To Be Heard, Think Visual
Is a picture worth a thousand words? Is photography having a revival?
In today’s world of business and social media the answer is yes. Since caveman times images have played an important role in telling and recording a story as well as engaging our audiences, so the concept isn’t a new one. What has changed again recently is the balance between written content and imagery.
Imagery and clever use of it across social media platforms is driving audience engagement, whatever sector you are in. Even sectors that are heavily regulated can use visual imagery to connect with their audiences; they just have to be clever about it.
Today’s social media savvy entrepreneurs have already got this nailed, with traditional headshots being replaced by photographs that tell you something about the individual and what they do. People want to do business with real people who they can relate to and who also look the part.
Imagery is a powerful communications tool, but how many small and large businesses actually incorporate this concept into their planning? There is still a trend for organisations to rely on written content with out of date and lack lustre photographs. Written content is still important, but make sure the messaging packs a punch, is well written, and of interest to your audiences. Think quality over quantity.
The growth in the use of eye-catching visual imagery that tells a story and engages an audience is being driven by a number of factors. One of the key drivers is that social media platforms enable individuals, groups and businesses to craft visual content that tells a story, draws in a mobile audience and importantly, that can be easily shared.
Liz Heron from the Wall Street Journal recently said; “Really putting a priority on being able to tell a story in a visual way has been one of the biggest shifts for us and the most important shifts in terms of growing our community.” She also added, that the “strategy around strong images is something that has changed the way the whole newsroom works.”
In the good old days of PR people would ask; “Do you have a face for radio?” Don’t let harbingers of doom prevent you from taking photographs that capture attention. Even the humble pumpkin can be turned into a thing of visual beauty – think field of pumpkins to illustrate a Halloween story. Take the usual and make it unusual. A boring statistic on how many businesses sell pumpkins in the UK can be made more interesting with an infograph showing ‘hot’ areas for pumpkin sellers or growers. Is there a North v South divide that can be illustrated?
Images and photographs can be used to convey a range of messages. Putting the CEO of a company astride a motorbike to show the takeover of a roadside recovery group is a solid example. Or take two photographs, contrast them and pose a question to your social audience to generate engagement and drive traffic to your social media platforms.
If your business has not harnessed the power of creative imagery and social media then now is the time to give it some serious thought. Standing out from the crowd is never an easy feat, but for you to be heard think visual.
