Visual Storytelling Trends: What is Visual Storytelling?

Storytelling trends are constantly evolving. As technology advances, we are being presented with opportunities to tell our stories in more unique and appealing ways. One of the hottest trends these days is visual storytelling.

What is Visual Storytelling?

Visual storytelling involves using videos, images, graphics, and pictures to convey a story that is engaging, meaningful, and sentimental. As the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words” because images can instantly convey information and emotion.

Consider Netflix… there’s a reason your selection screen is covered with movie posters (which now turn into a quick video preview of a movie/TV show) rather than just a list of movies with their synopsis. Human beings are visual creatures; we are typically drawn in through aesthetics.

This doesn’t mean we should abandon writing altogether; a powerful visual coupled with meaningful words can go a long way. We all interpret visuals differently, so your comments help add some much-needed context and clarity.

Visual storytelling is engaging because:

it helps break down complex concepts into easy-to-understand graphics;
draws people in (through eye-catching colours and visuals);
keeps people interested and engaged more quickly since the brain processes images at lightspeed;
is a highly shareable form of content.

3 Simple Tips for Visual Storytelling

If you want to start using visual storytelling more effectively to tell your story and grow your brand or business, here are a few simple tips you can start incorporating today:

Have a clear purpose – determine the message you want to convey so you can select appropriate visuals to tell your story. For instance, if you’re going to tell a story about your grandmother’s crepe recipe, consider adding a photo of the crepes, a family member enjoying them, or better yet, you and your grandmother making them together.

Keep it simple – don’t try to use too many different types of visuals (e.g., blending photos and charts), and stick to colours that are aligned with your brand or choose those that follow colour psychology.

Choose the suitable visual – some visual options include pie charts, graphs, images, cartoons, word art, icons, and maps. Opt for one or two powerful visuals rather than crowding the space with too many photos that may confuse your audience. Of course, the right visual depends on what you share with your audience (e.g., the results of a recent survey could make a nice pie chart).

…and remember, words matter too. So couple your visuals with a catchy headline, a written story, or a powerful call to action.

Visual storytelling is a huge trend that will continue to grow over time. Practice makes perfect – so start small, observe what others are doing, and don’t be afraid to try something new and unfamiliar.

The more you start using visuals to tell your stories, the easier it will become!