Of course you use images as a part of your online marketing strategy. Everyone does! Now more than ever, images are the deciding factors that determine whether or not your online audience will engage with a social media post, read a blog post, or even browse a website – and everyone knows it.
What everyone doesn’t know, however, is how to choose just the right images to suit each marketing need, or even where to use images to best effect. Increasingly, the focus in digital marketing is measurable ROI, and the numbers truly do tell the story when it comes to image use.
Blog Posts and Articles
According to research done by Skyword, blog posts and articles containing images received, on average, 94% more views than those without images. 94%! That’s pretty convincing evidence for the necessity of including images in your blog.
But which types of images are best at encouraging viewers to read a post? Relevance is vital, of course – if the photo doesn’t fit the topic well, then all you’ll do is get people to click – and then leave the page almost instantly in confusion. But in addition to relevance, the images you choose must be attention-grabbing. Eyes used to scanning quickly need to come to a screeching halt when they see your image.
What is attention-grabbing is different for each industry and each audience, but as a general rule, high-quality pictures featuring unusual angles, close-ups, rich color, or emotional appeal do best. Remember – the presence of any image at all instantly boosts the probability of people reading your post by 94%. How many more people will read it if the image really pops?
Local Search
How does your business show up in local search results? If your listing just displays your logo, or worse, no image at all, then you’re missing out. 60% of those searching for a local business report that seeing an image of the business or its products in the local search results makes them not only more likely to visit that website, but more likely to consider doing business with that company, as well.
What to use as your local search image? Keep it real. Include a photo of your storefront, your employees doing their thing, or a product display. That small sneak peek into your business is all most consumers need to decide to visit your site over someone else’s.
E-Commerce
A study done by the National Retail Federation showed that online shoppers valued product images over product information, long written descriptions, and even over ratings and reviews! A full 67% of consumers stated that the quality of a company’s product images was the most important factor in their decision-making process.
This statistic makes it clear that the higher quality your images, the more products you will sell. But quality doesn’t just mean clear, crisp, high resolution images – though that is a vital part of the equation. It also means beautiful presentation and staging of your products in each photo. Make them look good, and sales will skyrocket.
Social Media
The numbers show unequivocally that social media posts including images garner the most audience engagement – no big news there. The bigger question is what type of images work best, and on which platforms?
Facebook and Twitter demand quality images that catch the eye and instantly convey a marketing message – while at the same time making consumers want to share them. How can this be accomplished? Through emotions. If an image is touching, funny, intriguing, or attractive, people will want to share it with their friends. Think about what prompts you to share an image with your own circle of friends and family, and go from there.
Don’t forget purely visual platforms such as Pinterest and Instagram, either.
These social media sites are specifically geared towards certain unique kinds of images, so be sure to match your own to each site’s target audience. Lush, gorgeous shots on Pinterest, and quick, fun snapshots on Instagram will get you engagement and, ideally, conversions.
The numbers don’t lie. Images work. The tricky thing is choosing the right image for each channel of online marketing. By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to harnessing the power of images in your own online marketing strategy.
Got questions? Need help with your company’s digital marketing strategy? Contact Zen Media today!
