For centuries, humans have transmitted information and knowledge via storytelling. Oral transmission is one of the oldest human traditions and has helped create community and bring generations together. Before written communication, all our history and traditions were passed orally from generation to generation.
Nowadays, given how communication and humanity have evolved, we are probably not as dependent on oral communication as we used to be; however, storytelling is still playing an important part in our everyday lives: stories hold a special place in our hearts and minds. They entertain, educate, and perhaps most importantly, they connect us on a deeply human level.
The Art of storytelling
Storytelling is an art: it involves crafting narratives that engage, entertain, and resonate with an audience. Anyone can tell you a story, but not everyone can keep you engaged and entertained the same way. Creating characters, narrating conflicts, and transmitting emotions is not easy. A good storyteller can create an immersive experience that transports viewers to their world: they make listeners connect deeply with a situation, an emotion, or a message.
Storytelling As a Social Media Strategy
For Marketers and Social Media Experts, storytelling is more than just “another content strategy” – storytelling is a way to connect. Our lives are oversaturated with advertisements, sponsored posts, and branded content everywhere, being able to create and tell stories offers a way to cut through the noise and connect with audiences on a deeper level.
Places like Reddit and TikTok are full of “story times” and narrations – and there are even creators like our friend jolly_good_ginger that have made a whole brand out of their ability to tell (or re-tell) a story.
Storytelling is a powerful tool.
The Example: Reesa Teesa
In case you are, again, living under a rock, you might have heard about the “Who The F* Did I Marry” Series: a 52-part series by TikTok user Reesa Teesa that has ALL of TikTok’s attention.
Reesa decided to tell her story: the story of her marriage and recent love life and how she did end up dating and marrying (and thankfully divorcing) this pathological liar. If you have ever been on TikTok, you know story times like these are very common: everyone has a story to tell. There are THOUSANDS (maybe millions) of stories all over TikTok about breakups and bad partners and whatnot. So… what makes Reesa’s story different? Her storytelling.
Listen, we are all nosy – don’t say you are not, I know you are lying – but in the current digital landscape having someone watch a long video is an achievement: according to Social Insider, after exceeding the 15-second length limit, TikTok videos get a 16.55% decrease in the average view rate: TikToks shorter than 15 seconds get a view rate of 9.40%, and once exceeded this video length, the values lower down, reaching an average of only 7.84%. Putting that into perspective, every single one of Reesa’s videos is around 10 minutes long: she managed to find a way to keep the audience engaged through 500 minutes of content.
Of course, not every single person who starts at Part 1 finishes all the 50 parts, but as of the moment we published this article, Part 50 had 4.6M views – which means her tone, storytelling technique, and the story itself managed to get almost 5M users engaged.
The Lesson
Reesa Teesa’s story and success are a powerful testament to the effectiveness of storytelling as an engagement tool: Reesa defied the odds by captivating millions of viewers with her 50-part saga.
The key takeaway for marketers and social media experts is clear: storytelling isn’t just a content strategy; it’s an amazing tool for driving engagement and building connections with your audience. Harnessing the power of narrative allows you and your brand to create content that resonates on a deeper level, holding viewers’ attention and inspiring them to take action.
Reesa’s story is more than just the shocking twists or the juicy details of her personal life; it’s the authenticity, vulnerability, and relatability that she brings to every video – In the intro, she actually mentions that if she cries, she cries, and that if she laughs at times is a way of coping – and that is EXACTLY what audiences crave: genuine connections with the content they consume. Sharing her own story with unapologetic honesty fosters a sense of community and belonging. The stories we tell and how we tell them are what drive meaningful engagement with your audience.
So the next time you’re crafting your social media strategy, remember the lessons of Reesa Teesa and “WTF Did I Marry” – be authentic, be vulnerable, tell a story worth listening to, and above all, do not let your partner lie to you.
