Whether it’s a 4-year-old anticipating a bedtime story or a 40-year-old endlessly scrolling on Netflix, the aim of both is the same: to experience quality storytelling. The same principle applies whenever we’re in a state of consumption, which these days is found in the little (or not-so-little) screens that are often stuck to our hands.
The reason why one piece of content struggles to retain your attention while another can be so immersive and even addictive is a matter of not only storytelling but of science.
Neuroscientific insights into storytelling
As humans, we’re programmed to seek connection. According to Dr. Andrew Huberman, a Stanford Neuroscientist and founder and host of The Huberman Lab, when we scroll on platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and even LinkedIn, our brains release dopamine, a neuromodulator that controls our drive and motivation to seek pleasure and rewards. However, with these platforms, viewers release intermittent rewards. For example, most of us have had that experience of jumping onto a platform and finding a post or video that just grabs our attention--it's engaging, exciting, funny, etc.—and we get a small hit. Then, for most people, we don’t just turn off our phones—we keep scrolling until we find another post that gives us the same feeling. These intermittent rewards are what get most people hooked. Basically, we are on the “hunt” to feel good—exactly why cat videos get us every time!
In terms of storytelling, at the neuroscience level, listening to a story causes your brain waves to synchronize with those of the storyteller. For a content producer, this has the very powerful implication that storytelling stimulates feelings of empathy – it makes us remember and care. Delving further into neuroscience reveals that the frenetic neural activity that characterizes the brain as a hyper-dynamic supercomputer becomes organized and structured when we engage with a story, resulting in what we commonly refer to as the brain "lighting up."
We are inundated with marketing ads plastered across websites and filling up our email inboxes. In response, the brain has become conditioned to ignore the clutter. What will make you pause and offer your time and energy will invariably be a creative story. Over the last few years, the sophisticated consumer has been immediately turned off when it comes to anything that resembles a hard sell. Storytelling must touch the reader at a profound level, delivering that added value to their lives.
Storytelling in marketing
While storytelling has a powerful ability to capture the viewer's attention, it does not necessarily signal the end of the road for more down-funnel content in content marketing. Instead, there is an opportunity for your content to connect with the customer by shedding light on a narrative that portrays their challenges and aligns them with a potential solution.
In traditional marketing, it's often assumed that readers can easily digest unfamiliar information and data. However, a more effective approach for marketers is to convey a relatable story about someone like the reader. This narrative engages and provokes visual imagery in the brain, allowing for more information to be absorbed indirectly.
With so much content out there, informed digital storytelling matters more than ever.
Curious to know more? Keep an eye out for my next post where I’ll dive into the latest trends and techniques that are producing strong results for content marketers.
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