Stories vs Content: Sanjana Singh of TTT at #SMLive 2023

Sanjana Singh of Terribly Tiny Tales takes us on a journey into the world of storytelling and content creation. She shares valuable insights drawing from her experiences at TTT, and offers practical lessons at #SMLive 2023 that can be applied to various mediums, whether it's writing, marketing, or even social media.

In an era where attention spans are shrinking and the digital landscape is saturated with endless information, finding the delicate balance between storytelling and engaging content has become an art form. Sanjana Singh, Creative Director – Editorial Content, Terribly Tiny Tales, unravels the secrets behind their success at #SMLive 2023.

Drawing on her expertise, Singh delves into the art of crafting compelling narratives that leave a lasting impact, revealing strategies and practical lessons that can be applied across various mediums.

Get ready to unlock the art of balancing stories and content as we dive into the world of Terribly Tiny Tales.

From 140 characters to visual storytelling

TTT initially gained recognition for its use of 140-character stories, which provided a unique format for storytelling. With the 140-character constraint, the writers were challenged to craft meaningful narratives in a compact space. This format resonated with audiences seeking bite-sized, easily consumable content.

However, as content evolved, TTT recognized the need to expand its storytelling capabilities beyond the confines of the original text-based format. The platform began to embrace more visual elements and diversified its content.

Singh said about their content journey, "From 140 characters, we have moved on to our characteristic format, and this is how we have expanded it. The whole idea of TTT on social media is a mix of many formats".

Rather than being limited to their black-and-white templates, TTT incorporated a broader range of visual styles, colors, and designs, enhancing the visual appeal of the stories.

then...

now...

Over the years, TTT has experienced significant growth. Recently, the platform celebrated reaching three million followers on Instagram. In addition to that, in the past month, TTT experienced an uptick in followers, crossing the 100K mark within a span of 30 days.

As per Singh, TTT's growth has been consistent and exponential.

Adapting to changing audiences and platforms

Exploring the changes in audience behavior on social media, with an increased emphasis on relatability, instant gratification, and entertainment, Singh explained that audiences now seek content that makes them feel understood and provides an escape from daily routines.

She said, "Social Media has become a place where people are looking to share their feelings. So rather than sharing their life, people are sharing what they feel about. That is a shift. And it's also a platform where people are looking for an escape."

Social media has shifted from being primarily an image-first platform to a space for expressing and sharing emotions.

Over the years, as audiences evolved, creators and their content had to evolve, too. With a constant demand requiring faster and more volume-based content creation, creators need to adapt to various formats, engage with their audience, and stay updated with current trends. The focus has shifted from one-way expression to establishing relationships and building communities with followers.

Explaining how creators should adapt to changing audiences, Singh said, "If your audience has changed, consequently and naturally and ultimately as a creator, you have to change to understand who is my audience right now? How are they talking right now? And what do I have to make them listen, these are the basics of the communication of social media".

Also Read: Takeaways from #SMLive 2023

Deconstructing a creative process / Intent, Content, and Construct

Deconstructing the creative process involves understanding the internal workings and steps involved in bringing an idea to life. While it may seem complex, Singh broke it down into the core elements of this deconstruction process, intent, content, and construct.

Intent

• Identify the core idea and emotion
• Decode what you want to say vs what you want to make your audience feel.

Content

• Determine the content that effectively delivers the intended message or emotion. 
• Understand how you want to say what you want to say.
• Consider the various angles, perspectives, or insights that can be incorporated to address the desired emotional response. 

Construct

• This is the final execution of the idea.
• Create a setting or the premise or a passage of time.
• Create characters and insights.
• Choose a format to present the content.

Explaining TTT’s intent, content, and construct, Singh said, “Our intent is still the same. We are still talking about love friendships, heartbreaks relationships, between families, etc. What we have changed is the content and what has massively changed for us because of the platforms is the construct.”

Relatability and emotional connection

In today's rapidly changing landscape, maintaining relevance is important for creating content your audience relates to. To achieve this, Singh explained that it is important to apply a relevancy filter to your content and understand how emotions are being addressed or discussed within the context of your topic.

She explained that to enhance the relatability of your content further, combine emotions with relevant insights. Creators will have to consider what their audience is going through or what challenges they might be facing and address these insights by providing valuable perspectives, advice, or solutions that align with their experiences.

She concluded, “People don't connect with the details of your experiences. They connect with how you felt during an experience”.

By consistently applying these strategies, you can adapt to the ever-evolving interests and needs of your audience while staying true to your content style.

Sanjana Singh shared her thoughts at the 7th edition of #SMLive, Social Samosa’s marquee annual conference, organized on World Social Media Day.