Using the Story Maps How to

make a
2 Build your
web map
3 Assemble
multimedia
4 Configure
your story
5 Refine
your story
6 Publish your
story map
Publishing Platform story map
Web maps combine basemaps with overlays, map and feature services, and additional
content map app map
Text should be Story map apps Our apps enable Place your story map on a server that is accessible to your audience—whether
Story maps are simple web applications that let you data derived from spreadsheets and shapefiles. Before you build your map, determine brief. Make your can be configured users to quickly it’s the general public or a specialized group behind an organizational firewall.
1 Consider which storytelling template you’d like to use. Some have special requirements; various apps headlines active by providing create and publish Your ArcGIS Online account provides an ideal platform for publishing your
combine web maps with text, photos, and other content
your consume either a single web map, two or more layers of a single map, or several web maps. and descriptive your web map story maps. As with story maps—and for sharing your data, collaborating with colleagues, and
to tell geography-based stories. Esri has developed if you can. Some ID number and all creative efforts, accessing the best and latest storytelling apps.
a series of apps that accommodate various forms of audience story apps tap web selecting a few however, the quality
storytelling, including point-to-point tours, points-of- Before building map descriptions; preferences. Many of your story will
your story map, read our how-to can be configured increase as you
interest collections, and thematic map series. documents for directly through refine it. Details,
it’s important to
These pages present an overview of Esri’s storytelling think about exactly details. Images an ArcGIS Online such as map colors
apps. All the apps are open source and can be what story you’re must be accessible web interface. and symbols, pop-
via web addresses, For the rest, a up design, wording
downloaded from the story maps website or GitHub. trying to tell and
unless they’re README file of map legends,
Increasingly, configurable apps are directly accessible the audience you
want to reach. Text part of a feature provided with and choice of
on ArcGIS Online. Use the share function to choose an should be brief, service (Map Tour every app steps photographs, are
app and configure it to suit your needs. These apps are maps simple, and app). Remember: you through all vital. Don’t be
Large images take configuration and afraid to go back
changing rapidly; visit the story maps website for the latest. message as clear
longer to load, so hosting options. and forth—perhaps
as possible.
optimize them to many times—to
storymaps.esri.com fit the story map. make adjustments.

Featuring four story map apps . . .

Map Tour Tabbed Viewer Shortlist Swipe

Use Cases Use Cases Use Cases Use Cases

TOP: National Parks of TOP: Poverty in School Age TOP: MyMunich by TOP: Staffanstorp Then
India by Abhishek Sindal. Children by Blue Raster. Esri Deutschland GmbH. and Now by Geoinfo
Staffanstorp-Kavlinge.
MIDDLE: Lower Sheboygan MIDDLE: Toronto Crime: MIDDLE: Citadel
River Restoration by NOAA Mapping over Time by Esri Agriculture, Italy, by MIDDLE: Human Activities
Coastal Services. Canada Limited. GeoCare GIS Lab. Are Reshaping Earth’s
Surface by Esri.
BOTTOM: Downtown BOTTOM: Utah Fire BOTTOM: Ruins of
Santa Cruz Buildings by the Suppression and Carthage Tour (Tunisia) by BOTTOM: Feeding the
City of Santa Cruz. Restoration by State Graphtech. World by University of
of Utah Department of Minnesota Institute on the
Natural Resources. Environment and Esri.

A sequential, place-based narrative A single map or series of related maps Points of interest in and around a destination Comparing two maps using a swipe function

A growing community of storytellers has found many uses
(right) for the Map Tour app. The app presents a place-based
narrative of photos and captions, each with a map location. A
recent enhancement provides “responsive” design, adjusting
the format to suit a variety of screen sizes. A builder mode
facilitates easy compilation and editing.
Features
• A series of geotagged photos with map and thumbnail
carousel is available.
• Previous/Next pointers enable users to click sequentially
through the tour.
• Users can use the map controls and carousel to move around
at will.
• Responsive design accommodates smartphone screens, as
well as tablets and PCs.
• Builder mode enables easy editing.
The versatile Tabbed Viewer app is useful for featuring a
single map or presenting a series of related, thematic maps. If
the author adds two or more maps to the app, a tab for each
map appears along the bottom of the title panel. If these
maps have a temporal component, a timeline will also appear.
Features
• The app accommodates a single web map or between two
and five related maps.
• The side panel text is generated from the web map
descriptions on ArcGIS Online.
• A timeline is included (if enabled).
• Coming: responsive design to accommodate smartphones and
tablets; builder app for easier editing.
A curated list of points of interest can be organized into
two to four categories, presented in the Shortlist app as tabs.
Clicking a map icon causes an overlay panel to appear, with
photo, text, and web link. Neighborhoods can be featured in
a drop-down list.
Features
• Points of interest (POIs) appear as a thumbnail grid in a side
panel.
• POIs can be organized into categories, which appear in the
app as tabs.
• As users pan and zoom around the map, the thumbnail list
updates to show only the POIs in the current map extent.
• Clicking a map icon calls up an overlay panel with more
detailed description, photo, and web link.
• A drop-down menu enables users to zoom to neighborhoods
or other locations.
The Swipe app makes it easy for users to compare
two thematic layers by moving a swipe bar back and forth
across the screen. The app consumes a single web map
with two layers. Although the Compare app (opposite
page, bottom) also enables comparison of two maps, the
swipe function is generally more engaging. It’s effective
for showing change over time with imagery, as well as
comparing related polygonal map themes.
Features
• Two layers of a single web map are displayed.
• Users move a swipe bar back and forth across the screen.
• If both map layers include pop-up windows, these will change
as the swipe bar moves across a point.*
• Dual map legends and text are displayed in a side panel.*
• A series of views can be created by adding bookmarks to the
web map.*

* Note: The last three features were in production at press time.

Other story map apps . . . What's next for story maps?

Although the Playlist Map Matrix Compare Basic Esri is continuing Responsive design Geoblog Briefing book Tracker
apps described to produce
above are the new stories and
most popular with develop new
users, additional user experiences.
storytelling Meanwhile, a
formats are growing worldwide
available. Check community of
the story maps storytellers is using
website regularly, these open source
as apps are This app is useful for featuring This app is useful for showing off a Two or three maps are displayed side Occasionally, a web map is more apps, spinning new A high priority of the story maps This new app will integrate blog A tablet app will enable users to An app will specialize in presenting
being enhanced web maps that display an array of collection of web maps. It taps an by side in this app. As the user pans or less self-explanatory. This app tales and often team is ensuring that all its apps work entries with a web map. Part of the present “books,” or reports, that routes or tracks along with associated
and updated locations and associated images. It ArcGIS Online group to display maps and zooms on one map, the other provides a clean and simple context modifying the apps flawlessly across all viewing platforms, authoring process for each blog item include text, web maps, and other information. Tracks might include
frequently. gives users the option of clicking a in a rotating array of preview windows. maps also pan and zoom. Users can for displaying a map, adding only in interesting ways. from desktop to tablet to mobile. will enable customizing the state of multimedia content. Some books radio-collared animals, scientists in
map icon or perusing a “playlist” of Users can access descriptions and toggle descriptions and legends on a title banner and drop-down map We want you to join The team is working to retrofit its its accompanying web map, including might be organized around text the field, or motor vehicles. Data
thumbnail images and titles. larger web map views. and off. legend. this community! templates with this capability. scale extent, pop-up window, and narratives; others might focus on might be archival or near real time.
theme. collections of maps.