{"id":2989247,"date":"2026-11-12T09:00:25","date_gmt":"2026-11-12T17:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&p=2989247"},"modified":"2026-11-12T10:36:12","modified_gmt":"2026-11-12T18:36:12","slug":"arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story","title":{"rendered":"ArcGIS StoryMaps Live: Putting the finishing touches on your story"},"author":345372,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":""},"categories":[37131],"tags":[398132,776332,781051,122212,25611],"industry":[],"product":[36611,380802],"class_list":["post-2989247","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-constituent-engagement","tag-arcgis-storymaps","tag-arcgis-storymaps-live","tag-geospatial-storytelling","tag-gis-education","tag-higher-education","product-story-maps","product-arcgis-storymaps"],"acf":{"authors":[{"ID":345372,"user_firstname":"Andria","user_lastname":"Olson","nickname":"Andria Olson","user_nicename":"aolson","display_name":"Andria Olson","user_email":"aolson@esri.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2023-09-05 16:47:59","user_description":"Andria Olson is a senior content specialist on Esri's ArcGIS Storytelling team.","user_avatar":""}],"show_article_image":false,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/live-chat-4-blog-thumbnail.png","wide_image":false,"short_description":"Join Esri\u2019s ArcGIS Storytelling team for a chat series that walks through practical techniques for crafting geospatial stories that resonate.","flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Over four live chats in 2026, the ArcGIS Storytelling and Living Atlas teams created a food access story while working through four key stages of geospatial storytelling. From uncovering the story and crafting maps for storytelling to assembling and publishing a complete story, we went behind the scenes of the entire process, demonstrating practical techniques you can use in your own storytelling projects.<\/p>\n

Catch up on all the chats using the links below or keep reading to review what we covered in this chat.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2801582,"id":2801582,"title":"agsm-separator-a","filename":"agsm-separator-a.png","filesize":9532,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/05\/agsm-separator-a.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/story-maps\/announcements\/whats-new-in-arcgis-storymaps-on-arcgis-enterprise-11-5\/agsm-separator-a","alt":"","author":"345372","description":"","caption":"","name":"agsm-separator-a","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2787372,"date":"2025-05-21 16:15:45","modified":"2025-05-21 16:15:45","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1180,"height":80,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/05\/agsm-separator-a-213x80.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":80,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/05\/agsm-separator-a.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":31,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/05\/agsm-separator-a.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":52,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/05\/agsm-separator-a.png","large-width":1180,"large-height":80,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/05\/agsm-separator-a.png","1536x1536-width":1180,"1536x1536-height":80,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/05\/agsm-separator-a.png","2048x2048-width":1180,"2048x2048-height":80,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/05\/agsm-separator-a-826x56.png","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":56,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/05\/agsm-separator-a.png","wide_image-width":1180,"wide_image-height":80}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Finding the story in your information<\/a><\/p>\n

Adding ArcGIS Living Atlas content<\/a><\/p>\n

Assembling and theming your story<\/a><\/p>\n

Putting the finishing touches on your story<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2985992,"id":2985992,"title":"agsm-separator-b","filename":"agsm-separator-b.png","filesize":2097,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/09\/agsm-separator-b.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/whats-new-in-arcgis-storymaps-on-arcgis-enterprise-12-2\/agsm-separator-b","alt":"","author":"345372","description":"","caption":"","name":"agsm-separator-b","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2982854,"date":"2026-10-26 16:36:53","modified":"2026-10-26 16:36:53","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1180,"height":80,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/09\/agsm-separator-b-213x80.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":80,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/09\/agsm-separator-b.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":31,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/09\/agsm-separator-b.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":52,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/09\/agsm-separator-b.png","large-width":1180,"large-height":80,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/09\/agsm-separator-b.png","1536x1536-width":1180,"1536x1536-height":80,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/09\/agsm-separator-b.png","2048x2048-width":1180,"2048x2048-height":80,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/09\/agsm-separator-b-826x56.png","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":56,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/09\/agsm-separator-b.png","wide_image-width":1180,"wide_image-height":80}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Putting the finishing touches on your story<\/h1>\n

