How to Build Community through Digital Storytelling
When we bring authentic storytelling to social impact work, we're able to deepen our audience's understanding of the organization's vision and how that drives what happens on the ground each day. Stories can connect us in our shared humanity, reinforcing why stakeholders believe in the cause and ultimately broadening community support.
Here are a few things you can do to ensure the digital stories you develop are crafted with care from ideation to dissemination.
Don't get lost in numbers. Use data to enhance your story, but don't rely on statistics to illustrate all of your main points. Balance what's measurable with nuance and transparency.
Encourage dialogic feedback throughout the process. When you interview a stakeholder, make sure they know their feedback is welcome from start to finish, so that the story they're trusting you with is presented accurately.
Identify the “why” early. Why does this story need to be told? Who is the ideal audience for this story? How will this help broaden our impact? Answering these questions early will help you stay true to the intention of the piece.
Remain focused on the core message. There are likely a few different directions you could take your story in. Stay focused on what you're hoping your audience takes away as a reader and let that guide your writing.
Lead with empathy. Asking someone to be vulnerable in a very public way is not to be taken lightly. Make sure you're respecting your subject with the kinds of questions you ask and never make assumptions about someone's lived experience.
Another idea that is gaining traction in the social impact space is the importance of considering compensation when asking program recipients to share their stories with a larger community. Because subjects are sharing information about their lived experience in this formal way, reimbursement can illustrate the organization’s investment in paying them for their time. This opportunity should be framed as optional so that clients aren’t placed in a position where the “ask” creates pressure to comply because of their affiliation, which could lead to the experience feeling transactional.
There should also be care taken when connecting with people who are under 18 (e.g. HIPPA compliance guidelines with students) and ensure caregiver or guardian consent is fully informed. The public nature and permanency within digital spaces show us that there should be full transparency around how the content will be presented, shared, archived, and repurposed so that subjects are given the entire picture. You can find a template media consent form provided by Philanthropy Without Borders that gives a detailed framework for how to approach subject involvement with respect.
Again, when approached from a strengths-based perspective, digital storytelling programs can be highly effective in encouraging stakeholders to gain a renewed perspective on the importance of social impact work. Hopefully, after reading this post you’re ready to develop and publish the next content piece with confidence.
WordSpark Digital Consulting is a social impact consultancy based on the East Coast. Ready to learn more about how you can use effective strategy to deepen your connection with relevant audiences? Let’s connect.