Why Visuals Matter in Social Media Success
Keeping the attention of an avid scroller can prove to be a challenge at times. Social media is a fast-paced environment where attention spans are short and inconsistent. Visual graphics or videos are emerging as the effective form of communication to capture an audiences attention long enough to make them pause and read.
In this blog post, I’ll be sharing Four reasons of ‘Why Visuals Matter in Social Media Marketing .’
- Instant Appeal & Engagement
- Brand Recognition & Memorability
- Tell a Story with a Single Glance
- Algorithm Favoritism & Increased CTR’s (Click-Through Rates)
So if you’re tired of spending time creating content and getting little to no engagement then keep reading, to learn what changes need to be made and why!
When I first started this business I had the mindset of “Just post anything, to at least post something.” and while I understand this viewpoint, I will say, if you are just posting to post and not putting much effort into creating quality content for you targeted audience, you’re pretty much wasting your time.
It took me a few weeks of posting x3 a day and getting no interaction to take a step back and re-evaluate. And when I did I realized my graphics were poorly created. Visually there was too much going on, there were spelling errors, and nothing really made sense or sometimes even didn’t relate to the business at all.
So with some deep research on Pinterest and other Instagram accounts I started to learn what I liked and disliked. I found that simple and minimalistic is what works best for me, I like neutral tones; classy, elegant vibes; and fonts that you can actually read!
Here are Four categories to keep in mind while creating visuals that matter on social media to capture the eye of your targeted audience!
Instant Appeal & Engagement – Quality visuals are vital for grabbing the attention of an audience. Think of it this way; when you’re mindlessly scrolling on social media, and you see a graphic, what is it about the post that grabbed your attention? Was it the colors? The fonts used? The Hook statement? Was it how crisp and well edited the photo looked? Was it the aesthetic vibe of the video that drew you in?
Think about what captured your attention and how you can apply it to your own business. Well created graphics and videos have the ability to communicate the message or evoke an emotion almost instantaneously; in the social media world of quick scrolling, quality visuals serve as the way to better engagement.
Brand Recognition & Memorability – It’s well known, that as humans we are more likely to remember visuals better than text. Think of it this way, which do you remember better; the book or the movie? The movie. Because we are able to apply a visual to the storyline and a face to a name. A well designed visual has the ability to leave a lasting impression and make your brand memorable to your targeted audience.
Now branding comes into play by applying the consistent application of branding (this can be the style of a photo or graphic layout), logos, color palette, and other design elements that makes your brand, a brand. Remember; a strong brand identity is built on the recognizability of your visuals. For example, you want your website, social feeds, and even email marketing to all be cohesive and recognizable as you!
Tell a Story w/ a Single Glance – Visuals are a unique way to tell a story; they can convey narratives, brand stories, or messages at a single glance. Visuals provide experience that is immersive into either your product or work culture! This is a great way to build a genuine connection with your audience.
It’s more likely that users are going to share visual content rather than text-only content. The appeal of a video or an image makes it more shareable; which contributes to the potential of your content going viral. Now you may ask “why do I care if my content goes viral,” well the reason you want content that your audience is going to share, is to extend the reach of your message. It exposes your brand to a broader audience and potentially attracts new customers and followers!
Algorithm Favoritism & Increased CTR’s (Click-Through Rates) – Visual Content is prioritized in the algorithm. Whether you’re on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (Now X) or Pinterest, these platforms are designed to show visuals more. Meaning, posts of higher quality are more likely to appear often in users’ feeds, therefore increasing the visibility of your content, which inevitably will increase the chances of engagement on your account!
While visuals play a pivotal role in increasing engagement on your account, they also play a pivotal role in increasing your CTR’s (Click-Through Rates). Think of it this way, if you were looking at a product on Instagram and you saw the same item on two different accounts; one had a professional photo displaying the image, and the second account clearly didn’t put much effort into it; grabbed a snapshot with their phone and ran with it. Which account are you more likely to purchase from?, which website are you more likely to explore or trust the information they’re sharing? It’s going to be the professional account, right? So why not make the time and effort to make your account be the professional one between the two?
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Once you start implementing these concepts into your content creating process you’ll start to see growth!
Visuals are the not so secret, secret to transforming your social media account and take your marketing from ordinary to extraordinary. Visuals are what will grab that instant attention, encourage engagement, build brand recognition, encourage sharing, tell stories, and align your account with the platforms algorithms.
So in moving forward as you build your social media strategy, make sure you’re putting visuals as a high listed priority; the goal is to Attract & Maintain the Attention of your audience while keeping them Educated & Engaged!
Check out this post [Which Templates do I Actually need as a Social Media Manager?]
