You’ve likely heard the phrase “A picture is worth a thousand words” many times. In the world of marketing, it could not hold more truth. Communication paired with imagery is not only easier to process, but it is more entertaining than letters on a blank screen. Content that includes imagery or video is more than 60% more likely to be shared with others as it creates visual engagement that creates a lasting impression. Studies show that consumers remember 80% of what they see and only 20% of what they read. This statistic alone should show you the importance of including visual elements in your content marketing strategies. The purpose of this post is to provide you with tips and ideas on how to properly engage your audience with photography in your overall digital marketing strategies.
5 Tips to Utilizing Photos Within Marketing Strategies
As discussed above, imagery holds power in the overall message you are trying to portray. Because of the power it holds, it is very important that you select the right imagery and use it at the right time. Exactly how do you accomplish this? Below we explore some tips to keep in mind as you are building out the images in your content marketing strategy.
Remember Your Core Values
Your brand is stemmed from your core values whether you realize it or not. Your core values make up who you are as a company and are reflected in your brand and the message that comes from your brand. For example, if transparency is one of your core values, your messaging likely includes lots of details about the product or service you offer, lots of customer feedback, and behind the scenes elements that reflect back on your desire to remain transparent. Imagery within your marketing strategy should always be consistent and properly reflect your brand. Imagery in improper context or out of line with what you typically post could not only cause confusion but could ultimately damage your brand, which is not something easy to bounce back from.
Fresh Content
Keeping photos fresh and updated on both your website and advertising efforts is very important. Consumers have what the media world has coined “Banner Blindness” which is simply a behavior pattern in which a person ignores page elements they perceive (accurately or inaccurately) to be ads. This means your digital ads not only need to break through the noise of other ads but they also need to be eye catching and unique so grab the attention of consumers. Utilizing the same images over and over again will only add to this banner blindness and cause your images to be overlooked. Update ad content and images monthly to keep things fresh. Updating the imagery on your website forces search engines to crawl your website so there are technological benefits in addition to consumer behavior benefits.
Minimize Stock Photos
Advertisers used to all utilize the same strategy – clean white background with product or messaging. This, along with obvious stock photos is no longer what works! High quality photos of your staff, products, actual facility and more relay a degree of importance, intimacy, and credibility. An original photo helps customers to better understand your company and see the actual products and services they will see when they enter your facility. Photos tell consumers a story, and stock photos may tell the wrong one! Having a library of photography to choose from may be an initial investment, but it is well worth it. There is no suitable substitute to having your own products, still shots, and images of your business.
Platform Consistency
Keep your strategy the same across all digital platforms you are utilizing. If you push an image campaign on social media, use the same content on your website, email marketing, google ads etc. This connects all of your branding and makes you easily identifiable by consumers. A customer who sees your ad on social media will remember 80% of the messaging from the image and even a slight glance of the same image on another platform will bring your brand top of mind automatically reinforcing the original messaging.
Consider a Professional
You don’t necessarily need a professional photographer to snap shots of every customer with their new product as you sell them, but having high quality images of your products, services, staff, facility, and events will help to build up a content library of photos to be selected from throughout the year. We encourage you to get involved and take your own photos in addition to this to keep a variety of photo types on hand. If you are interested in Klout9 Photography, take a look at our portfolio.
6 Easy Ways to Incorporate Photos into your Strategy
- Product Photography
- Testimonials
- Facility Photos – “Behind the Scenes”
- Staff Photos – “Meet The Team” or “Team Bios” – even “Employee Spotlights”.
- Event Photos
- Infographics
Summary
Photos are and will continue to be an essential element to overall campaign success. Constantly seek out opportunities to take new photos and incorporate them into your strategy. Get creative with your content and focus on content that will break through the noise of banner blindness and competition. Remain consistent, always consider your values and brand when selecting images, and minimize the use of stock photos. If you are interested in Photography services, contact Klout9 today!