How all nonprofits can master visual storytelling

According to Wyzowl studies, people remember 10 percent of what they hear, 20 percent of what they read, and a staggering 80 percent of what they see. If that’s not reason enough for social sector organizations to amplify their visual storytelling, I don’t know what is.

In today’s world, with the incredible volume of digital marketing and social media, nonprofits and social businesses that harness the power of visual storytelling will have an added advantage. It’s not hard to join organizations like Room-to-Read and Charity:Water to tell a compelling story with images.

Here are some tips and suggestions for becoming a teacher:

• image without copy – When you are looking at an image that you want to post on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, take a moment to think about it without any title or story. Ask yourself if the image alone conveys what you want to tell. If nothing else accompanies it, does the image tell the story on its own? If so, you want to publish it. Those are the images you want to have available multiple times a day on your social media platforms.
• Facebook – Facebook is by far the largest social media platform on the planet with 1.2 billion users. Get active on Facebook if you haven’t already. There has been a lot of discussion about organic reach, that is, posts that are seen without having to pay to boost them to followers. Certainly, there are times when you may want to sponsor a post. However, keep in mind that your followers are on Facebook several times a day scrolling through their timelines on their phones. Catch them with an amazing image. Become known for your images to increase the chances that your followers will share them with others.
• it can go – You are convinced and want to share photo images, but you are not a designer and do not have the knowledge or experience to create beautiful shareable images. That’s where Canva can become your new digital marketing best friend. Essentially, search your image library and pay $1 per image or upload your own, put in a quote or something interesting and easily share it on your social media accounts. In a few minutes you can create images to share like a professional.
• Video Pow Toon – Similar to Canva, PowToon allows you to animate and create fun videos to share. No software or design background required. From the PowToon website, “If a picture is worth a thousand words, an animation conveys an idea.” With simple tutorials and free (as well as paid) content, it’s easy to create short videos that you can share with your donors and followers to keep them engaged and sharing your content.
• it’s not about you – Many times the organizations of the social sector provide images, but they do it about the personnel or the scenes of the office. While it makes sense to show off the team from time to time, it’s not about you. To engage donors and supporters in your mission, you need to regularly show them who or what you are serving. Images of children, animals, or whatever aligns with your mission is what your followers want to see. These images, along with compelling captions, quotes, or stories, go a long way in communicating what you do.

It doesn’t take a lot of time or money to get your story visually extended in a winning way. And, with today’s web-based software and apps, you don’t need to be a tech or design expert. Every organization in the social sector, regardless of size or budget, can now master visual storytelling.