Visual Storytelling: Part 2 - Know Your Audience

CFBISD has increased engagement on their social media platforms by over 100 percent the last six months by transitioning to a more visual storytelling model for its posts. The majority of our messages contain either a picture, video, infographic, SlideShare, or visual link. Remember, visual communication has been around 32,000 years. We have only been writing for 5,000 years. Most people prefer visuals.

This is part one of a five part series on visual storytelling. Much of my ideas are modified from an excellent book called The Power of Visual Storytelling by Ekanterina Walter and Jessica Gioglio. Part one begins with be engaging in your visuals.

Part 2: Know Your Audience

Creating a pretty picture is only the beginning. Not all pictures are going to appeal to the group we are trying to reach. That is why it is vital to know your audience.

The great thing about our audience is that it is not global… yet. We have boundaries setup by the state that define who we are communicating to.  However, in the last ten years, education has become big business. What I mean by "Big Business" is that there are many choices in education for our audience to choose from.

We are competing against private schools, charter schools, online schools, home schools and even the internet itself. Also, our audience is not just our students and parents. They make up our audience, but we also have to remember about all the potential families that will make up our districts as well as our community and business supporters.

Here are THREE TIPS to define and go after your audience for optimal reach:

1. Find the Niche - Broad messages are out this year. You can not just publish a tweet saying that your district is the best everyday. There are times to do that, but most of your messages should have a very narrow group you are trying to reach. Some examples are your Fine Arts Parents, Middle School Athletes, or Gifted and Talented Elementary School Students. Not only does this help you have a more defined message, you are also highlighting groups that sometimes feel left out.

2. Are They Hurting - what kind of message are they looking for. How can you help them fill a void they are missing. All audiences or customers have a pain point. And everyone in pain wants their hurt to go away. You must give them something that is going to heal their pain.  For example, are band parents complaining about their student getting second chair? Let them know of private coaches that work with your fine arts programs. Are parents of juniors in high school confused on the college application process? Conduct a twitter chat in your district with your parents and your district’s college counselors. You are here to help… remember that always.

3. Have Fun with Their Personality - not only can you help solve a problem, but you can also have fun showcasing the different personalities your groups provide. A high school in our district called R.L. Turner High School has incredible school spirit. We try to highlight that every chance we get. We film and post their morning pep rallies or post a great picture of their student body going above and beyond the traditional school spirit. It’s fun, and also accomplishes the fact that everyone loves to see their picture posted (most people) in the media, as long as it is positive.

Know your audience, and have some fun them.  Let me know what you do in your district.

Check out Part One Here: Be Engaging

Part Three deals with Telling Your Story… Coming Soon.

If you are interested in Ekaterina’s book, you can find it here: