Guidance to craft data-rich storytelling

Great storytelling never goes out of style.

Tastes and technologies change over time, but marketing, communications and PR still boil down to sharing compelling stories. Today, audiences are busier, more empowered and more skeptical than ever, so it takes more effort to reach—and convince—them.

Here’s guidance on how to create more effective, persuasive, data-packed storytelling:

Make the audience the hero.

Tell stories that resonate with—and revolve around—the people in your audience. Make them the hero. Your brand can be an essential character in the story, but your company should play a subtle supporting role.

Notice how Google finds a delicate balance in this emotional ad:

It’s an ad promoting Google’s products, but the story focuses on a father and daughter.

Use data visualization to boost engagement.

Words still have power. However, adding a visual element to your piece can increase engagement, and it can boost retention by upward of 65 percent.