Storytelling is a popular marketing tool today and can be used in many different ways for companies. The purpose of this study is to investigate how service companies can use storytelling in social media platforms for marketing purposes and branding. The authors of this study believe that there is a research gap especially in the hotel and restaurant area and how this marketing tool can be used in social media platforms. Thus, the study aims to dig deeper in how companies within hotel and restaurant business can use storytelling in social media for branding and how they can arouse emotions for the customers.

The empirical data is based on 8 semi structured interviews where half of them work in advertising agencies and the other half in hotels or restaurants. The findings show companies can use the art of storytelling to display what the company brand stands for by showing what makes it unique, work with video and encourage WoM. Companies in the hotel and restaurant business can also storytelling in social media to arouse emotions by involving customers and coworkers in their storytelling together with making sure that it is lifelike.

Lastly, future research could in our opinion focus on other social media platforms and also look into product companies instead of service companies which could make it possible to see differences and similarities between the two areas of business.