We all know the saying, a picture’s worth a thousand words, but after reading this article you’ll be able to see that this saying falls short. Very short.
And here’s why it’s wrong: content is the king of the Internet but visual content is the king of social networks, just test it out for yourself.
To give just one example, a Wyzowl study revealed that we remember 80% of what we see but only 20% of what we read. We should take advantage of this, no?
This is exactly why visual content should be a key part of your strategies on social networks . Because, in fewer words, it can be like magic for your brand.
For example, imagine for a moment that the organic reach of your publications suddenly increases and they are generating more interaction, you start to receive more traffic to your website, your brand image starts to improve, people on social networks are talking about what you’re doing and to put the icing on the cake your sales increase.
You can start achieving all this and more by implementing strategies on social networks that are built upon good visual content.
Buuuttt, as it happens, not everything survives. And so if you want to know what the 10 types of visual content are that you need to include in your content strategies then look no further! When you finish reading this post you’re going to have work and it’ll be really good. Mind you, your business will be thankful for it. ?
But before you continue, allow me to give you a few more reasons why you should bet on visual marketing for your strategies on social networks.
(And if you make it all the way to the end, you’ll find the best tricks from experts for getting the most out of visual content. Piece of cake!)
A little curious? Just wait, because we’ve just only started!
Why should you gamble on visual marketing for your content strategies?
Did you know that our brains process an image 60,000 times faster than text? Yes, you read that right: 60,000. Now image all the benefits you can get out of this information if you design your strategies for social networks well and learn to publish good visual content on social media.
And it’s not only this fact that’s true, but also that visual marketing is 40 times more likely to be shared on social media. The reason is very simple: visual content that is attractive and offers value will undoubtedly attract, generate interactions, sell and can take you to the top. That’s why it should make up part of your content strategies.
Content built upon text is always going to be a fundamental piece of marketing and without a doubt should be a basic pillar in your strategies for social networks. However, if you want to set yourself apart in the visual content era, then it must play a leading role.
Think about it: we have little time and want to be practical. That’s why we are solely consuming more and more of this content that we can rapidly absorb at ease; and we’re talking about visual content!
Not to mention, visual marketing will help you get away from your competitors while adding personality to your brand (and they won’t be able to compete with this!).
But, if what you need is concrete data; I have it right here:
- 90% of the information that reaches the brain is
- 79% of users scan web pages (only 16% actually read word for word).
- 65% of people are visual readers according to a HubSpot survey.
- Presentations with visual aids are 43% more persuasive.
- More than 60% of consumers consider making contact with a company whose images appear in search results.
- Other important information: we’re able to understand the significance of a visual element in less than 1/10 of a second.
And now that you know why visual content is so important for your strategies for social networks, let’s move on to what’s really important: what type of content should you create to get noticed and how to do this to improve your business’s results? Take notes!
10 types of visual content you must utilize in your marketing campaigns for social networks
1. Images
Images are the ultimate visual content. For instance, did you know that according to a MDG Advertising study posts containing images receive 94% more views?
Undoubtedly, images must be leading your strategies for social networks when it comes to visual marketing.
Furthermore, they are easy to get, highly shared, reinforce the message you want to transmit and help emphasize it. And if that wasn’t enough, they’re seo-friendly because if you list them correctly when associating them to your products and services they can help you position your brand.
And if you want to go even further, you can even gamble on collages or sets of images since they generate more engagement than individual images; and most important of all, make sure they’re good quality and include your logo or website name.
GoPro, for example, has an enviable Instagram profile that is a series of thrilling images where they upload the best images daily that are taken through their cameras thus taking their audience on a tour of Kilimanjaro, traveling on a sailboat with a shark right next to it or surfing the Australian waves. A great way of enticing and retaining more than 9.5 million followers, don’t you think?
Tools to get started: There are a lot of websites and image banks where you can find attractive images that are free and have no copyrights, like Flickr and Morguefile and you additionally have multiple applications that allow image editing to give them a more professional touch, like Pixlr, Polarr, iPiccy and Phonto (the last one is available on your smartphone). And if you want to create images with text overlay then a great alternative is ArtStudio, which is also the most comprehensive. You’ll love it!
2.Videos
According to SEOmoz posts with videos are shared 3 times more than those who only have text. Mind you: keeping in the what the goals are for your strategies on social networks, you should choose the type of video that focuses on your audience’s like and needs.
