Are visuals still important for my content marketing?
Will it really make a difference in my business?
What are the future trends for visual marketing?
A study by Wyzowl respondents said they remember 80% of what they see, but only 20% of what they read, and it becomes clear that visual marketing is critical to keeping you:
- Top of mind
- Relevant, and
- Memorable
But knowing how to incorporate visual marketing is still a challenge for most businesses.
THE LAW OF RECENCY
How fast does information flow?
Can you find something on someone’s feed that was posted last week, last month or last year?
If you do find something specific from a week or so ago, doesn’t it seem like it’s ancient news?
Why?
The world in which we live produces information overflow. According to a recent study by IBM, we process more information in one year than our forefathers did in their lifetime.
Yet, some blaze through this information, and still accomplish more in one day than most do in a week.
Why is this?
It’s not that they are smarter than you or others, but they’ve mastered the art of concentration, focus, and priorities.
In order for your content to be relevant, it has to be recent. The best way to do that is by time stamping your content or featuring topical events.
Honda has created a social hub on their website where they curate and display recent customer content.
SOCIAL MEDIA VISUALS
Social Media has created media publishers within each business. No longer is text the communication method of choice.
66% of all social media posts are or includes images. More than half of all Internet users have posted original video content or reposted visual content.
Source: Quicksprout
IMAGES MATTER
Facebook. Facebook users upload 350 million photos every day, not counting Instagram uploads. Facebook is the largest photo sharing site on the web, having left Picasa, Flickr, and Photobucket in the dust years ago.
Social Media has taken visual content in an upward direction. Snapchat already rivals Facebook’s photo-crazy reach: 65% of Snapchat’s 100 million users reportedly share 350 million photos a day.
Add one image for every 350 words
Generally speaking, you should use at least one image in your articles for every 350 words you write. If your article is 2,000 words, you should have six images or so. Add images at regular intervals so readers can “breathe” as they read.
YOUR LOGO
Add your logo to custom images
Your business logo is a powerful resource. If you create custom images, original data, or an infographic, put your logo on it.
Once you create the image, you own it, provided you’ve purchased and implemented the correct license. If others use the image in their articles, it will contain your brand logo.
Prepare1 uses this technique through Canva. Most blog posts are introduced with a custom image featuring the article title, and Prepare1 logo.
LAW OF CONSISTENCY
VISUAL STYLE
Apart from engaging customers, the role of visual content is to reinforce your brand. For that to happen, your content needs to have consistency.
This isn’t strictly a new law, but it’s worth reinforcing. We’re not referring to publishing visual content consistently. It’s more about elements in your visuals that tell your target market that the visual is from your company – even if you’re not linked or tagged in it.
You can do this by using the same:
- Fonts and colors as your website
- Images in your company’s social media accounts and profile page headers
- Design element like a background, banner, or logo.
A great graphics tool is Canva. Use Canva’s drag-and-drop feature and professional layouts to design consistently stunning graphics. Design presentations, social media graphics,and more with thousands of beautiful layouts.
Customers should be able to recognize the content is from your brand at a glance.
CONSISTENT COLOR
Did you know that color impression can account for 60% of the acceptance or rejection of a product or service?
That’s huge!
While there are many factors that affect how and why consumers buy, a recent Kissmetrics study shows that color plays a major role in the decision making process.
Understanding the psychology behind each color will help you get inside the head of your consumer and choose a color that:
- Best represents your company social media promotional strategy
- The feelings you want to impart, and
- The action you want them to take
CHOOSE THE BEST CONTENT TYPE
Find the best type of content to engage your audience. Consider:
Images
- Users on Twitter tweet images 361% more than they tweet videos
- Images tend to get 128% more retweets than videos
Video
- Videos increase the likelihood of your visitors purchasing your product or service by 64%.
- Videos provide an increase in your visitors’ understanding of your product or service by 74%
- Video on landing pages increase conversions by 86%
Infographics
- There are three types: static, motion, interactive
- Consumers are 30 times more likely to read an Infographic than the text-based piece of content.
- Generate more traffic than traditional blog posts.
- Each Infographic QuickSprout published generated 41,487 website visitors
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Visuals are part of what I do at Prepare1 and Blair Ball Photography. I was taught that pre-visualizing is the best first step one can take to a final image.
Creating content isn’t enough, in today’s fast paced world. You must incorporate visuals into your marketing to truly make an impact.
Visual content is the fuel that powers your Social Media Marketing Engine.
At the end of the day, where will it take you?
JOIN US FOR OUR UPCOMING
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SOCIAL MEDIA SEMINAR SERIES
- Facebook Ads – How to create, implement & boost sales – Sept. 10th AM
- Visual Content for Business – How to create & use visuals – Sept.10th PM
- Social Media Marketing for Realtors – Gain more listings & sales – Sept. 17th AM
- YouTube & Video – How to create, implement & boost sales – Oct. 29th PM
- Twitter for Business – The fastest way to spread your brand content – Oct. 29th AM
- Tools & Apps for Business – Gain more hrs. & be more productive – Nov. 5th AM
- Blogging – Generate leads & get new customers – Nov. 5th PM
About Blair
Blair Evan Ball is a Social Media Coach and founder of Prepare1, a company that works with businesses, individuals and non-profits. He is a former executive with a Fortune 50 company, and his national division did $1Billion+ in sales annually.
Blair has written three e-books: Facebook for Business Made Easy, Facebook Pages for Business Made Easy, and WordPress Blog Setup Made Easy.
Blair also educates, trains entrepreneurs and business professionals how to amplify their brand, increase revenues, and raise more funds.
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