Ask any online marketers and they’ll tell you–visual marketing is the next big thing. Every social media site and online marketing platform is heading in a
visual direction, and for good reason; according to a 3M study, 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual, and visuals are processed 60,000X faster in the brain than text! Because images are so much easier for consumers to absorb, they make for engaging, effective, and dynamic marketing. Because so many social media platforms have increased their image hosting capabilities lately–including Facebook, Google+, and Twitter–the time to add more visual appeal is now.
So, if you’re ready to embrace the future of marketing and take your campaigns to the next level, here are 5 unusual ways to incorporate visuals into your marketing campaigns:
1. User-generated images
Who says you have to produce all of the images for your marketing? One effective way to up your visual ante is to ask users to submit a relevant image for a social media or online contest. This will not only give you valuable photos, but also draw attention to your brand within the networks of your fan base. For example, here’s the announcement local company Zipcar posted on Facebook, asking for fan submissions:
2. Slideshare
If you work in a more technical field, it is often difficult to find ways to incorporate visual elements (Who wants to submit an Instagram picture with medical software?). A good alternative is Slideshare, a social site for sharing striking Powerpoint presentations. Content on the site is voted up, commented on, and shared on a variety of social sites. In addition to the “Featured” section, the presentations that are most “hot” on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook are given their own place on the Slideshare homepage. If you have striking visual content that is relevant to your audience, those spotlights are in reach!
3. Videos
This may not be an “unusual” way of including visuals in your marketing, but because there are now so many options we thought video deserved a mention. YouTube and Vimeo are not the only kings of video–now Instagram and snippet-site Vine are extremely popular, particularly among the Millennial Generation. Try showing a “behind the scenes” take of your office or product, or mini-interviews with employees that showcase their personalities.
But if tech if more your thing, webinars are becoming increasingly popular for those in a B2B field (like us!). They showcase your expertise, love of technology, and have a living, breathing quality that you just can’t get in a whitepaper.
4. Pin! (not just yourself)
Ever since we started our Pinterest, we at Eustace Consulting are loving this site! Pinterest is all about collecting eye-catching images and grouping them according to interest, category, or even color. But in order to get the most out of the site, it’s important to care about more than just your brand and industry. Think about your customers–what else are they interested in? If you are trying to sell energy bars, maybe pin boards about cycling, marathons, or college sports would appeal to your fan base. A good place to start is with your employees–for example, as many of us at Eustace Consulting love using Crossfit and Insanity to get in shape, we have a board full of healthy living motivation; that doesn’t directly relate to our industry, but it connects us to a wider network of people we normally wouldn’t find.
5. Email marketing
Adding images to your email marketing is a sure-fire way to make it more interesting. Some of these images should be bright, eye-catching calls-to-action, prompting your audience to engage with your message. But, beyond that, why not make your message dependent on visuals? For example, take a look at this snazzy email from Uncommon Goods, in which the visuals don’t merely enhance the message, but are the message:
Are you concerned about incorporating more visuals into your marketing, but unsure how to begin? Give us a call; we’re always ready to listen!