You can create both corporate videos as well as professional and training videos. You can even generate audiovisual content yourself whether it be with your smartphone, computer or digital camera.
Remember, try not to go over a duration of two minutes if you want to keep your audience interested until the end. No one watches super long videos!
The brand Lay’s is one who frequently (and best) uses the appeal of videos: on Facebook as well as on Twitter and Instagram it’s easy to find them day in and day out.
Tools to get started: The same social networks give you the ability to upload videos directly form the platform, but as always, you can record them through your account and upload them to YouTube to share them on the networks later -however keep in mind that, for example, Facebook provides more videos that are uploaded from the platform itself-
3. Graphics and tutorials
If there is certain data or statistics that you want to transmit to your audience, there’s no better way to do it than by using graphics being that they communicate numbers in a visual way that is much faster while at the same time facilitate the absorption of information.
The same thing happens when you have to elaborate on instructions or explain how to do something. Remember that we are in the visual era so why are you creating an image or video tutorial instead of using a text with 2,000 words?
This is what the chain Telepizza did, in three easy steps they showed how to eat their new Vulcano Nacho’s pizza. Or the fashion brand Desigual which created a video showing different ways to wear a scarf -a piece which they sell themselves-
Tools to get started: There a numerous tools that exist so you can create graphics and tutorials without having to be a designer, like PicMonkey and Piktochart among others.
4. GIFs
Who are we kidding, GIFs are enjoyable and effective at the same time. So why not use them?
Furthermore, people sometimes don’t have time to watch a two-minute video but can watch a GIF that lasts just a few seconds.
If that’s not enough, these classic animations are a very powerful tool for boosting your brand’s position being as they increase engagement. Thus from now on, plan to incorporate them in your strategies for social networks. Even Facebook and Twitter have jumped on the GIF bandwagon and have incorporated the automatic reproductions thus benefiting the brands which frequently use them.
Mailchimp, the e-mail service provider, frequently uses GIFs to interact with their audience. And it works!
Tools to get started: If you think creating GIFs is complicated, get this idea out of your head. You can do it in a matter of minutes (and even search for them online) with applications such as Giphy, Tumblr Creatrs o Imgur.
5. Memes
Memes have come to stay and not only do they work but also are popular, attract traffic, users like to share them – they’re perfect for sharing on social networks – and furthermore, they’re really easy to create.
In fact, there is something known as memejacking or marketing with memes: meaning, when a company utilizes a meme with the goal of marketing their own brand.
To do this it’s vital to seize the current factor, and this is exactly what Snickers did when the Uruguay soccer player Luis Suarez bit one of his Italian rivals in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. They tweeted: “the next time you’re hungry, just grab a Snickers” tagging the player and adding a photo with the slogan “more satisfying than an Italian”. The tweet had more than 40,000 retweets.
So now that you know: try adding fun content in the form of a meme to your content strategies for social networks and check out the change. ?
Tools to get started: There are special programs for creating memes such as Recite, Image Chef o Meme Generator.
6. Presentations or webinars
Presentations or webinars are another very visual way of sharing information on social networks through events or forums, but for them to be effective it’s important that they’re concise and that you simplify the concepts you’re going to talk about.
LinkedIn, for example, has SlideShare, its own platform for creating presentations and directly sharing them.
More and more companies are banking on including presentations or streaming videos in their content strategies, and addition by using Periscope on Twitter and on by using FacebookLive on Facebook, these platforms allow you to transmitdirectly on their site.
It’s ideal for taking the relationship with your users to the next level, just look at PlayStation who gives live broadcasts every so often on Twitter through Periscope.
Tools to get started: If you want to make presentations you can use Prezi, PowToon o SlideShare. And for streaming videos you can take advantage of tools offered by these same networks.
7. Screenshots
Screenshots are an excellent resource for modeling something, helping to resolve a problem or simply sharing this image to demonstrate or explain something. Additionally, they’re an excellent visual resource for social networks being that they’re ideal for illustrating guides and tutorials!
On Postcron, for example, we frequently opt for screen shots in order to visually, easily and comfortably show our audience how to do something.
Tools to get started: You can perform a screenshot by using the option on your computer or by using programs such as Awesome screenshot o Jing.
