The Value of Short-Form Storytelling

How do you feel about snacks?

The right snack—especially if it’s super tasty and exists in a world free of dietary guilt—can do wonders.

That’s how I like to think about short stories.

In the world of brand and marketing content, storytelling is usually “reserved” for blogs, articles, and success stories. That is, it’s mapped out (formally or informally) with the characters and full arc of what you would expect from a story.

There’s no reason, however, not to map out the tale you want to tell for your short-form content. In fact, your short content can either stand alone as a satisfying snack or it can be the appetizer that precedes your medium- to long-form content.

So, in honor of short story month, let’s talk a little bit about the “how” with a few common content categories:

Social media – The epitome of snackable content. Social offers the opportunity to really distill your message down to its core elements: what’s happening and what does it mean for your audience. With a judicious use of visuals you can squeeze in more than just a passing nod to your relevance, but social media is about giving out to build community trust and engagement, so keep your story short and sweet (or salty if you prefer).

Email – Email marketing has been a stalwart since its inception (with some admitted peaks and valleys). But if it’s not a newsletter or an offer message, why make people scroll too far “below the fold?” Keep to the core elements: what’s happening and what does it mean for your audience, then add one: what they should do about it. And don’t forget to use your subject line and sub-head text to bolster your story—too many brands miss this opportunity to lay groundwork, add context, or even hide some “Easter egg” content for further engagement.

Blog – Everyone has an opinion on the ideal length for a blog post or other article content. There’s data about our shrinking time and capacity for content and other data about more engagement with longer content. What is missing is an examination of the nature of that content. Choosing to engage with something—no matter how short or long—has as much to do with presentation as length or subject matter. Blog post content should contain the same core elements as an email, but unlike a message that shows up in their inbox, people are choosing to visit your blog and engage. So, reward them. Be economical, but take advantage of the opportunity to play with words, add detail, and maybe play with story order to take your audience all the way to your CTA.

Success story – This is the obvious choice for storytelling content that highlights a customer, client or partner while also giving your brand a pat on the back. Too often, these stories are created using the same formula. Keep the 6 Ws (more on those in a future post) but mix it up to make each story stand on its own. Perhaps one story cries out for you to start with the success, then lead your audience along the journey it took to get there. Perhaps another centers on a portrait of a person rather than the problem overcome. Map out the “why should I care” or “what’s in it for me” elements of the success and build your story around it in a way that keeps your audience coming back for more.

In summary, the value of the story you tell isn’t defined by length/duration or format. It’s in understanding what your audience needs to hear and telling them that story in a way that’s engaging—no matter what media you choose for sharing it.



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