How to Deliver Insights Via Compelling Stories and Make Money Online as a Freelancer
The Secret to Making Money Online with Data Storytelling: Learn, Master, and Monetize
Introduction
Data is everywhere, and it can tell us a lot about the world and ourselves. But data alone is not enough to communicate insights and influence decisions. We need to turn data into stories that can capture attention, explain complex information, and inspire action. This is where data storytelling comes in.
Data storytelling is the concept of building a compelling narrative based on complex data and analytics that help tell your story and influence and inform a particular audience (Microsoft Power BI, n.d.). Data storytelling combines the power of data visualization, which transforms boundless amounts of data into something simpler and digestible, with the power of storytelling, which engages multiple parts of the brain and evokes emotional responses (Harvard Business School Online, 2021).
In this blog, you will learn how to become a data storytelling expert and make money online as a freelancer. You will discover:
- What data storytelling is, why it matters, and some examples of data stories
- How to learn data storytelling skills, such as online courses, books, blogs, podcasts, etc.
- How to make money online as a data storyteller, such as Fiverr, LinkedIn, etc.
Whether you are a data analyst, a data visualization specialist, or a content creator, data storytelling can help you stand out from the crowd and grow your online business. Read on to find out how.
Data Storytelling: Definition, Benefits, and Examples
Data storytelling is the concept of building a compelling narrative based on complex data and analytics that help tell your story and influence and inform a particular audience (Microsoft Power BI, n.d.). Data storytelling combines the power of data visualization, which transforms boundless amounts of data into something simpler and digestible, with the power of storytelling, which engages multiple parts of the brain and evokes emotional responses (Harvard Business School Online, 2021).
Data storytelling can help you communicate data insights effectively by:
- Providing a new perspective or uncovering hidden aspects of the data (Unite.AI, 2023)
- Communicating what needs to be done and why it matters for your audience
- Allowing stakeholders to make informed decisions and take action regarding their business strategy
- Assigning data meaning and context so the audience can connect the dots and turn numbers into insights that they can use
- Facilitating decision-making and spurring actions
- Anchoring your claims and increasing the credibility of your content
- Helping people to discover and understand key insights, make better decisions and inspire action
To create a good data story, you need to consider three essential elements: narrative, visuals, and data (Microsoft Power BI, n.d.). These elements work together to support your message and guide your audience through your story.
- Narrative: This is the verbal or written part of your story, where you explain the insights gleaned from data, the context surrounding it, and the actions you recommend and aim to inspire in your audience. Your narrative should have a clear structure, such as introduction, body, and conclusion, and use simple and engaging language.
- Visuals: These are the charts, graphs, maps, or other visual tools that you use to present your data in a clear and appealing way. Your visuals should complement your narrative and highlight the key points or trends that you want to emphasize. You should choose the right type of visual for your data and avoid cluttering or misleading your audience with unnecessary or inaccurate information.
- Data: This is the raw material that you use to create your story. You need to gather and preprocess the data that you need to tell your story, perform statistical analysis, and visualize key trends and patterns for thorough data analysis. You should also ensure that your data is accurate, relevant, and reliable.
To illustrate how these elements work together, let's look at some examples of data stories from different fields:
- Marketing: A marketing analyst might use data storytelling to show how a new campaign increased website traffic, conversions, and sales. They might use a line chart to show the trend of website visits over time, a pie chart to show the distribution of traffic sources, and a bar chart to show the comparison of sales before and after the campaign. They might also use a narrative to explain what factors contributed to the success of the campaign and what actions they suggest for future campaigns.
- Healthcare: A healthcare administrator might use data storytelling to show how a new policy reduced hospital readmissions and improved patient outcomes. They might use a scatter plot to show the correlation between readmission rates and patient satisfaction scores, a heatmap to show the variation of readmission rates across different regions or departments, and a table to show the summary statistics of readmission rates before and after the policy. They might also use a narrative to explain how the policy was implemented, what challenges they faced, and what recommendations they have for further improvement.
- Education: An education researcher might use data storytelling to show how a new curriculum improved student performance and engagement. They might use a histogram to show the distribution of test scores before and after the curriculum change, a box plot to show the comparison of test scores across different groups or classes, and a word cloud to show the most common words used by students in their feedback surveys. They might also use a narrative to explain what motivated the curriculum change, what methods they used to evaluate its impact, and what implications they have for education policy.
As you can see from these examples, data storytelling can help you convey complex information in a simple and compelling way that can inspire action from your audience.
How to Learn Data Storytelling
Data storytelling is a skill that can be learned and improved with practice and guidance. There are many resources available online that can help you master data storytelling, such as online courses, books, blogs, podcasts, etc. In this section, we will share some of the best tips and resources on how to learn data storytelling.