In our final chat, we took a step back from the story we just built to consider it from a reader\u2019s perspective. Refining and testing the experience, making it accessible, and preparing to share your work can help ensure your finished story is truly complete.<\/p>\n

Refining and polishing<\/h2>\n

Working through the first few stages of building a compelling geospatial story is an accomplishment, but that doesn\u2019t mean your story is ready for an audience.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2989460,"id":2989460,"title":"refining-polishing-chat-4-v5","filename":"refining-polishing-chat-4-v5.png","filesize":100965,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/refining-polishing-chat-4-v5.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story\/refining-polishing-chat-4-v5","alt":"\u201cRefining and Polishing Your Story\u201d presents three areas to review before completing a story. Proofread: Check spelling and grammar, look for design inconsistencies, and get a fresh perspective. Attribute and cite: Credit media creators, cite your research and sources, and acknowledge story contributors. Optimize maps: Remove unused layers, simplify pop-ups and legends, and check map extents.","author":"345372","description":"","caption":"","name":"refining-polishing-chat-4-v5","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2989247,"date":"2026-11-12 16:13:06","modified":"2026-11-12 16:13:11","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1200,"height":500,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/refining-polishing-chat-4-v5-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/refining-polishing-chat-4-v5.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":193,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/refining-polishing-chat-4-v5.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":320,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/refining-polishing-chat-4-v5.png","large-width":1200,"large-height":500,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/refining-polishing-chat-4-v5.png","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":500,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/refining-polishing-chat-4-v5.png","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":500,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/refining-polishing-chat-4-v5-826x344.png","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":344,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/refining-polishing-chat-4-v5.png","wide_image-width":1200,"wide_image-height":500}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Too much information, unnecessary maps and media, or unclear sources can <\/span>distract<\/span> from what <\/span>you\u2019re<\/span> trying to say.<\/span> Refining your work helps clear those obstacles.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Accessibility<\/h2>\n

Designing with accessibility in mind acknowledges that there\u2019s a reader on the other side of the screen and opens the door for more people to engage with what you\u2019ve created.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2989496,"id":2989496,"title":"accessibility-chat-4 (4)","filename":"accessibility-chat-4-4.png","filesize":95836,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-4.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story\/accessibility-chat-4-4","alt":"ArcGIS StoryMaps theme builder showing the color picker and built-in contrast checker. The selected brown text color is labeled \u201cLegible,\u201d with green check marks showing contrast ratios of 9.7 against the background and 9.2 against the secondary background.","author":"345372","description":"","caption":"","name":"accessibility-chat-4-4","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2989247,"date":"2026-11-12 17:06:10","modified":"2026-11-12 17:07:59","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1200,"height":600,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-4-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-4.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":232,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-4.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":384,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-4.png","large-width":1200,"large-height":600,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-4.png","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":600,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-4.png","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":600,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-4-826x413.png","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":413,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-4.png","wide_image-width":1200,"wide_image-height":600}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2989515,"id":2989515,"title":"accessibility-chat-4 (7)","filename":"accessibility-chat-4-7.png","filesize":262516,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-7.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story\/accessibility-chat-4-7","alt":"ArcGIS StoryMaps web map options showing the Alternative text field. The field contains a description of a median household income map, and a Suggest button appears beside the field for generating suggested alternative text.","author":"345372","description":"","caption":"","name":"accessibility-chat-4-7","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2989247,"date":"2026-11-12 17:25:57","modified":"2026-11-12 17:52:56","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1200,"height":600,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-7-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-7.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":232,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-7.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":384,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-7.png","large-width":1200,"large-height":600,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-7.png","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":600,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-7.png","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":600,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-7-826x413.png","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":413,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-7.png","wide_image-width":1200,"wide_image-height":600}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Choices like using sufficient color contrast and providing meaningful alternative text can remove barriers that might otherwise leave some readers behind.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Testing and previewing<\/h2>\n

