10 Rules Of Digital Storytelling

The Internet is an excellent medium for telling impressive stories and expressing ideas. We are still learning how to live here in cyberspace and explore it to the zenith. I believe a new age is coming—the age of digital storytelling, similar to the Golden Age of literature but on the net. This new kind of storytelling is high-minded, it is gradually becoming a skill like beautifully written text.

Initially, texts were uploaded online using analog rules, and information that was uploaded on the page was divided into paragraphs with different images added to the text. With time editors realized no one wanted to spend the whole day reading through long texts, so they adopt short texts that are easy to read.

In recent years, there has been a significant change in terms of reading. Due to the increase in information and the use of social media platforms, most people tend to filter data and read-only selective information that spark their interest. However, the point is, everyone still wants to read.

Carry out thorough research before choosing a heading since they serve as the key focus to a good story. There are primary and secondary types of research that every storyteller on the Internet should undertake. Every designer or publisher must have the skills to go deep and share catchy headings to attract readers' attention.

The heading should tell the story. Good headings generate interest and set up the main article’s subject without provoking or distorting the idea. Headings with figures, questions, or statements are good for spark-up conversion. A-straight-from-the-shoulder quotes are helpful for interviews. For example, "All discussion around terrorism is aimed for government control" (interview with Jonas Staal).

The designers' experience suggests that there are valuable ways of presenting different types of information. The concept of design-pattern implies the use of specified elements or a group of repeated elements on websites for the same reason. For example, only 2−3 out of 10 different ways of storytelling survive in the end.

Attentive readers can easily outline specific patterns of cover pages, image galleries, and call-to-actions after visiting a couple of websites. You should use design patterns and adopt different styles to your content.

Use large shifts between the blocks, it will give your text enough space to breathe. Spacing your text makes it skim-friendly and improves readability score.

However, it's essential to limit the use of color and design. Since the excessive use of style call for attention and prevent information from being processed. Remember, less is often more.

When you use one or another design, try to focus on the unique function. For example, imagine one design (size+letter form+leading) for a heading, inset, and image captions, and then work with it. If needed, you can add other styles, though this is only required when a new subject matter is introduced.

It is crucial to consider the cultural context associated with the font you’re using. For example, it is reasonable to use Helvetica in an article relating to New York (this font is used in NY public navigation and reflects modernist philosophy). The Bodoni font is good for Venice (one of the earliest Italian types, and it is still widely used in the design).

One type is quite enough for one well-shaped article; however, it is acceptable to use two types of font to contrast.

Don’t forget to embed social media icons. It’s better to use the "press-and-stick" buttons which stay in view while the reader scrolls down a page.

There are possibilities that you might want to use a call to action combined with sharing. This will help people decide whether to read the article based on the Facebook feed or the media webpage.