Whether you’re a new content creator or a seasoned pro, choosing the perfect image to pair with your content can be a challenge. Once you’ve gone to the trouble of writing great website copy or an informative whitepaper, the last thing you want is for it to be ignored and fail to capture users’ attention.
Do branded images really matter?
Images really do matter. Articles with images get 94% more views than those without, and Facebook engagement is over 30% higher when a post includes an image rather than text alone. Furthermore, people remember only 1/10th of information they take in in text format 3 days later; adding a picture brings recall up to 65%. Choosing the right images to accompany your online presence can mean more visitors, better engagement, and higher retention and conversion rates long-term. Here are our tips for choosing images to represent your brand online.
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Determining your voice can help you choose images for your brand
The first step in selecting photos that are in alignment with your brand is to make sure you have your brand persona nailed down. Start with your target customer – who are they, where do they hang out online, and what are their pain points? For more details on how to identify and target your ideal client, read our previous post here. Once you recognize who you’re trying to reach and what they need to hear, you can perfect your brand’s voice. Do you provide a sense of security and comfort? Luxury? Fun? Regardless, you need to write and choose imagery that fits that mood. Consistency is key, which brings us to our second tip.
2. Try using image series or images from the same photographer
Many marketers struggle with achieving a sense of continuity across different areas of their website, blog, and social channels. If you come off fun and artistic on Facebook, serious and professional on the blog section of your website, and luxe and mysterious on your product offerings page, consumers are going to get confused. Mixed messages are the opposite of what you want. To achieve consistency, using images from the same series or photographer can easily transform your site and socials to share one cohesive look. Many photo sources have the ability to look at a photo series, see all of a photographer’s work, or even just find similar photos. If your image source doesn’t provide these options, it might be time to think about a new provider.
3. Choose pictures that build your narrative
Once again, you need to think about your brand story. What would your customers be experiencing in their ideal world? If it’s peace of mind, you can choose photos of a family relaxing in a comfortable, well-appointed home. If it’s adventure, you can choose an outdoorsy mix of exotic locations. Your narrative should focus on what you can help your clients achieve and enjoy, and your images should be in alignment with this.
Do you struggle to choose images to accompany your content? What other questions do you have?
