Introducing StoryMaps on ArcGIS Online

Optional support lab: This workshop is provided as practice and final-project support. Complete it if you want additional guidance using ArcGIS StoryMaps.

Overview

ArcGIS StoryMaps is a web-based publishing tool for combining maps, text, images, video, and other media into a structured spatial narrative.

In GIS coursework, StoryMaps are useful because they help you explain not only what your map shows, but also why the map matters, where the data came from, what choices you made, and how someone else should interpret the result.

Students in this course are required to use ArcGIS StoryMaps for the final project submission. The reason is practical: StoryMaps are especially effective for communicating map-based narratives alongside images, screenshots, diagrams, citations, and other media. They let you present spatial work as an argument or explanation, not just as a finished map.

This workshop introduces the basic StoryMaps workflow:

• log in to Stanford's ArcGIS Online organization
• open ArcGIS StoryMaps
• create a new story
• add a title, text, media, and map content
• preview and share the story

The goal is not to make a polished final project today. The goal is to understand the structure of a StoryMap and create a first working draft, so the final project format feels familiar before you need it.

Source Links and Reference Materials

Use these materials for examples and additional practice:

• Intro to ArcGIS Online and StoryMaps
• Create StoryMaps
• ArcGIS Learn tutorial gallery filtered for StoryMaps
• Get to know ArcGIS StoryMaps tutorial path
• These ArcGIS StoryMaps collections will inspire you

What Is a StoryMap?

A StoryMap is a web application built around a narrative. It is not just a map viewer and it is not just a slide deck.

A good StoryMap usually combines:

• a clear topic or question
• one or more maps
• short explanatory text
• images, diagrams, screenshots, or video where helpful
• data source credits
• a structure that guides the reader from context to interpretation

For this course, you can think of a StoryMap as a public-facing spatial report and as the required final project submission format. The reader should be able to understand what place you are discussing, what data you used, what your map shows, and what conclusion or question emerges from the work.

Why Use StoryMaps in a GIS Course?

GIS work often produces layers, maps, tables, and analytical outputs. Those outputs do not explain themselves.

StoryMaps help you communicate:

• context: where the work is happening and why the place matters
• method: what data and GIS steps were used
• result: what the final map or analysis shows
• interpretation: what the reader should notice
• limitations: what the map does not prove or what uncertainty remains

This matters because GIS is not only technical. It is also interpretive. Every map involves choices about data, classification, scale, symbolization, and narrative framing.

Part 1: Log In to Stanford ArcGIS Online

Stanford provides access to ArcGIS Online through its institutional ArcGIS organization.

1. Open a web browser.
2. Go to https://stanford.maps.arcgis.com.
3. Click Sign In.
4. Choose the Stanford or enterprise login option if prompted.
5. Sign in with your SUNetID and Stanford password.
6. Complete any two-factor authentication step if Stanford requires it.
7. After login, confirm that you are inside Stanford's ArcGIS Online organization.

You should see an ArcGIS Online home page, content page, or profile area. The exact screen may vary depending on whether you have used ArcGIS Online before.

Troubleshooting note: If you accidentally arrive at a generic Esri login page, return to https://stanford.maps.arcgis.com and start again from the Stanford organization URL. The organization URL helps ArcGIS know that you should authenticate through Stanford.

Part 2: Open ArcGIS StoryMaps

Once you are signed in to Stanford ArcGIS Online, you can open StoryMaps in several ways. The interface changes occasionally, so use whichever route is visible.

Common options include:

• the app launcher
• the ArcGIS Online content or home page
• the direct ArcGIS StoryMaps site

Try this sequence first:

1. Look for the app launcher button near the top of ArcGIS Online.
2. Open the app launcher.
3. Choose StoryMaps.
4. If StoryMaps opens in a new tab, keep both tabs available.

If you do not see StoryMaps in the app launcher:

1. Go to https://storymaps.arcgis.com.
2. Confirm that you are still signed in with your Stanford ArcGIS account.
3. If prompted, choose to continue with your ArcGIS Online organizational account.

Part 3: Create a New Story

Now create a first StoryMap draft.

1. In ArcGIS StoryMaps, click New story or Create story.
2. Choose a blank story or basic guided option.
3. Add a short working title, such as My First GIS StoryMap.
4. Add your name or a short subtitle in the byline/subtitle area if available.
5. Save the story if it does not save automatically.

Your first title does not need to be final. It is common to begin with a working title and revise it after the story has a clearer structure.

Suggested First Story Topic

For a first practice StoryMap, choose something small and familiar.

