Storytelling for social media

for social media Gavin Heaton www.servantofchaos.com

In a village in Staffordshire, UK in 2001 ... http://www.flickr.com/photos/45086087@N00/3357404284/

A girl wrote a message on a red, helium balloon http://www.flickr.com/photos/65032901@N00/322973662/

“Please return to Laura Buxton” http://www.flickr.com/photos/28509342@N03/3824705562/

Where would this balloon land? In a lake? http://www.flickr.com/photos/32558319@N03/3910059222/

Perhaps it would be caught in a tree http://www.flickr.com/photos/91442554@N00/300308378/

A man found it in his hedge. 140 miles away in Wiltshire http://www.flickr.com/photos/91442554@N00/4085608359/

He was worried that his cows might eat the balloon and choke on it ... He read the message and took the balloon to the 10 year old girl next door http://www.flickr.com/photos/66164549@N00/2574931629/

Her name ... Laura Buxton http://www.flickr.com/photos/77316550@N00/3996458681/

The balloon had travelled over 140 miles from one Laura Buxton to another Laura Buxton

http://www.flickr.com/photos/99059891@N00/2493593844/

Laura sent Laura a letter, suggesting they should meet http://www.flickr.com/photos/zappowbang/2048577203/in/photostream/

When they got together, they were surprised at how similar they looked http://www.flickr.com/photos/14421410@N03/4223958425/

They styled their brown hair the same way, wore pink jumpers and jeans http://www.flickr.com/photos/alicerosen/3913136038/in/photostream/

And they had each brought along a pet guinea pig http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035651615@N01/491178010/

Waiting at home, they each had three year old black labradors http://www.flickr.com/photos/47264866@N00/2867323120/

And a bunny http://www.flickr.com/photos/60509459@N00/3702920470/

Years later they remain firm friends http://www.flickr.com/photos/28509342@N03/3824705562/

I’m sure you’ll agree that this is an STORY ... and it is! http://www.flickr.com/photos/70534377@N00/3722764423/

Told with microscopic focus http://www.flickr.com/photos/41308227@N00/1953619977/

Facts that don’t support the coincidences are ignored in an effort to create patterns http://www.flickr.com/photos/25716821@N04/3729772126/

Our brain is seeking a pattern that we can recognise and respond to http://www.flickr.com/photos/darwinbell/3999719025/

Each time a pattern is recognised, dopamine is released - the chemical trigger that produces a sense of reward and pleasure http://www.flickr.com/photos/31142611@N00/15002021/

As readers, as listeners, as people engaged with the story, we are being pulled further into the story with each new revelation http://www.flickr.com/photos/60589653@N00/3894628344/

Connections and revelations – this is the world of social media. A world that is brim full of coincidence, happenstance and other wonderful words http://www.flickr.com/photos/hortensia/190375624/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28509342@N03/3824705562/

We need to remember we are talking about SOCIAL media http://www.flickr.com/photos/28509342@N03/3824705562/

User User User generated generated generated content filtering distribution User generated context http://www.servantofchaos.com/2010/02/simple-social-media.html

And that’s about building affinity before relationship (as a child does). It’s about P-L-A-Y. http://www.flickr.com/photos/eschipul/4239849264/

P -- for Power Demanding of attention Testing limits (boundaries around behaviour, responsibility etc) Controlling the controllable Belonging L -- for learning and curiosity Skills development Negotiation A -- for adventure Exploring an ever changing world Actively making the world a better place Y -- the yelp of surprise and delight Recognition and reward Self expression http://www.flickr.com/photos/28509342@N03/3824705562/

It’s about creating the coincidences that lead to an emotional connection http://www.flickr.com/photos/65032901@N00/322973662/

Something that you can share with the players in your personal playground http://www.flickr.com/photos/duchamp/90520897/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/a_mason/19189771/

http://www.servantofchaos.com	215
http://www.socialmediaclub.at	146
http://storyroute.com	107
http://ripple100storytelling.tumblr.com	42
http://www.mahara.at	40
http://servantofchaos.com	37
http://marketing-dots.de	9
http://servantofchaos.typepad.com	5
http://tarrask.posterous.com	4
http://muellero.tumblr.com	2
http://www.enabled.io	1
http://safe.tumblr.com	1
http://www.linkedin.com	1

Storytelling for social media

by Gavin Heaton

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