How many times have you pondered over which images to use in a paragraph, blog post, web page, etc.? It is difficult choosing visuals for content. Yet it’s important, as research shows that images attract more people to the content and help people retain ideas from the content they consume longer. According to recent research, 41% of bloggers use two to three images in their articles, while nearly 22% use five or more. That means bloggers view visuals as important for their posts.
1. Data-driven visuals
To be a well-known leader in your industry, create data-driven content. Designed as charts or graphs, this content can make it easier for your audience to comprehend your message than with text only. People love sharing new data and well-researched information that looks awesome in a visual.
2. Quotes
Influencer marketing is a great strategy for extending your content marketing reach in a valuable way. Creating an image with the influencer and his or her quote, you create a memorable image. You can incorporate quote visuals from living influencers, particularly within your industry, as that increases the chance the influencer responds to your content (and shares with his or her audiences).
3. Infographics
An infographic that is aesthetically pleasing with relevant data – which also happens to be user-friendly – will undoubtedly increase awareness of your brand. It also offers the potential for several platforms beyond your blog. Infographics can be shared on Pinterest and uploaded to SlideShare. If the infographic has multiple components, crop parts to create snackable visual content for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. The crux of an infographic is not the design, but the research itself. You need to invest time and energy to get the data and create a useful wireframe to behave like a visual story.
4. Gifographics
Gifographics are infographics on steroids. Think of them as animated infographics. GIF stands for Graphics Interchange Format, originally a file type for both animated and static images that work well on the web. Buffer conducted a study that concluded that posts with featured animated graphics get more social media shares than the ones with no animated visuals. But what about gifographics? They combine the power of an infographic in a format more likely to be shared by the audience.
5. Videos
The importance of videos in content marketing has been discussed a lot. Well, video is still a big thing. Just look at the biggest social media platforms and you will see why. Videos are extremely effective for your visual content on blogs. You do not have to create a ton of videos for a blog post. You just have to be creative about the type of content your community loves to consume. Look for opportunities to use video you already have (or create a video of upcoming activities) to expand video’s role in your content.
6. Screenshots
Screenshots may be the easiest way to create visuals for your blog posts. You can create screenshots using one of the many tools available, including Skitch from Evernote or Snagit from TechSmith. You also can elaborate on the screenshot by inserting arrows, explanatory text, or basic shapes to better convey your message.