Every great story starts with a character we care about. We want to hear about someone on a mission. And we want that someone to be flawed. We want to have to root for them to succeed and a little volunerability can go a long way.
In The Science of Storytelling, Will Storr explains that we’re hardwired to follow characters. We latch onto them as ways help make sense of the world around us. We’re not just passively listening to organized sounds or reading disconnected words on a page. We’re experiencing the story through the characters within them.
That has some serious implications when it comes to cotent marketing. Because if all you do is create content about you, it’s probably not going to stick the landing like you want it to.
What Is Character-Driven Content?
In traditional storytelling, the protagonist is the heart of the narrative. They’re the one taking action, facing conflict, and going on a journey. They’re the main character.
In content marketing, you have to be careful not to assign that role ot yourself. It belongs to your audience.
You build better connections with your audience when you position them as the central character in your content by talking about their desires and challenges.
You’re not just sharing information. You’re holding up a mirror and showing them a reflection of themselves.
Character-driven content says:
“You’re not alone.”
“I see you.”
“There’s a path forward, and I’ve walked it.”
That’s where trust begins.
How to Center Your Audience in the Story
Ask yourself these three questions when you sit down to write:
- What do they want?
Not just what you think they need. Put yourself in their shoes and think about what they’re actually trying to achieve. What does success look like to them? - What’s getting in their way?
Be specific. Think about things like mindset blocks, logistical challenges, bad advice they might have recieved, or past failures. - What story do they need to hear right now?
This could be your story, a client story, or a relatable moment. Keep in mind: The goal isn’t to participate in the messy failure olympics. You want to present a relatable situation, and help your audience learn from it.
Use Your Past Self as a Stand-In
If you don’t know who your ideal client is yet, then just start by thinking about yourself when you started/
What version of you needed to hear what you’re saying today?
What were you Googling?
What were you frustrated by?
What answer did you stumble on late at night that you’ve used ever since?
Using your past self as a character makes your content more personal, and more useful. You know exactly what they’re thinking, because you’ve been there.
A Quick Example
Let’s say you’re writing a post about scheduling content ahead of time. You could start with:
“You need to plan your content in advance if you want to stay consistent.”
Or you could start with a character-driven version:
“You’re staring at your screen, again. It’s Monday. Your coffee’s cold. You need to post something, but you’ve got nothing.”
One is a tip.
The other is a moment.
That’s what your audience will remember.
TL;DR: Make Them the Hero
The most powerful content isn’t about you. It’s about the person reading it.
Use storytelling to help them see themselves in your content.
Next up in the series:
Why Story Structure Matters in Content Marketing (And How to Use It)
Need help writing content that resonates with the right people? The Content Kickstart Kit includes my favorite prompts for writing story-first posts that make your audience feel like the main character.
→ Download it free here
