ArcGIS StoryMaps is the professional tool for harnessing the power of maps to communicate your work using place-based storytelling. The easy-to-use builder enables you to combine maps, 3D scenes, embedded content, multimedia, and more to create an interactive narrative that can inspire interest — and action — from your readers.
Each month, our team uses community feedback to help inform new capabilities that can enhance your storytelling adventures. Check out what’s new this month!
- Express map image base layer
- Closed captions for video
- Browse gallery images in expanded view
- Map tour tooltips
Express map image base layer
Oh, the possibilities! The value of being able to create simple reference maps right in the ArcGIS StoryMaps builder — called express maps — was significant enough, but we’ve gone ahead and extended that simplicity to integrating dynamic images in your story.
Until now, the express map builder solely offered a broad selection of basemaps and web maps to build upon using a variety of drawing, annotation, and dynamic map tools that can add interactivity to your map, such as polygons, multimedia pop-ups, or pan and zoom. And for images, the image editor offers a range of non-dynamic markup options.
However, with our most recent enhancement, you can now opt to use an image as a base layer in the express map builder. This enables you to utilize the same drawing, annotation, and dynamic map tools, plus other storytelling devices like media actions, to apply interactivity to images.
Warning: this new capability is sure to cause a wave of creativity. Whether you’re looking to guide your reader through a photo, provide further information through pop-ups, or use annotations for clarification, we’re excited to see how you utilize this enhancement in your stories!
Express map image base layers are in beta. Please let us know on the Esri Community if you find any issues or have feedback.
Learn more about the treasure trove of possibilities with map-based images.
Closed captions for video
We have long been able to include videos in our stories but in our pursuit of making ArcGIS StoryMaps more accessible, we’ve now enabled the ability to include closed captions by way of a .vtt file.
After adding a video to your story, go to your video Options to access the new Accessibility tab and Upload closed captions by adding your .vtt file. Once the file is uploaded, use the viewer controls (dependent upon web browser) to turn on captions.
Learn more about closed captions and the .vtt file type in this Esri Community post, or learn more about getting started with accessible storytelling in general.
Browse gallery images in expanded view
In place-based storytelling, images are an excellent way to transport your readers to the location(s) shared in your story — and image galleries are a particularly effective method for creating a visual experience.
Previously, you could view images at a larger scale by expanding them one at a time. Now, a carousel appears containing all the images from that gallery, through which you can navigate using forward/backward arrows, while a strip of thumbnails at the bottom marks your progress through the gallery. To exit the carousel, simply click the exit button found at the top right of the viewer.
Learn more from this guide to working with images in ArcGIS StoryMaps.
Map tour tooltips
Map tours are a favorite immersive block that seamlessly combines maps, media, and text to help guide readers through your story. And we’ve enhanced that guidance just a bit for the four available map tour layouts.
We’ve added tooltips to more easily associate the places in the side panel with their corresponding map points and vice versa. Now, when you hover over tour points in the side panel, the tint of the corresponding map point will change. And when you hover over a map point, the place name assigned in the side panel will appear near that map point. These visual cues make it easier to find a location or to decide where to go to next in the tour.
Check out these great map tour examples and learn how to create your own!
Thank you to Ashley Du for her contributions to this post.
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