Online courses:
One of the most effective ways to learn data storytelling is to take an online course that covers the theory and practice of data storytelling. Online courses can provide you with structured lessons, interactive exercises, feedback, and certification.
One of the best online courses on data storytelling is Data Storytelling: Deliver Insights Via Compelling Stories by Bill Shander from Fiverr Learn, this course will teach you how to craft engaging and persuasive data stories that can inspire action from your audience. You will learn how to use narrative techniques, data visualization tools, and storytelling frameworks to communicate your data insights effectively. You will also get a badge that you can add to your Fiverr profile to showcase your data storytelling skills and attract more clients (Fiverr Learn, n.d.).
Books:
Another way to learn data storytelling is to read books that cover the principles and examples of data storytelling. Books can provide you with in-depth knowledge, case studies, best practices, and tips on how to improve your data storytelling skills. Some of the best books on data storytelling are:-
- Storytelling with Data: A Data Visualization Guide for Business Professionals by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic: This book will teach you how to use data visualization to tell effective stories with data. You will learn how to understand the context of your data story, choose the right type of graph for your situation, declutter and focus attention on your visuals, use color, text, and layout effectively, incorporate storytelling elements into your visuals, and design dashboards and slides that inform and impress (Nussbaumer Knaflic, 2015).
- Effective Data Storytelling: How to Drive Change with Data, Narrative and Visuals by Brent Dykes: This book will teach you how to use a powerful framework called the Narrative Arc Model to create impactful data stories. You will learn how to define your audience and objective, craft a clear message and narrative structure, select the right data and visuals to support your message, deliver your data story with confidence and impact, and measure the outcomes of your data story (Dykes, 2019).
- The Big Book of Dashboards: Visualizing Your Data Using Real-World Business Scenarios by Steve Wexler, Jeffrey Shaffer, and Andy Cotgreave: This book will teach you how to design dashboards that can communicate complex data insights effectively. You will learn how to apply best practices for dashboard design, avoid common pitfalls and mistakes, use various types of charts and graphs for different scenarios, customize your dashboards for different audiences and devices, and leverage storytelling techniques to enhance your dashboards (Wexler et al., 2017).
Blogs:
A third way to learn data storytelling is to follow blogs that share insights, tips, examples, and trends on data storytelling. Blogs can provide you with up-to-date information, inspiration, and practical advice on how to improve your data storytelling skills. Some of the best blogs on data storytelling are:
- Storytelling with Data: This blog is run by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic, the author of Storytelling with Data: A Data Visualization Guide for Business Professionals. The blog features articles on various topics related to data storytelling, such as chart selection, color usage, annotation techniques, dashboard design, presentation skills, etc. The blog also hosts monthly challenges where you can practice your data storytelling skills and get feedback from the community (Storytelling with Data,
n.d.). - Data Revelations: This blog is run by Steve Wexler, the co-author of The Big Book of Dashboards: Visualizing Your Data Using Real-World Business Scenarios. The blog features articles on how to create effective dashboards and data stories using Tableau, a popular data visualization tool. The blog also showcases examples of dashboards and data stories from various domains, such as education, healthcare, sports, etc. (Data Revelations, n.d.).
- Data Stories: This blog is run by Enrico Bertini and Moritz Stefaner, two experts in data visualization and data storytelling. The blog features podcasts where they interview guests from different fields and backgrounds who share their experiences and insights on data storytelling. The blog also features articles on various topics related to data storytelling, such as data journalism, data art, data ethics, etc. (Data Stories, n.d.).
These are some of the best tips and resources on how to learn data storytelling. By following these resources, you can develop your data storytelling skills and create engaging and persuasive data stories that can inspire action from your audience.
How to Make Money Online as a Data Storyteller
Data storytelling is not only a valuable skill for data analytics and data visualization experts, but also a lucrative one. There are many ways and platforms to find and attract clients who need data storytelling services, such as Fiverr. In this section, we will share some of the best tips and platforms on how to make money online as a data storyteller.
Fiverr:
Fiverr is one of the most popular online platforms for freelancers to offer their services to clients from all over the world. You can create a profile on Fiverr and showcase your data storytelling skills, portfolio, and credentials. You can also browse through the available projects and send proposals to clients who need data storytelling services. Fiverr offers various benefits for freelancers, such as:
- Flexibility: You can work on your own schedule and choose the projects that suit your interests, skills, and availability.
- Variety: You can work on different types of projects and clients, such as businesses, nonprofits, media outlets, etc.
- Support: You can access various resources and tools to help you improve your skills, manage your projects, and grow your business.
