Data storytelling needs both creativity and structure to succeed. You need to skillfully combine emotion and complex data into a piece that communicates insights that your company can use. Today, more and more businesses are using data storytelling in content for clients and employees alike. If you’re thinking of using data insight solutions to improve your business, here are things to keep in mind.
Why Data Storytelling Works
Experts project that by the end of 2021, there will be 74 zettabytes of data online. That’s 74 trillion gigabytes, a number so large it is practically inconceivable. There is so much content online today (for example, there are over 70 million blogs on WordPress alone). To stand out in that sea of information, you’ll need to do more than recite facts and figures.
Data storytelling succeeds at getting people’s attention because they elicit emotional responses. People feel stories, and brands that can shape data into stories will always have an audience. You can cut through the noise and reach people easily with data they remember.
How to Use Data to Tell a Story
There is so much data available to marketers, analysts, and communicators alike that makes storytelling much easier. If you know how to take information and create a narrative out of it, you can speak to your audience on a personal level. Here are tips that can help you use data in storytelling.1
-
Study Your Audience
Most companies already have a sense of how they want potential customers to see their brand. However, you don’t want to base your branding strategy on impression alone, whether you’re a new company or a well-established one. You’ll need to study your market well so you can create stories that will connect with them and compel them to take a desired action. Big data consulting companies can help you study your market and identify the defining features and behaviors of your audience.
-
Create a Memorable Brand
The more relatable and memorable your brand is, the better it is for your bottom line. Humans crave connection and relationships, so if your brand feels human, it will create a stronger connection with your audience. You can use data from consumers regarding what aspects of your brand personality resonate with them, such as tone, graphic and design elements, and messaging.
-
Make Your Messages Concise
In a world filled with an overwhelming amount of content, you only have a small window of time to engage with your customers, so you need to be strategic about your words. Study how to make the most impact in the smallest space possible. You can also use audience data here—for example, some programs can show you how long a person spends looking at an advertisement or a post. Posts that sit at the intersection of interesting and brief will almost always get repeat views.
-
Make Your Message Shareable
Despite everything being digital, word-of-mouth is still a powerful marketing tool. It is arguably more popular now since you can accelerate storytelling exponentially through social media. Data from your customers’ social media activity can help you determine what they see as worth sharing. You can study these posts and ads and shape your content to replicate what your audience is currently posting and sharing.
Conclusion
Whether they’re aware of it or not, customers want to feel like they are buying into a brand story. They buy a product or subscribe to a service because they believe that the brand’s values align with their own or because the brand promises something they want. Data storytelling will help you create coherent, relatable, and engaging content that makes your brand memorable.
Gemini helps you tell powerful and engaging stories through data. We provide advanced analytics solutions that change the way people and organizations make decisions. Contact us today to learn more.
