain that channel!

Invest in new audiences

The group of traditional culture enthusiasts with subscriptions who plan far in advance is shrinking and aging. It’s high time to engage the generations of the future. Actively create and share content that resonates with them, without excluding older generations.

Marketing at the start

Your marketing team translates your program to the public and ensures consistency throughout your campaigns. It’s crucial that your marketers and artistic team collaborate at the beginning of every process. Together, they determine the feasibility and relevance of new projects. This prevents program choices from disconnecting from your audience or core story.

Een jonge en oudere persoon staan in een platenzaak en kijken samen naar een plaat.

Storydoing: deliver on your promises

Anyone can tell great stories. But it’s about delivering on your promises. The essence of an organization truly comes to life in its actions. That’s storydoing.

Most importantly: do it together with your entire team. Often, the management, program, and marketing departments are well-informed about strategic choices. However, it takes a separate effort to get all your other colleagues on board. Only then will your story come alive, and colleagues become ambassadors:

Clearly define your goals together and celebrate successes as a team.

Give compliments and don’t shy away from addressing what isn’t working.

Allow room for experimentation so everyone feels free to try and occasionally fail. Trust is everything!

This article is based on the input gathered during the DEN meet-up The art & opportunities of digital storytelling on April 21, 2023, in Deventer. Speakers included: Sinja Bloeme (expert in brand management), Daniel Jaspers (head of marketing at Toneelgroep Oostpool), and Sophie Heijkoop (program manager at DEN). Participants also shared experiences and tips. This article was written by Birgit Van Asch (Cornelis Serveert).