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Universe building (the storytelling technique that makes folks want to stick around)
Ten years ago I was obsessively stalking Mark Sisson from Mark’s Daily Apple, and Daniel Vitalis from Rewild Yourself to figure out how in the world they’d built these online audiences around their interests.
Ten years later, I’m sharing one of those secrets here with you.
Most people think is has to do with things like:
Writing better hooks (you know the pattern interrupts that catch your curiosity to stop you from scrolling and such?), or they think they need a “stronger personal brand” (which usually just means polished cohesive visuals, or some sort of cheesy positioning tactic), or they think it comes down to engagement tactics (like commenting everywhere, or sliding into people’s DMs, or building engagement pods).
But alas… it’s really none of those.
Some of these things do help while others actively hurt. But tactics alone will never build you into a reputable personal brand.
The solution I am going to share with you today is probably far different from any of the standard advice you’ll hear on social media about how to grow your business, or your brand, or whatever you want to call it, using content online.
The solution that I’m going to share is what makes your content stop feeling like a pile of standalone posts jumbling around the internet.
And it’s what makes your content start feeling like a whole new world, with a whole new storyline, that your ideal clients and customers are about to enter. A new storyline that’s filled with awe, and wonder, and characters, and elements that they’ve not seen before.
A world that is as much exciting as it is new and overwhelming at times.
Which is where you come in.
Because you’ll be strategically positioned as their guide.
I learned this specific storytelling technique international bestseller author, and 60-time Moth StorySlam Champion, Matthew Dicks. Who also happens to advise some of the top 100 business in the U.S. on how to effectively include storytelling in their marketing and sales campaigns to this day.
And it’s called…Universe Building.
It’s why people binge watch TV shows.
It’s why you can reference George Costanza and get a laugh even from people who hate TV.
It’s why certain people seem to build avid followings without ever feeling like they’re trying.
Because people aren’t seeking you out on the internet just to consume information. It’s because they want to feel like they’re a part of something that aligns with their personality and their identity. And it’s all about acknowledging that you exist inside a broader landscape of history, ideas, and on going change.
We all stand on the shoulders of giants as they say.
And when you acknowledge those that came before you, and led you to all those bouts of inspiration over the years, you acknowledge that a whole other world exists. One that your readers may not have truly known existed previously.
In other words…
You do not show up out of thin air and say:
“Hello, I am Kevin. I am a marketing person. Here is my list of tips.”
No.
You show up like a guide. Like someone who knows the geography. Like someone who knows the timeline. Like someone who knows the recurring patterns and can help people feel at home during the inevitable ups and downs.
Which is interesting… because most people treat their content like a one-night stand.
One idea in, one idea out, never to be seen or heard from again.
Then they wake up the next morning like:
“Alright… what do I talk about today?”
And every day starts from zero. All to say… if you want to build trust faster (and make your writing way easier)… start building your universe.
In practice, that means picking handful of recurring “locations” in your world. It means introducing a list of recurring characters that people can think back to and remember. It means creating the metaphors, the catch-phrases, and the call-backs that make your readers feel like insiders.
Because insiders like to stick around.
Now if you’re sitting there thinking:
“Okay, cool… but how do I actually do this without spending 10 hours a week on content?”
Then that’s what Threads Organic Traffic is for.
It’s a content creation system that helps you build your universe on purpose… one week at a time… without reinventing our whole personality every morning.
So if that sounds like something you want to learn more about, here’s the link:
Your pal,
Kevin Hood