Storytelling as a Framework for Higher Ed Web Marketing

Georgy Cohen @radiofreegeorgy Storytelling as a Framework for Higher Edhttp://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/pandora_6666/4927859168/ Web Marketing

Ant and shark 1/3 Credit: @tsand’s daughter /

“ Web Communications mission is to use the Web and emerging technologies to engage our audience with the Tufts story and to enable our partners across the university to do the same.

“ There is no stronger bridge between you and your audience than a compelling narrative.

What arestories?

http://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/functoruser/244207662/lightbox/

National Storytelling Network“ Storytelling is the interactive art of using words and actions to reveal the elements and images of a story while encouraging the listener’s imagination. www.storynet.org/resources/whatisstorytelling.html

(Some randomsite)“ A story is the graphing of a characters emotional experience from the moment it begins to its logical conclusion. http://members.fortunecity.com/nadabs/literature-storystructure.html

Ordinary people doing extraordinary things

Daniel Pink,“A Whole New Mind”“ [Story] is becoming a key way for individuals and entrepreneurs to distinguish their goods and services in a crowded marketplace.

Why stories matter

Storytelling was the ﬁrst social media platform.

Storytelling was the ﬁrst social media platform. OMG!

Srsly??

Storytelling is an act of community, sharing values and knowledgehttp://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/jasonpratt/4807746068/

Stories draw strength from the number of people who share them.http://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/turneround/5398112759/

The parable of Lot’s wife

The parable of Lot’s wife…is also found in Greek, Jewish, Indian, French Canadian,Lithuanian, Chinese, Eskimo, Polynesian, Hawaiian, SouthAmerican and African folklore. Source: Archetypes and motifs in folklore and literature: a handbook, Jane Garry, Hasan M. El-Shamy

http://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/turneround/5398112759/

We see in stories.http://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/turneround/5398112759/

We see ourselves in stories.http://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/turneround/5398112759/

We tend to “storicize” abstract shapes and seek ourselves in the objects around us.Credit: Clara Fernández-Vara, Postdoctoralhttp://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/turneround/5398112759/ Researcher, Singapore-MIT GAMBIT Game Lab

Heider, F., & Simmel, M. (1944) An experimental study inapparent behavior. The American Journal of Psychology, 57,243-259. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTNmLt7QX8E

http://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/94693506@N00/149781946/ http://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/functoruser/244207662/lightbox/

Lessons of the Like Log“ The best stories — the most inherently share-worthy stories — are the ones for which it would be almost weird to email them to someone — or tweet them to someone, or whatever — without an introductory “WOW” or “WHOA” or “WTF.” http://www.niemanlab.org/2011/03/lessons-of-the-like-log-the-big-story-and-the-nuances-of-shareability/

Shareability index for news releases“ …Releases with the elements of a good news story—a little drama, a person ﬁghting for what is right, a villain—have scores four to ﬁve times higher than those about the success of a program, he says. http://chronicle.com/article/Colleges-Rehab-Their-Web-Sites/127170/

://www.ishmaelscorner.com/2012/03/27/aligning-business-storytelling-with-what-the-media-values/

Photo / Melody Ko, Tufts

“ Im a sophomore at Tufts, and I just read todays tufts.edu proﬁle on the woman working with the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Council. I wanted to say how proud I am to go to a school that would put an article like that on the main school site without any fuss. My friends sister visited from another university this weekend, and she mentioned how her school website featured pictures of cheerleaders at a football game, while ours had an article about Ghana, and now gay rights. This is why Im so happy to be here. Thank you =) E-mail from a sophomore, March 31, 2008

Dogeared page #1:Empathy

Structureof a story

The structure of a story:

The structure of a story: • Setting

The structure of a story: • Setting • Characters

The structure of a story: • Setting • Characters • Conﬂict

The structure of a story: • Setting • Characters • Conﬂict • Resolution

Why We Need Storytellers at the Heart of Product Development“ In a world where consumers are inundated with choices, products that want to be noticed and adopted must be rooted in the why. http://uxmag.com/strategy/why-we-need-storytellers-at-the-heart-of-product- development

Kim Goodwin, Confab 2011“Storytelling by Design”Scenario: “A plausible storyabout a persona using thefuture product or service ina speciﬁc situation.”Scenarios have all the keystory elements: Character,Conﬂict, Plot, Resolutionhttp://www.slideshare.net/KimGoodwin/storytelling-by-design-scenarios-talk-at-confab-2011

