12-point checklist for planning a multimedia story

Ask if your story would be better told with rich media, if a concept will be more clearly explained through interactivity or if a deeper dive on a subject will help to more widely inform. If the answer is yes, then it's the right story.

Draw out each stage of the story, and consider how it will all come together, establishing a clear flow from start to finish.

Think just as carefully about how the beginning will invite readers in, how the middle will keep them hooked, and how the end will drive continued engagement elsewhere. Also, keep an eye on the length of the story. Be strict about what makes the cut.

Now you know what the story is, and each part to be told, you need to consider the best treatment for each stage of the narrative.

Some parts may be best told with video, interactive features, a series of images, audio, text or a combination. Consider the flow and treatment from one stage to the next.

With your chosen treatments in mind, consider the skillsets you need to bring to the table. What about a video producer, or a designer help create visuals? Our guide to content team roles will help get the structure you need. Familiarise the team with your storyboard and the treatment in use. If you're using third-party tools, ensure they have an understanding of the available features.

Stuck for ideas? Check out some of the best interactive content tools to find what you need.

Start from when you need to go live with your story and set out mini goals. Include, where possible, a few days' grace between finishing and publishing, and time to solicit feedback from all necessary channels. Also ensure the timeline includes testing across multiple devices.

Read up on how to create a content calendar or how to write a content plan if you're unsure.

When gathering media for your story, bear in mind how visuals could help add to, or even drive, the narrative.

For example:

• short video clips can help create atmosphere
• close-ups in profile pieces can help convey emotion, and
• data can be boring, so consider our guide to great data journalism or view nine terrific examples.

Optimising media for viewing across devices is vital. That includes the crop, size and weight of the file. It's easy to forget, so make sure to optimise before you upload. Check out our wrap of five free photo editing tools or our guide to the best stock images sites.

And, don't let mobile be an afterthought: make sure you optimise for that too.

Even if your story is an in-depth, longform investigation — be strict with what makes the final cut.

Here are some resources:

• Guide to copyediting
• Guide to line editing
• Free tools for editing photos
• Best video editing tools

Use great visuals at the right moment for impact, not littered throughout in the hope that more will equal better engagement.

As you bring elements together, think about the reader's journey through the narrative. Does the order make sense? Does one part drive the reader into the next, or does it interrupt the flow?

A fresh pair of eyes could be helpful, so get someone new to navigate the story and seek their feedback.

Before you get close to publishing, think carefully about what you will measure and why. Here's a helpful intro guide to content marketing metrics.

Prepare the tracking required and, where possible, test it out beforehand.

Test the story on the devices you know will be the most important to your audience (revisit your analytics to check what those are).

Also, think about accessibility. How will those who are visually impaired experience your narrative? Check out our deep dive on accessible visual storytelling for more guidance.

While this is the last point in the list, it should be something you're planning way before you hit that publish button. It's your responsibility to spread the word! Take a look at our tips for promoting content.

Consider how media in the story could be used to share parts of the narrative on Twitter, for example, where visuals are an effective way to spark engagement.

Ready to join the leading creators publishing standout multimedia stories with Shorthand?