Chapter 1
The Science Behind Scrollytelling
You have 15 minutes
between Zoom calls to kill, what do you do?
In our heads, we’re the kind of people who read the FT in our free time. In reality, most of us would go for the game. It’s fun, interactive, and it feels bite-sized.
Both offer a glimpse into the life of an Uber driver. The article is a great read if you’re willing to invest the time. But the game had far more reach—one of FT’s most-read and most-interacted-with stories of 2022.
Studies confirm what we already
know—give people something to
click, and they’ll stick around
01
Four things make content more engaging: interaction, interface, absorption, and outreach.
Adding interactive elements like videos and quizzes encourages people to spend more time with the content.
ResearchGate
02
Four things make content more engaging: interaction, interface, absorption, and outreach.
Adding interactive elements like videos and quizzes encourages people to spend more time with the content.
ResearchGate
03
Four things make content more engaging: interaction, interface, absorption, and outreach.
Adding interactive elements like videos and quizzes encourages people to spend more time with the content.
ResearchGate
04
Four things make content more engaging: interaction, interface, absorption, and outreach.
Adding interactive elements like videos and quizzes encourages people to spend more time with the content.
ResearchGate
05
Four things make content more engaging: interaction, interface, absorption, and outreach.
Adding interactive elements like videos and quizzes encourages people to spend more time with the content.
ResearchGate
Verdict:
if you want more people to actually read your content, you need dynamic visuals, interactivity, and storytelling
Scrollytelling
is the format that has it all
It’s not just reading. It’s experiencing. Instead of passively scrolling past text, scrollytelling pulls readers into a story and puts them in control, using:
How It Works
Facts and data hit the logical brain, but stories activate multiple brain regions, making the message more persuasive.
When a story taps into emotions—joy, struggle, hope—people feel more emotionally invested in the storyteller and their message.
When we step into someone else’s shoes, we see the world through their eyes, it boosts empathy and makes us more likely to trust the person or brand behind it.
Increases likelihood of action
People who experience an oxytocin boost are more likely to donate to a cause, buy a product, or support an idea.
The second superpower
is versatility
Anything online can
be turned into a story -
articles.
courses.
product pitches.
title
Global temperatures have risen by 1.2°C since the 19th century.
Ice caps are melting at an alarming rate, contributing to rising sea levels.
Static Image: A single photo of a glacier melting
Static Image: A single photo of a glacier melting
title