(Tweet links to http://www.agilemodeling.com/artifacts/userStory.htm)

story arc (n.)“ A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media … The purpose of a story arc is to move a character or a situation from one state to another; in other words, to effect change. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Story_arc

Sounds an awful lot like….A) Effective contentB) Good UXC) Clean usability

Sounds an awful lot like….A) Effective contentB) Good UXC) Clean usabilityD) All of the above

Sounds an awful lot like….A) Effective contentB) Good UX * Also called a holistic approach toC) Clean usability web developmentD) All of the above

Dogeared page #2: Holistichttp://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/functoruser/244207662/lightbox/

One type of story arc:The hero’s journey

12 stages of the hero’s journey:1. Ordinary World2. Call to Adventure3. Refusal4. Meeting with the Mentor5. Crossing the Threshold6. Tests, Allies, Enemies7. Approach to Inmost Cave8. Ordeal9. Reward10. The Road Back11. Resurrection12. Return with Elixir

Students: Faculty:• Applying to college • Curing diseases• Learning what they • Teaching tomorrow’swant to do with life leaders• Tutoring local kids • Providing context to• Staging a musical current eventsAlumni: Staff:• Donating to support • Balancing budgetsa new laboratory • Developing programs• Reconnecting with • Organizing eventsold friends • Recruiting students• Giving students advice

“ Is our product King Arthur or Excalibur? - Ron Ploof http://www.mpdailyﬁx.com/ is-your-product-king-arthur-or-excalibur/

User   Us

User  ↖ Unicorns  Us

Frodo: Go back, Sam. I’m going to Mordor alone.Sam: Of course you are. And I’m coming with you. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

http://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/94693506@N00/149781946/ http://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/functoruser/244207662/lightbox/

The Shire must truly be a great realm, Master Gamgee, where gardeners are held in high honor. - Captain Faramir, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towershttp://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/94693506@N00/149781946/ http://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/functoruser/244207662/lightbox/

Storytelling Rules & Writing Better Press Releases“ Rule 1. Know your audience. Rule 2. Give your audience what they need to achieve their goal. Rule 3. Help your audience tell the world about your story. http://blog.prnewswire.com/2011/03/28/storytelling-rules-writing-better-press-releases/

Dogeared page #3: User as Herohttp://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/functoruser/244207662/lightbox/

Storiesand us

Erin Kissane, “TheElements of ContentStrategy”“ For anyone who communicates as a profession, stories are the ultimate hack.

Come on, Tour Guides, Tell Me a Story“ The goal is you want people to remember something when they leave your campus. It’s gonna be the stories. Laura Martin, vice president for enrollment and dean of admission, Agnes Scott College http://chronicle.com/blogs/headcount/come-on-tour-guides-tell-me-a- story/30047

Tell Them a Story“ 1) A prophet was not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house and 2) parables increased understanding. …I still have the charts and graphs, but accompanying them now are the stories. http://case.typepad.com/case_social_media/2011/03/tellthemastory.html

Many stories have morals.

Many stories have morals.Our stories require purpose.

Many stories have morals. Our stories require purpose.(Some may call this “strategy.”)

Storytelling and Branding“ 1. Employees must believe and ‘own’ the story as they will ultimately be the ones to represent the companys brand values. 2. Successful advertising delivers meaningful messages about the brand, often in sequence, taking the message’s recipients on a journey.

Storytelling and Branding“ 3. There is a constant need to adapt a story in a fast-paced society where change is inevitable. 4. A successful brand character can adopt human qualities that allow it to engage with an audience on an emotional level. http://www.the-storytellers.com/blog/217

The Art of Immersion“ If you’re going to tell stories beyond what you see in the ﬁlms, the minute they contradict each other your house falls apart. If you kill off a character and then try to revive him, it’s going to be bogus. http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/03/star-wars-generation/all/1

Dogeared page #4: Purposehttp://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/functoruser/244207662/lightbox/

Why we matter

http://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/lenore-m/2515800654/

• Empathy• Holistic approach• User as hero• Purpose

Dr. Seuss, “The Lorax”“ Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. Its not.(h/t @epsteada)

J.D. Salinger, “Seymour:An Introduction” “ Give me a story that just makes me unreasonably vigilant. Keep me up till ﬁve only because all your stars are out, and for no other reason.

J.D. Salinger, “Seymour: An Introduction” “ Give me a story that just makes me unreasonably vigilant. Keep me up till ﬁveThank you. only because all your stars are out, and for@radiofreegeorgy no other reason.

Storytelling as a Framework for Higher Ed Web Marketing

by Georgiana Cohen on Jun 27, 2012

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