As we all know, social media is a huge part of many people's lives today. In fact, studies have shown that over half of the world's population is now active on social media platforms. This means that if you're not using social media to connect with your target audience, you're missing out on a massive opportunity.
One of the best ways to connect with your target audience on social media is through visual content marketing. When done right, visual content marketing can help you boost engagement, build brand awareness, and even drive sales.
In this article, we'll take a look at why visual content marketing is so effective and how you can use it to boost engagement in Canada.
What is Visual Content Marketing?
Visual content marketing is the process of using visuals, such as images and videos, to promote your brand or product. This type of content is incredibly effective at grabbing attention and making an impact.
People are more likely to remember visual information than they are textual information. In fact, studies have shown that people are 60% more likely to recall information if it is presented to them visually.
Not only that but visuals are also processed 60,000 times faster than text. This means that your audience is more likely to engage with visual content than they are with text-based content.
Why Utilize Visual Content for Marketing?
There are a number of reasons why you should be using visual content for marketing. Here are just a few:
- People are more likely to engage with visual content.
- Visuals are processed faster than text, so your audience will remember your message more effectively.
- Visual content is more shareable than text-based content, so it can help you reach a wider audience.
- Visual content can help you build trust and credibility with your audience.
- Visual content can be used to promote any type of product or service.
Impacts and Benefits of Visual Content to Marketing Strategies in Canada
A recent study by Content Marketing Institute showed that 59% of Canadian marketers are using visual content in their marketing strategies. This is up from 55% the year before.
The study also found that those who use visual content are more likely to see positive results from their efforts. In fact, 70% of Canadian marketers who use visual content said it has helped them increase engagement with their target audience.
So, what are some of the specific benefits that you can expect from utilizing visual content in your marketing strategy? Let's take a look:
Helps You Reach Your Target Audience
One of the biggest benefits of visual content marketing is that it helps you reach your target audience. People are more likely to engage with and share visual content than they are with text-based content. This means that your visual content has the potential to reach a much wider audience than your traditional marketing materials.
Increases Engagement
As we mentioned earlier, visual content is more likely to be shared and remembered than text-based content. This means that it can help you increase engagement with your target audience.
Helps You Build Trust and Credibility
Visual content can also help you build trust and credibility with your audience. People are more likely to believe what they see than what they read. This means that if you want to build trust with your audience, visual content is an excellent way to do it.
Drives Sales
Another benefit of visual content marketing is that it can help you drive sales. People are more likely to purchase a product or service if they can see it in action. This means that if you're selling a product or service, visual content can be an excellent way to promote it.
Helps You Stand Out from the Competition
Finally, visual content can help you stand out from the competition. With so many businesses using text-based content, visuals can help you make your brand and your products more visible.
Statistics of Visual Content Marketing in Canada
Before we dive into how visual content marketing can help boost engagement in Canada, let's take a look at some statistics to see how effective it can be.
According to HubSpot, posts with images get 2.3 times more engagement than posts without images.
In fact, tweets with images receive 150% more retweets than tweets without images.
And Facebook posts with images receive 23% more engagement than Facebook posts without images.
These statistics show just how important visuals are when it comes to social media engagement. If you're not using visuals in your social media marketing, you're missing out on a huge opportunity.
Steps in Performing an Excellent Visual Content Marketing Strategy
Here are five simple steps on how to start a content marketing strategy for your business:
1. Plan Your Visual Content
The first step to creating successful visual content is to plan it out. You need to decide what kind of visuals you want to use and what message you want to communicate with them.
Trying to come up with visuals on the fly is a recipe for disaster. Planning ahead will help you create better visuals that are more likely to engage your audience.
2. Create High-Quality Visuals
Once you've planned out your visual content, it's time to start creating it. Make sure that you're taking the time to create high-quality visuals that accurately represent your brand.
3. Use Visuals Across All Channels
Don't just limit yourself to using visuals on social media. You can also use them on your website, in your email marketing, and even in traditional advertising.
4. Promote Your Visuals
Once you've created your visuals, it's time to promote them. Share them on social media, send them out in emails, and do whatever else you can to get them in front of your target audience.
5. Analyze and Adjust
Last but not least, make sure that you're analyzing the performance of your visual content. See what's working and what's not and adjust your strategy accordingly.
By following these steps, you'll be well on your way to creating a successful visual content marketing strategy.
Boost Engagement With This Content Marketing Checklist
Now that we've looked at some statistics, let's take a look at how visual content marketing can help you boost engagement in Canada with these tips:
1. Use high-quality images
Whenever you're sharing an image on social media, make sure that it is of high quality. This means that it should be clear and easy to see. Avoid using blurry or low-quality images, as they will only turn people off from your brand.
2. Use interesting visuals
In order to really grab people's attention, you need to use interesting visuals. This could mean using creative visuals, such as infographics or videos, or simply using beautiful photos. Whatever you do, make sure that your visuals are eye-catching and memorable.
3. Use visuals that are relevant to your brand
It's important to use visuals that are relevant to your brand. This means using images that represent your brand identity and values. By using relevant visuals, you'll be able to build a stronger connection with your target audience.
For example, if you're a clothing company, you might want to use images of models wearing your clothes. If you're a food company, you might want to use images of your food.
4. Use visuals that are relevant to your target audience
In addition to using visuals that are relevant to your brand, you also need to use visuals that are relevant to your target audience. This means using images and videos that will appeal to the people you are trying to reach.
For example, if you're targeting young adults, you might want to use images that are youthful and energetic.
5. Use call-to-action visuals
Whenever you share a visual on social media, make sure to include a call-to-action. This could be a button that says “Buy now,” or it could simply be a link to your website.
By including a call-to-action, you'll be more likely to convert leads you're trying to reach. For example, if you're targeting parents, you might want to use images of families or children with a call-to-action that says “Visit our website to learn more.”
6. Combine visuals with text
Don't just rely on visuals to get your message across. Instead, try to combine them with text. For example, you might want to include a caption with your images or create a video that includes text.
By combining visuals with text, you'll be able to better communicate your message and boost engagement.
You can also add an image to your content in the blog section if you have one. This helps create more quality content on your site. For best practices and results, combine visuals with other content types in creating an all-out content marketing campaign for your product or service.
7. Use visual content marketing tools
There are a number of visual content marketing tools that can help you boost engagement. These tools can help you create high-quality visuals, find relevant visuals, and promote your visuals.
Some of the most popular visual content marketing tools include Canva, Pablo by Buffer, and Adobe Creative Cloud.
Takeaway
By going through this guide, you should have a good understanding of what visual content marketing is and how it can help you boost engagement. If you're looking to boost engagement with your brand, start by creating some high-quality visuals and promoting them with the help of visual content marketing tools.
Visual content marketing is a great way to boost engagement. By using high-quality images, interesting visuals, and relevant visuals, you can grab people's attention and get them to interact with your brand.
