New Technology, New Storytelling: How to Identify Which Platforms and Tools Work Best for Your Story

I came across a quote recently that I’ve heard dozens of times as a writer. “There are no more original ideas.” While Mark Twain is credited as saying it first, it seems to be the common consensus amongst modern storytellers.

And it’s accurate, at least, for those who want to stick to the more traditional forms of storytelling.

Over the last several decades, we have seen a boom of new formats and ways to tell stories, with the last decade seeing a particular push of innovation with the creation of AI and an astounding amount of social media platforms.

If you want to tell your story, you can write a blog, record a YouTube video, post a TikTok, or have AI help you find the right words.

There are almost too many ways to tell your story.

The key is to discover the right way to tell YOUR story because attempting to use every tool available will only overwhelm you.

Here are a few steps you need to do before you can start telling your story.

What New Technology Aligns With Your Storytelling

For a minute, forget the trends. Forget your business. Forget what every marketing professional has ever told you.

You should think about what YOU would be comfortable with as a business owner or just as someone with a story to tell. Do you want to be on camera? Or would you prefer to hide behind text? Do you like the idea of podcasts or is that different from your style? Maybe AI feels too “Terminator” for you, and you would prefer to avoid it.

You can do all of the content creation in the world, but if you’re uncomfortable with a part of the process, it will eventually appear in that content. Identify what feels right for you.

Identify WHO You Want to Connect With

After identifying what aligns with who you are, you need to determine precisely WHO you align with. Whether you’re looking at attracting customers from an older generation, new Gen Zs, or some people in between, you need to know where each group is online. There might even be some people in your audience who aren’t even on the internet, as hard as that is to believe.

Compile a list of the exact type of person you want to hear about your business. Once you have that, do your research on popular sites or social platforms that people use.

Assessing the Power of Different Storytelling Forms

When you know what you’re comfortable with and where your dream clients are, you start assessing the type of power each story form will have for your story.

Every tool out there is a story form with its own unique strengths and weaknesses. The more recognizable forms include:

• Facebook: While it’s popular and has a robust ads system, it’s not as popular with younger audiences.

• Instagram: Good mix of audiences, but not the past if you don’t have much graphic content ready.

• Twitter/X: It is still an incredibly influential platform, but you have to deal with its current volatility and the fact that some data tools no longer work on the platform.

• LinkedIn: Great for business and making business connections, especially when you’re looking to gain capital, but not a good place if you want a more casual approach to content.

Take your time exploring the pros and cons of each platform to narrow your list to about two or three options. This will help you focus your strategy instead of trying to please a dozen different algorithms.

Do I Have to Use AI, Apps, and New Tech

With the number of tasks that AI can take over so you can focus on other vital areas of your business, it will seem silly to some not to use AI. However, your story is precious to you. You might not trust a computer to tell your story correctly and rightfully so.

Don't look at AI and technology like all of these new apps or even VR if you work with content creation as a replacement for storytelling. They aren't here to take the story from you. They are tools, first and foremost.

So, do you have to use them to stay ahead of the curve? No. Well, not yet anyway. However, you should learn how to use these tools because, whether we like it or not, the future is here and it's not going anywhere. Instead of fearing these tools, learn how you can use them to enhance the way you tell your story.

Keep Testing and Experimenting

The most frustrating and exhilarating part of working with these new storytelling tools is that it’s constantly changing. There’s always a new toy to play with in the toy box.

Feel free to play around and experiment. For the platforms you’re focused on in terms of strategy, constantly look at the data and test to see what is actually working for your audience.

On platforms with lesser stakes, have fun and experiment a little. Learn what makes it tick. Play with an AI tool to see if you like the response that comes out of it. Try new tools to develop interesting new content, such as new cameras, lights, and editing tools.

It can feel extremely overwhelming to dive headfirst into the storytelling capabilities of this new tech age. However, if you take a moment, a deep breath, and the time to really think about what feels suitable for your story, you’ll be able to better focus your story towards the people who need to hear it. After all, even if Twain was right about original ideas, there are plenty of new ways to tell stories in refreshing ways.

If you struggle with understanding which form of storytelling will work best for you, feel free to schedule a free initial consultation with me.

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