Content is king, but more emphasis should be placed on images when selecting and shaping content. The human brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text. According to Laura Silverman, director of the Institute for the Study of Advanced Development, 37% of people actually prefer to receive information through pictures. What’s more, there is a reason why 40 million images are uploaded to Instagram, and over 300 million images are uploaded to Facebook daily.
The number of image-driven social media websites and applications are escalating, which suggest consumers want to communicate more visually and expect brands to deliver the same kind of content experience. A 2012 report by ROI Research found that 44% of respondents were more likely to engage with brands that posted pictures on their social media channels rather than any other type of content. People love images; they are easy to comprehend and take less time and effort than reading block text.
Content without images is perceived as boring and monotonous. Adding images generates emotions that draw in the viewer and keep them engaged. They also provide consistency to campaigns using multiple communication channels. Repeating meaningful images will support brand identification and reinforce a company’s message. Some companies choose to utilize images that have already attracted attention on social media. They take these popular images and cultivate more effective advertisements. “The use of images is a method that provides stability in a constantly changing environment,” describes Kyle Newton, Creative Director at Merit Mile. ”When we start building a campaign, an essential step is to select an image that evokes the right emotion and captures the attitude, tone and goals that support the visual strategy. This single piece will unite advertisements, e-mail, landing pages, newsletters, social media, and web pages.”
To recap, people want companies that can “show” their message through content as much as tell their message. Not being able to show can mean the difference between a captivating campaign and one that comes up short. How can you improve your campaign with images? a. Lead with a compelling, personal image b. Use info graphics in place of text statistics c. Use the same image throughout integrated PR and marketing campaigns.
To learn more about image marketing and visual branding, contact a Merit Mile strategy professional to answer questions and discuss your next campaign needs.