South by Southwest innovators break down the future of storytelling

Members of the University of Cincinnati’s 1819 Innovation Hub ecosystem also attended the festival to unlock insights that can stimulate entrepreneurial and corporate innovation.

One key takeaway from a wide variety of SXSW sessions: the art of storytelling is rapidly evolving. Below are key learnings from the festival on the present and future of storytelling, along with practical tips for business leaders to stay ahead of industry shifts.

Billy Jones, vice president of brand experience and design at social media management platform Hootsuite, led a session on “How Social Media Is Shaping the Future of Business.” Throughout his session, Jones emphasized that agile and adaptable companies on social media are the likeliest ones to meet and even exceed their audience’s desires.

During his session, Jones highlighted two potential formulas for social media success:

Conversation happening on social media + Your brand’s unique take on it + Algorithm help and luck = Multiplied reach

Conversation happening on social media + Analysis through time + Adjusting research and development approach = Record profits

Jones’ first formula explains how businesses can rapidly expand their reach on social platforms. He advises that companies adapt current social media trends to their brands in natural and compelling ways. While this makes it more likely that your business will grow its reach, he acknowledges that algorithms still play a role in choosing brand “winners” and "losers.”

The second formula refers less to developing a social media audience and more to listening to it. Social media is, after all, the closest connection many companies have to their customers. Paying attention to what people are saying on Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok offers candid insights that can be analyzed and rolled into a long-term business strategy.

Over the past year, Bluesky has emerged as of the fastest-rising social media platforms in the U.S. The company offers an experience like X, formerly known as Twitter, but comes with a few key differentiators.

Bluesky CEO Jay Graber spoke at South by Southwest to explain what makes the app stand out in the social media space. “Our goal is to make social media more like the web,” she says. “Bluesky serves as the gateway to the social web.”

According to Graber, Bluesky emphasizes user choice and developer freedom by being open source with an open interface. She says the platform also comes with four pillars: custom feeds, moderation, self-hosting options and alternative clients.

The company allows users to create custom feeds through a marketplace, where they can browse and select topics interesting to them. Composable moderation gives individuals the ability to tailor their moderation preferences to personal needs, rather than relying on the social platform’s standards. Self-hosting enables users to host Bluesky on their personal server and keep data private, while alternative clients refer to third-party applications that can be added to the platform.

Bluesky currently has few monetization methods, so Graber spoke of how she envisions it making money in the future. Potential options include subscription models, charging for developer services and finding revenue streams through a marketplace approach.

Four PBS storytellers broke down ways to make science and environmental topics accessible to audiences on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Many topics covered by PBS are complex, making it challenging to craft content that draws people’s interest amid brief attention spans.

First, the panel emphasized the importance of a strong and playful “hook” in the first few seconds of any video. People decide almost immediately whether to watch or skip videos on social media, so it’s imperative that creators grab their audience’s attention from the very start.

The PBS panelists next revealed three questions they ask before starting any story:

• Who am I trying to reach?
• What is my story vehicle?
• Why will this resonate with my target audience?

Storytellers should also consider whether their video will have the desired impact on their target audience. It’s better to rework content than to post a video that won’t drive your brand’s narrative.

The PBS team wrapped up by providing a storytelling arc for YouTube, Instagram and TikTok: start on a high note, offer subtle marketing cues, include unexpected shifts, provide multiple story peaks, quicken the pacing, add a call to action and offer extra stories to those desiring more.

Creativity abounds where ideas flourish, which explains why storytelling success often arises from entrepreneurial spaces like UC’s 1819 Innovation Hub. In a world where loneliness is on the rise and “third spaces” are becoming increasingly rare, creatives are gaining inspiration in innovation hubs.

The impact of community, collaboration and connection on storytelling was discussed at a SXSW session titled “The Future of Innovation: Spaces for Humanity and Connection.” Convening the right people together in a shared space like 1819 enables high-channel communication to drive economic development and bring new technologies to market.

The cross-pollination between startup founders, corporate leaders and university students at 1819 creates an environment where stories aren’t just crafted, but inspired.

The 1819 Innovation Hub’s Venture Lab acts as another positive influence on brand storytelling. Leaders of the startup accelerator understand that to grow a business, you need to shape a compelling brand narrative. That point is emphasized as founders move through the program.

Between the creative collisions that happen in 1819’s hallways and the branding expertise founders gain in the Venture Lab, the Hub is an ideal space for inspired storytelling. And that’s important – a well-reasoned storytelling strategy will boost your business’ visibility in today’s marketplace.

Featured image at top: South by Southwest 2025 session. Photo/Anna Resing