Back in our World Book Day 2022 blog, we said marketing comms should be “all about storytelling”: Clear, human, old‑school craft, delivered well across digital channels. Four years on, that hasn’t changed. What has changed is the environment – more content, more noise, more platforms, and more people trying to grab attention.

So here’s our refreshed, simplified look at how to tell stories that actually land in 2026 and why more organisations are hiring ‘storytelling’ specialists or partnering with agencies like ours to help them do it well.

Our refreshed 2026 principles

(Everything we said in 2022 still applies – get to the point, don’t assume knowledge, be authentic, put people first, and tell the stories others overlook.)

1) Start with the human story

People relate to people, not products, features or corporate jargon. Begin with the moment, challenge or shift your audience will recognise. Then back it up with simple proof like results or customer quotes.

2) Keep it short, but meaningful

Attention spans are tight, but that doesn’t mean dumbing things down. One clear idea per post, video or email is far more powerful than cramming everything in. Short content should guide people naturally to richer, longer stories when they want more.

3) Choose a tone of voice and stick to it

A consistent voice builds familiarity and trust. You don’t need to sound witty or quirky, just recognisably you across every channel and format.

4) Make your stories easy to share

A great story should travel. Craft it so it works as a social post, a newsletter snippet, a PR angle, or a short video. Think about where your audiences spend time and shape content they’ll naturally want to pass on.

5) Help your people become storytellers

Your colleagues, founders, frontline staff, subject‑matter experts and customers are often your strongest advocates. Give them simple tools and confidence to talk about what you do in a genuine, relatable way.

6) Let insight guide you, but keep storytelling human

Data can show you what people care about, when they’re most engaged, and which topics resonate, but the heart of the story should always come from real experience, not a spreadsheet.

7) Be genuinely helpful

The most memorable content is useful, honest and clearly rooted in what you know best. Think of storytelling as an act of service, offering clarity, reassurance or inspiration.

What hiring a ‘storyteller’ really means in 2026

It’s not about hiring a novelist or a fancy job title. It’s about recognising that organisations need someone who can explain what they do simply and meaningfully, connecting strategy, people and purpose into stories that customers understand.

How we support that role in the AI era:

  • Clarify the narrative: What you stand for, why it matters, and the proof behind it. This will also future-proof you for the AI era, making content creation more authentic and effective.

  • Bring the story to life: A joined‑up calendar across PR, social, search, events and sales – this is something that AI can help with but can’t do for you. It has to be stuff that’s really happening.

  • Keep your voice consistent: Helping your team communicate confidently and clearly. Again, AI can help ensure that content is aligned but it’s your organisational culture that will really dictate how people talk about what you do.

  • Measure what matters: Trust, clarity, usefulness and meaningful engagement, not vanity metrics. There are AI tools that can help you do this but you’ll probably find that solely AI-generated content performs worse on these factors.

Let’s tell the stories your audience actually wants to hear
If you’re in a competitive space, have a complex offer, or simply need to explain your value more clearly, strong storytelling is the difference between being noticed and being overlooked. We can help you find the story, shape it, and get it seen, clearly, confidently and consistently.