Testing and previewing your story across screen sizes gives you a chance to experience the story as a reader and catch where something could interrupt the narrative.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2989509,"id":2989509,"title":"accessibility-chat-4 (5)","filename":"accessibility-chat-4-5.png","filesize":68725,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-5.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story\/accessibility-chat-4-5","alt":"ArcGIS StoryMaps preview showing a story displayed at tablet size. Preview controls offer options to view the story on mobile, tablet, desktop, and other screen sizes to check how the content appears across devices.","author":"345372","description":"","caption":"","name":"accessibility-chat-4-5","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2989247,"date":"2026-11-12 17:21:34","modified":"2026-11-12 17:22:42","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1200,"height":600,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-5-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-5.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":232,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-5.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":384,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-5.png","large-width":1200,"large-height":600,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-5.png","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":600,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-5.png","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":600,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-5-826x413.png","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":413,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/accessibility-chat-4-5.png","wide_image-width":1200,"wide_image-height":600}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

A web map error, broken link, or faulty embed introduces friction between your audience and the story you want them to experience.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Publishing<\/h2>\n

How you present and share your story shapes whether people find it, understand what it offers, and decide <\/span>it\u2019s<\/span> worth their time.<\/span> Refine your title and summary, choose a thumbnail that <\/span>represents<\/span> the story well, complete the item details, and <\/span>plan how you\u2019ll promote it.<\/span> These <\/span>final details help prepare your story for the audience you worked so hard to reach.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

\n

Further learning and practice<\/h1>\n

The following resources were referred to during our live chat to reinforce key concepts you should consider when putting the finishing touches on your story:<\/p>\n

ArcGIS Blog<\/h2>\n

Details matter: Elevate your story with these finishing touches<\/a>
\nTwelve practical ways to polish your story before publishing and sharing<\/em><\/p>\n

Effective strategies for engaging with your audience<\/a>
\nFive strategies for building a story that engages your audience<\/em><\/p>\n

Improve your story performance in ArcGIS StoryMaps<\/a>
\nStructure your story for a reliable reading experience<\/em><\/p>\n

Legends for storytelling part 1: Optimizing the basics<\/a>
\nCraft legends that reinforce and advance your story<\/em><\/p>\n

Documentation<\/h2>\n

Esri Color Ramps<\/a>
\nColor palette inspiration from Esri color ramps for mapping<\/em><\/p>\n

Short video series<\/h2>\n

Previewing your story<\/a>
\nPreview your story across different screen sizes<\/em><\/p>\n

Tutorial series<\/h2>\n

Foundations of accessible storytelling with maps<\/a>
\nMake accessible and inclusive stories with practical techniques and tools<\/em><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

\n

Watch the recording<\/h1>\n

If you missed the live chat or want to review the discussion, we’ve got you covered! Find the recording below or visit our playlist of previous ArcGIS StoryMaps Live chats<\/a>.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"kaltura","video_id":"1_s72tyadf","time":false,"start":0},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

