Visual content generates 650% higher engagement than text-based content. A human mind processes images 60,000 times faster than text. So, many research studies have shown that human interaction with visuals is faster and more effective than words. That’s why it is said-
“A picture is worth a thousand words.”
In digital marketing, visual content gains more attention than other types. It increases a business’s visibility and brand recognition. Different businesses use the power of content, such as videos, images, infographics, memes, presentations, and screenshots, according to their needs.
Today, millions of businesses are on social media because this is the most popular and crowded platform for visual content marketing. No matter what business you do, being on social media has become important because visual content marketing is easy here. In this blog, we are going to talk about the power of visual content in the current marketing world.
Types of Visual Content for Marketing
Understanding the different types of visual content thoroughly can help you effectively leverage its power and decide which type best suits your content marketing goals.
- Images:
90% of information processed by the brain is in visual form. Well, photos are a universal language. Even if people don’t understand your language, they can easily understand images and videos belonging to any region. Additionally, blog posts with images get around 90% more views. Many digital marketers use images for different marketing purposes because they know that 60% of consumers are more likely to contact a company when an image appears in the local SERPs.
- Infographics:
An infographic combines information (text) and graphics (images) to present complex information easily and quickly. When the internet is full of ChatGPT and other AI-generated content, you can catch the viewer’s eye and stand out from the sea of text-heavy content. Icons, text, charts, graphs, diagrams, and maps are the most common infographics.
- Memes:
Memes are funny texts accompanied by an image or video. This type of content spreads rapidly online, making it a popular choice for marketers who want to increase engagement with their target audience. Memes help humanize brands and enhance their visibility on social media. Well, memes are cost-effective and can reach a larger audience, provided they are funny, relatable, and timely. Keep up with the news to create relatable and effective memes.
- Gifs:
In 2024, more than 55% of marketers will use animated GIFs. Like other content types, they are effective ways to spread a brand message quickly. Marketers can use them in blogs, social media posts, and emails. Google acquired Tenor, which includes GIF keywords on phones and messages. The search engine can check the content for GIFs. So, you should optimize your content for GIFs if you are writing such content.
- Call to Action:
A call to action encourages people to take action. Most eCommerce businesses use this type of content to increase CTR. If you want immediate action from your customers, CTA can work wonderfully, as potential customers don’t have to look here and there to reach your site. They direct users on what to do next without wasting time.
</Note: Edit the below image to avoid copyright issue/>
- Screenshots:
People don’t have the patience to read text, as their attention span has reduced to 45 seconds from 2.5 minutes. Screenshots are effective images that tell thousands of words without elaboration. You can use screenshots of your website features, products, and services to show how your business works. Many businesses combine screenshots with marketing copy. So, it depends on how the company utilizes the power of screenshots.
- Videos:
We put the content type “Video” at the end of the list, but this order doesn’t reflect the importance of the content types. But yes, video marketing has shown more engagement over the years than other types of content.
Video marketing has undoubtedly captured a considerable market share. According to Statista, the most popular video content type is music videos, and the second most popular is comedy, meme, or viral videos.
Millions of businesses use YouTube, Shorts, Instagram Reels, TikTok, and other short—and long-form video streaming platforms because video increases visibility and conversion rates faster than other content types.
Why Is Visual Content So Important in Marketing?
Are you ready to begin your content marketing journey? If yes, why not put your best foot forward with visual content? Do what exactly works and drives engagement. Visual content can help to enhance visibility, engagement, and whatever you aim for quicker than other marketing methods.
Let’s understand why most businesses use visual content.
- Grabs Attention:
First thing, first. You can’t start achieving even your tiny marketing objectives without grabbing people’s attention. This is, first and foremost, a sign that your content is working. Visual content has the potential to hold the interest of viewers easily. They cut through the noise and attract your target audience’s attention. Moreover, they leave an emotional impact and affect the decision-making of viewers.
- Increases Conversions:
Video on a landing page increases conversion by 85%. Visual content marketing proves effective for different purposes and businesses, depending on how effectively you plan for it. The information in the visuals looks easy to understand and recognize. Hence, people interact with it effectively, which leads to the desired actions. 75% of adults in the USA like to purchase a product after watching a video explaining it. So, visuals can broadly impact your target audience’s decisions.
- Improves SEO:
Websites with visual content are more likely to rank on search engines than others. Google considers user engagement with content on different platforms, so it is an indirect yet vital ranking factor to rank. When images and videos attract more people and keep them on the page for longer, it is a clear sign to Google that your content is useful. Visuals are more likely to be shared on social media, which often increases backlinks and drives traffic to the site.
- Enhanced Retention:
Since people remember visuals more than text, your brand can be remembered for a long time if you use visual content for marketing. People can retain 65% of the information in the image for three days later, which is tricky with text-based content that people need to remember in a few seconds. You can explain complex concepts in any suitable visual to make people remember them.
- No Langauge Barriers:
Since, you know, visuals need no explanation, people belonging to any region can understand your message without knowing your language. A diverse audience can understand your post or video without needing translation. You can increase the reach of your business to any corner of the world without learning their languages. Visual content allows people to convey emotions without cultural and linguistic barriers effectively.
- Increases Brand Awareness:
When people read your brand name, they can’t remember it for a long time. However, when they see the brand name in the video and image, it leaves more impact, leading to long-term recall. We often remember the faces in the video saying something about the brand. Moreover, images reflect the brand’s voice and image and stay in people’s heads longer than other content forms. Often, people share videos, images, memes, and GIFs that make more people aware of the brand.
Final Thought
Information presented in a fun way has the potential to engage people. Visual content is the best way to present information this way. By utilizing the power of visual content, you can increase engagement, conversion, and, eventually, sales. Focus on your business type, goals, and audience, and analyze the kind of content that best suits your purpose. Moreover, utilize tools to track the progress of your content. This way, you can save time and come up with better content that actually drives conversion.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which type of visual content is more effective?
Infographics and videos are the two most compelling visual content types. However, the effectiveness of these content types depends on how marketers use them, as many factors affect their ability to drive traffic. - Is visual content more valuable than text?
Visual content is more effective, engaging, and appealing than text-based content. It captures attention easily and for a long time, which is difficult with text. Moreover, people naturally process images and videos more effectively than text. - What is the best platform for visual content?
Social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Pinterest are the best platforms for visual content. Moreover, YouTube is also a popular platform for visual content. So, what you want to achieve through visual content depends on your business and marketing goals.
