I was talking with my 11 year old about a fandom she’s super into the other day. And by talking I mean she was projectile vomiting words at me, half of which I didn’t understand.

There was pacing. There was maniacal laughing, there was gnashing of teeth.

I *live* for these moments when she brings me into the worlds she loves.

I still don’t know exactly what she was saying, but I do know the uproar was over a faction of the fandom thinking something was “canon” when it was OBVIOUSLY lore.

She explained the difference. Canon is what the creator intended to be true about a character. What’s purely factual. Lore is all the stuff underneath it that the fans extrapolate from the little details. Sometimes it's true, sometimes it's the fandom taking its own creative liberties.

Canon is fact. Lore is the stuff that builds the world, gives it flavor, and makes it even bigger than the creator ever intended.

“Well what does the story actually say?” I asked my daughter.

*cue preteen eye roll*

“Ugh. Mom. It’s not about the story!”

And with that, I understood why so many people struggle with telling their story.

It’s because she's right. It’s not actually about the story.

People think their story is the thing they say on stage - their personal elevator pitch or the beginning-to-end retelling of how they got to where you are.

Those are stories, yes, but that’s just one part of the story. The official version, or canon. When I talk about working stories into your marketing to connect with your audience on a deeper level, I’m talking about lore.

A story speaks to everyone. The lore adds depth to the world your audience exists in and makes them feel like they hold the key to a secret club.
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In a fandom, the creator drops the little details as they build the world, and the fans run with them. Your brand works the same way.

My canon is 20 years in marketing, six years running an agency, and teaching AI since before ChatGPT came out. Important, sure. But nobody’s pacing the room over it. 😂

The people who’ve been around a while know my first website was a Hanson fan page called Hansomnia and that I have a personal vendetta against WPBakery. That’s lore.

So how do you build more of it? A few ways I see it show up:

Running jokes. I have an ongoing fear of an AI going rogue during school pickup. When you catch yourself making the same joke twice, keep it.

Recurring characters. My husband has become a regular around here, whether he’s walking in on me vibe coding in the bathtub or Googling his way through a tricky case at our kitchen table. Let the people in your life show up more than once.

Rituals. I started sharing an AI Wrap Up every Wednesday on Instagram. Eventually, the people who show up each week will start to feel like regulars. Pick something you can repeat often enough that it becomes part of your world.

Breadcrumbs. I’ve mentioned a fear of partnerships and a top secret project with my co-founders, and I haven’t told you the full story on either one yet. Tease what’s coming, then actually follow through.

If you’ve been using Claude or ChatGPT for a while, it probably knows more of your lore than you realize. Ask it:

“Based on what you know about me, what would you consider canon in my story, and what’s lore? What running jokes, recurring characters, or little details do I keep coming back to?”

(Fact check it, obviously. It only knows what you’ve told it.)

My daughter couldn’t care less what a character’s official bio says. What gets her pacing the room is the stuff that makes her feel like she knows the backstory to the backstory. It's like a badge of honor.
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That's what creates loyalty, and your future diehard fans work the same way. Give them something worth pacing the room over.

Talk soon,

P.S. Try the prompt and hit reply with the weirdest piece of lore it found. I’ll go first: apparently I say 47 every time I mean “a lot.” (for example "I tried 47 million times and failed" or "I don't want to have to work through a 47 point checklist every time I want to create something") Chat found that for me. Not sure how I'll use it for my brand, but I do know I can never un-hear it now 😂
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P.P.S. The dashboard preview I promised you is *almost* ready! I'll be sharing it soon.