Why Story-Telling Is The Super Glue For Your Blog

21 | Posted In Blogging by David

Why is it that you can give the best information in the world on your site, and yet barely hear a peep from your readers?

No comments, no retweets, no shares. Its like being in the woods in the dark of night – crickets.

Yet… somebody’s shitty blog with hardly any real useful content seems to get all the activity.

Are they just lucky? What’s the missing X-factor?

Often, it is the STORY.

There’s a reason we fall in love with movies. Even more to the point, there’s a reason why traditional story-based movies almost always get more fanfare than a documentary.

There’s a reason a lady from England writes a story about wizards and it ends up being an international sensation. Actually, her characters become the sensation and she feels obligated to continue the story.

There’s a reason Barack Obama got elected to the presidency despite have zero experience for the job.

That reason is… the STORY.

Have you ever noticed that the best speakers are the ones who weave their major points into a storyline? Those are the ones you remember.

See, people might arrive on your website for the information, but they’ll stick around for the STORY.

The ones who feel a connection with you, who resonate with your story – those are the ones who stick around and become raving fans. Those are the people who will buy from you.

Story-telling is an art. It is one you get better at over time. You don’t want to tell one of those “just the facts, maam” kind of stories. There’s no heart in those. No emotion. They’re flat.

But, when you can tell a story from the heart, one with emotional highs and lows…. and use that story to relay your point…. you’ve done something that many bloggers fail to do.

This is why content-light personal blogs sometimes take off. Even if the content isn’t really helpful at all, the audience feels a kind of comradery with the blogger. They want to know what’s going to happen next. They’ve turned that blogger into a character.

So, think about this…

Instead of lecturing your reader, can you tell them a story? Can you work your own backstory into your content?

I bet you can.

The root word of “authority” is “author”. Think about it. (tweet this)

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  • http://www.logallot.com Sonia

    Sometimes we forget to come from the heart and come off sounding like a teacher in the process. People that know how to tap into that always have me as a reader because I am looking for what’s next. Talk about hitting it on the nail there David.

    It made me think about the movies I loved to watch over and over again and it’s the story that keeps me glued in. Thanks for this timely reminder to keep it real and to always tell it from the heart. 

  • http://davidrisley.com David Risley

    You bet. We all need reminders sometimes. I’m not always the perfect story-teller, either.

  • Anonymous

    This is an awesome post, David! It’s so easy to get into a non-fiction groove that we forget about weaving stories around our message. I’ve tweeted!

  • Anonymous

    Can you please,please get rid of Disqus? It creates a barrier to posting a comment. If you want lots of comments (which your posts deserve) make it easy for commenters. I had to sign in to Disqus, couldn’t remember my password, tried to get back in, then it wouldn’t accept my comment, and on and on the saga went…. 

    I would have given up if it had not been for the fact that I know you and like you, David :-)

  • http://www.tiffinbox.org Seshu

    Hi Mary – What alternative to Disqus would you recommend?

  • Anonymous

    I think the regular WP comment function is just fine. 

  • http://www.worldtransformation.com World Transformation

    I think you are so right, anyone can write or even speak information in many forms, but you know when you have come across a good story teller or a well told story, good movies, people you meet socially, great blogs they are interesting and entertaining no matter what the subject. 

  • http://www.gaurano.com Jonathan Gaurano

    What?? You don’t need a disqus account to comment? I’m confused. 

  • Anonymous

    WordPress has a built-in comment function that works just fine – without commenters having to sign in, or get an account, or stand on their head.

  • http://davidrisley.com David Risley

    Even with Disqus, you can comment as a guest (without a disqus account). The button says “Post as…”. You click it, choose guest, then enter name and email just like you would with WordPress.

    Trust me, if it required an account, I’d never use Disqus.

  • http://davidrisley.com David Risley

    Yes, however it doesn’t integrate with social media… one of the benefits of something like Disqus or Livefyre.

  • http://davidrisley.com David Risley

    Thanks, Mary! :-)

  • http://Mazzastick.com Justin

    Great point David. I try not to make all of my posts a “data dump” to my readers. Sometimes telling a compelling story that relays the point of my post is a much better alternative.

  • http://www.addvalue.com.au branded items

    Just catch your interesting title beside your name, Justin. I’m quite new in blog-commenting and I doubt if I make any sense, at all.

    I guess I will have to follow your instruction, to relay your point through a story.

  • Rick Herns

    There’s a reason a lady from England writes a story about wizards and it ends up being an international sensation. Actually, her characters become the sensation and she feels obligated to continue the story.
    There’s a reason Barack Obama got elected to the presidency despite have zero experience for the job.
    That reason is… the STORY.

  • http://www.InternetNewbieIncome.com Willie Robertson

    Hi David,

    I guess I am some what on the right track. I started my online journey a few years back, totally confused and not knowing what the heck I was doing or where I was going.

    After seeing so many other newbies experiencing the same frustrations as me, I decided to to go with what I did know and that is, me and my journey on this road of learning my way around the world of Internet Marketing.

    Internet Marketing, as well as Entrepreneurism can be both fun and frustrating, but it is when you can learn to push through to success and try to help others along the way that really matters.

  • http://www.probloggingsuccess.com Jane | Problogging Success

    it is true that story telling will bring many more repeat visitors. even first time visitors will stay more time on your blog post. The visitor will be able to visualize the context and will remember the story and suggest others also.

  • http://www.addvalue.com.au branded items

    The reason for story telling is a great glue is that you get long and detailed contents. And when you are telling a story it’s more like of publishing long and great blog post. And if you are doing this you can update your blog post anything when you have another story ready to be published.

  • http://www.kooldesignfactory.com web design services

    It is human nature that all human give importance and like to
    listen stories it is not issue that in which forum it is. It could be in
    movies, drama, written, expressions, etc. Your points are very
    important and i am agree with it that if you want to teach anyone you should teach him with storyline.

  • Custom items

    Whussup David! When you read the bible , you are reading spiritual stories. If God expects us to listen with the use of stories then maybe that is why we humans are so good in making one. I also believe right now there is a story telling session in heaven at this very moment.

  • http://www.addvalue.com.au/ custom items

    Whussup David! When you read the bible , you are reading spiritual stories. If God expects us to listen with the use of stories then maybe that is why we humans are so good in making one. I also believe right now there is a story telling session in heaven at this very moment.