- Security: You can get paid securely and on time through Fiverr’s payment system, which also protects you from fraud and disputes.
One of the best ways to stand out on Fiverr and attract more clients is to add a badge to your profile that showcases your credentials and expertise. For example, if you take the Data Storytelling: Deliver Insights Via Compelling Stories course by Bill Shander from Fiverr Learn, you will get a badge that you can add to your profile to show that you have completed a high-quality course on data storytelling (Fiverr Learn, n.d.).
LinkedIn:
LinkedIn is a social media platform for professionals to network, share their expertise, and find career opportunities. You can create a profile on LinkedIn and showcase your data storytelling skills, portfolio, and credentials. You can also connect with potential clients, join relevant groups, participate in discussions, and share your data stories. LinkedIn offers various benefits for freelancers, such as:
- Visibility: You can reach a large audience of professionals who might be interested in your data storytelling services or refer you to others.
- Credibility: You can build trust and authority by displaying your endorsements, recommendations, certifications, awards, etc.
- Engagement: You can interact with your network, provide value, showcase your personality, and generate leads.
- Learning: You can access various resources and courses to help you improve your skills, stay updated on industry trends, and learn from other experts.
These are some of the best tips and platforms on how to make money online as a data storyteller. By using these platforms, you can find clients who need data storytelling services, showcase your skills and expertise, deliver quality work, and earn income.
To illustrate how successful data storytellers make money online using these platforms, let's look at some examples of freelancers who have shared their stories or testimonials:
- Nishant Jain: Nishant Jain is a data storyteller who offers his services on Fiverr. He has completed over 100 projects on Fiverr with a 5-star rating. He says that Fiverr has helped him find his passion for data storytelling and grow his business. He says that he loves working on Fiverr because it gives him flexibility, variety, support,
and security. - Andy Kirk: Andy Kirk is a data storyteller who offers his services on LinkedIn. He has over 20,000 followers on LinkedIn and has shared over 100 data stories on his profile. He says that LinkedIn has helped him reach a large audience of professionals who are interested in his data storytelling services or refer him to others. He says that he loves working on LinkedIn because it gives him visibility, credibility, engagement, and learning.
As you can see from these examples, data storytelling can help you make money online as a freelancer using various platforms. By following their tips and stories, you can also create your own success story as a data storyteller.
Conclusion
Data storytelling is a powerful skill that can help you communicate data insights effectively, influence decisions, and inspire action. We hope that this blog has given you a comprehensive overview of data storytelling and how to master it and monetize it. If you want to take your data storytelling skills to the next level, I highly recommend taking the Data Storytelling: Deliver Insights Via Compelling Stories course by Bill Shander from Fiverr Learn. This course will teach you how to craft engaging and persuasive data stories that can inspire action from your audience. You will also get a badge that you can add to your Fiverr profile to showcase your data storytelling skills and attract more clients.
If you have any questions or comments about data storytelling, feel free to leave them below. I would love to hear from you and learn from your experiences. Thank you for reading and happy data storytelling!
References:
Harvard Business School Online. (2021). Data Storytelling: How to Effectively Tell a Story with Data. Retrieved from https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/data-storytelling
Microsoft Power BI. (n.d.). What is Data Storytelling and Data Storytelling Examples. Retrieved from https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/data-storytelling/
Harvard Business School Online. (2021). Data Storytelling: How to Effectively Tell a Story with Data. Retrieved from https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/data-storytelling
Unite.AI. (2023). What Is Data Storytelling? Components, Benefits & Examples. Retrieved from https://www.unite.ai/what-is-data-storytelling-components-benefits-examples/
Coursera. (n.d.). Data Storytelling. Retrieved from https://www.coursera.org/learn/data-storytelling
Data Revelations. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.datarevelations.com/
Data Stories. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://datastori.es/
Dykes, B. (2019). Effective Data Storytelling: How to Drive Change with Data, Narrative and Visuals. Wiley.
Fiverr Learn. (n.d.). Data Storytelling: Deliver Insights Via Compelling Stories. Retrieved from https://learn.fiverr.com/courses/data-storytelling-deliver-insights-via-compelling-stories
Harvard Business School Online. (2021). Data Storytelling: How to Effectively Tell a Story with Data. Retrieved from https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/data-storytelling
Nussbaumer Knaflic, C. (2015). Storytelling with Data: A Data Visualization Guide for Business Professionals. Wiley.
Storytelling with Data. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/
Wexler, S., Shaffer, J., & Cotgreave, A. (2017). The Big Book of Dashboards: Visualizing Your Data Using Real-World Business Scenarios. Wiley.
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