Good starter topics include:

• a place you know well
• a map or lab result from this course
• a campus location
• a neighborhood issue
• a short explanation of a spatial pattern you have already mapped

Avoid choosing a large final-project-scale topic for this first exercise. You are practicing the tool, not finishing the quarter.

Part 4: Understand Story Blocks

StoryMaps are built from blocks. A block is a single piece of content, such as a paragraph, heading, image, map, button, separator, quote, or embedded media item.

Common block types include:

• Text blocks for explanation
• Heading blocks for structure
• Image blocks for photos, diagrams, or screenshots
• Map blocks for web maps or express maps
• Embed blocks for external web content
• Button blocks for links

The basic design idea is simple: add one block, decide what it should do, then add the next block.

Part 5: Add Text and Structure

Begin by creating a simple story structure.

Add these sections:

1. Introduction
2. Place or Topic
3. Map or Evidence
4. What to Notice
5. Credits

For each section, add one heading and one short paragraph.

Example structure:

Introduction
This story introduces a place, question, or map I want to explain.

Place or Topic
The area I am focusing on is...

Map or Evidence
The map below shows...

What to Notice
The main pattern I want readers to notice is...

Credits
Data, maps, images, and software used in this story include...

Keep the writing short. StoryMaps work best when text is broken into readable pieces rather than long uninterrupted paragraphs.

Part 6: Add an Image or Screenshot

Images help orient readers. For a first StoryMap, you can use:

• a screenshot from a GIS lab
• a photo of a place
• a diagram
• a map export
• a simple placeholder image that you replace later

To add an image:

1. Click the add-content button where you want the image to appear.
2. Choose Image.
3. Upload or select an image.
4. Add alternative text if prompted.
5. Add a short caption if the image needs explanation.

Alternative text matters because it helps people using screen readers understand the image. A good alt text description briefly explains what the image shows and why it is present.

Part 7: Add a Map

Maps are the spatial center of most StoryMaps.

There are two common beginner-friendly options:

• add an existing ArcGIS web map
• create a simple express map directly inside StoryMaps

Option A: Add an Existing Web Map

Use this option if you already have a web map in ArcGIS Online.

1. Add a new content block.
2. Choose Map.
3. Search your ArcGIS Online content.
4. Select a web map.
5. Adjust the map view so the important area is visible.
6. Save or place the map in the story.

Option B: Create an Express Map

Use this option if you do not already have a web map.

1. Add a new content block.
2. Choose Map.
3. Choose Express map if available.
4. Zoom to your area of interest.
5. Add a point, line, or area marker.
6. Add a short label or note.
7. Place the express map in the story.

An express map is useful for quick communication. It is not meant to replace a full GIS analysis map, but it is excellent for showing location and context.

Part 8: Preview the Story

Before sharing, preview the story as a reader.

1. Click Preview.
2. Read from top to bottom.
3. Check whether the story has a clear beginning, middle, and ending.
4. Confirm that images and maps load correctly.
5. Check that the story is readable on a narrower browser window.

Ask yourself:

• Does the title tell the reader what the story is about?
• Does the first paragraph provide enough context?
• Does the map appear before or after the explanation that helps the reader understand it?
• Are credits included?

Part 9: Publish and Share a Draft

StoryMaps usually remain private until you publish or share them. For class work, sharing settings matter because your instructor or classmates may not be able to view the story unless permissions are set correctly.

For a first draft:

1. Click Publish when you are ready to test sharing.
2. Choose a sharing level appropriate for class directions.
3. If a course group is available, share the story with that group.
4. Copy the story URL.
5. Open the URL in a private/incognito browser window if you want to test whether it is viewable.

If your StoryMap contains web maps or layers, those items may also need to be shared. Sharing the StoryMap alone does not always share every map or layer inside it.

Important sharing note: If a reader can open the StoryMap but sees missing maps or unavailable layers, check the sharing settings for the maps and layers inside the story.

First StoryMap Checklist

Use this checklist for your first practice StoryMap:

• Signed in through https://stanford.maps.arcgis.com
• Created a new StoryMap
• Added a title
• Added at least three section headings
• Added short explanatory text
• Added at least one image or screenshot
• Added at least one map or express map
• Added a credits section
• Previewed the story
• Published or saved the draft according to class instructions

Reflection Questions

• What makes a StoryMap different from a single static map?
• What part of your story needs a map?
• What part of your story needs text rather than a map?
• What data, image, or map credits would a reader need?
• What sharing settings would make the story visible to the intended audience?

Next Steps

After you have made a first draft, explore the reference materials linked at the top of this page. The Esri StoryMaps examples are useful for seeing how different story structures feel in practice, and the ArcGIS Learn tutorial path provides more guided practice.