It's no secret in marketing that storytelling is the best way to engage customers. The brain latches onto stories, instinctively seeking to find out what happens next. Storytelling is as long as the history of human beings, and to this day it's employed by the best content creators and strategists. Whatever you tell a story about speaks directly to your brand while holding your audience's attention longer.

That said, how do you incorporate storytelling in your content? What if you have no idea for a story? Don't worry. Here are three tested and proven ways you can incorporate branded storytelling into your content.

1. Create an Explainer Video

An explainer video is a short video providing backstory and explanation behind a brand or a product or service. One example is whiteboard explainer videos, which narrate your voice with writing and drawing in marker on a whiteboard. These are great for describing the purpose behind your brand or product, and you can embed them in your website's homepage or a relevant product page.

To add more personality in your explainer video you can convey your brand's story in an animated cartoon. You can even use a cartoon avatar that looks like you if it's a personal brand. Animated videos typically capture attention better, but in-person video adds a human touch. The best way to build trust and intimacy with your audience is to get yourself in front of the camera and put a face to the business.

2. Release a Behind the Scenes Video

Video is an excellent medium for storytelling. According to experts, online audiences process visual information faster than text. Plus, data shows that video is far more popular than written content. Fans engage with intimacy, and a "behind-the-scenes" video is the perfect way to tell an authentic brand story.

How do you do it? Capture spontaneous moments where brand culture and work is demonstrated. Collect candid camera scenes in which you're working on your business or talking about what you do. If you have employees, capture their talent in spontaneous moments that demonstrate your company's culture and values. Tell the story behind your brand with the help of hypnotizing graphics and professional video editing.

3. Design an Interactive Story 

An interactive story contains words, animations and other media like images and videos, the user interacts with by making swipes or clicks on their screen. It can give leads an immersive experience that educates them about your products and services in a compelling, engaging way. It could be an interactive story where the user decides what happens next, giving them a personal experience. 

Create a microsite or a page on your website that features an interactive story that communicates your brand's message. If you're a green cleaning company, for example, you could take users through a series of purchasing choices that either raise or lower their carbon footprint. This can direct customers to cleaning products or services you sell.

Conclusion

Storytelling helps your brand compete among the billions of blog posts, videos and articles online. It works by captivating the audience's interest and holding their attention with content that recruits emotional reactions. 

Stories make for compelling, memorable marketing. To weave more storytelling into your content strategy, try making an explainer video and following it up with a behind-the-scenes video. Putting an interactive brand story on your site can help you build authority and educate leads about your products and services.