How can you use the hero's journey to create compelling social media stories?

1 What is the hero's journey?

The hero's journey is a classic narrative structure that describes the stages of a protagonist's transformation from an ordinary person to a hero. It was popularized by Joseph Campbell, a mythologist who studied the common patterns in myths and legends from different cultures. The hero's journey consists of 12 steps, but you don't have to follow them all in order or in detail. The main idea is to create a contrast between the hero's ordinary world and the extraordinary world they enter, the challenges and mentors they encounter, the rewards and risks they face, and the return and resolution they achieve.

3 How to use the hero's journey for social media stories?

To use the hero's journey for social media stories, you need to identify the main elements of your story and adapt them to your audience, platform, and goal. For example, you can choose your hero - yourself, a customer, or a product - depending on who you want to focus on and what you want to achieve. You should then define your ordinary world, which is the status quo or the current situation of your hero before they encounter your solution. Introduce a call to adventure - a trigger or opportunity that invites your hero to change their situation and try your solution. Show them a mentor - someone who supports them along their journey and provides advice, resources, or tools. Describe an extraordinary world - the new situation or desired state of your hero after they use your solution. Highlight challenges and rewards - obstacles and achievements that your hero faces and overcomes along their journey. Finally, end with a return and resolution - the final stages of the hero's journey where they return to their ordinary world with a new perspective and a new value. With these tips, you can create compelling social media stories that inform and engage your audience.

4 How to adapt the hero's journey for different social media platforms?

The hero's journey is a flexible and versatile storytelling framework that can be adapted for different social media platforms, depending on their format, length, and purpose. For example, Instagram can be used to create a series of images or videos to tell your story in a visual and engaging way. You can use captions, hashtags, stickers, or filters to add context, emotion, or humor to your story. Additionally, you can use stories or reels to create short and dynamic stories that disappear after 24 hours or stay on your profile. LinkedIn is another platform that can be used to create long-form articles or videos that tell your story in a professional and informative way. You can use headings, subheadings, bullet points, or quotes to organize and highlight your story; polls, questions, or comments are also great for inviting feedback, interaction, or discussion from your audience. Lastly, Twitter is ideal for creating threads or tweetstorms that tell your story in a concise and catchy way. You can use emojis, gifs, memes, or links to add personality, humor, or relevance to your story; retweets, likes, or replies are also great for amplifying, endorsing, or responding to your story.

5 How to measure the impact of your social media stories?

The hero's journey is a storytelling framework that can help you create compelling social media stories that engage your audience and showcase your value. To measure the impact of your stories, you need to define your goals and track your metrics. For instance, if you want to increase brand awareness and reach, you can track metrics like impressions, views, followers, or shares. To generate leads and prospects, you might look at clicks, conversions, leads, or subscribers. And if you’re looking to nurture relationships and loyalty, metrics such as engagement, retention, advocacy, or referrals can provide insight. By tracking these metrics, you’ll have a better understanding of how your stories are performing.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?