People are wired for stories. Digital media allows us to bring life to those stories through words, images, sounds, and moving pictures. Exploring the guiding philosophy, lifecycle, and elements of a digital story, this webinar reviews pace-setting examples drawn from news media, colleges, and universities. If you’re looking for ways to become a better storyteller and extend the reach and impact of communications that you already produce, don’t miss this webinar. What You Will Learn • Why storytelling matters • How excellent digital stories are constructed • What roles are necessary for a story team • How to create a smart, sustainable solution for digital story content

1. Digital Storytelling 101
2017

2. Digital Storytelling
forHigherEducation

3. Digital Storytelling
for Higher Education
• Eight courses: a blend of live and on-demand content
• Unlimited access to the videos and slide decks
• Opportunity to offer this professional development to
your current and future team.
• Cost = $599
http://mstnr.me/DigStoryHigherEd

4. Voltaire Santos Miran
Co-FounderandManagingDirector
@vsantosmiran
312.420.6778
voltaire.miran@mstoner.com

5. Once upon a time …

6. The Goal
Wewantyoutobegintobeabetterstorytellerby
understandingtheimportanceofstoryandmakingthe
mostofdigitaltoolsandopportunities.

7. Agenda
1. Why Stories?
2. What Makes a Great Story?
3. The Elements of a Digital Story
4. Producing a Digital Story
5. For Aspiration and Inspiration
6. The Horizon

8. Why Stories?

9. The Role of Story
Solve
problems
Connect
Entertain
Teach
Provide pattern
and order
Impart
traditions
Assimilate

10. “Story — whether delivered through films, books, or
video games — teaches us facts about the world;
influences our moral logic; and marks us with fears,
hopes, and anxieties that alter our behavior, perhaps
even our personalities.”
Jonathan Gottschall
“The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human”

11. “A thought triggers the same regions of the
brain that would be activated if you were
actually experiencing the event in real life.”
Carmine Gallo,
“The Storyteller’s Secret”

12. “A compelling story with an emotional
trigger alters our brain chemistry,
making us more trusting, understanding,
and open to ideas.”
Paul Zak, Neuroscientist

13. “Stories equip us with a mental file of
dilemmas we might one day face, along
with workable solutions.”
Steven Pinker
“How The Mind Works”

14. The Elements of a
Digital Story

15. Frank Rose, “TheArtofImmersion”
“Stories themselves are universal. The way we tell
them changes with the technology at hand. Every
new medium has given rise to a new form of
narrative … people want to be immersed.”

16. Snow Fall

17. Visual Design
• Beautiful interfaces that encourage reading, with sufficient
clear space to allow focus on the text
• Thoughtful consideration of layout flexibility in regard to
viewport size and content load times
• Touch-optimized content interactions
• Micro-interactions
Element 1:

18. Structured Content
• Atomic units of information
• Metadata and keyword plan to support search
engine optimization (SEO)
• Tagging and taxonomy
• Associated social posts and promotions
Element 2:

19. Integrated Media
• Photography
• Video
• Audio
• Illustrations
• Infographics and data visualization
• Data journalism
Element 3:

20. Engagement Opportunities
• Calls-to-action (CTA)
• Commenting/reader contributions
• Ability to share and amplify through social media
• Opportunities to follow the story through mobile push
alerts and email updates
• Subscription opportunities (podcasts, playlists)
Element 4:

21. Technology
• Content management system (CMS)
• Cloud-based collaboration tools
• Analytics framework
• Experimentation capability to optimize content based on
audience behavior
Element 5:

22. 1. Simple
2. Engaging
3. Authentic
4. Motivating
Four
Principles

23. “What matters … is telling a
true story well.”
Ann Handley,
“Everybody Writes”

24. Simple
1
In the Language
of One’s Audience
MemorableEasy to
Understand
2 3
25

25. 26

26. Engaging
1
Unexpected EmotionalIllustrative
2 3
27

27. 28

28. Authentic
1
Truthful ResonantReal
2 3
29

29. 30

30. Motivating
1
Exploration ActionConnection
2 3
31

31. 32

32. Producing
a Digital Story

33. 1. Strategize
2. Create
3. Publish
4. Promote
5. Assess
Five Steps

34. “Far too often for writers and editors the story is
done when you hit publish. At The Huffington Post,
the article begins its life when
you hit publish.”
Paul Berry
The Huffington Post

35. The Disciplines
• Integrated Strategy
• Content Development
• Experience Design and Visual
Design
• Editing and Proofing
• Photography
• Video Production
• Social Media Campaigns
• Front-End and Back-End
Development
• Analytics
• Project Management

36. The Team
• Strategist
• Writer
• Editor
• Designer
• Photographer
• Videographer
• Social Media Specialist
• Developer
• Analytics Specialist
• Project Manager

37. 38
WRITER EDITOR
Model 1: The Dynamic Duo

38. Model 1: The Dynamic Duo
Essentials Aspirations
• An editorial strategy and a measurement plan
• A great story
• Strong still photography
• A technical platform for easy publishing
• Social media campaign
• Tagging and taxonomy

39. 40
WRITER DESIGNER PHOTOGRAPHER DEVELOPER SOCIAL MEDIA
MANAGER
ANALYTICS
SPECIALIST
STRATEGIST
Model 2: A Core Story Team

40. Model 2: A Core Story Team
Essentials Aspirations
• An editorial strategy and a measurement plan
• Great stories and units of structured content
• Photography and video
• A social media campaign
• A technical foundation for experimentation
and adaptation
• Interactive features
• Infographic development

41. PHOTOGRAPHER SOCIAL MEDIA
MANAGER
WRITERS
AND EDITORS
UX AND VISUAL
DESIGNERS
DEVELOPERSVIDEOGRAPHER
ANALYTICS
SPECIALIST
PROJECT
MANAGER
STRATEGIST
Model 3: An Extended Story Team

42. Model 3: An Extended Story Team
Essentials Aspirations
• An editorial strategy and a measurement plan
• A great story and SEO-optimized, structured
units of content
• Multiple photography, video, and audio
assets
• Interactive features
• Tagging and taxonomy
• An extended social media campaign
• A robust CMS customized for storytelling
• A/B Testing (headlines and images)
• Extended engagement opportunities

43. For Aspiration
and Inspiration

48. The Horizon

49. Less is more.
Focus on the story
and audience.
Technology in
service to narrative.
Show, don’t tell.
1 2 3

50. More is more.
Tools. technology,
and ease of use.
Emphasis on
planning and
measurement.
Staff, budget, and
support.
1 2 3

51. The best stories are the ones we
learn to tell together.
Institutional-level
communication
and coordination.
Stories in service to
an institution’s
brand.
From project to process.
1 2 3

52. Our Storytelling Series Team
Ben Conley
Visual/UXDesigner
ben.conley@mstoner.com
Abby McLean
Visual/UXDesigner
abby.mclean@mstoner.com
Ben Bilow
CreativeDirector
ben.bilow@mstoner.com
Soni Oliver
Visual/UXDesigner
soni.oliver@mstoner.com
Greg Zguta
Technologist
greg.zguta@mstoner.com

53. Voltaire Santos
Miran
Co-Founderand
ManagingDirector
@vsantosmiran
312.420.6778
voltaire.miran@mstoner.com
Mallory Wood
DirectorofMarketing
@mallorywood
802.457.9234
mallory.wood@mstoner.com
Resources
• Register Now:
Digital Storytelling for Higher
Education (http://mstnr.me/
DigStoryHigherEd).
• Give Feedback:
Please fill out our post-session
evaluation.

54. Questions & Answers

55. m storytellers, experience crafters, brand builders