Regardless of what you are creating and for what you are creating, the importance of having a strong digital presence is even more important. From students to social media influencers to small business owners, everyone is a creator. And because people are flooded with content on every platform, your brand needs to stand out.

By "brand" we mean your work as a content creator, the entrepreneurial business you're trying to launch, the product you want to sell, and so much more. As a celebrity real estate agent (and Selling Sunset star), Chrishell Stause needs to create listings that showcase the best aspects of the property he is selling and get potential buyers excited about the idea of owning it. Home and lifestyle influencer Jessica Bui, on the other hand, presents an entire design philosophy, not just items that people can buy.

Everyone should be able to tell their own story, and there are plenty of ways to improve visual storytelling; Adobe Creative Cloud Express has millions of customizable templates, fonts, and licensed images, easy editable "quick actions," and shared templates and brands for collaboration. From building a website, to creating flyers and invitations, to creating the perfect branded materials, learn how to improve your visual storytelling content in 2022.

Are you trying to educate? Elucidate. Impact. Impress. Excite. Think beyond the basics of "I want my audience to see my content. How you use visuals to evoke that emotion will be reflected in your story, so check out the resources in Creative Cloud Express to see what evokes a particular emotion and start there.

Focus on the core problem-solving elements of the story and determine how you can explain them quickly, to the point, and in line with your brand message. Generally, it is better to use fewer words rather than more. Even creative professionals don't always get it right when they submit their first draft. Remember to keep it as short as possible.

Once you know what you want to say, make sure your brand style extends and enhances it. Visuals catch the audience's eye first, then words complement and boost that message. with 20,000 premium Adobe fonts and 175 million licensed Adobe Stock images to choose from, you can use Creative Cloud Express to match words and There are many ways to match images in complementary ways. Customizable templates allow you to play with word choice and identify areas of imbalance.

Balance is hard: This is where Creative Cloud Express' advanced search and discovery capabilities with the Adobe Stock Marketplace come into play. Suppose you have identified an aspect of visual content. Next, search for related templates, fonts, and images by keyword to see what else is available and eye-catching.

Is there a photo? Video. Audio. Is static enough for "infographics" creative content, or should it be more dynamic (keeping in mind that motion is more appealing to the eye)? photos to help you understand and apply this concept effectively.

Think about who will be looking at these photos (and who you want to see them, which may be different). Empty your mind and really look at it from that person's point of view. What would they notice first? What message would they get from your content? Will they be excited or bored?" This also relates to feedback: sometimes it is useful to ask a potential audience if something resonates with them. Or, if you're evaluating sales conversions, click rates, or engagement rates, see what's actually connecting with your audience and do more of what's working.

Sometimes the best way to get someone's attention is to make them think, "Wow, I never thought of it that way." Think about article headlines that you clicked on without thinking, or that present an issue or situation in a way you didn't expect. Take that same attitude to your visual content, and look for templates in Creative Cloud Express that surprise and excite you.

It's not just about making your content look visually interesting. The visuals need to lead the viewer in a specific direction. It could be literally moving the eye from left to right/top to bottom, or drawing the eye to something in motion. Or it could be figurative, leading the viewer from problem to solution. It is visual, to be sure, but it should be dynamic.

As you create websites, logos, print materials, and other content, you will have a preliminary sense of what your visual content should look like overall. For example, use the customizable templates in Creative Cloud Express to start creating social media graphics. Your visual storytelling might extend to flyers, advertisements, and presentations, and Creative Cloud Express can help you do everything you need to tailor your message to the medium: shared templates and shared brands allow teams Shared templates and shared brands help promote brand consistency when working across teams.

Brands change as they grow and develop. Companies outgrow old plans. Professionals learn more, carve out niches, and expand beyond their initial expertise. The visuals that worked well for you may expire and you may find that they tell a completely different story. Therefore, you need to think critically about your story and be prepared to adapt it as needed.

Learn more about how Adobe Creative Cloud Express can help you take your content to the next level.

To read the full Creators Issue, click here.