Have you heard of this amazingly beautiful concept of visual storytelling? The concept alone is so thoughtful, you will want to keep reading to find out how to apply it to your next fundraiser.
So, here’s the story.
Visual storytelling is the art of drawing out the journey, tale or story – if you will – of anything you’d like. It’s like telling a story in pictures, much like a comic. How fun is that?
To get official, Wikipedia calls it a visual narrative – stating it as:
A story told primarily through the use of visual media. The story may be told using still photography, illustration, or video, and can be enhanced with graphics, music, voice and other audio.
The idea of using visual storytelling came to us from a beautiful soul that participated in a Twitter chat called #Charityhour.
Mandy Johnson, Founder of Charity Equality, wrote Sesuna’s Story as an answer to a question during the chat. And from there we were smitten with the whole idea. And Sesuna.
The best part is the engagement on this Twitter Chat! Check out the comments, people are just loving it! This is such a great way to drive engagement on social media for your fundraiser.
So, interested in potentially wowing someone with your fundraiser story? We were too. Let’s dive into the wonderful world of visual storytelling for your charity.
Visual Storytelling and Your Fundraiser
You might be thinking, “that is really cool but it looks like a lot of work!” It may seem that way but really it’s about the message. And the design.
So how do you get the best of both worlds? You do your homework. First, just like we would recommend finding out the ingredients if you’re going to cook something, you have to find what goes into a good visual storytelling experience. This stuff.
- Clear and concise title (preferably loud and fun!).
- Solid colors for accessibility, branding is encouraged.
- A format where the reader is taken left to right and up to down, just like when they read any content.
- A connection with WHO is behind the fundraiser.
- A connection with WHAT your donations are doing for the world.
- Equal spacing for all words and photos. Don’t overcrowd your content!
- Artwork that you feel best represents your voice and tone.
Those are some solid first steps.
Visual storytelling isn’t about just pairing a piece of content with an image; it’s about figuring out the right way to represent the information in a compelling and relevant way for the right audience. When the visual component is at its most powerful moment, the impact of the story is magnified. Think of the point in the story where you just have to find out what happens – that’s the impact!
Why Visual Storytelling is Important for Any Charity
For starters, visual storytelling captures (and keeps) your donor’s attention! That’s pretty important. Also, it helps your donor connect with your brand, your story, and your mission.
After all, a picture is worth a thousand words, right?
We can discuss the importance of visual storytelling all day, but what do the facts say? Studies have revealed some pretty alarming statistics about the true impact of visual content:
- Content with relevant images gets 94% more views than content without.
- Nearly 66% of social media posts are visual content.
- Tweets with images receive 150% more retweets.
Visual content is not only more enticing and memorable, but it’s more interactive for its audience, which heightens its credibility, bolsters the brand, and increases revenue for the company. The future of a successful marketing campaign relies on engagement. Engaging in your story means people are interested, and when you are interested in something – you share it.
In the midst of a digital boom where images and videos are taking over – make the most of it with your fundraiser. We hope you incorporate your uniqueness and let your true colors shine through.
The Kind of Visual Storytelling that Connects Best
All forms of visual storytelling usually crush it, but it shouldn’t surprise you that video is king when it comes to the most impactful form of content. That being said, it’s not the only way a story can be told.
Regardless of format, all forms of visual storytelling are impactful! Here are a few ways to tell your story that we found really hit home.
Authentic Human Connection
Saturated with so much content daily, people have become more concentrated when it comes to allowing what’s in their feed. The lesson here is to remain authentic if you want to establish a personal connection with viewers. Keep a human connection throughout – not robotic.
For example, people love to highlight fundraisers’ origin stories through visual storytelling.
Community-Based News
Everyone loves a trending news story. How can you connect your community to what’s going on with your fundraiser?
A key to connecting with your donors is providing the right message at the right time through the right visual representation. Tapping into community-based events and emerging trends is a great way to showcase relevant visual storytelling.
People-Driven Posts
Creating people-driven visual stories helps everyone establish a personal connection with your fundraiser.
Think about the last story your friend told you. I bet you remember the people behind the story, the most. That’s because everyone is seeking a connection. These become powerful tools in delivering the right visuals that will identify with them most.
Behind-the-Scenes
There is no better way to connect with your audience than by giving them a behind-the-scenes look at your company. Let them meet the people behind the charity and see how the fundraiser works; let them know that your company has real people behind it. People that are passionate about a real mission.
You can even do this virtually! Grab a Zoom call with your team and share a visual story of your own – walking through how your fundraiser will make a big impact.
Tell Your Visual Story
What do you think? Want to try it out for your next fundraiser? Go for it!
See how creative you can really get with your donors. Are you willing to spend the extra time for connection? We believe it’s totally worth it. Here are a few ways you can use visual storytelling to get your charity out there:
- Participate or host a Twitter chat.
- Share your story in Facebook, LinkedIn or Slack Groups.
- Create and share a visual Story on Instagram.
- Write a blog post about it.
- Share it in a fun email campaign.
- Partner up with friends for a share session. (Hint, if it’s charitably-related, tag us for a share @GiveWP!)
Either way, your story will be told! We hope this helps drive donor engagement and gets your mission out there. After all, that’s our mission at GiveWP.
Do you have an awesome example of visual storytelling that you’d like to share with the class? Let’s hear it!
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