These days, everyone has a website, but did you know that content with images is 90% more likely to be seen than pages without? With so much web content out there, it’s understandable that some 80% of sites are merely skimmed, but it’s often difficult to determine how to achieve that top 20%. What can you do to engage readers and ensure they stay on your site for that little bit longer?
Visual content is essential when it comes to creating a successful user experience, so it’s important to make your website attractive and easy to navigate. It would be very easy to assume that illustrating your online presence is as simple as throwing in a few images, uploading a video or two, and using some graphs to demonstrate the point you’re making, but the fact is this; visual content must be as carefully considered as the words you write, and fit in with your website’s brand – and very essence.
The line between engaging visual content and overbearing mishmash is a fine one to tread, but with a little research and some careful planning it is possible to walk that wire; you simply need to know how. So, you want to stand out from the crowd and attract visitors to your website? Read on for some top tips:
Think about your Brand:
When it comes to creating visual content for your website, the first thing you must do is carefully consider your brand’s image, and the types of graphic you’d like to use. Not all images will suit every website, so it’s important not to use visual content for the sake of creating more content. Would a graph better demonstrate the facts and figures you’re using? Is an instructional video the best way to show a customer how your product works?
Social media posts with videos attached are often three times more likely to be accessed than those without, but only use moving images if they are relevant to your brand. The colors and images that you have selected to use on your website must flow together for an attractive user experience, but clogging your news feeds with pictures will actually turn visitors away.
Other forms of visual content that you may wish to consider include screencasts and screenshots, whiteboard videos, cartoons, infographics, instructographics, and memes. Think about what your company represents, and the types of visual content that will best complement your product or service.
Creating Visual Content:
The next thing you need to know is how to create visual content – where should your images and videos come from? Creating your own images will, perhaps, be the first port of call, particularly if you’re looking to demonstrate a product’s uses, or show a customer around your company.
Be sure to consult with a photographic professional, even if you don’t end up using their services, as the angles, lighting, and equipment you use will be integral to taking the perfect shot. Sometimes it may be necessary to use stock photos; perhaps you’re hoping to entice customers with shots of a distant location, need images of stock objects to illustrate a point, or would like to improve the attractiveness of your site with photographs that relate to your company.
Accessing a stock images site such as Dreamstime will provide you with a database of thousands of photographs from which to choose, enabling you to jazz your website up whenever you need to refresh its visual content. What’s more, the stock photos by Dreamstime are reasonably priced and cover a range of topics – updating your website need not cost the earth, or take up too much of your time.
Finally, consider sharing social media content or memes; they’re incredibly popular, effortlessly engaging, and could instantly increase the number of hits your website is getting. If you see social media content that is both relevant and within the values of your target audience be sure to share it, as shares can lead to unique website hits.
Consider the Tools you need to Create Visual Content:
Once you’ve ascertained the types of visual content that are going to get you noticed, and have researched a few of the places that images and videos are available from, it’s time to think about the tools that are going to get you the desired results. We’re talking, of course, about online graphic design platforms and web creation programs that will allow you to create the images you need. Sites such as Canva, VideoScribe, and Greenshot all have their advantages and disadvantages depending on your requirements, but will, essentially, enable you to make your website more engaging and easier to navigate.
Now is the time to think, not only about your visual content but also how it will sit with the rest of your website’s information. Using the skills of a web designer or digital design platform will greatly enhance your abilities to create something of which you’re truly proud.
Conclusion:
We are, by our very nature, visual beings. Indeed, 90% of the information that our brains process is visual, making it incredibly important for anyone attempting to relay a message to use as many graphic prompts as they can. As an IT professional or business owner, you may be wondering how to attract more customers, or engage with your clients and partners on a more successful level. Visual aids, such as pictures, graphs and videos are the very best way to get ahead in the game, making sure your message is seen by as many people as possible and processed in a way that will help it stay fresh in their minds for longer.