8. Infographics
Infographics are a very potent tool which generate a lot of noise on social networks.
For one statistic, publications that contain infographics grow 12% in traffic as opposed to those who don’t include them. In fact, we read infographics 3o times faster than the post’s text. Undoubtedly a good reason for including this type of content in your strategies for social networks.
As it happens, 80% of the activity on Pinterest is repinned of 20% of the content originally created. So just imagine how many clients can get to know you and find you without you having to create your own infographics.
This is exactly what Mashable did with their board dedicated exclusively to infographics where fun and informative content is combined and to also keep their audience interested. The result? Their infographic board has more than 191,300 followers!
Tools to get started: you can start creating your own infographics through applications such as Infogr.am, Piktochart, Visualize.me o Easel.ly.
9. Drawings and comics
Drawings and comics are easy to absorb and understand in addition to being a very powerful way of attracting the audience. That’s why they’re a type of visual marketing being used more and more by brands in their content strategies.
Mr. Wonderful, for example, is constantly publishing drawings with positive messages on social networks, which enable him to grow even more while at the same time helps him reach his audience in a fun and optimistic way. And he started very humbly! Now, his more than 700,000 followers on Facebook love him.
Tools to get started: Maybe it’s hard for you to generate drawings or comics if you don’t have a designer or illustrator in your business, but there are drawing/illustration banks where you’ll be able to find some good resources such as Cartoonbank.
10. E-books
What’s said about guides and e-books? They can be viewed from any device and in addition to allowing you to share the knowledge they help you to improve your brand image and generate prospects.
If you want to get the most out of e-books when designing them, include images and graphic resources and respect your brand’s image and colors. Furthermore, try not to exceed 20 pages since the audience will get bored with an e-book that’s too long and then you won’t be able to reach your objectives.
Ah! And don’t forget to distribute the content in a simple manner since good content is worth nothing if it doesn’t reach your audience and isn’t shared.
HubSpot, for example, share numerous guides on social networks which helps them reach their target public:
Tools to get started: In order to create your own interactive guides or books, if you don’t have a designer in your business, its best to think about finding these services, whether it be a freelancer or whatever, in order to get the max out of your e-book. If you prefer to do it yourself, you can use Adobe Illustrator , however you have to pay for this program and its really oriented towards designers. If you don’t want to pay, you can use the program that come with your computer –for example, Pages on Mac – or also start by using NeoBook, which is online and free.
8 tricks from experts for creating the best Visual Content in your strategies for Social Networks
And now that you know what the 10 types of visual content are that you should include in your strategies for social networks, we’re going to show you 8 tricks from experts that will help you create better content so you can make a difference:
- Always keep your final goal in mind before publishing content since pinning down what you want will help you know what type of content to use.
- Use superimposed text in your images, they’re shared more than regular images (you can create them on Canva or PicMonkey).
- Invite your followers to share images with your products or services -or something related to this-. You’ll generate a lot more interaction!
- Create a publication calendar like this one that you can see here and define when you are going to publish on each social network beforehand. It’s the best way of knowing that your visual content is going to be present!
- Show people the true face of your company – how about a photo of the office so they can see that people “flesh and blood” really do work here” – This generates engagement and confidence at the same time. Zara did it really well on LinkedIn:
- Choose colors and images that visually represent your brand and utilize them on social networks.
- Program your posts to save time. With Postcron you can program all your posts at the same time for various networks: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. See how to do it here! You’ll save time that you’ll be able to use in creating new visual content for your strategy.
- Utilize the appropriate image sizes on social networks. Remember that each network has their own sizes, therefore, adjust your content to them and you’ll see your numbers increase.
Wow! You have enough to start creating different types of content, don’t you think? ?
So since you have sufficient enough knowledge to revolutionize your business thanks to visual content by using some good strategies for social networks, it’s now time to get to work and prepare yourself to succeed. Because if you follow this advice, you’ll succeed without a doubt.
And before wrapping up, let me ask you: was this content useful to you? Are you going to apply these different types of visual content to your strategies for social networks? Leave your comments!
If you liked what you read and learned, and think this is valuable content… share it with your friends on social media so they can also take advantage of these resources! ?
Lastly, if you want to know more about how to get as much as you can out of visual content in your content strategies, then you’ll like these posts: