Have you invested countless hours into creating content, only to be met with frustration: no engagement, no shares, no signups? I’ve been there. I’ve written blog posts packed with valuable tips, yet they just didn’t connect. Because dry facts, no matter how useful, don’t make engaging content on their own. The key to standing out is using emotions in content creation to make your content memorable.
If you want to build a real connection with your audience, you need to speak to their emotions. Your content has to spark empathy and engagement.
This post will show you how to turn dry facts into emotionally resonant content that connects with your readers on a human level.
Why emotion matters in content creation
Do you think you make decisions based purely on facts? You’re mostly wrong.
Research shows that up to 95% of decisions are triggered by emotions. Even those neat little pro-and-con lists we make? They’re often subconsciously influenced by how we feel.
The most level-headed people find it hard to shut emotions out completely. And beyond decision-making, emotion is what makes experiences memorable. You’ll never forget the feeling of falling in love for the first time or the happiness a moment brought you.
You can harness the power of emotion in content creation. Emotional content sticks. People remember it. They engage with it. They look forward to more of it.
But – important! – don’t overdo it. If your audience starts to feel manipulated, they’ll lose trust. No one enjoys the friend who’s always fishing for sympathy. Instead of drawing people in, that pushes them away.
Remember: It’s about them, not too much about you.
Why we get stuck with dry content
I’m a mathematician. In math, everything is black and white. You can prove it or prove the opposite, it’s either right or it’s wrong, there is no room for interpretation.
And let’s be honest, when we’re unsure about something, a clear yes-or-no answer is comforting. It resolves doubt.
That mindset often creeps into content creation. We lean on facts, statistics, expert quotes. We present solid advice and want it to be clear, definitive. But that often turns into content that, while accurate, doesn’t connect.
People consume it, sure but they won’t remember it. They won’t remember you. It becomes part of the endless pile of generic information they’ve seen.
Stories, on the other hand, stick. And the good news? It doesn’t take much to make dry content more engaging. A personal anecdote. A vivid metaphor. A little humor.
But that brings us to the tricky part…
The vulnerability of emotions in content creation
Adding emotion to your content means opening up. And that can feel uncomfortable.
Stories and emotions are very personal. What triggers sadness or joy in me may might not move you at all. It is like movies. My brother loves dry British comedies. I don’t get how they are funny.
That’s the thing about emotional content: some people love it, others won’t. When you put your personality into your writing, you risk being disliked.
But you also open the door to real connection.
Storytelling is vulnerable. Emotional content is personal. You’re sharing a piece of yourself, something you can easily hide behind facts. That’s scary. But it’s also what makes content memorable.
How to add emotion to content
Let’s get practical. Here are some effective ways to add emotion to your content:
Anecdotes:
Short, real-life stories about you or someone else. Funny mishaps, surprising moments, or relatable challenges that you can use to illustrate your point of view in your content.
Personal experiences
You have made an experience that relates to the facts or tips in your content? Great. These experiences will turn the dry facts into something relatable and deliver proof.
Strong opinions
Don’t be afraid to take a stand. When your opinion challenges the norm, it can trigger powerful responses: agreement, debate, curiosity.
For example, a couple of years back Copyblogger deleted their Facebook page and tons of bloggers voiced their opinion on it. Both sides inspired endless discussions.
Case Studies
Dry facts and tips are often given without proof or examples. Case studies add that: Real life experiences, results and recipes to put the tips into action. Results add emotions to content when tips are turned into success or failures.
Customer stories
Let your customers or clients speak for you. Their words often feel more authentic and relatable than your own.
Vivid language
Words matter. “The sky is blue” doesn’t hit the same as “The sky radiated in a vivid electric blue.” Evoke the senses.
Vivid language can easily make the difference between boring and memorable reading experience.
Highlight impact
When I tell you that I calculated differential equations in my math PhD that is probably boring for you – because most of you will have no idea what that is.
If I tell you I calculated groundwater flow and how poisonous liquids distribute in the underground – that will hopefully make a lot more sense to some of you.
It is the impact of facts that is interesting not the fact itself. Talk about the effect a fact will have on your audience and they will listen.
Frustration and solution
Frustration is a powerful emotion. Tapping into shared frustrations makes readers feel seen. Solving those frustrations builds trust and gratitude.
Quotes or expert voices
Sometimes an outside voice can pack a bigger emotional punch than your own. Use it to reinforce your message.
Find a quote people can relate to or ask an expert to provide a statement for your content it will add a new emotional trigger to your content.
Relatable characters
My music teacher in school used ‘Oscar’ as the child who never understood stuff and always needed an extra explanation. No, Oscar did not exist, he was a placeholder for all the stupid things many children could relate to but the teacher did not want to blame anyone for.
You can do something similar, or use other way to introduce relatable characters to your content. Be creative and present a person your audience can identify with, it will make your content a lot more memorable and trigger emotions.
Authentic voice
Above all, write like you. Your tone, quirks, and natural rhythm are what make content feel genuine. Your authentic voice will inspire trust and connection, it will turn you into a relatable persona and make your content more ‘real.’
Keep the above in mind next time you create a piece of content.
Dry vs. Emotional: Quick examples
For me the storytelling way to add emotions to content often comes naturally. I love adding little anecdotes to my content or share some personal experiences to illustrate a point.
This way I have transformed my newsletter from dry tips and facts to personal storytelling with actionable advice. My open rates have doubled since I made the change.
Let me give you another example comparing a travel blogger doing the cotswold way in England – and the website of the Cotswold Way. One is building a community of interested followers – one is giving you facts.
Tips to make people feel your content
Want to test if your content has emotional impact? Here’s what I do:
Create content for one person
Write like you’re talking to someone specific. Imagine a conversation. I often do this in my head and some of my best sentences come from those imaginary chats.
Read it aloud
Reading silently lets us skim. Reading aloud forces us to hear the rhythm, tone, and emotional flow. It shows you where it feels flat.
Ask: What emotion am I targeting?
If you want your content to inspire, does it actually feel inspiring? Is it consistent with the emotion you’re aiming for?
Read it again
Some of my content, I like to read even years after I wrote it. That is the kind of content I want to create. Content that stands the test of time and stays entertaining on an emotional level. Facts may change but the feeling stays.
So, the most important way to test if your content triggers emotions is: Do you like to consume it?
Read it again. Let it sit for some time and revisit it with a fresh eye and mind. Do you still enjoy it? Does it make you feel something? That is my best test for emotions in content creation.
Common pitfalls of using emotions in content creation
Emotion is powerful—but tricky. Here’s what to watch out for:
- Overdoing it: Don’t turn your content into a soap opera. Forced emotion feels fake. There is a German phrase “Auf die Tränendrüse drücken.” Roughly: “playing the heartstrings too hard.” Don’t be that marketer.
- Losing the message: Emotional stories are great but don’t let them drown out your core point.
- Breaking trust: Playing too hard on sympathy can feel manipulative. Your audience will sense it.
Often, less is more.
Final thoughts
Some of content still makes me smile years after I saw it the first time. I have a couple of books that I can read over and over, they never get boring. That’s the kind of content I want to create: emotional, evergreen, and human.
Facts may change. But the feeling you leave someone with? That sticks.
So the next time you create content, ask yourself: Does this make me feel something? If the answer is yes, chances are your audience will feel it too.
