We have spent a lot of time focusing on why it is imperative for you to produce quality content for your website’s visitors. While this is an absolute truth in obtaining web traffic, links and conversions, there is more to content than words.
Today we are going to explore the importance of visual content, as the two go hand in hand. Pairing relevant images with your content, increases your site’s visitors, links, repeat traffic and more.
Let’s look at the facts concerning aesthetics marketing and visual branding:
- Content with images receive 94% more views.
- Images break up the monotony of text and engage the reader to stay on the page for a lengthier visit.
- Images can help you develop your brand.
- Infographics (a popular type of image) can help you explain more technical or difficult concepts to your reader with the use of charts, statistics and diagrams.
- Providing images with your content, makes them share worthy on social media venues.
- 60% of consumers are more likely to purchase from your business if your images appear in Google (or other search engines) search image results.
- Images express your ideas more quickly; relevant in our fast paced world of wanting immediate gratification.
- Images, if properly optimized, provide additional sources of traffic to your blog or website.
According to InBoundWriter, if you utilize images that evoke emotion with your readers, in addition to being relevant to the content you have provided, you will receive more engagement and comments from your readers. This is a coveted result that bloggers are hoping to achieve.
Be Creative:
As much as providing your readers with creative content is relevant to obtaining site visitors and conversions, so is the creativeness of the images you provide to correlate with the content. Don’t be afraid to have fun, be humorous and create thought provoking visuals. These are the types of images that will cause your reader to take pause and reflect on what they are reading.
If you are an eCommerce site, avoid using simple stock images to demonstrate the products you’re selling. Take the time to display the products in a way that will be visually appealing to your readers, while engaging them to read on. Create images that will pause your audience for a moment and intrigue them, like the image on the right.
Be Cautious:
Be aware that many images are licensed and are not able to be used freely. Getty images, are a perfect example of this. To ensure you are not fined a hefty 10,000$ for the improper use of images that are not yours, utilize these tips for fair use:
- Search for photos with Creative Commons license.
- Link back to the source and list the photographers name as photo credit.
- Purchase a subscription to a stock photo site.
- Use Wikimedia Commons images, as they are copyright free and in a public domain.
- Assume that all images are copyrighted unless you are able to find the Creative Commons license stating otherwise.
- Snap your own photos.
- If someone sends you a disclaimer on an image, immediately remove that image from your site. This may not absolve you of the offense but shows your willingness to cooperate and may assist in avoiding being sued or fined.
If you have any questions about it, answer them or don’t use the image. Don’t let this detour you from providing images with your content. Remember content with images receive 94% more views. That statistic alone is the reason incorporating a visual marketing plan to correlate with your content marketing is important for seeing your business thrive.