European Commission DG Climate Action...Storytelling is the social and cultural activity of sharing...

Visuals go digital Vasilis Lampropoulos

Visual storyteller European Commission DG Climate Action

What is visual storytelling?

| Visuals go digital

An image is 1000 words

A symbol is 1000 images

Visual: relating to seeing or to the eyes

| Visuals go digital

Storytelling is the social and cultural activity of sharing stories

If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't understand it yourself

| Visuals go digital

Visuals enhance communication They help tell a story

| Visuals go digital

The brain can identify images seen for as little as 13 milliseconds. (source MIT)

| Visuals go digital

Posts with no image are shared less on social media

Posts with videos are shared more than images

Posts with live video get more reach

Virtual reality is coming up

Animated or interactive infographics attract more attention than simple ones

| Visuals go digital

Creating visuals in an institutional environment:

Before mastering the new, conquer the existing

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Instead of complicated and illegible infographics Try info cards

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Use relevant images with your posts

| Visuals go digital

Try enhancing your image with a text and

Make inspirational posts

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Be concise with your communication Do you really need a one-paragraph title for your event?

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Respect platform/medium constraints

• Don’t just copy-paste your publication cover – adapt it. Some examples: • Facebook uses a 4:3 ratio (e.g. 1280x960) • Twitter uses a widescreen ratio similar to 16:9 • Instagram uses a square format

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Involve your designers in the communication planning/brainstorming

Process of creating visuals:

• Brainstorm, plan, find messages

• identify the platform, medium to be used

• Create first drafts

• Deliver

Inform your designers well in advance about your communication plans

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More food for thought?

• A good visual with a clear message will always be better than an overloaded video

• Having a nice and relevant visual to your subject is as important as posting at the right moment

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Thank you! Remember that eye?

| Visuals go digital