What is storytelling and how to apply it in Instagram

About a year ago, Instagram overflowed and still does not let go storytelling trend. A brilliant tool, but in the hands of amateurs bringing to the attention of the fingers who frantically search for the button Unsubscribe.

Let’s see what kind of beast this is – storytelling in general and for Instagram in particular, and how to use it so as not to harm yourself and your business. And help us with this Rezanova, Scripted.me author, professional screenwriter (“1 + 1”, channel “Ukraine”, projects “X-Factor” and “Ukraine maє talent “on STB, etc.). We give her the floor.

Essentially storytelling is art tell stories. And believe me, a good story can create wonders. Those who say that in the age of technology it comes down to logic, and most importantly, to build argumentation correctly, you can confidently to answer, more than 90% of decisions we make on an unconscious level. And our unconscious does not respond to facts and figures, but to familiar details, sensations and memories. And we begin to respond emotionally.

Storytelling in examples: how to?

The popular service for renting apartments and rooms Airbnb refused Position yourself as your competitor Booking does. Instead of focusing on specific apartments, prices and promotions, the team is already has long been building its marketing on people stories. So it can look like their usual post.

“A couple of blocks from downtown Pueblo, visitors enjoy a delicious breakfast served by hosts Louis and Malu in the courtyard, built during the revolution. Slow morning with coffee and dinners, cooked recipes compiled in the 19th century of one of the great-grandmothers of Malu – visiting the owners of this house live history, traditional food and local flavor. ”

The power of history is also understood by the ideological mastermind of travel girls Girls In Travel Yulia Savitskaya. Her clients buy tours, because that they also want to be the heroine of such stories.

Storytelling: how not to?

However, many interpret the term “history” incorrectly. Pouring in posts soul and sharing personal details, sincerely perplexed, not getting the “pluses” in karma and sales revenue: “What? I really told a story! Personal! “. Thanks for the emotional exhibitionism, but preferably without it.

History is not written to tickle the author’s pride, no matter what super big ass he pumped up (buy the author’s fitness course), no matter how courageously survived the separation from the second half (coaching on faith in oneself is necessary – is not necessary?), etc. I to you I’ll say more: it’s desirable that the author’s story doesn’t It was. The story is written for the reader. He must see himself in her. All that is required of the author is to place the reader in the text, where everything identification points click, and the right emotion arises.

Storytelling: how to make it necessary?

“It’s ridiculous to demand authenticity from a story. A piece of life is what you can get for free before entering the cinema. A drama is the life from which everything boring is cut out, “said Hitchcock. We use the advice of the director and clearly build the boundaries between ordinary life and instagram. It is useful for two Reasons: First, the people and events you write about cease to be perceived by you as real people, but become be considered unconscious as characters. It should be so. Secondly, knowing the boundaries between the life of Instagram story and your personal, in the heat of the moment you will not give out too much personal to the network.

All this can even be prescribed, except for jokes. What a place they are actions, time and characters of your instagram reality? What endowed with qualities? Why is it important to talk about them? Which value do they carry for the reader?

Well, now that the borders are built, here are the tools for creating a good storytelling post for Instagram

An event – nowhere without it

In a post, something must happen. Desirable here and now, but the story may be about something that has already happened. The main thing is to circumstances about which it is impossible to remain silent shall be declared. And further, do not complicate. One simple action. This principle underlies even three-hour films, what about short posts in social networks.

An event in itself is worthless if it is not the actor. There may be several, but one is required will be in charge, and you will give him more characteristics. Hero must do something. We do not believe the words. But we are much learn from actions. Action is the basis of drama.

Emotion is the second essential component of a good story.

The hero immersed in the event acts, and we cannot stay neutral to this action, precisely because it emotionally colored. Markers of emotions can be adjectives, actions of heroes, or punctuation – ellipses, exclamation marks. Here with the latter can not be overdone. Single exclamation mark quite enough.

Detail makes the story believable

In pairs on the theory of literature, our teacher tormented us example from Proust’s novel “Towards Svan”, where the main the hero, recalling his childhood, thinks of the Madeleine cake, and that it will never be so delicious as then, because then it was new. I have now without Proust’s epic sweep, but it was this detail with a cake that helped the author make up in his head The reader a vivid picture of the childhood of the hero. And partly about him character.

These are basic, mandatory components. I will shock if I say that when I wrote television scripts, from me trinity “event-emotion-action” was required in every sentence, not like in the whole story?

Now practice

Let’s look at the history of the local from Pueblo, about whom said in his post Airbnb service. “A couple of blocks from the center Pueblo Visitors Enjoy A Delicious Breakfast Covered hosts Louis and Malu in the courtyard of a house built in the years revolution. “This is an EVENT.

The main ACTING PERSON of the post is not a guest and not a house that leased out to Malu. This is her breakfast cooked. This is Y her home kept an old collection of recipes (DETAIL). Indirectly it she is responsible for a leisurely morning, local flavor, guests enjoying the atmosphere – these are all the details, Awakening emotion. And note, in the post there is not a word of lies. You are not deceived by selling what is not. The author just throws away from the life of this very ordinary couple of house owners in a city Pueblo is the most boring. And leaves the concentrate.

Storytelling on Instagram Stories

The same Airbnb, by the way, make great use of storytelling in story Well, you know this functionality – they usually pile something there not hitting. But marketers of the service, using knowledge of drama and patterns by which history can develop are built from short pictures full stories. Here are screenshots of one of such posts step by step.

Storey 1: Today is #TravelTuesday. Where are we?

Storey 2: Hint: The city is famous for its love of caffeine, locals recommend starting the day with flat white from Market Lane Coffee

Storey 3: Hint: After morning coffee, head to the side. Josier Lane to see vibrant city street art.

Storey 4: Well, guess what? Melbourne in Australia, or Manchester in England.

Storey 5: We are in Melbourne, Australia.

Storey 6: Celebrating the launch of #AirbnbExperiences in Melbourne!

Storey 7: Now using our service you can order from local, lily, scuba diving in the waters of Morning Peninsula Pier.

Storey 8: In the company of another local, Ryan, to meet kangaroo family.

Storey 9: Swipe up to find all offers for #AirbnbExperiences in Melbourne. Well, about places where you can stay.

History gives us what no advertisement can give – full immersion in a world different from routine. To the world where emotions live that we all really miss. I am professional I have been working with storytelling for more than ten years. Very often for these for years I saw how behind a good, correctly told story, thousands were walking. Your instagram does not have to be epic. But you should clearly know when publishing it what emotion you want to achieve, for what you tell.

I would lie if I said that the knowledge from this post enough. On the contrary, I’m a big opponent of simplifications, which are now and then: “In just a month and a half of ours Intensive you will become a professional writer! “,” Sign up today for training – in a month the priest will be like a nut! “,” My the program will teach you how to earn a lot in a month! ” skills and mastery – these two concepts are now often confused.

Those who want to become good storytellers can find useful information and from the classic patterns that are used storytellers. I’m writing about three of these in the post “Storytelling for business. “Well, just books, of course. Mitt,” Cinema between hell and paradise “- you can start with it.

Text: Inessa Rezanova, author of the Scripted.me blog Photo: Instagram profiles @airbnb and @keepeyesopen