Assumptions, click bait, and real communication across the Internet: stats are servants to storytelling
Most of us have been conditioned to chase likes, loves, follows, and comments on digital marketing, but these stats are not always indicative of purposeful conversation with your actual readership. In fact, sometimes the quest for clicks runs counter to giving you what you really want: connection and a real world experience — like a real life visit.
Here’s an example. My friend Heather B is known around our community as “Uber Momma,” because when the URI community orders up a ride, they go out of their way to try to secure a ride with her. Heather has created a thriving life as a gal Friday, a driver, and life coach of sorts. Everyone around here knows Heather, and she’s deeply trusted, and people just call her for stuff, but why?
Every week or so, Heather writes a long-form Facebook post describing her latest escapades of driving interesting people. She tells stories of driving the lonely and confused, giving college students the ‘consent talk’, sharing life skills, and saving folks from peril. Her car and stories are full of barf bags, feuding music, the poorly behaved, great and terrible friends, and inspirational moments. Characters and unusual circumstances abound, posted with no photos, no gimmicks, and no CTA either.
Everyone around here reads them and respects her, but she gets very few likes, comments, or clicks directly on these digital gems: the stats are bad— but the actual results are great.
Why? Perhaps, once an #UberTalk drops, people just get to READING IT. I’m pretty sure many forget to scroll back up the page and click anything. I know I do.
Which one do you pick when you read about a traveling as$h0le and a saint, or an incident that evokes mixed emotions? These stories make a genuine impression, but how would you reply? Facebook doesn’t have an emoji for speechless.
It’s also possible that folks marvel and have nothing to say: But we DO know Heather’s posts are widely read, because of all the actual human buzz they get around town.
It’s also possible, when you read something real, a click doesn’t really add anything to the conversation, but showing up does. It’s so easy to click, but it takes something special to show up in real life.
Communication across the web does not always need to create a clear click, buy, or action. Sometimes communication is just read, heard and understood. And this hearing, this conversation, builds trust.
When facing a true or amazing story, the impression left on the reader is real. Your story lives INSIDE the reader, and they’ll tell others about you. In many Internet marketing applications, this is what you actually want: real life conversions** not more clicks for clicks-sake.
MARKETING APPLICATION: Make your internet communications a gift “as is” to your readership. Make every utterance real, true and positive. Tell them a story, show them real images, and start a conversation that they’ll want to continue with your brand in real life. And yes,* include CTAs when needed, but remember it’s the trust and communication that builds true community.
FOOTNOTES & SUB-SUBTEXT ;)
*All internet Marketing Pros know you must also deliver stats too, but do it where/when it matters. Communicating with your people is a rich act of caring, and this part is rarely discussed in a world of outrageous and pushy click bait.
**Conversions come from conversations, it isn’t a typo