Story Before Format
Why the Message Matters More Than the Platform
- Markus Pichorner
TL;DR
Platforms come and go, but stories last. When you lead with story instead of format, your content becomes clearer, more flexible, and far more effective.
Formats change fast. Reels, Shorts, TikToks, carousels, banners, landing pages. Every year there is something new to chase. What does not change is the reason people stop scrolling in the first place. A good story.
Story always comes before format. If you start with the platform, you are already limiting yourself. If you start with the story, the format becomes a tool, not a constraint.
A story gives direction
A strong story answers a few core questions. Who is this for. What problem are we addressing. Why should anyone care. When these are clear, decisions become easier. Visual style, pacing, music, copy, and even distribution start to align naturally.
Without a story, content becomes decorative. It might look nice, but it rarely sticks. With a story, even simple visuals can feel intentional and memorable.
Formats are just containers
A good story can live in many places. A long form brand film can be broken down into short social clips. A behind the scenes moment can become a reel, a website section, or a newsletter visual. When the story is solid, repurposing feels natural instead of forced.
When you design for a format first, you often end up rebuilding everything from scratch for the next platform. When you design for story first, formats become variations of the same idea.
Audiences feel intention
People are very good at sensing when content exists just because it should exist. They scroll past it instantly. Content that is rooted in a story feels different. It has a beginning, a reason, and an end. Even if it is only ten seconds long.
This is especially important for brands. Attention is borrowed, not owned. If you want people to spend time with you, you need to respect their time with meaning, not noise.