Marketing storytelling is a powerful tool. But digital marketing makes it difficult. Your audience can go where they want, when they want. Storytelling becomes collaborative. To be a good partner, you need to engage in a bit of marketing worldbuilding, too. Check out this presentation to learn how.

1. MARKETINGASWORLDBUILDING
AFRAMEWORKFORCUSTOMERSTORYTELLING

2. Me:@portentint
Sarcasticmarketersince1995
Nothingbutlove

3. I just sold my company

4. !"#$%&'%('%
No
NO

5. !"#$%&'%('%
YES

6. WHEREITSTARTS

7. THEGLORIOUSAGEOFMASS-PRODUCEDSTORYTELLINGTHEGLORIOUSAGEOFMASS-PRODUCEDSTORYTELLING
those were
some good
times
WHENSTORYTELLINGWASEASY

8. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%

9. !"#$%&'%('%
E-MAIL?STILLEASY

10. !"#$%&'%('%
EARLYSEARCHWASEASY

11. Buyourrunningshoes.They’rethebest
runningshoesyou’llfind.Wehavepinkrunning
shoes,brownrunningshoesandrunningshoes
thathelpyourun.They’reshoes.Forrunning.

12. I sell homes in Seattle. Seattle real
estate is a great deal right now. Come
see all my Seattle homes on my Seattle
real estate site full of homes in Seattle
because my home are really nice and
they’re in Seattle.

13. STORYTELLING

14. STORYARC,TOPVIEW

15. STORYARC,TOPVIEW

16. uh-oh
THENSTORYTELLINGGOTHARDER

17. BEHONEST

18. WENOLONGERCONTROL
THEWHEN,THEWHERE
(ORMAYBETHEWHAT)

19. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
we no longer
control the story!
Nooooooo...

20. SILLINESSRESULTS

21. !"#$%&'%('%
WEALLGOALITTLECRAZY

22. !"#$%&'%('%
WEALLGOALITTLECRAZY

23. !"#$%&'%('%
WEALLGOALITTLECRAZY

24. CONVERSION
WEGOTRANSACTIONAL

25. !"#$%&'%('%)##*+,#-(.*+(-#',+/$#0+120(3 4%%"566"#$%&'%7-#689:;<=>
$
!"#$%&'%('%)##*+,#-(.*+(-#',+/$#0+120(3 4%%"566"#$%&'%7-#689:;<=>!689:;<=>!"#$%&'%('%689:;<=>"#$%&'%('%
$
TRANSACTIONS

26. !"#$%&'%('%)##*+,#-(.*+(-#',+/$#0+120(3 4%%"566"#$%&'%7-#689:;<=>
$
!"#$%&'%('%)##*+,#-(.*+(-#',+/$#0+120(3 4%%"566"#$%&'%7-#689:;<=>!689:;<=>!"#$%&'%('%689:;<=>"#$%&'%('%
$
PEOPLEREADYTOBUYYOURPRODUCT,RIGHTNOW

27. !"#$%&'%('%)##*+,#-(.*+(-#',+/$#0+120(3 4%%"566"#$%&'%7-#689:;<=>
THEUNIVERSEPROBLEM
PEOPLE SEEKING YOUR PRODUCT, RIGHT NOW
$
THEUNIVERSEPROBLEM
PEOPLE SEEKING YOUR PRODUCT, RIGHT NOWPEOPLE SEEKING YOUR PRODUCT, RIGHT NOWPEOPLE SEEKING YOUR PRODUCT, RIGHT NOWPEOPLE SEEKING YOUR PRODUCT, RIGHT NOW
$
THEUNIVERSEPROBLEM

28. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%)##*+,#-(.*+(-#',+/$#0+120(3 4%%"566"#$%&'%7-#689:;<=>
THEUNIVERSEPROBLEM
$
THERE’SABIGWORLDOUTTHERE

29. HOWDOWEFIXTHEUNIVERSEPROBLEM?

30. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
WITHTHELOVEBOAT

31. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
PEOPLEWHOWANTACRUISE
$

32. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
PEOPLEWHOWANTTO$#@!

33. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
PEOPLEWHOWANTTOVISITCOOLPLACES

34. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
PEOPLEWHOWANTTOEATGOODFOOD

35. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
PEOPLEWHOWANTTOTAKEABREAK

36. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
BEHOLD

37. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
$
MULTIPLEENTRYPOINTSTOATRANSACTION

38. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
$
TRANSACTIONALWORLDBUILDING

39. WORLDBUILDINGMEANS
COLLABORATIVESTORYTELLING
BETWEENTHEBRAND&THEAUDIENCE

40. PLACES
PATHS

41. PLACES
PATHS
OPTIMIZE
FACILITATE

42. PLACES
PATHS
OPTIMIZE
FACILITATE

43. PLACESARENOUNS

44. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
$

45. !"#$%&'%('%
EVERYTHING’SAPLACE
ALLPLACESSAYSOMETHING

46. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
$
OURS

47. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
“WEHELPFINDTHEBESTDEALEVERYWHERE”

48. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
“WEHAVEINFORMATION”

49. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%)##*+,#-(.*+(-#',+/$#0+120(3 4%%"566"#$%&'%7-#689:;<=>
“WE’REGOINGGREEN”

50. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
“HERE’SMORE”

51. !"#$%&'%('%
YES,SOMEPLACESARETRANSACTIONAL

52. !"#$%&'%('%
RETARGETING

53. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
$
AUDIENCE-CREATED

54. !"#$%&'%('%
COMMENTS

55. !"#$%&'%('%
REVIEWS

56. !"#$%&'%('%
SOCIALPOSTS

57. ANYTIMEANYONEPOSTSANYTHINGABOUTYOU

58. ANYTIMEANYONEPOSTSSAYSANYTHINGABOUTYOU

59. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
$
ALGORITHMIC

60. !"#$%&'%('%
LOCAL

61. !"#$%&'%('%
SEARCHRESULTSAREGETTINGMOREADVANCED

62. !"#$%&'%('%
ALGORITHMICSOCIAL

63. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
DON’TFORGETSHOPPINGSEARCH

64. MAKESUREYOUARETHERE
MAKESURE“THERE”ISAWESOME

65. !"#$%&'%('%
SOBEPRESENT

66. !"#$%&'%('%
GOODPRESENCE=GREATPLACES

67. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%)##*+,#-(.*+(-#',+/$#0+120(3 4%%"566"#$%&'%7-#689:;<=>
BADPRESENCE=BADPLACES

68. !"#$%&'%('%)##*+,#-(.*+(-#',+/$#0+120(3 4%%"566"#$%&'%7-#689:;<=>
BADPRESENCE=BADPLACES

69. !"#$%&'%('%
BADTARGETING=JUSTWEIRD

70. !"#$%&'%('%
SLOPPYTARGETING

71. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
GOODPRESENCE=GREATBRAND

72. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
PRESENCEISN’TABOUTYOU

73. !"#$%&'%('%
$
!"#$%&'%('%
$
PEOPLEWHOKNOWWHATYOUCALLYOURPRODUCT

74. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
$
PEOPLEWHOKNOWWHATTHEYCALLYOURPRODUCT

75. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
DENIM!JEANS

76. AUDIENCEAUDIENCE

77. !"#$%&'%('%
$
!"#$%&'%('%
$
PEOPLEREADYTOBUY,RIGHTNOW,FROMYOU

78. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
$
PEOPLEWITHRELEVANTINTERESTS,QUESTIONS

79. DISCLAIMER:IT’SNOTJUSTABOUTQUESTIONS

80. !"#$%&'%('%
QUORA

81. !"#$%&'%('%
ANSWERTHEPUBLIC.COM

82. !"#$%&'%('%
“DOINEEDAWARRANTYIFIHAVECARINSURANCE?”
LOOKATTHECOMPARISONS!!!!!!!!

83. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
BUZZSUMOQUESTIONSEARCH

84. !"#$%&'%('%
SEARCHSUGGEST

85. !"#$%&'%('%
SEARCHSUGGEST

86. !"#$%&'%('%
SEARCHSUGGEST

87. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
PRODUCTQUESTIONS

88. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
REDDIT

89. !"#$%&'%('%
$
!"#$%&'%('%
$
PEOPLEREADYTOBUY,RIGHTNOW,FROMYOU

90. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
$
PEOPLEREADYTOBUYRELATEDPRODUCTS

91. !"#$%&'%('%
COLLABORATIVEFILTERING

92. NOPLACEISBORING

93. !"#$%&'%('%
THEREISNOBORING
!"#$%&'%('%

94. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
THEREISNOBORING

95. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
AMAZING

96. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
SOCIALRESEARCH&TARGETING

97. MAKESUREYOUARETHERE
MAKESURE“THERE”ISAWESOME

98. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
$
PEOPLE

99. !"#$%&'%('%
$
!"#$%&'%('%
$
PEOPLEWHOTOLERATELOUSYUX

100. DOTHELITTLETHINGS
PROVIDE AGREATPLACE
DOTHELITTLETHINGS
PROVIDE AGREATPLACE
DON’TGIVEMETHIS

101. GIVEMETHIS

102. LITTLETHINGS

103. !"#$%&'%('%
THATFEELSLIKETHIS

104. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
ANDENDSLIKETHIS
$$$$

105. !"#$%&'%('%GRAMMARLY

106. BIGGERTHINGS

107. 9SECONDS?!!!!!

108. GIGANTICIMAGE:700kb

109. COMPRESSEDTO184kb

110. RUNAUDITSINCHROME

111. 4.4mb 1.2mb

112. 9s 4s

113. GREATPLACESAREPURPOSEFUL

114. ASK“WHYISTHISHERE?”

115. NO.NO.
STOCKPHOTOS=TWILIGHTZONE

116. MEETBIFF

117. NO.NO.

118. NO.NO.
BIFFWANTSINLAYS

119. NO.NO.
BIFFWANTSHAIR

120. NO.NO.
BIFFDOESFOREX

121. Pexels.com
Unsplash.com
PLEASEFINDGOODPHOTOS

122. !"#$%&'%('%
CANVAFORGRAPHICS

123. !"#$%&'%('%
TYPOGRAPHY101
30-40CHARACTERS/LINE
5-6LINES/PARAGRAPH
120-150%LINEHEIGHT

124. !"#$%&'%('%
TYPOGRAPHY101
practicaltypography.com

125. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
PEARSONIFIED’SGOLDENRATIOTYPOGRAPHYCALCULATOR

126. “WHATABOUTOURBRAND?”

127. THISISYOURBRAND

128. MAKESUREYOUARETHERE
MAKESURE“THERE”ISAWESOME

129. PLACES
PATHS
OPTIMIZE
FACILITATE

130. PLACES
PATHS
OPTIMIZE
FACILITATE

131. PATHSAREVERBS

132. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
$
THEAUDIENCEMOVESFROMPLACETOPLACE

133. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
$

134. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
$

135. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
$

136. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
$

137. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
$

138. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
$

139. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
$

140. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
$

141. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
oohhmmmm
IT’SNOT(TOTAL)CHAOS

142. FINDEXISTINGPATHS
PROVIDEGUIDANCE

143. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%

144. MICROCONVERSIONSSHOWPATHS

145. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
MICRO-CONVERSION=MOVEMENT
$

147. MICROCONVERSION:
SCROLLPAST50%

148. MICROCONVERSION:
E-MAILSUBSCRIPTION

149. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%MOVEMENT
$

150. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%TRANSACTION
$

151. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
GOOGLEANALYTICSTOPCONVERSIONPATHS
TOPCONVERSIONPATHSTARTS
W/ORGANIC,ENDSWITHDIRECT.
3-STEPPATH

152. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%SEMRUSHTRAFFICANALYTICS

153. !"#$%&'%('%LEARNHYPER-LOCAL

154. !"#$%&'%('%
LEARNTOMEASURELOCALLISTINGSFEATURESUSE

155. !"#$%&'%('%LEARNBEACONS/GEOFENCING

156. FINDEXISTINGPATHS
PROVIDEGUIDANCE

157. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
FULLYDESCRIPTIVENAVIGATION

158. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
FULLYDESCRIPTIVENAVIGATION

159. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
GOBACKANDLINKTONEWSTUFF

160. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
ONETWEAK

161. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
AWESOME

162. FILLGAPS

163. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
OUTOFSTOCK/DISCONTINUEDPRODUCTS=BROKENPATHS

164. “Wenolongercarrythisstyle.Checkouttheseinstead.”

