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Are You Telling Stories or Just Selling Stuff? (Here’s Why It Matters!)

🗞️ Your Weekly Marketing Fix (1/28/2025)

Author

Keith Quinney
January 28, 2025 • Read Time: 5 minutes

No time to read? Listen on the go.

Hey Nerds! 🎉 Welcome back to The Ad Nerd – your go-to guide for making marketing simple, smart, and fun. Let’s get started!

1. In the news 📈 : Must-Know Updates for Marketers

Instagram’s AI Reels Boost

  • Instagram is testing AI tools that suggest trending audio and hashtags for reels, helping small businesses reach more eyeballs with timely, engaging content.

👉 Catch the details here.

  • Say hello to hyper-targeted ads on a budget! This new tool helps small businesses discover detailed audience insights for smarter campaigns.

👉 Read more here.

TikTok’s New “Video Insights”

  • TikTok launched a free analytics tool that pinpoints the exact moments your audience loves—or drops off. Use this to refine your content and keep viewers hooked.

👉 Dive in here.

Newspaper GIF by Cold War Kids

Gif by peacock on Giphy

2. Nerd Tip of the Week 🎯: How to Use Storytelling to Boost Your Marketing Impact

Let’s talk storytelling: instead of selling products, sell a story. When your customers feel like the hero of your brand’s narrative, the impact (and sales) are HUGE.

Here’s how to craft a story your audience won’t forget:

Step-by-Step Breakdown:

1.) Understand Your Hero (Customer) Create helpful content that’s easy to share, like blogs or videos.

  • Define your audience. Who are they? What challenges do they face?

2.) Set the Scene

  • Use content like posts, emails, or videos to highlight their pain points. Make it relatable.

3.) Introduce the Guide (That’s You!)

  • Show how your product/service helps them overcome challenges. Focus on benefits, not just features.

4.) Highlight the Transformation

  • Use testimonials or case studies to show their “before and after.”

5.) Call to Action

  • End with a clear step: a free trial, a consultation, or even a simple “Learn More.”

3.  Real-World Example 🔎: Dove’s “Real Beauty” Stories

Dove’s campaign didn’t just sell soap—it told real, emotional stories about women overcoming self-esteem struggles. The key? Making the customer the star, not the product.

Why It Worked: It built trust by tapping into authentic, relatable experiences.

Your Lesson: Create campaigns that focus on your audience’s deeper values and challenges.

Courtesy of Dove.

4. Nerds' Toolkit 🛠️

StoryLab.ai (Free with Premium Upgrades)

Generate creative storylines for social posts, blogs, or ads. Perfect for crafting narratives that put your customer in the spotlight.

5. Marketing Myth Buster 🧠 : “Your product should be the star of your marketing.”

Truth: The best campaigns make the customer the star. Your product? It’s the guide that helps them shine. Emotional, customer-centered marketing outperforms product-focused ads every time.

6. Just for Laughs 😂 : Why did the marketer bring a ladder to work?

Because they wanted to reach the next level of engagement! 😂

dr who ladder GIF by HULU

Gif by onechicago on Giphy

** Nerdy note **:

Get ready! Next week, The Ad Nerd is getting a fresh new look. As we grow, we're committed to delivering top-notch information in the most efficient way possible. We appreciate your incredible support and encourage you to share your feedback as we roll out these exciting changes.

That’s all for this week, Nerds! 🤓

That’s it for this week, Nerds! What’s one way you’ll put storytelling into action this week? Reply and let us know—we love hearing from you.

PS: Don’t forget to share The Ad Nerd with a friend who needs some quick marketing magic!

Until next time keep nerding out,

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