How to use visuals to enhance storytelling
Everybody loves a good story. Whether that’s a story, you’re reading in a book, the newspaper, or one that is retold by a colleague. And while every story is unique, the common theme they all share is how they are all built and presented in a way that is meant to engage the listener.
Donald Miller once said, “Story is the greatest weapon we have to combat noise because it organizes information in such a way that people are compelled to listen.”
And in case storytelling is something you’re struggling with, today I would like to uncover what I believe is one of the most important aspects of what makes a story great.
When used right, this very thing can help you simplify your content, and increase the response you’re getting as well as the attention you’re attracting.
Wanna know what it is?
Well, it’s visual storytelling.
More precisely, it’s the strategy of using visual content to communicate a narrative in an easy and consice way.
And we’re going to start with a popular phrase by Fred R. Barnard on how “A picture is worth a thousand words”.
I bet you’ve heard that one before, right?
But have you ever stopped to think why that’s even true?
Well, a picture conveys information more effectively than words.
The human brain can comprehend visual content much faster than text-based content. Photos, charts, icons, and graphs can help our audience better understand complex concepts and increase retention.
Let’s take an example:
Look at this random picture I’ve found on Google and notice how fast you extract all the information... How fast you notice colors, objects, and the surrounding.
By simply adding this picture, you can save yourself the trouble of having to explain everything. You can move on in your story and have confidence that your audience has a clear picture in their mind of what this part of your story actually looks like.
Nobody will listen to you if your message isn't clear, no matter how expensive your marketing material may be.
Your greatest enemy when you are telling stories is noise. All it takes is one moment of confusion for the consumers’ minds to start wondering.
Noise has killed more ideas, products, and services than taxes, recessions, lawsuits, climbing interest rates, and even inferior product design.
We use visual storytelling as a strategy to communicate a narrative in an easy, digestible form that ensures simplicity and focus.
This also allows us to inspire an emotional response, as well as educate our audience in a clear and concise way.
This is why using visuals in your stories and presentation is more than just important. It’s crucial.
And now we all know how important visual storytelling is; here are some tips to help you get started.
Show don’t tell - This one is probably the more popular unspoken rule in the filmmaking industry. The point is that you shouldn't rely as much on words to tell your story. Think about Charlie Chaplin.
Your visuals should always reinforce the main point of your story and give context to the information.
Show People - We relate much better to people than to brands and businesses.
Be authentic, be yourself - Allow yourself to be vulnerable and true to yourself. People crave authenticity because these days, it’s a rare quality. People put barriers and shields that make it impossible for their audience to relate, connect and fall in love with their unique personalities.
And now that we have this part covered, it’s time to take action!
I invite you to go and share one story with your audience on a platform of your choice. The story can be about anything! Bonus points if you’ll be able to extract a lesson out of it.
Don’t have an idea of what to share? Try to tell your origin story. That’s always a great one!