Digital Storytelling Panel at a Universal Furniture
I attended a panel hosted by Universal Furniture on Digital Storytelling. Moderators Ericka Saurit (Saurit Creative) and Ginna Christensen (CG Collaborative) led a panel of experts including Jana Platina Phipps (Trim Queen), Corey Damen Jenkins (Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates) and Aviva Stanoff (Aviva Stanoff Design) in sharing insights into the way they approach digital marketing and craft their authentic, approachable social media presences. Here were a few key takeaways:
Document your process
Instead of thinking of caving under the need to create more content, approach the social media process as simply documenting your creative process as it unfolds.
Invite your audience to experience your work and how it takes shape firsthand! Think of marketing as a tool for expression, a way to celebrate hard work brought to market with intention, and a way to connect to the value of the work.
Keep in mind your “Grid of Nine”
Instagram was overwhelmingly the channel these experts allot the most time for and Reels an effective tool within Instagram for engaging and growing a larger audience. Phipps uses inShot app to edit her videos before posting them.
She also recommended focusing on your “grid of nine”, making sure that a picture of you is always represented in the first nine images. She also encouraged designers to edit their feeds, archiving or deleting posts that no longer serve or represent your brand values.
Find Your Voice
Know your brand values (try naming at least three) and let them guide your social media presence. Every post should answer to at least one of those core brand values. Stanoff also suggested that if you have a hard time finding the right tone, type as if you are talking with a best friend.