So you've got the data down, but you need to do some storytelling - which is what makes up the other half of being a marketer. What better way than making use of the visual form? If you're a digital marketer or content marketer, you're probably familiar with using visuals to create appealing content. We use it because it's impossible to ignore. Visual content marketing bombards us wherever we go - in the streets, on our phone screens, and on giant billboards. Whether you're using stock photos or organic images for social media or YouTube, here are five tips to help you figure out what can visually boost your brand's message.

 

MAKE CONTENT VISUALLY APPEALING

Do people still consume content? Big yes. On the daily. But as we already know, no one has the time to digest huge chunks of content anymore. Studies have shown that the average person has an attention span of 7-8 seconds. 81% of people find it easier to just skim through content. What's a marketer to do? Make things bite sized. Pare your content down so that it fits your social media posts and videos.

The current popular ways people consume visual content include:

  • Video
  • Memes
  • Data visuals
  • Screenshots
  • Photos
  • Quick slideshows

REUSE OR RE-PURPOSE AN IMAGE

If you've used it once, there's no rule saying you're not allowed to use it again. Add it into a short video, or turn it into a screenshot with some additional data for a more factual style. If it's within your capacity, why not channel your inner graphic artist or designer - edit your images to suit comic or meme formats to generate conversation around your message, and in turn, your brand.

LET YOUR DATA GO COMPLETELY VISUAL

Create compelling infographics. Static infographics are the more common, easier to make ones. Dynamic infographics are new and on trend, as they have more potential to capture an audience's attention for much longer with moving graphics. A viewer would be more compelled to stop and read what you have to say. Whichever style you go for, infographics are still easily shareable. So are videos! Allow for your videos to be quickly shared by your viewers. If you still aren't convinced, check out the content marketing trends you should jump on this year.

MAKE THINGS MOBILE-FRIENDLY

Bite-sized chunks of information are much easier to digest!

Infographics, for example this one used in this article, are a great way to turn your entire content piece into a visual format that retains more audience attention. It's also a way to get your visual content shared, as people are more attracted to graphics than plain text. But modern infographics are now designed for mobile view, instead of the usual desktop-friendly graphics. Bite-sized chunks of information are far easier to fit into infographics compared to lengthy details.

STAY CONSISTENT WITH YOUR BRAND

Whether your branding promotes colourful graphics, abstract shapes, or thin, corporate lines - stick with it. Every visual form that you put out there for your brand's marketing purposes should follow what your design team has rolled out. Switching things up from typography-focused branding to a completely different end of the spectrum can cause brand confusion. Unless your company has recently undergone a facelift, you'll want to avoid that in your visual content.

Article Provided by 123RF