You’ve heard the old adage: A picture is worth a thousand words. In PR, this saying still rings true when it comes to storytelling. Visual assets can make your message memorable, bring complex data to life and draw more attention to the most important parts of your story, as we explained in our post about infographics last year. Plus, more and more outlets are looking for visual aids to enhance stories.
Infographics
In recent years, the popularity of infographics has skyrocketed. Whether they are used as a timeline, as an editorial, or as data visualization and design, infographics can be a great way to turn convoluted or humdrum information into an easily digestible, exciting image. Last year, Medical Billing and Coding released a compelling infographic called “Sitting is Killing You,” and the Washington Post often boasts impressive interactive infographics, such as this one from the 2011 census.
Benefits: Infographics, when done well, can go viral, spreading your story through various social media and traditional channels. Infographics are a great way to make complex information fun and easy to understand.
Downfalls: Infographics can fall flat unless you have strong data and a talented graphic designer by your side. Also, that talented graphic designer will require additional budget.
Videos
Whether high-budget or home-made, online videos are wildly popular. According to a study by Pew Research earlier this year, 71% of online adults have watched videos on websites such as YouTube and Vimeo. Even more surprising is the fact that over 48 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube every minute. Well-made videos also have the potential to go viral, such as the Volkswagen Passat Super Bowl ad featuring a child dressed as Darth Vader – it was one of the most viewed videos on YouTube last year.
Benefits: Usually, creating a channel and uploading your content is free. Most video websites also enable embed codes and direct links to your videos, making it easy for your employees, customers or reporters to share your content with their extended social networks.
Downfalls: Videos can be a costly project, particularly if your company is looking for something scripted and high resolution with high production value.
Photos
Images still remain the most popular and cost-effective visual storytelling conduit. In fact, over 3,000 images are uploaded to Flickr, a popular photo-hosting website, every minute. A good photo can go beyond language barriers and evoke emotion in a way that reporting simply cannot. Many news websites now feature slideshows, as a slideshow can have a big impact with few words.
Benefits: Photos are widely accessible and easily obtained. With digital cameras and photo editing software at affordable price points, it is easy for organizations to create their own high-quality images. Also, images can easily be used in both web and print stories.
Downfalls: Sometimes additional costs are required for professional photos. Also, photo shoots tend to take more time than one would think – proper lighting, a good background and good framing techniques should all be considered when staging a photo. And slideshows are limited only to web outlets.
What is your company’s philosophy on using visual storytelling methods to augment a story?