\n

2026 ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition<\/h1>\n

Are you putting in the work to craft a compelling geospatial story? <\/span><\/span>Get inspired by the 2025 competition winners<\/a> and submit your own story to the 2026 ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition<\/a>.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"quote","author_name":"2024 ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition winner and guest judge ","author_profession_organization":"Karina Amalbert","image":{"ID":2942340,"id":2942340,"title":"Karina_340px","filename":"Karina_340px.png","filesize":152165,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Karina_340px.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/sharing-collaboration\/meet-the-judges\/karina_340px","alt":"","author":"9422","description":"","caption":"","name":"karina_340px","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2941686,"date":"2025-10-08 19:17:17","modified":"2025-10-08 19:17:17","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":340,"height":303,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Karina_340px-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Karina_340px.png","medium-width":293,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Karina_340px.png","medium_large-width":340,"medium_large-height":303,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Karina_340px.png","large-width":340,"large-height":303,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Karina_340px.png","1536x1536-width":340,"1536x1536-height":303,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Karina_340px.png","2048x2048-width":340,"2048x2048-height":303,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Karina_340px.png","card_image-width":340,"card_image-height":303,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Karina_340px.png","wide_image-width":340,"wide_image-height":303}},"text":"Being a winner of the 2025 ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition is much more than a title; it is an invitation to push innovation and ensure we portray stories with heart and resilience. As a 2024 ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition winner, I can tell the 2025 winners that you are about to see a spike in views \u2014 if you haven\u2019t already \u2014 and this is not something to take lightly."}],"related_articles":[{"ID":2529802,"post_author":"7231","post_date":"2024-10-30 10:58:34","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-30 17:58:34","post_content":"","post_title":"Details matter: Elevate your story with these finishing touches","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"finishing-touches-for-lasting-impressions","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-30 11:47:57","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-30 18:47:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&p=2529802","menu_order":0,"post_type":"blog","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":1994392,"post_author":"302462","post_date":"2024-01-05 15:35:58","post_date_gmt":"2024-01-05 23:35:58","post_content":"","post_title":"Effective strategies for engaging with your audience","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"effective-strategies-for-engaging-with-your-audience","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-04-28 16:19:51","post_modified_gmt":"2026-04-28 23:19:51","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&p=1994392","menu_order":0,"post_type":"blog","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2978984,"post_author":"8672","post_date":"2026-08-03 07:33:25","post_date_gmt":"2026-08-03 14:33:25","post_content":"","post_title":"Improve your story performance in ArcGIS StoryMaps","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"improve-your-story-performance-in-arcgis-storymaps","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-08-06 09:48:47","post_modified_gmt":"2026-08-06 16:48:47","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&p=2978984","menu_order":0,"post_type":"blog","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":2963822,"post_author":"129801","post_date":"2026-04-30 12:15:37","post_date_gmt":"2026-04-30 19:15:37","post_content":"","post_title":"Legends for storytelling part 1: Optimizing the basics","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"legends-for-storytelling-part-1-optimizing-the-basics","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-05-19 08:40:47","post_modified_gmt":"2026-05-19 15:40:47","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&p=2963822","menu_order":0,"post_type":"blog","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}]},"yoast_head":"\nArcGIS StoryMaps Live: Putting the finishing touches on your story<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Join Esri\u2019s ArcGIS Storytelling team for a chat series that walks through practical techniques for crafting geospatial stories that resonate.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"ArcGIS StoryMaps Live: Putting the finishing touches on your story\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Join Esri\u2019s ArcGIS Storytelling team for a chat series that walks through practical techniques for crafting geospatial stories that resonate.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"ArcGIS Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/esrigis\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-11-12T18:36:12+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ESRI\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":[\"Article\",\"BlogPosting\"],\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Andria Olson\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d776150d38404b29906d68e22be2002d\"},\"headline\":\"ArcGIS StoryMaps Live: Putting the finishing touches on your story\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-11-12T17:00:25+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-11-12T18:36:12+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story\"},\"wordCount\":10,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#organization\"},\"keywords\":[\"ArcGIS StoryMaps\",\"ArcGIS StoryMaps Live\",\"geospatial storytelling\",\"GIS Education\",\"higher education\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Constituent Engagement\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story\",\"name\":\"ArcGIS StoryMaps Live: Putting the finishing touches on your story\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-11-12T17:00:25+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-11-12T18:36:12+00:00\",\"description\":\"Join Esri\u2019s ArcGIS Storytelling team for a chat series that walks through practical techniques for crafting geospatial stories that resonate.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"ArcGIS StoryMaps Live: Putting the finishing touches on your story\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/\",\"name\":\"ArcGIS Blog\",\"description\":\"Get insider info from Esri product teams\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Esri\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Esri.