1. What’s In a Story? Web Expo 2013 #webexpo @marsinthestars

2. My Story @marsinthestars I discovered content strategy, and now I tell stories again! I wanted to be a writer when I was little. I went to college for Theater, to help my writing. My SM skills got me a job as a UX PM. In theater, I became a stage manager.

3. The Ant and the Grasshopper @marsinthestars

4. In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. @marsinthestars

5. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest. @marsinthestars

6. "Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and moiling in that way?" @marsinthestars

7. "I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant, "and recommend you to do the same." @marsinthestars

8. "Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; "We have got plenty of food at present." But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. @marsinthestars

9. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger - while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. @marsinthestars

10. Then the Grasshopper knew: It is best to prepare for days of need. @marsinthestars

11. Stories are memorable @marsinthestars

12. A World of Grasshoppers @marsinthestars 2012: Average attention span of 8 seconds. 2000: Average attention span of 12 seconds.

13. A World of Grasshoppers @marsinthestars

14. A World of Grasshoppers @marsinthestars

15. A World of Grasshoppers @marsinthestars

16. Size matters not @marsinthestars

17. In many cases, long copy has proven more effective than short copy. @marsinthestars

18. The Long and the Short of it @marsinthestars

19. The Long and the Short of it @marsinthestars

20. The Long and the Short of it @marsinthestars

21. The Long and the Short of it @marsinthestars It didn’t work because the content was longer. It worked because the content was better.

22. @marsinthestars The Long and the Short of it

23. Stories are engaging @marsinthestars

24. “In reality, you cannot have a page that’s too long – only one that’s too boring.” - Conversion Rate Experts @marsinthestars

25. “Sit on a hot stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit next to a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. That’s relativity.” –Albert Einstein

26. The Long and the Short of it @marsinthestars You are here

27. The Ant and the Grasshopper @marsinthestars 3. Plan ahead, like the ant, and you won’t starve. 2. Sometimes we need to do things that aren’t very fun. 1. Hard work pays off.

28. Stories are Meaningful @marsinthestars

29. "Fiction, because it is not about somebody who actually lived in the real world, always has the possibility of being about ourself.” - Orson Scott Card @marsinthestars

30. Stories are meaningful @marsinthestars

31. Hard work pays off. @marsinthestars

32. The grasshopper learned that hard work pays off. @marsinthestars

33. Seeing the ant’s happiness, the grasshopper learned that hard work pays off. @marsinthestars

34. After playing all summer and nearly starving, and seeing the ant’s happiness, the grasshopper learned that hard work pays off. @marsinthestars

35. Stories are Memorable @marsinthestars

36. Basecamp organizes projects. @marsinthestars

37. For thousands of companies, Basecamp organizes projects. @marsinthestars

38. When they need it, for thousands of companies, Basecamp organizes projects. @marsinthestars

39. Like a mountaineer’s Sherpa when they need it, for thousands of companies, Basecamp organizes projects. @marsinthestars

40. Why do stories stick? @marsinthestars

42. History of Storytelling @marsinthestars Storytelling Marketing Content Strategy Myths and Legends Education Lessons Text and visuals Creative direction Branding Fairy tales Communication Oral traditions Fables Visions and Prophesies Connection

43. History of Storytelling @marsinthestars

44. History of Storytelling @marsinthestars

45. History of Storytelling @marsinthestars Explains the origin of women. Explains personality attributes.

46. History of Storytelling @marsinthestars Explains why bad things happen. Explains hope.

47. History of Storytelling @marsinthestars Storytelling as a peace offering. Storytelling as a means of engagement.

48. History of Storytelling @marsinthestars Emadeddin Baghi Iranian Author Storytelling is influential. Storytelling is memorable.

49. History of Storytelling @marsinthestars

50. History of Storytelling @marsinthestars

51. History of Storytelling @marsinthestars

52. History of Storytelling @marsinthestars

53. History of Storytelling @marsinthestars

54. “People need stories more than bread itself. They tell us how to live, and why.” –Arabian Nights @marsinthestars

55. Content Creators @marsinthestars Facts Facts with Visuals Storytelling Content Strategy

56. Content Creators We tell stories that can be READ. We: Research Establish the story Add details Distribute @marsinthestars

57. Research @marsinthestars

58. Research It’s EVERYONE’s job! @marsinthestars

59. Research Good research = personalized content! @marsinthestars Have conversations, not interviews Pay attention to vocabulary Identify patterns

60. Research The point of questions is to hear what users have to say. Their vocabulary is just as important as their answers. @marsinthestars

61. Research Share your own stories – but only a few. Remember the main focus is on the user. @marsinthestars

62. Research Identify patterns. Patterns are more valuable than outliers. @marsinthestars

63. Establish the Story @marsinthestars

64. Establish the Story @marsinthestars

65. Establish the Story @marsinthestars

66. Establish the Story Beginning: Middle: End: @marsinthestars Little Red Riding Hood wants to visit her grandmother. She meets the wolf, who eats her and her grandmother. The huntsman kills the wolf, and Red Riding Hood lives happily ever after with her grandmother.

67. Establish the Story Beginning: Middle: End: @marsinthestars Joe wants to spend more time with his family. Joe buys the new Moto X phone. He can work anywhere! Joe leaves the office early, to take his family on a picnic. They live happily ever after.

68. Establish the Story Beginning: Middle: End: @marsinthestars Sally needs a recipe to make chicken. On her recipe website, the chicken recipes are bookmarked. Sally makes a wonderful dinner, repairing her relationship with her mother-in-law.

69. Add Details @marsinthestars

70. Add Details A person Strangers A story @marsinthestars  a girl  bears  a family  Goldilocks  a whole world

71. Add Details @marsinthestars

72. Add Details @marsinthestars

73. Distribute @marsinthestars

74. Distribute The goal: engage with the audience. @marsinthestars First, learn where the audience is. Participate in their conversations. Advertise your product or service where it helps.

75. Distribute It doesn’t matter where you market your content, so long as you go where your audience spends time. @marsinthestars

76. Next Steps 1.Create a story 2.Personalize a story 3.Use different mediums 4.Interact with your audience 5.Trust @marsinthestars

77. 1. Create a story, and build the brand around that story. Tell a story that shows the value of your product. @marsinthestars

78. 2. Personalize the story to your target audience, based on what you learn from what they say. @marsinthestars

79. 3. Use different mediums to help grow the story. Go to the places where your users hang out. @marsinthestars

80. 4. Interact with your audience. Bring them your content, and help them understand all of its value. @marsinthestars

81. 5. Trust the story to pull in the audience.

82. Thank you! Marli Mesibov marli.us @marsinthestars