Converting Narratives: Digital Storytelling Strategies in Product Marketing on Fuji’s TikTok Account

Abstract

The rapid growth of social media, particularly short-video platforms like TikTok, has fundamentally transformed how brands and content creators engage consumers through digital marketing. While previous studies have explored the persuasive effects and emotional dimensions of influencer marketing, limited research has systematically examined the specific narrative structures and storytelling strategies embedded in short-form promotional content on TikTok. This study aims to identify and analyze the types of digital storytelling strategies employed by TikTok influencer Fujianti Utami Putri (@fujiiian) in her product promotional content. Using a descriptive qualitative method with a sociopragmatic approach, this study analyzed product promotion videos uploaded from January to April 2026. Data collection involved video selection, transcription, and identification of visual and narrative elements, followed by componential analysis as proposed by Spradley (1980). The findings reveal six digital storytelling strategies: Riding The Waves, Sharing Experience, Problem Solution, Soft Selling Promotion, Metaphorical Framing, and Participatory Storytelling, totaling 81 occurrences. Sharing Experience emerged as the most dominant strategy (23 occurrences), followed by Soft Selling Promotion (21 occurrences) and Riding The Waves (18 occurrences), while Metaphorical Framing appeared least frequently (3 occurrences). Beauty and personal care products dominated the promotional content (69 occurrences), reflecting the alignment between the influencer's personal brand and her audience demographics. These results demonstrate that effective TikTok product promotion relies on authentic personal narratives, trend integration, and subtle persuasive techniques rather than direct advertising approaches, underscoring the strategic importance of digital storytelling in contemporary influencer marketing.