How to Know if Your Story Is Working

So, you’re ready to dive into the world of storytelling—awesome! You’ve crafted some great stories that reflect your brand, but here’s the big question: how do you know if your stories are working? Are they resonating with your audience? Are they helping you achieve your goals?

That’s where social media comes in handy. Think of it as your real-time testing ground. It gives you quick feedback on how well your stories are connecting. With just a few posts, you can figure out which ones land, which ones miss, and how you can tweak them to really make an impact.

In this post, we’ll break down how to use social media to test your storytelling, what key metrics to keep an eye on, and how to improve your stories so they hit home every time.

What You’ll Learn:

How to use social media to experiment with your stories.
The metrics you should track to know if your story is working.
How to adjust and reuse stories across different platforms.

Why Social Media is the Perfect Place to Test Your Stories

Social media has changed the game when it comes to sharing and getting feedback. You can post a story on Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, or Facebook and see almost immediately how people react. Did they like it? Comment on it? Share it?

This kind of instant feedback is pure gold. It helps you figure out what works and what doesn’t. Plus, social media is where people already are, making it the perfect place to test your stories and see how they resonate with the people you’re trying to reach.

Step 1: Choose the Right Platform

First things first—where should you be telling your stories? Different platforms have different vibes, and you need to consider where your audience spends their time.

Here’s a quick guide to help you decide:

LinkedIn: Great for professional stories, industry insights, and building thought leadership. It’s perfect if your stories are more business-focused.
Instagram: A go-to for visual storytelling. Think images, carousels, or short videos (Reels) to engage a younger, more visual crowd.
TikTok: Want to get creative and playful? TikTok is where you can share short, fun videos that grab attention fast.
Facebook: Still a solid option, especially if you have a built-in following there. Good for longer posts and discussions.
X: Perfect for quick, impactful stories. You can share bite-sized nuggets of wisdom or spark conversations.
YouTube: Ideal for more in-depth video storytelling, like interviews, case studies, or longer explanations.

Pick the platform where your audience will most likely see your story, and start sharing.

Step 2: Post Your Stories and Track Engagement

Once you’ve chosen your platform, start sharing your stories. But don’t just throw them out there and hope for the best. You need to track how your audience is reacting so you can figure out what’s working and what needs a little tweaking.

Here are the key things to keep an eye on:

Likes/Reactions: This gives you a quick sense of whether people respond positively.
Comments: If people take the time to comment, your story struck a chord.
Shares: A share is a huge win because people found your story valuable enough to pass it along to others.
Impressions: This shows how many people saw your post. While not as telling as comments or shares, knowing your reach is still useful.
Profile Views or Clicks: If your story leads people to check out your profile or click on a link, that’s a great sign they’re interested in what you’re saying.
Messages: When people DM you after hearing your story, you’ve clearly connected on a deeper level.

By paying attention to these metrics, you’ll know which stories are performing well and which ones need more work.

Step 3: Tweak and Improve Based on Feedback

Now that you’ve posted some stories and gotten some feedback, it’s time to fine-tune your approach. Here’s how to use what you’ve learned to make your storytelling even stronger:

Lean Into What’s Working: If you notice that certain stories or formats get lots of engagement, keep them coming! Repurpose them for other platforms or expand on them in future posts.
Make Adjustments: If your story is getting attention but people need clarification or ask for more details, use that feedback to refine it. You may need to simplify the message or add more context.
Move On from What Isn’t Working: If a story doesn’t get much engagement, moving on is okay. Not every story will resonate, and that’s part of the process.

Step 4: Repurpose Your Winning Stories

Once you’ve figured out which stories are a hit, don’t just stop there—repurpose them! A story that works well on LinkedIn might be perfect for a blog post or even become part of a presentation or keynote speech.

By repackaging your best stories, you extend their reach and ensure your message connects with more people across more platforms.

Step 5: Build Your Story Collection Based on Feedback

Finally, use the feedback from social media to help you build a Storybank—a collection of go-to stories that you know work. These can be stories you use again and again, whether it’s for marketing, networking, or building your brand.

As you test your stories on social media, note which ones get the best response and add them to your story bank. Over time, you’ll have a library of proven stories ready to use whenever needed.

The Bottom Line

Using social media to test your stories is one of the smartest ways to fine-tune your storytelling. By paying attention to how people react, listening to their feedback, and making adjustments, you can craft stories that truly resonate with your audience and help you build a stronger personal brand.

Next time you share a story on Instagram, LinkedIn, or TikTok, keep an eye on the results and use that feedback to get even better. Before you know it, you’ll have a storytelling approach that really connects and helps you reach your goals.

Storytelling Ideas...

Speaking of storytelling, if you want tons of story ideas, download my free 150+ storytelling prompts HERE.