How human storytelling can transform your brand’s content strategy
AI-generated content seems like it’s everywhere, but one thing remains the same: people connect with people.
Human-led content can be the difference between a brand that’s memorable and one that fades into the background. It amplifies your brand’s voice and allows your audience to build trust and connection with your business.
Think about it: you’ve probably connected with a brand because of human storytelling pretty recently.
Maybe you bought something after you:
read a review or testimonial
felt inspired by a brand founder’s story
saw someone using a product in a video
or connected with audience-generated content in an ad.
Storytelling in content writing is one of the most effective ways to stand out, as it allows brands to connect on a personal level, create an emotional response, and build loyalty.
But how can you use storytelling in content writing in a way that feels genuine and enhances your brand’s content strategy?
Read more: A guide to finding your brand’s unique tone of voice
Read more: Content writing vs Copywriting: what’s the difference?
How to use human storytelling in your brand’s content marketing strategy
Below, I’ll go through five key things you should think about when using human storytelling in your content writing (while keeping it authentic and relatable). I’ll also share a few ideas you could try and examples of how that might work in practice.
Ok, let’s get started…
Build Authentic Connections
Stories grounded in real-life experiences allow audiences to see themselves reflected in your brand. Unlike generic content that could apply to anyone, personal stories are specific and relatable.
Whether it’s a client’s journey using your product, an employee’s experience working with your brand, or even a founder’s story, these narratives create an authentic connection that audiences remember.
You could showcase this authentic connection via:
Customer Testimonials: Share a customer’s journey with your product, such as a skincare line sharing someone’s transformation story after dealing with skin concerns. Showcase the specific ways your brand has helped someone or solved a problem.
Behind-the-Scenes Insights: Show what goes into creating your products or services, like a handmade jewellery brand sharing a designer’s day at the studio. Here you can showcase how your product is unique, hand-made or a labour of love.
Founder’s Story: Tell the story of why your brand was created. A wellness brand might share how the founder’s personal health journey inspired the brand's mission - and might hopefully inspire others in a similar situation.
2. Share Stories From Real People
Telling stories from people with real, lived experience – whether that’s your team members, industry experts, or customers – adds a level of credibility that AI content can’t match.
Your brand and team probably has expert knowledge. Make sure you showcase it!
You could include:
Expert Interviews: Interview professionals in your industry to share valuable insights, like a fitness brand working with a personal trainer to discuss wellness tips.
Team Spotlights: Introduce team members and highlight their expertise, such as a coffee brand showcasing the day in a life of its head roaster.
Team Journey: Follow a team member from their beginnings at the company and watch them thrive and grow. Showcasing your company as a great place to work is not only good for your team but will hopefully bring in new customers as well.
3. Bring Depth To Your Audience Knowledge
Good storytelling isn’t just about what you say - it’s about showing that you know your audience on a personal level.
When you dig deeper into their needs, aspirations, and challenges, you can create stories that feel relevant to them specifically.
Human storytelling helps you move beyond surface-level data points and speak to the real people behind the numbers.
You could try sharing:
Relatable Scenarios: Address common struggles. For example, a busy lifestyle brand might share stories about work-life balance or finding time for self-care.
Audience-Generated Content: Encourage your audience to share their stories or experiences with your brand, such as a travel company inviting customers to share stories from trips booked through them.
Niche Community Stories: For brands with niche audiences, share stories that align with their values, like a sustainable fashion brand talking about their environmental impact and conscious choices.
4. Answer Real Audience Questions
Stories have a unique way of answering the questions audiences actually care about. Instead of providing generic advice, human storytelling allows you to address the actual concerns and needs of your audience.
You could provide answers to your audience’s questions by:
Process Walkthroughs: Show how your product is made or the thought process behind a service. For example, a natural skincare brand could explain ingredient sourcing and the science behind the formulations in response to audience FAQs.
Educational Guides: Tell a story that educates, like a home decor brand showing how a real customer transformed a tiny space into a cozy oasis - and how audiences could do the same in their own home.
Problem-Solving Narratives: Use case studies or examples to show how your product solves common issues, like a fitness app brand sharing a customer’s journey to achieving their health goals. Make it relevant to your audience’s day-to-day life.
5. Showcase Your Brand’s Unique Personality
Every brand has a personality, and storytelling is one of the best ways to let it shine.
AI-generated content might be able to replicate certain tones, but it’s the unique quirks, humour, and heart of your brand’s voice that make it memorable.
You should consider:
Brand Humour and Tone: Share funny or playful content that aligns with your brand’s personality, like a bold fashion brand creating quirky “day in the life” stories with unique characters.
Creative Language: Use language that feels true to your brand, such as a luxury brand opting for rich, sensory language that promotes a high-end experience.
Social Media Series: Create a recurring series that emphasises your brand’s personality, like a travel brand posting weekly “Wanderlust Wednesday” stories featuring inspiring travel tales from around the world.
Using Human Storytelling in Content Writing
As a freelance content writer with a background in journalism, I love getting to the heart of the human stories behind a business.
When I work with a client to produce content - whether that’s a profile piece, company newsletter or blog content about a trending topic - I always try to think of ways I can include insights from real people and customers in my work.
That could include:
Interviews with the founders of a company to showcase their career background and mission.
Expert comment from an industry insider to back up or explore the point I’m making on a company blog.
Q&As with customers or staff members to find out more about what drives them.
Case studies of the real-world impact a brand has made through their work.
Interested in working with a professional content writer to add human storytelling to your brand?
Find out more about my services or get in touch to book a free consultation.
