What's the best way to format your story for your audience?

Understanding the audience’s expectations and what type of format best resonates with them can help in creating a good strategy for creating a story. Observing and taking feedback can help in creating audience personas that best reflect their interests and preferences.

Be it formatting or building a brand, it is always important to know your audience. Knowing your audience answers to many questions. Understand what type of content your audience prefer. For example, If your target audience is youngsters, then you should create your content in video format!

🔍 Read the T-leaf to know your audience. 👊🏻 The T-leaf bridges the gap between “what I want” and “what they want.” It’s broken down into three parts. Feel, know, and do. Start with what you want. What do you want them to feel. What do you want them to know. What do you want them to do. You might want them to feel inspired, or excited, or curious. You might want them to know how your product or service is different, why people value it, and the credibility of your brand. You will want them to do something specific. Click on a button, arrange the next meeting, or fund a project. It’s important to hone what you want down in a very clear and simple way.

This a part of what I call the people layer in my unique storytelling model - the sprout model. Knowing who the people are as your target of course is incredibly important. Their preferences, nuances, segmentation. However, more than that - it is also about thinking how you want to make them feel - how do you want to connect with them. Finally - don't forget that everyone is an individual - so respect that in your storytelling.

Crafting a compelling story hinges on understanding your audience beyond just simple demographics. Consider factors like location, gender, and upbringing, anything you can think of. Evaluate whether your audience is inherently interested in your subject or if you aim to inspire a cause. The layers of your audience are crucial; the deeper your insight, the more impactful your story will resonate.

Once you know what your audience want, 50% of work is done! Now, study the platform your audiences are mostly active on. Understand which type of content works on the that particular platform. If its LinkedIn, then you should write your story in a text format. If its Instagram, then your story should be in video format.

When deciding what format works best for my story, I find it helpful to identify: - the audience - the platform - the purpose You may be able to adapt and reformat the same story for different mediums and audiences.

Consider your audience's dynamics when choosing your story format. Tailor it to captivate: engaged listeners might appreciate a detailed narrative, while potential supporters need a compelling pitch. Age and attention span matter; adapt to older, focused audiences or concise, energetic formats for younger ones. Prioritize the format that resonates most with your message, ensuring a strong connection with your audience.

Be creative in repurposing your content. For example, the same content can be turned into infographics, texts, video, reels or even podcast. Now with these different formats, they could be used in multiple platforms.

Picture a canvas waiting to be painted, a blank page yearning for words to bring it to life. Choosing the right format is like selecting the perfect brush stroke or pen stroke to capture the essence of your story. Whether it’s a novel that immerses readers in a world of imagination, a podcast that whispers secrets into their ears, or a video that dances across their screens, the format you choose is the vessel through which your story finds its voice and sings its melody.

No matter how you choose the format for your story, it won't give you the desired results, if it is not well structured. You should structure your story in way that will make your audience imagine the story.

Begin with a captivating hook to grab your audience's attention. Develop a clear storyline with a beginning, middle, and end. Include compelling characters, conflicts, and resolutions to keep your audience engaged. Maintain a cohesive flow and avoid unnecessary tangents.

Three act structure is timeless appeal; structure boosts engagement, increasing satisfaction. Act I introduces your characters and the constraints of the world you are establishing, connecting your audience with the protagonist, all of these detail increase immersion and sustained curiosity. Act II often involves conflict, the climax can be non-confrontational, your story might go in some interesting, inspirational, creative directions. Act III is for conclusions, reflections as much as resolutions. Present the wisdom and insights accumulated, reveal truths through an entertaining tale. It is in this method that truly useful epiphanies may be conveyed to an intended target audience, made receptive by masterful storytelling.

Think of your story as a grand symphony, with each note building upon the last to create a harmonious crescendo. Structure is the backbone that gives your narrative its rhythm and flow, guiding your audience through peaks of excitement, valleys of reflection, and moments of revelation. By carefully crafting the arc of your story, you lead your audience on an unforgettable journey, leaving them breathless with anticipation at every twist and turn.

Incorporate visually appealing elements such as images, videos, infographics, and animations to enhance your story. Pay attention to typography, color schemes, and layout to improve readability and aesthetic appeal. Ensure consistency in design elements across different mediums and platforms.

Una buena imagen vale más que mil palabras. Por eso siempre será buena opción, utilizar imágenes que aumenten el mensaje del relato y resalten lo importante.

First impressions mean a lot, i mean it's why we tend to judge a book by it's cover. Visual appeal matters; choose design elements that align with your narrative and audience preferences. For visually rich stories, leverage strong typography or photography. Don't underestimate the power of audio—it can elevate even simple narratives into transformative experiences. Ensure your format complements the essence of your story, creating a lasting and engaging impact.

Envision a tapestry woven with threads of colour and texture, each stitch adding depth and richness to the overall masterpiece. Design elements are the brushstrokes of storytelling, the visual and auditory cues that elevate your narrative from mere words to a sensory experience. Whether it’s the font that whispers secrets, the imagery that sparks the imagination, or the music that tugs at the heartstrings, every element is a brush dipped in emotion, painting a picture that lingers in the minds of your audience long after the story ends.

Experiment and explore. Identify the variables and perform AB testing. Change your story a certain. Ask certain hook questions. Change different angle. Change different audio effect. Engage your audience differently. This helps you test your variables with actual audience.

Close your eyes and imagine standing in a laboratory, surrounded by bubbling beakers and crackling experiments. Testing and refining your story is like conducting a scientific inquiry, constantly experimenting with different elements to see what resonates most deeply with your audience. By listening to their feedback, observing their reactions, and adapting your approach accordingly, you transform your story from a rough draft into a polished gem, sparkling with brilliance and clarity.

Feedback, and being continuously open to it, is crucial for improved storytelling. It can come in any form, dependant on your storytelling scenario. I call this ingredient "The Dance" in my unique storytelling model. Be open to the engagement metrics, comments, and reviews. It may give you the chance to change your story there and then, or improve upon the next one.

Make the Three-act structure formatting unique by replacing ACT I with one of the following points: 1️⃣The dream (the best thing that would happen in the story) E.g., Shade heaved as she walked down the bright, wide street of Lagos. She had a bag of clothes in one hand and her car key jingling as if playing the victory song for her. 2️⃣The pain/problem (the most painful thing that would happen in the story) 3️⃣The hook (the most interesting message in the story that the reader would instantly find relatable) E.g., I have been short of money for the past months. I haven't even been able to eat the way I used to. So, I am going to rob the bank today.

Just remember that all communication is storytelling. The moment you view it through that lens you can really open yourself up to enhancing the impacts you can have every day through your life. Storytelling is not just for that big moment.... it is for the every moment. Stories. Change. Lives.

Formatting your story for the audience involves a deep understanding of their preferences and needs. Researching their demographics, interests, and reading habits is crucial. Tailoring the narrative structure, pacing, and length to suit audience preferences ensures maximum engagement. Capturing attention with compelling hooks or intriguing beginnings draws readers in from the start. Moreover, ensuring accessibility for all readers, considering factors like readability and inclusivity, is essential for effectively reaching your audience. By aligning the format of your story with audience preferences, you can create a more impactful and engaging narrative experience.

Consider this: every story is a journey, a passage from the depths of imagination to the shores of reality. Consider the power of authenticity, the courage to speak your truth and share your vulnerabilities with the world. Consider the responsibility of storytelling, the privilege of wielding words that have the power to heal, to inspire, and to change lives. And above all, consider the infinite potential that lies within you, the storyteller, to craft a narrative that captivates hearts, sparks minds and lights the way to a brighter tomorrow.