What’s your story? How to use personal storytelling in your blog posts
I have a confession to make: I’m a bad personal storyteller. I often forget or omit important details, hardly ever include my own emotions, and I usually end up repeating myself.
It may sound ridiculous for a writer to be a bad storyteller, and it is, but many people feel uncomfortable writing about their personal experiences. However, including a personal story in a blog post can get readers invested in your article and keep them reading.
Some topics and articles are practically made for a personal story. Others seem a bit trickier to work stories into. But that doesn’t make it impossible. The key to making your stories effective is knowing when your articles need a story. So, why don’t you get comfortable, and let’s examine the best way to weave a personal story into your blog.
When should you use a personal story?
You probably have a lot of stories to tell, but you’re just not sure when to use them. Well, the best way to tell when you should include a personal story in your blog posts is to figure out the purpose of your article. Does your article need help:
Creating connections with readers? A personal story draws in your audience and makes you seem more empathic and human.
Building authority? A personal story convinces readers that you’ve solved their problem yourself and can solve it for them as well.
Keeping your audience interested? A dry, boring article isn’t going to hold your audience’s attention, which is why personal stories are ideal for technical articles aimed at a non-technical audience.
Standing out from the sea of other blog posts? If there’s an audience for a topic, there are probably a thousand articles about it. Adding a personal story helps you stand out in a crowd.
Using a personal story can give your article the potency that other blog posts lack. However, anyone who has listened to a bad storyteller knows that personal stories can get off track and quickly take over an article. Thankfully, there is a way you can incorporate personal stories without muddying up the purpose of the article.
How personal stories can enhance your blog without taking over the article
A personal story is great for catching your audience’s attention, but you eventually need to get to the point. Unless you’re writing a personal blog, your article has a central topic that your readers want to know about.
So thread your stories lightly through the article. Starting a story in your introduction and then going into your blog post’s topic will engage your readers while still providing relevant information. You can also weave in more of your story as you teach and educate your audience.
The right personal story can give your articles the extra oomph it needs to reel in your audience. Now that I know how important personal stories are, I’m definitely going to use them more in my writing. Hopefully, I’ve given you the tools you need to do the same.
Tell us your story
We all love a good story. Whether it’s about heroes fighting battles in far-off places or an example of a failing business that makes a comeback, a story keeps people reading. When you’re writing a blog post for a business, these personal stories can boost your article’s engagement and create a loyal audience.
Do you need more engaging content? At the Content Reactor, we can help you blend your personal stories into captivating and topical industry articles. Contact us today to learn more.
