Take It from the Kids: What Animated Movies Teach Us About Effective Content
Just yesterday, a coworker borrowed a line from the animated movie Inside Out, saying “All right! We did not die today. I call that an unqualified success!” Some days are like that.
As expected, the quip elicited smiles all around. I don’t know about you, but I have always enjoyed quality animated films as much as the kids, especially those that include creative zingers meant for the adults in the crowd. Not only are they entertaining, but these movies can teach us a thing or two about writing more effective content, such as:
- People Love Stories—In fact, history shows that humans are natural born storytellers. Good stories have beginnings, middles, and endings, and the best ones are those that evoke an emotion or reaction. Your content might generate controversy, provide encouragement, spark creativity, or simply be memorable—as long as it causes the reader to “feel” something.
- Treat People Like People—Instead of speaking like a robot, an intellect, or a pushy car salesman, try writing content as if you’re speaking directly to someone. Imagine a client sitting across from you and asking a question about your product or service. How would you answer him or her?
- Everyone Wants to Be a Hero—When you’re telling your brand story, try making your customer the hero of the tale. How can you help them overcome a challenge, solve a problem, and defeat the competition? Is the customer responsible for making your product better through feedback? Give them credit. In order to cast your customers in the starring role, you need to target your content to them. Ask yourself—To whom am I talking? What are their needs? How can my products or services satisfy those needs?
- Try Episodic Content—This technique is gaining popularity for its ability to keep audiences engaged and coming back for more. It’s like tuning into your favorite cable series, but without flesh-eating zombies or elaborate period costumes! Content released as a series of posts or videos can build familiarity and encourage sharing.
- Images Count—Some of the most memorable animated films are mesmerizing due to their beautiful imagery. While you might not have access to professional animators or even graphic designers, simply including eye-catching images along with your post can boost readership.
- Follow This Tried and True Formula:
• Introduce Your Idea—Set up the topic and provide context as to why this is meaningful. Once you draw readers in, give them a reason why they should continue to read.
• Send Your Audience on a Journey—It may not be as exciting as Finding Nemo, but you can take your reader on a quest to learn a new skill, gain valuable insights, or improve a process.
• Don’t Be Afraid of a Little Humor—Sure, the business setting is not a kids’ film (well, most of the time), but everyone appreciates a little lightheartedness in their busy day.
• End with a Powerful Call to Action or Provoke a Desired Emotion—Know in advance what your goal is—spark an idea, ask for more information, visit your website—or everyone’s favorite ending—schedule a sales call!
If you think about it, both content marketing and social media are more about storytelling than giving a sales pitch. So, it makes sense that the same techniques that are used to grab and hold our attention at the theatre translate well into content creation. When you master the art of storytelling meshed with marketing strategies, your content will be both entertaining and useful, prompting your readers to reply (in the words of one little sea turtle) “You rock, dude!”
Need some help with your storytelling? Send me a note at [email protected].