When it comes to optimizing websites, marketers have determined social media and content are the top priorities. Over 50% of marketers believe they should increase the amount of social media and shareable content on all platforms, website included in the strategy.
What does social media and content have in common? They almost always involve an image of some sort. And images are worth thousands of words in today’s quick attention span society.
Images play a crucial role in your business’s digital marketing. Here are a few reasons why you should be using digital marketing images.
Digital Marketing Images Give You More Views
There are various statistics that prove adding an image to a piece of content multiplies the number of views you get:
- Blog articles with a digital marketing image increase views by 94%
- Videos and photos included with press releases result in 45% more views
- Tweets with images receive 150% more retweets (on Buffer)
- 63% of all social media is image-based
- Half of all Internet users have re-posted or shared an image or video online
This is all to say visual media is the #1 driver of content traffic on social media.
Not to mention, 90% of the information our brains receive is visual. Plus, our minds can process images and videos 60,000 times faster than if it processed text-based content. That last statistic is super important because in today’s fast-paced world, you need to gain your fans’ and customers’ attention now and hold onto it for as long as possible.
With digital media images, you increase the likelihood someone will stay on your content, which results in more views.
It Establishes Your Business as an Industry Leader and Trustworthy
High-quality imagery is a must when posting content with social media marketing photos.
How well-shot and placed the images are will dictate whether the audience sees you as an expert in your field or a complete novice. Avoid using blurry, zoomed-in, or average pictures, and make sure video quality is at least 720p.
When you have an e-commerce website, how great your visual content is matters more than other aspects. For example, 67% of consumers believe product images is a huge determining factor in whether or not they’ll buy from a specific website. The overall quality of your online marketing images translates to how your buyer selects and purchases products online.
Additionally, consumers think a product’s image is more important in describing the product than a text-based product information, long descriptions, and ratings or reviews. So even though you have solid testimonials, killer copy, and a breakdown of the product, if your picture of the product is terrible, say goodbye to the sale.
Evoke some trust by making every part of your content quality. This will make you a leader in the niche and more profitable in the long run.
Images are Vital to the Final Sale
As touched upon in the previous section, how your image looks results in your product being sold or not online.
The image you use must be optimized for digital marketing purposes. Use exciting, original picture and video content. Implement GIFs where appropriate and keep your audience engaged throughout the content.
At the very end of a sale process, the buyer takes one last look at the product. Not the description, not the name, but the image of the product. This is the final internal struggle: Should they buy the product or wait/not get it at all/look for a better alternative?
This question needs to be answered immediately with a resounding “Yes, I want this specific product based on the image.” They click Order, and you’re well on your way. But ONLY if you have a solid, high-quality, no-tricks image front and center on any product page.
Increased Engagement on Social Media
Social media is visual – that much is obvious.
Engagement on media platforms is tough enough as it is. Enhance your social status by including social media marketing photos.
By simply adding images and videos, Facebook engagement goes up to 0.37%, whereas traditional text posts get 0.27% response. This translates to a 27% higher engagement, something that’s tangible and needed for your business.
Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter…all of these are riddled with image-based content. Everyone is trying to get a piece of their fans’ attention span. By making your digital marketing images quality, relevant, and consistent, you’ll get your share.
Enrich Content with Multiple Types of Images
There are many kinds of visual content you can use for your social media and website marketing strategy, including:
- Amazing, creative photography, professionally taken or as stock photos
- Quality YouTube video embedded in posts and videos shared on social media
- Screenshots that showcase your products or projects for the audience
- Infographics relay your content in an overly visual way, aiding engagement
- Comics, so long as they are relevant and in-tune with brand voice
- Memes and GIFs (make sure they’re tasteful and not too distracting)
- Quotes or other text-based images to spice up main points in your content
All of these can add a unique touch to your digital media marketing content. Consider one or more of these for your next scheduled piece or social media post.
Make Your Digital Media Images Shareable and Memorable
Here’s one more stat to throw at you: 3 days after hearing or reading a piece of information, you as a human can recall about 10% of it. If you see the same info as a visual, you’ll remember 65% of it.
Get graphics, videos, infographics, and more into your daily content strategy. As a business, you’ll profit exponentially by adding a visual element to your brand.
Digital Marketing Images are the Linchpin to Your Marketing Strategy
Use digital marketing images as often as possible (without getting too annoying). Not only does it enhance everything you put out in terms of content, but you drive engagement, views, shares, and overall knowledge of your brand. Exposure is the name of the game, and images capture an audience’s attention long enough to give you plenty of exposure.
For more information on how to create your business marketing strategy, keep it locked in on Digital Media Thoughts!