Forrester Research estimates that one minute of video equates to approximately 1.8 million written words. A recent study by Demand Gen, found that the use of video content increased by eight percent to 58 percent, while infographic usage increased by nine percent to 52 percent. Visual marketing is a powerful tool for evoking demand among prospects and customers. Who doesn’t want that freshly dipped ice cream cone from the local dairy farm? The new mobile device that is better, faster, and shinier than the one before it? And, the widget that will increase efficiency ten-fold?
In a visual world, the tools and channels at one’s fingertips to evoke this demand are plentiful. And, for companies and causes whose businesses and missions are inherently visual, it’s a marketing dream come true. But what about the B2B company whose products are complex? Or the B2C company whose products are practical and necessary but not necessarily something consumers dream of one day buying? (How) can visual marketing help them to generate ROI?
Infographics
Infographics are a great way for companies to commemorate milestones, simplify complex processes and leverage data to showcase a need for their products and services. The combination of concise copy and compelling visuals makes content easier to digest and, the inherently shareable nature of infographics is also a great way to get your company’s or cause’s content in front of new audiences. Infographics can also be a great asset to share with media when pitching or even for them to post with their online news story.
Custom Imagery
You’ve heard the phrase a picture is worth a thousand words and the saying is especially true for companies who can leverage custom imagery to support their online marketing efforts and, by extension, the sales cycle. Whether you develop a series of custom cartoons that showcase the pain points prospective clients are facing that often lead them to your product or service, or opt for a series of images that leverage company culture to help you sell or develop a series of custom images that break down your product development cycle and clearly communicate the benefits of working with your company, the impact of leveraging custom imagery can be profound.
Videos
Speaking engagements. Engaging tradeshow exhibits. Product demos. Thought-leader Q&A. Behind-the-scenes footage. These are just a small sampling of the different types of videos that can help to enhance your online marketing program. Remember, Forrester Research estimates that one minute of video equates to approximately 1.8 million written words. The videos can help to enhance your email marketing, give your blog posts a multimedia component, diversify your social media content, give the sales team an additional asset to include in their follow-up emails and the list goes on.
User-Generated Content
What better way for prospective clients to understand how your product or service can benefit them than for them to see like-minded folks using it? User-generated content is not only a great third-party validation for your product or service, it can also help to uncover new and innovative uses for your company’s offerings.
For nonprofits, user-generated content can also help to visualize impact and offer new perspectives – client, donor, volunteer, corporate sponsor, grantor, community partner, etc.
Whether you task your constituents with submitting photos or videos, make sure the parameters are clear and, most importantly, make them want to share their insights and experiences with your company/cause/community.
The next time you look at a piece of content and say “That’s a lot of really important information for one document” think about how you can leverage creative visuals to make your content not only more compelling but easier for online audiences to digest.
