Today’s readers have low attention spans and are highly visual learners. Digital media has made it easy for audiences to scan and absorb lots of information in a short amount of time. This trend has changed the way marketers deliver copy and communications, and should also impact how you communicate about the impact of your nonprofit. Visual storytelling can be a highly effective means of communication.
Rather than telling impact through long copy blocks, show it with visual storytelling. Here are three ways to tell the story of your nonprofit with compelling visuals.
1. Visualize data
You could write a long, dense paragraph about how you trimmed your overhead back 4 percent and reallocated those funds to better use, or you could show it through easy-to-digest data visualizations. Infographic-style imagery is a quick and compelling way to deliver large amounts of data, specifically statistics and financial reporting. Break up your impact report and share the data you’re most proud of through easily understood data visualizations.
2. Add interaction
Gone are the days of flipping through a static, printed impact report. Digital impact reports are a much more captivating way to show your impact than traditional documentation. Rather than flipping through pages mindlessly, users can now scroll through a highly visual story, delighted throughout by motion, feedback and animation. They’ll enjoy learning about your nonprofit more, and they’ll spend more time with your material.
3. Balance copy with visuals
When proving your impact, you can tell the story of a person whose life you changed in 300 words, or you can show it through compelling visuals like photography and video. While a certain amount of copy is necessary to tell your story, readers respond to visuals.
Juxtapose written content with images, video, and data visualizations to empower quick comprehension and maximum impact. Consider using narrow copy blocks and bulleted or numbered lists – all of which are easy for readers to scan and absorb. If you want to include more information, link out to other resources where the curious reader can learn more.
As you explore ways to make your impact reports more captivating in the coming year, consider adding these visual enhancements to improve readership and delight your audience.