Tech and tactics come and go — but storytelling lasts forever. In this episode, Shane Snow and Joe Lazauskas of Contently share their favorite techniques for developing a storytelling edge. (Part 1 of a 2-part episode.)

We all know that stories are powerful — but sometimes it’s hard to know how to tell stories that work in a modern content environment. Shane and Joe from Contently joined Sonia in a wide-ranging conversation, to talk about what might be their favorite topic — how timeless storytelling techniques can benefit 21st-century content.

Rather than cut the conversation artificially short, we’ve broken this into two parts for you.

In this 19-minute episode, Shane and Joe talk about:

• What happens in our brains when we hear a good story
• The 4 elements of great storytelling
• What brands get wrong with storytelling
• The data-driven secret to a breakthrough content strategy
• The simple formula for building an audience that loves you

Listen to Copyblogger FM: Content Marketing, Copywriting, Freelance Writing, and Social Media Marketing below ...

The Show Notes

• If you’re ready to see for yourself why more than 201,344 website owners trust StudioPress — the industry standard for premium WordPress themes and plugins — swing by StudioPress.com for all the details.
• Learn more about Shane and Joe’s new book at TheStorytellingEdge.com
• The HP Dad video is a great example of a powerful story told in an ad (warning: you might cry)
• More details about Alan Gannett’s upcoming book, The Creative Curve
• Feel free to say hi or ask a question over on LinkedIn @soniasimone — or I always enjoy hearing from you right here in the comments