Elements of a Compelling Social Media Story

My LinkedIn content got 145,022 views in 7 days. The crazy part? I don’t even have a big audience (yet). 1 thing that’s helped me expand my reach. Better storytelling! I learned some storytelling techniques from my new favorite book “Storyworthy” by Matthew Dicks. This book has been a game-changer for my writing. Here are 7 storytelling principles from Storyworthy that helped me get 145k views in 7 days. (steal them!) 1) 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗜𝘀 𝗮 5-𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 - Great stories hinge on a single, transformative moment. - It’s that moment when everything changes. - For example, in one of my recent carousels, I showed how formatting can 4x reach. It’s a powerful realization for those who don’t think about mobile formatting. 2) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗕𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗱 - “I was once this, but now I am this. I once thought this, but now I think this. I once felt this, but now I feel this.” - Posts that showcase a transformation are inherently compelling. - Highlighting the journey from A to B can be really powerful. 3) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 - “Stakes are the reason an audience wants to hear your next sentence. They are the difference between a story that grabs the audience by the throat and holds on tight and one that an audience can take or leave.” 4) 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗛𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁 - This is about signaling to the audience what a story is about. - It’s about being direct and upfront. - Don’t “burying the lead” on LinkedIn — get straight to the point. 5) 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗲 - Set the scene for your story.  - Creating more vivid imagery (and visuals) in posts can have a big impact. Even my first attempt at this got 10k views. 6) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 "𝗕𝘂𝘁" 𝗮𝗻𝗱 "𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲" - “And” stories have no movement or momentum. They are equivalent to running on a treadmill.” - I've been trying to be more intentional about using "but" and "therefore" to create movement. - It's a simple thing, but it makes a big difference in terms of engagement. 7) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆? 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗜𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲. - Some of my most successful posts have been about small, relatable moments. - Like the post about how kids feel when they get hurt - it wasn't about a big, dramatic event, but it resonated because it was so universal. I'm no storytelling guru. I'm still learning and experimenting and I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences too. Feel free to leave a comment below 👇 If any of this resonates with you, I highly recommend checking out "Storyworthy" by Matthew Dicks. It's a huge inspiration for me. Don't be afraid to try, fail, and learn. That's what I'm doing here every day. ✌️ — 👋 I’m Michael Jaindl. A tech CRO w/ $1B+ in exits. ♻️ Repost this if it's helpful.

“I’m a founder w/ all this interesting life experience, but I have NO idea how to turn any of it into a story that resonates w/ my audience.” ^ if this sounds like you: a) You’re not alone b) I’ve got you. Keep reading. I've spent the last 4 years obsessively studying & dissecting viral social media content to figure out what resonates & why - helping my clients to generate close to $1mil now. But if I didn’t have this background (& weird obsession 🙃 ) & wanted to build a brand that brings in clients who are attracted to my authenticity & align w/ my values - Here’s what I’d do to craft “personal story” content: 1. Start w/ the MOMENT Reflect on those “standout” experiences Why? a) Our brains hold onto emotional experiences b) Emotional experiences make great stories Here's a few ideas: - You met someone who changed your life / perspective - You got laid off, pivoted, left a job - You relocated to a new place  - Something you meticulously planned went sideways - Something unexpected turned out amazing - Someone gave you advice that stopped you in your tracks (my most viral, money-making piece of content was a blog about this btw) 2. Fast-forward to the takeaway Don’t overthink the middle yet. Focus on what the experience taught you & why it matters to someone else. Ex: The Moment: You met someone who has your dream job & you realized you were on the wrong path.  Takeaway: Sometimes one person can change your life. Be open to what the universe is presenting to you. Another: The Moment: You burnt out at a job that didn’t make you happy & on vacation you slept through precious family time. Takeaway: Overworking impacts more than just you. The takeaway will become the final, impactful lines of your story. 3. Fill in the details This is where your story comes to life. Get specific. When did it happen? (Year, season, month) Where were you? (Location, environment)  Who was there? (Characters)  What were people saying? (Dialogue, quotes)  How did you feel—anxious, excited, scared? The more sensory, the more vivid & engaging the story 4. Tie it together You have your moment, takeaway & details. Start at the very beginning & let the story unfold. Ex: “In the summer of 2017, I flew from LA to NYC to start a new career” Advanced tip: Highlight moments of tension or struggle, where you felt X because of Y. End w/ your takeaway to leave your audience w/ a clear, emotional resolution. 5. Let it sit, then post Give yourself a day to review & edit. You might remember more details or refine your takeaway. -- Seems simple when laid out like this, right? But in reality, there’s a lot that goes into sharing your personal stories in a way that feels genuine to you AND strategically grows your business. Storytelling is the most powerful way to connect. It’s how you build trust & stand out from AI. If this is where you struggle w/ your LinkedIn strategy. This is exactly what I guide my clients to do - send me a DM to connect.

I'm a recovering "over-thinker" of every post.  I'd stare at the screen.  Delete sentences.  Rewrite them.  Then delete them again.  "I suck at this."   "People won’t like this."   "This sounds so dumb."  So I’d scrap the post.  Promise myself I’d try again tomorrow.   Then repeat the same cycle the next day. And of course delay the fix. It was painful. Eventually, I forced myself to hit publish.     Small engagement.   Little momentum.   Tiny traction.  So I overthought even more.    Maybe I needed better hooks.   Maybe I wasn’t being persuasive.   Maybe I just wasn’t cut out for this.  Then, I tried something different.  I stopped trying to sound smart.   Stopped overanalyzing every word.   And quit worrying about "perfection." Instead, I told simple stories.    Niche relatable stories.  With simple and relatable lessons. Ones that tied back to my experience.  These stories were not only engaging.   They were relevant.  And built real rapport with my niche.  That’s when things changed.  No fancy copywriting.  No marketing tricks.   No viral tactics.  Just clear, honest, simple, real, human...  Storytelling.  Do this with 3 steps: 1) Start with a real moment Something specific that actually happened 2) Show the struggle (not just victory) Add frustrations, difficulties, & uncertainties 3) End with the insight (don't miss this) Get this right by adding insights + actionable tips Tell your audience exactly what they need to hear. Do it, & you’ll never run out of content again.