Storytelling through videos on social media to build a small business brand

Abstract

This thesis was conducted with the goal of identifying the way to trigger the emotions of viewers that are interacting with small business brands online through audiovisual storytelling. The thesis looks at the elements of storytelling on social media platforms and how emotions are used in order to build a brand in the luxury jewelry industry. The research findings showed that TikTok and Instagram are good platforms for small business brand building and that each platform triggers different emotions and uses different approaches to the content being produced; an active presence on social media is beneficial for brands in the luxury market as it lowers the barriers with customers and allows for organic growth. Based on the research, it is clear that there are many ways to build a brand and sometimes it is not a clear path, however, the focus on the relationships being built should result in an increase in brand loyalty as customers become part of the narrative created by the brand. Using the findings of the research and the literature that was collected through this thesis, a clearer image on the way emotions are triggered through video storytelling has become clearer as a way to help with small businesses growth.