Show, don't tell

If you were asked to give a tour of the Taj Mahal, would you:

A) Stand outside the Great Gate and describe the structure to your guests

Or…

B) Take your guests through a fully-guided tour of the Taj Mahal

Editors are always telling us “Show, don’t tell,” but what does this really mean? 

Whether you’re developing a page or a video, the best way to show and not tell is to think of yourself as a tour guide.

The idea is to treat your marketing content like an experience. 

So, as our Taj Mahal guide, you would walk your guests through the experience. Sure, you might stop occasionally to note the floral motifs or the exquisite marble screens that adorn the octagonal chamber. 

But, generally...you stay out of the way.

Rather than a bunch of words on a page or video clips, your content should take the audience by her hand and guide her through the experience, sequence by sequence. 

Better yet, step away from the frame and just let her experience the content on her own.