5 Reasons You Need to be Using Visuals in Your Marketing

by Gina Schreck | Jan 1, 2015 | Social Marketing, Social Media for Business, Social Media for Hotels, Social Media for Realtors, Social Media Management, Visual Social

(And we’re not talking bland or corny visuals in your marketing)

They say “a picture is worth 1,000 words,” and when it comes to social media marketing, this is one adage to adopt.  The use of visuals on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and blogs are generating more activity than word-only posts.  Businesses with social media campaigns need to utilize photographs and videos to demonstrate their brand image, to show customers appreciation, to highlight community contribution, and to tell their story.

Here are 5 reasons that visuals should be used in social media marketing:

1. You’ve got 3 seconds. 
   

   Images are powerful.  When consumers are searching and scrolling through the clutter on the web, generally their attention span lasts no more than about 3 seconds per item.  That is all they time you have to capture your audience with content.  A visual that they can connect with will grab their attention much more effectively than words they may not take time to read. 

2. Visuals are the best form of communication.

   More than 90% of communication is nonverbal.  Visuals can quickly enhance a written message.  Images actually increase the understanding of those on the receiving end of the message.  When we hear a piece of information, studies show three days later we remember 10% of it.  Add a picture and we remember 65%.  It is no wonder that the very first written languages consisted of pictorial representations! 

   

3. You connect on an emotional level.

   Marketers don’t have to share the most professionally edited pictures and videos, but if they can share photos and videos of real humans laughing, caring, loving, and expressing gratitude, or share heart-warming, funny, or inspiring photos, viewers will engage on an emotional level, thus making them connect more with the business relaying those images.  Look for images that create a feeling.

4. You’ll increase your following.

   Businesses who use visuals have much higher numbers of subscribers, followers, reposts, and likes than those who use words only in their social media campaigns. Whether because they are able to “pin” an image, or because they enjoy sharing an engaging video with their network, people are more likely to follow, respond to, and repost images than words. 

5. You’ll focus your market.

   A business that knows what their target market appreciates should share images and videos that reflect what their target market values.  By “following” consumers back and even reposting or responding to the visual messages they are sharing, businesses can develop ideas for what their target market values and they can quickly find visual content – content that is already of interest to their target market – to re-share with their audience. 

Want MORE? Read, “Stop Using These Crappy Images On Social Media!”

Read about a few of our favorite visual tools in, “3 P’s in My Social Marketing Toolbox”

How about YOU? Share some ways that you have used pictures and videos to drive traffic to your business!

   @Sowa_Reagan

Reagan Sowa received her bachelor’s degree in marketing from Southern Methodist University.  After working in various marketing positions for a few years, and helping her husband start and grow his business, she received a master’s degree in secondary education from the University of Denver and now teaches Business and Marketing.  She loves connecting with people, as well as skiing, running, writing, and reading, but her favorite thing in life is raising her two amazing children.