@kfreberg
INTRODUCTION TO
VISUAL STORYTELLING
Introduction
Karen Freberg, Ph.D. – University of Louisville
Assistant Professor in Strategic Communication
Blog: www.karenfreberg.com/blog
Email: [email protected] @kfreberg
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WHAT IS VISUAL STORYTELLING?
Stories that are captured, created, &
shared to reveal insights about an
individual or brand visually.
• Specific tools and platforms are used along
with strategic, personalized, and targeted
key messages to present information for
others to help understand the storyline.
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WHY VISUAL STORYTELLING?
• Provides a window into a company culture in
which words don’t do it justice.• Captures eye-witness feature of new media &
engagement w/ audiences that are visual focused.• Photos and videos are considered “social currency” • Opportunity to extend existing relationships.• Written content is still key for success in PR –
however, visuals help illustrate these points to gain further understanding.
Don’t tell me about your brand, but
show me.
VISUAL STORYTELLING IS AN ART & A SCIENCE
AUDIENCE DATA = TELLS YOU WHAT CONTENT & STORIES THEY WANT TO HEAR
STORYTELLING HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF OUR LIVES
EVERY PERSON, BRAND, AND COMPANY HAS A STORY
Digital stories are shaping audience behavior
Audience behavior is creatingDigital stories
• Characteristics• Tools
• Tools (Ptch, & Vine)
• Additional resources
• Characteristics• Best Practices• Tools
• Characteristics• Best Practices• Tools
InfographicsMobile
Apps
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• Back behind the scenes showcasing employees
and others who represent the frontline for the
brand
• New ways of viewing products beyond stores
and websites
• Generating a conversation and feedback from
audiences • Visual or projective focus group technique to test new
features, products, or even promotions• Behind the scenes, exclusive view of products and
services, and window into culture at brand
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• Sharing pins and images related to vision, mission,
and culture of company and brand .
• Visuals for inspiration on how to use products and
for additional resources (ex. infographics)
• Showcase history and presence in the industry
• Show concepts related to products and services
offered
• Boards dedicated to video content (ex. how-to
videos, interviews with key personnel at brand and
consumers).
Personal
• Use of Pinterest
– Balance of professional / personal interests
– Virtual pinboard for resume building
– Sharing experiences and stories (about me) + information useful for social ecosystems (videos + infographics)
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INFOGRAPHICS
• Good way to present data in a visual manner
• Information is easy to comprehend
• Socially shareable
• Provides new knowledge
• Good infographics • Are timely and relevant • Focus on the ideas, not software• Provide additional resources of information• Present facts, statistics, and references
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Infographics present visual representations of:
Information
Knowledge
Data & Research
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• App founded and supported by
DreamWorks
• App that allows you to use
photos and videos to share
experiences
• Edit photo and video style
• Add music
• 60 seconds max
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Use of Ptch• Creating stories from athletic event activities• Mini visual “elevator speech” from photos and video• International travel experiences abroad from conferences (Italy)• Sharing personal interests (ex. cooking)
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• New video sharing app from Twitter
• Captures and loops videos (total of six seconds)
• Ways PR can use this for visual storytelling• Animation of creating logos for brands (ex. GE)• Visual demonstrations• Behind the scenes at events & interviews • Personalized visual tours (NBC News)• Showcasing interaction & personality of products (ex.
Red Vines)• Capturing corporate internal culture
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Best Practices
• Collect data & facts (visuals and other photos) that will help communicate backstory of your company and brand
• Defining the reputation or character of your brand both in text and visuals.
• Demonstrate expertise & culture visually about products and services
• Determining the stories of the people behind the brand.
• Align company or brand’s story to their external and internal environment.
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Best Practices
• Be honest and transparent with your stories.
Individuals, agencies, and brands need to know what
are their stories before they share them.
• Focus on strategy in crafting stories with a set
direction in mind.
• Push / Pull message mentality with visuals –
meaning and purpose key
• Acceptance of stories comes from the reaction from
the customer in experiencing and being part of
the story
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Resources• Pinterest
– KISSMetrics 103 Resources for Pinterest
– Pinfluencer (looking at influence on Pinterest)
– Viral Heat (analytics for SM & Pinterest)
• Infographics– Info.gram– Piktochart– Visual.ly– Easel.ly– Daily Trekk
(100+tools for Infographics)
• Instagram– Statigr.am– Nitrogr.am– Instagram for Business
• BlitzMetrics (data metrics & analytics)
• Other Mobile Apps– Ptch (photos+video)– Tout (video)– Digisocial
(photos+video+voice)– InstaFollow (iOS app for
Instagram)
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RESOURCES• Brands (infographics)– JESS3– KISSmetrics– Eloqua– Edelman Digital
• Websites– eConsultancy Pinterest Guide– Simply Zesty Guide for Pinterest– How to create a promotional infographic– Ptch (how to create a ptch)