visual storytelling: effective nonprofit infographics

DRAW ME A STORYRecipe for Infographic Success

WE’RE VISUAL CREATURES

DUAL CODING THEORY

DOES THIS WORK?

SIZE MATTERS

7 STEPS TO INFOGRAPHIC SUCCESS

STEP 1: STRATEGIZE

GET CLEAR ON THE 4 W’s

Who?

What?

Why?

How?

WHO are you trying to reach?

WHAT do you want them to know and do?

WHY should they care?

HOW will you reach them?

STEP 2: COMPILE YOUR DATA

DOUBLE-CHECK CREDIBILITY

ALWAYS CITE YOUR SOURCES

CRUNCH THE NUMBERS

STEP 3: WRITE YOUR STORY

Pacific Northwest ports are poised to become the link between coal supplies in the American West and demand in Asian markets. Gateway Pacific Terminal (GPT), which would be built near Bellingham, would export 48 million tons per year, making it North America's largest coal port.

Coal would be hauled from mines to port by BNSF Railways. 18 daily coal trains (9 full, 9 empty). Each 1.5 mile long train, comprising about 150 cars, would shuttle between the mines and the port, effectively rendering the rails a nonstop conveyor belt for coal. Coal would be dumped into huge open heaps and stored at the port site. Some of the world’s largest and most polluting ships would make over 950 transits per year in waters already crowded with oil tankers.

COAL EXPORT FACTS

TRY A HEADLINE OR TWEET

Picture it: 8 million tons of coal swamp Portland’s

downtown

Infographic: 8M tons of coal would fill Willamette

and bury Wells Fargo Center. bitly.com/coalx

#nocoaltrains

STEP 4: PUT IT IN PICTURES

CHOOSE VISUALS THAT

• Evoke shared values or familiar places

• Illustrate scale, sequence, or time

• Contrast two possible outcomes

STEP 5: LAY IT OUT

ASK FOR A FEW CONCEPT SKETCHES

CONSIDER DIMENSIONS

STEP 6: SERVE IT UP

CREATE A MEDIA PLAN

TIMING—WHAT’S THE NEWSHOOK?

PRESS AND BLOGGER OUTREACH

SOCIAL MEDIA

PARTNER/SUPPORTER ENGAGEMENT

DEVELOP A STANDALONE WEBPAGE

MAKE SHARING EASY

STEP 7: TRACK AND EVALUATE

CHECK YOUR WEB ANALYTICS

USE BITLY.COM FOR TRACKABLE LINKS

PAY ATTENTION TO THE PRESS

TOP 10 TIPS

1. Get clear on goals

2. Compile your data,

check, and cite

3. Translate big numbers

into human terms

4. Keep it simple

5. Use graphics that tell a

story at a glance

TOP 10 TIPS, CONTINUED

6. Create a media plan

7. Make social sharing

easy

8. Time strategically

9. Allow for easy

downloads and embeds

10. Track results with

Google Analytics and Bitly

QUESTIONS? IDEAS?

Feel free to follow up with me:

nicole@resource-media.org

www.resource-media.org

www.visualstorylab.org