Ask any content marketer their predictions for next year and they will tell you that they think visual content will become more important. They’re not just saying it to get you to sign up to a visual campaign with them, they’re saying it because that’s what internet users’ behaviours are telling them.
Facebook posts containing photos accounted for 87% of all network interactions in 2014, according to eMarketer. Meanwhile, Facebook reports the amount of video posted by users (both individuals and brands) has increased by 3.6 times in the period from January 2013 to November 2014.
“Ahh, yes, but is the increase in number of images being posted translating into engagement?” I hear you ask. Well, Buffer found that posts on Twitter which contain images receive 150% more retweets than those without.
So why is visual content becoming more and more popular?
Quite simply, the written content market continues to become more saturated, leaving users with a higher demand for more visual forms of content, says Forbes contributor Jayson DeMers in his blog on content marketing trends for 2016.
There will always be demand for the written word, but for time-strapped users, videos and images can say more in a shorter space of time. Although it might be a stretch to say a picture is worth a thousand words in content marketing, there is an element of truth in that notion.
Another theory as to why users are now inclined to respond better to images than the written word is that humans’ attention span is on the dwindle. According to scientists, the age of smartphones has left humans unable to concentrate for more than eight seconds. That’s right, even goldfish – who are believed to have an attention span of nine seconds – now trump humans in the concentration stakes.
As marketers, we can’t fight these facts, so we have to simply adjust our efforts accordingly and go with the times. Here are five ways for your business to begin to incorporate visual content in your content marketing strategy:
1. How-to videos
Before anybody attempts to do anything these days, they will look for an online video to see how it’s done ‘properly’. As such, how-to videos are a great way of guaranteeing views. They are a good way of leaving a lasting impression on viewers, too, because if they prove helpful, visitors will likely come back for some more tips.
The other style of how-to videos show off your products and give customers some ideas on how to use them. As the Content Marketing Institute notes: “Consumers often don’t know exactly what they want, and are looking for inspiration and ideas.”
2. Tell your story
Every company has a backstory and while, admittedly, some will be more interesting than others, there is always scope to showcase the ‘why’ behind your business.
In written form, people might not be inclined to familiarise themselves with your story. Telling it via images will make it much more inviting for your audience to tune in. It’s also a chance to showcase what values your business believes in, whether that be innovation or empowering employees to create and share ideas. Embedding inspirational quotes in an eye-catching image isn’t something everybody feels comfortable doing, but it’s without doubt a great way of making your business values known. The Twitter profile @Inspire_Us , for instance, has over 1.5 million followers.
3. Rework written content into visuals
Take a look at your analytics: what pieces of written content were well received by your customers? Is there scope to turn it into more visuals-led content?
This is a great way to draw fresh attention to proven content in a format your audience can quickly digest and put to use. However, this will take a deft touch or the message of the content could get blurry – which does nobody any favours. In these cases, sometimes a combination of images and words works best, as long as you get the right balance.
4. Crowd-source ideas
Ask customers what sort of visual content they favour – then bring their requests to life, surpassing expectations where possible. Of course, you can always use metrics to assess what sort of visual content is proving popular, but there is value in showing you are prepared to listen to customers and act upon their ideas.
You can even go one step further and run a contest which asks for customers to create and share images relevant to your business in return for a prize.
5. Outsource your visual content
Although there are quite a few apps out there now that allow you to easily create glorious images and videos – Canva being one – you still need to know what you’re doing. It also takes a fair bit of time to pull the images together to create something that is both in keeping with your brand and stands a good chance of resonating with your audience.
Getting it right early on is crucial, otherwise you might get a reputation as a brand that can’t do visual content – or not very well, anyway.
Here at Lexis Click, we can help you get your visual content off to go a good start, ensuring you pick up the right sort of reputation. Get in touch with us for a chat on 01202 788333 or marketing@lexisclick.com.
