Images, video and infographics are taking over the Web. The two fastest-growing social networks are Instagram and Snapchat. The last great text-based social network was Twitter. Even Twitter is pivoting to images, Gifs, and videos. The visual content trend is only going to accelerate, as mobile phones continue to fuel an upsurge of video content.
“Visuals express ideas in a snackable manner.”
This shift to visual content is not just a passing trend.
Researchers have found that people process visual content much more efficiently than they process boring text links.
So, if you’re still trying to get your message across with only text, you’re losing ground to competitors who are embracing images and video.
Why Visual Content is Important in Marketing
1. Visual elements make stories easier to remember
The human brain is hardwired to process information in the form of stories.
Spoken word and the written word have been the predominant medium of communication throughout history. The digital era has accelerated the trend to images and video as the new storytelling medium.
In order to handle the flood of data and information around us, we are turning to images and videos to help us make sense of it all.
“Eye-tracking studies show internet readers pay close attention to information-carrying images. In fact, when the images are relevant, readers spend more time looking at the images than they do reading text on the page.”
A great example to think about is when you send email newsletters to customers. People only spend a split-second deciding whether or not they plan to read your newsletter. Boost the odds they’ll actually read your emails by including plenty of visuals.
2. Visual elements make stories more sharable
It’s not just that visual stories are easier to grasp and comprehend – they are also more likely to be shared with others.
Take the example of the humble tweet. Researchers at HubSpot found that tweets with images are 150% more likely to be retweeted than tweets without images.
Think about the types of stories that appear in your social media feeds every day. Viral videos and Instagram photos likely comprise the bulk of what you click on. If you’re planning to have your company’s press releases, whitepapers or industry trend reports appear in social feeds, you need to think of ways to include visual elements.
“Infographics are “liked” and shared on social media 3X more than any other type of content.”
~ Massplanner.com
It is one of the many reasons why infographics have skyrocketed in popularity online. People are more willing to view a beautifully designed image including data, over reading a 10-page report.
3. Visual elements help people learn faster
According to the Social Science Research Network, most people are visual learners. That’s one big reason why “How To” videos on YouTube are such a big hit.
It’s easier to watch a three-minute video on how to do something than it is to read an instruction manual.
“4X as many consumers would prefer to watch a video about a product than to read about it.”
This is particularly important to keep in mind for your company’s product marketing efforts.
Reading summaries of how a product performs can’t compare to watching a quick video outlining the unique selling proposition of a product.
That’s one reason why so-called “whiteboard” videos have spread all over the internet. Sometimes the best way to learn about a complex product or service offering is just to watch an animated video.
The next time you’re wondering why people aren’t clicking on your stories and articles, the answer might just be that the content hasn’t been optimized for the new visual web.
Be sure to take a look at elink.io, where you can quickly convert any web link into stunning visual content that will wow your audience.
What are your thoughts and experiences with visual content? Comment below. Feel free to share the images of the visual content marketing statistics and quotes shared in this blog post with your audience!
PS: You can also use these Marketing Quotes on your blog, Facebook, Instagram or anywhere else you like to make your content visually appealing and awesome!
Further reads:
- Digital Marketing: The What, Who, How and Why of Digital Marketing
- Content Curation: A Beginner’s Guide to Digital Content Curation 2020
- How to Create a Beautiful Online Portfolio
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elink it for future reference!
