How to Develop A Successful Visual Storytelling In 8 Steps

Visual images in graphics and videos are memorable much faster and better than plain text. And in times of Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook, the visual aspect of communication is becoming increasingly important.  

Find out what is essential when creating visual storytelling and find captivating ideas for memorable stories in spots, campaigns, or image concepts in 8 steps. 

Pictures speak too! 

The storytelling success story is rapid and one of the most popular methods in marketing and PR today. With captivating stories, you arouse emotions, attract attention and sympathy for products, brands, events, or people.  

Storytelling connects information with events or experiences and builds an emotional bond through the plot. In this way, feelings are awakened in the consumer in a targeted and sudden manner. 

What marketing opportunities does visual storytelling offer? 

Effective storytelling combines the attraction of a good story with the fascination of a good picture. 

Captivating stories are in demand in TV spots or videos in social media and poster and advertising campaigns, as an image concept for brochures, magazines, annual reports, PowerPoint presentations, explanatory films, and social media posts and websites. 

How should a well-functioning story be structured? 

A hero solves problems (and sometimes not) in an arc of tension that extends over various events and obstacles to the (un) happy end. The hero can also be completely normal people or characters, including founders, executives, customers, or testimonials. The story only becomes exciting and relevant for the viewer when conflicts and points of friction need to be resolved. 

Why is high relevance so crucial for the viewer? 

You can only reach media users with your story if emotions are triggered by it, 

  • that they identify protagonist or hero 
  • the story has at least something to do with their life and attitude towards life. 

As the viewer recognizes himself in the hero, sympathy for the advertised product is built up, messages are internalized, and purchase impulses are set. The psychological “touch” may only take place unconsciously. Otherwise, the target person feels manipulated. 

The “core story” should be so simple that it can be told in two sentences and expanded into many episodes. In this way, the main idea can be used primarily on social media platforms.  

This enables viewers to enter at various points. How the story is processed precisely has to be adapted to the specific conditions of the respective channel.  

While the dramaturgy of a story can build up to the end in TV spots, for example, it should attract attention directly on Facebook so that users are interested in watching the clip. 

How is visual storytelling developed? 

Meet in a relaxed atmosphere for a brainstorming session. Stay mentally open and flexible in your thinking, switch off your scissors in your head when looking for creative solutions, or question the familiar. There are also creativity techniques such as mind mapping, clusters, or the Tilmag method. 

This is how you should proceed: 

  1. Step: Analysis of the data and facts, such as target or customer groups, competitors, market, and unique selling points 
  1. Step: Analysis of the values, philosophy, and mission for which the company stands 
  1. Step: brainstorm the idea of ​​the story, the heroes with their problems and conflicts that they have to solve. Intense emotions, which in the best case scenario arise, are to be assessed positively in any case. 
  1. Step: Find examples of what the company is doing to achieve its mission. Are there any overlaps with the core idea of ​​the story? 
  1. Step: Researching user stories that underpin the story 
  1. Step: Selection of ideas with a preference for stories that are relevant to current life 
  1. Step: brainstorming for further events and potential for conflict to spin the story as freely and associatively as possible into additional episodes 
  1. Step: Consider which images can be used to visualize the story. 

Sara Wee