165. OPENSITEEXPLORERTOPPAGES:FINDGAPSBETWEENSITES

166. BROKENPATHS

167. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
SEMRUSHTRAFFICANALYTICS

168. !"#$%&'%('%!
IGETTRAFFICFROMCONVERSE

169. !"#$%&'%('%!
ADVERTISETOPEOPLELOOKINGFORCONVERSE

170. TAKINGITTOOFAR

171. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
RAILROADINGISBAD

172. !"#$%&'%('%
NEVERTRYTOOWNAHASHTAG

173. !"#$%&'%('%
CHAOSRESULTS

174. !"#$%&'%('%
CHAOSRESULTS

175. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
ITNEVERENDS

176. !"#$%&'%('%)##*+,#-(.*+(-#',+/$#0+120(3 4%%"566"#$%&'%7-#689:;<=>
$
!"#$%&'%('%)##*+,#-(.*+(-#',+/$#0+120(3 4%%"566"#$%&'%7-#689:;<=>!689:;<=>!"#$%&'%('%689:;<=>"#$%&'%('%
$
PEOPLEANNOYEDWITHQANTASSTRIKE

177. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%)##*+,#-(.*+(-#',+/$#0+120(3 4%%"566"#$%&'%7-#689:;<=>
$
EVERYONEWHO’SHEARDOFQANTAS

179. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
NOTEVENTHESEGUYSCANSAVEYOU

180. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%TRUESTORY
$

181. search content facebook content e-mail $$$$
TRUESTORY

182. !"#$%&'%('%
Turn off paid
social. there’s no
ROI
TRUESTORY

183. !"#$%&'%('%)##*+,#-(.*+(-#',+/$#0+120(3 4%%"566"#$%&'%7-#689:;<=>
$
!"#$%&'%('%)##*+,#-(.*+(-#',+/$#0+120(3 4%%"566"#$%&'%7-#689:;<=>!689:;<=>!"#$%&'%('%689:;<=>"#$%&'%('%
$
auuughhh what
happened?!!!

184. !"#$%&'%('%TRUESTORY

185. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
LAST-CLICKSOCIALCONVERSIONS

186. search content facebook content e-mail $$$$
TRUESTORY

187. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%TRUESTORY
$

188. search pinterest e-mail $$$$
TRUESTORY#2

189. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%TRUESTORY#2
$

190. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%TRUESTORY#2
$
ADDAPLACE.
COMPLETEAPATH.

191. search pinterest content e-mail $$$$
TRUESTORY#2

192. FINDEXISTINGPATHS
PROVIDEGUIDANCE

193. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
$

194. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
oohhmmmm
IT’SADAPTIVE

195. !"#$%&'%('%)##*+,#-(.*+(-#',+/$#0+120(3 4%%"566"#$%&'%7-#689:;<=>
$
!"#$%&'%('%)##*+,#-(.*+(-#',+/$#0+120(3 4%%"566"#$%&'%7-#689:;<=>!689:;<=>!"#$%&'%('%689:;<=>"#$%&'%('%
$
THISFEELSSAFER

196. !"#$%&'%('%)##*+,#-(.*+(-#',+/$#0+120(3 4%%"566"#$%&'%7-#689:;<=>!"#$%&'%('%)##*+,#-(.*+(-#',+/$#0+120(3 4%%"566"#$%&'%7-#689:;<=>!689:;<=>!"#$%&'%('%689:;<=>"#$%&'%('%
IT’SVULNERABLE

197. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%)##*+,#-(.*+(-#',+/$#0+120(3 4%%"566"#$%&'%7-#689:;<=>
$
THISISSAFER

198. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%)##*+,#-(.*+(-#',+/$#0+120(3 4%%"566"#$%&'%7-#689:;<=>
$
LOTSOFSMALLBETS

199. PLACES
PATHS
OPTIMIZE
FACILITATE

200. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
ITTAKESYOUFROMTHIS

201. !"#$%&'%('%!"#$%&'%('%
TOTHIS

202. COLLABORATIVESTORYTELLING
BETWEENTHEBRAND&THEAUDIENCE

203. TRYIT

204. SMALL, UNMARKED BILLS ONLY
portent.com/blog
@portentint
bit.ly/mkt-world