As one of my New Year’s Resolutions for 2024, I wanted to embrace video marketing. It’s meant investing in vlogging and podcasting equipment (and trust me, that stuff costs a pretty penny), getting my account up to date on YouTube, and working with a professional videographer to create a brand story video to kick it all off.

And throughout the process, I learned a thing or two (or a dozen). While I’ll share some of those learnings below, perhaps the biggest thing I learned is the importance of having a brand story. 

What is a Brand Story?

A brand story provides you with a great way to tell your story about who you are, what you do, and what makes you stand out. So, think of this in the context of a freelance blogger and copywriter like me. My brand story gives the audience a sense of who I am, what I love to do, and why I can be a great augmentation to your team.

At its core, a brand story isn’t just a narrative; it’s the heart and soul of your personal brand. It’s a comprehensive reflection of the path you are on, your values, and the unique flavor you bring to the vast world of copywriting and blogging. A compelling brand story does more than just share facts; it connects on an emotional level. It helps to evolve your business from a service provider into a relatable entity, with dreams, struggles, and triumphs. It helps your clients see the person behind the business.

So, how do businesses go about sharing these stories? Video is the perfect medium for storytelling. Unlike text, video captures the nuances of human emotion, making your story not just heard but felt. It’s this emotional connection that creates trust and loyalty among your audience. It can turn casual viewers into dedicated followers, and eventually, into clients.

Through video, you can take your audience behind the scenes, share your creative process, and present your achievements in a way that’s engaging and personal. It’s about showing, not just telling. And in the competitive world of freelance blogging and copywriting—there are an estimated 131,200 copywriters in the U.S.—a memorable brand story can be the difference between blending in and standing out. 

Creating My Brand Story Video

If you haven’t had a chance to look at my brand story video yet, I encourage you to do so now. I decided to work with a local videographer and photographer that I had partnered with the previous year for my first round of headshots for Copywriting For You. The purpose of this video was three-fold:

1. To help me kick off my video blog
2. To provide me with a professionally done video that I could share with prospective clients
3. To live on my website so that visitors could get a chance to understand me as a human, not just some random person writing their content

I found that by hiring a professional such as Scott at TreeTop Media, I got the added value of someone else’s opinion about the important parts of my story. Being so close to my own story, I might think certain aspects are more or less interesting than others. 

The process allowed me to share my thoughts on anything and everything. Of course, we had discussed questions and answers in advance, but my answers were unscripted. This allowed me to be completely authentic. As you can see, the process drew out my enthusiasm for my work and for helping clients tell a great story for their prospective customers.

Developing Your Own Brand Story 

Whether you’re brand new to the world of blogging and copywriting or you’ve been around for a while, if you don’t have a brand story video, now is the time to get one. And remember, while your brand story can be used for promotional purposes, it’s not really the same as your promotional video. 

As you can see from my first official promo video, it was intended to be short and sweet. 

A promotional video focuses on selling your services or products. It highlights the features, benefits, and reasons why someone should choose you, often with a clear call to action. 

While a brand story video invites your audience to understand and connect with you, a promo video encourages them to take the next step and engage with your services or products directly. Both are important, but they serve different roles in building your brand and engaging with your audience.

Tips to Create Your Brand Story

So, are you ready to develop your own brand story for your freelance blogging and copywriting business? Here are some helpful tips.

• Identify Your Unique Angle: What makes your approach to blogging and copywriting stand out? Pinpoint your unique strengths and passions.
• Reflect on How You Got to Where You Are Today: Consider the path that led you here. Share the milestones and challenges that have shaped your career and personal brand.
• Define Your Core Values: What principles guide your work? Clearly defining these can help build a deeper connection with your audience.
• Know Your Audience: You need to know who you’re talking to. Tailor your story to resonate with your target clients or readers.
• Be Authentic: Authenticity is compelling. Let your genuine personality and style shine through, making your story relatable and memorable.
• Keep It Engaging: While your brand story is more in-depth than a promo video, it should still be engaging and concise. Capture interest without overwhelming.
• Visuals Matter: Invest in quality visuals that complement your narrative. Images or video clips should enhance your story, not distract.
• Call to Action: Even in a brand story, subtly guiding your audience on what to do next (visit your website, sign up, etc.) can be beneficial.

My Brand Story Demonstrates My Passion For Helping Others Grow Their Business

As an SEO content writer, I create excellent content that can help others grow their business. And yes, I even write for other copywriters! I love sharing my talent with others, and when their business grows as a result, it’s cause for celebration. So, if you are in the content space and don’t have a brand story, I implore you to get one.

And, if you are a business owner looking to grow your business through great content, please contact me today. Not only can I help with your content, but I have some amazing partnerships that can help you with your website optimization, video needs, and so much more.