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Esri.png\",\"width\":400,\"height\":400,\"caption\":\"Esri\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/esrigis\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/ESRI\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/5311\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d776150d38404b29906d68e22be2002d\",\"name\":\"Andria Olson\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Andria-465x465.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Andria-465x465.png\",\"caption\":\"Andria Olson\"},\"description\":\"Andria Olson is a senior content specialist on Esri's ArcGIS Storytelling team.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/author\/aolson\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"ArcGIS StoryMaps Live: Putting the finishing touches on your story","description":"Join Esri\u2019s ArcGIS Storytelling team for a chat series that walks through practical techniques for crafting geospatial stories that resonate.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"ArcGIS StoryMaps Live: Putting the finishing touches on your story","og_description":"Join Esri\u2019s ArcGIS Storytelling team for a chat series that walks through practical techniques for crafting geospatial stories that resonate.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story","og_site_name":"ArcGIS Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/esrigis\/","article_modified_time":"2026-11-12T18:36:12+00:00","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@ESRI","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":["Article","BlogPosting"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story"},"author":{"name":"Andria Olson","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d776150d38404b29906d68e22be2002d"},"headline":"ArcGIS StoryMaps Live: Putting the finishing touches on your story","datePublished":"2026-11-12T17:00:25+00:00","dateModified":"2026-11-12T18:36:12+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story"},"wordCount":10,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#organization"},"keywords":["ArcGIS StoryMaps","ArcGIS StoryMaps Live","geospatial storytelling","GIS Education","higher education"],"articleSection":["Constituent Engagement"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story","url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story","name":"ArcGIS StoryMaps Live: Putting the finishing touches on your story","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#website"},"datePublished":"2026-11-12T17:00:25+00:00","dateModified":"2026-11-12T18:36:12+00:00","description":"Join Esri\u2019s ArcGIS Storytelling team for a chat series that walks through practical techniques for crafting geospatial stories that resonate.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-storymaps\/constituent-engagement\/arcgis-storymaps-live-putting-the-finishing-touches-on-your-story#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"ArcGIS StoryMaps Live: Putting the finishing touches on your story"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/","name":"ArcGIS Blog","description":"Get insider info from Esri product teams","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#organization","name":"Esri","url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Esri.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Esri.png","width":400,"height":400,"caption":"Esri"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/esrigis\/","https:\/\/x.com\/ESRI","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/5311\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d776150d38404b29906d68e22be2002d","name":"Andria Olson","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Andria-465x465.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Andria-465x465.png","caption":"Andria Olson"},"description":"Andria Olson is a senior content specialist on Esri's ArcGIS Storytelling team.","url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/author\/aolson"}]}},"text_date":"November 12, 2026","author_name":"Andria Olson","author_page":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/author\/aolson","custom_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Newsroom-Keyart-Wide-1920-x-1080.jpg","primary_product":"ArcGIS StoryMaps","tag_data":[{"term_id":398132,"name":"ArcGIS StoryMaps","slug":"arcgis-storymaps","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":398132,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":201,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":776332,"name":"ArcGIS StoryMaps Live","slug":"arcgis-storymaps-live","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":776332,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":8,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":781051,"name":"geospatial storytelling","slug":"geospatial-storytelling","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":781051,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":11,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":122212,"name":"GIS Education","slug":"gis-education","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":122212,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":6,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":25611,"name":"higher education","slug":"higher-education","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":25611,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":13,"filter":"raw"}],"category_data":[{"term_id":37131,"name":"Constituent Engagement","slug":"constituent-engagement","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":37131,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":428,"filter":"raw"}],"product_data":[{"term_id":36611,"name":"ArcGIS StoryMaps","slug":"story-maps","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":36611,"taxonomy":"product","description":"","parent":36981,"count":603,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":380802,"name":"ArcGIS StoryMaps","slug":"arcgis-storymaps","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":380802,"taxonomy":"product","description":"","parent":0,"count":358,"filter":"raw"}],"primary_product_link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?s=#&products=arcgis-storymaps","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/2989247","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/blog"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/345372"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2989247"}],"version-history":[{"count":30,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/2989247\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2989581,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/2989247\/revisions\/2989581"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2989247"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2989247"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2989247"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=2989247"},{"taxonomy":"product","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product?post=2989247"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}