We’ve all been hearing for some time that content is king; to survive in the digital jungle we all need to be creating it.  For the most part, many businesses have listened; they’ve spent hours and hours writing blogs, and creating a veritable feast of content along the way.  Problem is, with so much content out there, how do you stand out from the crowd?

The answer is, to make everything a little more visual…

Studies have shown that by using visual content (I’m talking images, infographics, and videos) you can generate more views, increase engagement, and improve brand and message recall.

Coloured visuals can increase a person’s willingness to read something by 80% – think of how many people are ignoring your blog posts and articles just because you don’t have some sort of visual media accompanying it.

You can even take it a step further by checking out the psychology of colours online. Different colours can evoke different thoughts and feelings; yellow can make a reader feel friendly and warm, whilst black suggests power and luxury.

Not into all that technical jazz? Not to worry; just make sure you have a strong image to go with your content.

Images

The obvious, and easiest, way to add a visual element to your posts is to add an image. A relevant picture can really boost your readership. Content with relevant images get 94% more views than those without…that is a lot!

Including images related to the local area can also really help. On social media, the people of Devon and Cornwall love where they live, so including a beautiful picture of a local area in your tweet or Facebook status can grab attention. Not only will it get the views, South West folk are proud of their counties, so they’ll be more likely to ‘like’ and share.

Infographics

Just this morning, Google had over 41 million results for “infographics”. If you haven’t got on board with them yet, it’s time to try it, because plenty of other people have and gained plenty from it.

Infographics are liked and shared three times more than other content on social media sites. An image alongside text that got you three shares could be turned into 9 shares just by creating an infographic.

The ease of sharing is also increased with infographics. Readers can pin them on Pinterest, helping to expand your reach.  They’re a sure fire win for your SEO because of this too.

Infographics are also easier to understand. A combination of simple text and a colourful design can help readers to digest and retain information.

65% of information can be retained after 3 days, compared to a 10% retention rate of plain text.

Videos

Whilst more time consuming and complex to create, videos are an increasingly popular visual content tool to use. With Facebook users watching 100million hours of video each day, getting the camera out is a great option.

As with images, making the most of the Devon and Cornwall scenery can really boost your views, but make sure it is relevant to what you do!

Before you get carried away and buy yourself a director’s chair, know that 62% of consumers are likely to have a negative perception of a brand/company if the video is poor quality. So make sure it’s good!

For more information on how we can boost your online presence give us a call on 01566 784860 or email hello@mihidigital.co.uk