o put it bluntly, and simply, your customers, and well, people in general want to interact with you via social media. Ok there are some who would rather phone you up too, but the overwhelming majority of individuals use their phones and tables to interact with businesses. It's the way of the world. So, in a nutshell, you need a brand presence on the mobile and web platforms people are spending hours of their day browsing. It's a no-brainer, and I think most people realise this, and it perhaps is partly why you are here reading this now.
Let's look at the stats
There are some crazy stats out there to support the use of visual marketing and inbound marketing over a traditional outbound copy based approach. It makes sense though, to start at the beginning. How has our daily lives really changed with regard to media access and consumption? Here are just a few stats to give you a bit of food for thought, fully cited for your perusal: (By the way, I will be doing a future post on 'Inbound marketing' very soon so keep your eyes peeled).
Mobile Vs Desktop traffic is around 50/50...
...and has been since 2017. This is an interesting stat taken from Statista. It's important not to attach too much significance to any statistic, but at the same time it is difficult to ignore the big treads of our time. We are consuming vast amounts of content via our mobile phones (or cell phones to my American friends). It's just how people access content today, and you had better address this if you are looking to get peoples attention...and keep it.
1. People LOVE mobile
Mobile traffic accounts for half of all internet traffic. So, if you don't format your content for the mobile audience, you will be degrading their experience when they interact with your brand and its content.
2. People LOVE video
Look at this snapshot from a recent report into video marketing from wyzowl.com. You can check out the full report here.
3. People communicate VISUALLY
This has always been the case but has never been more significant or profound. We are exposed to so much more visual stimulus now than ever before...Thank the internet and an evolving commerce based society for that.
Check out this extract taken from an abstract of a recent report into Data Visualization and Infographics In Visual Communication Design Education at The Age of Information:
"Scientific and technologic developments in the last century facilitate people’s lives while also causing them to face more information. Information design has become much more important as a result of the chaos created by the unprocessed heap of data and information traffic. Therefore, people need designed information like infographics and data visualisation today."…to help them digest, understand and retain the vast amounts of data and information that is hurled at them on a daily basis (I added this last bit, but you get the point).
The extract is really interesting and basically just highlights the importance visual communication and stimulus are playing in our society and the profound impact this has on our day to day lives. Read the full report here.
The numbers do not lie
Think about how marketing has evolved over the last 10-15 years. It's become a much more visually driven, people-focussed representation of brand values and philosophies. Rather than the copy-driven, salesy salesman/woman product and service focussed approach from the early days. The most interesting and notable shift in the marketing 'essence' is the shift from products and services to people and their stories. Who have problems and desires that need solving and fulfilling. We (the people) have become use to this marketing, and we expect it.
Traditional marketing talks at people. Visual content marketing talks with them. - Doug Kessler, Creative Director, Co-Founder, Velocity Partners
The point I am trying to make here, is that your marketing material...or nowadays we say 'content' needs to be visually enticing. It is what people expect, and it is how people will ultimately engage with you. Visually.
Have a think about your visuals and use my blog post from last week that offers some simple and super cost-effective ideas for improving your overall visual content marketing approach. As ever, if you have any questions....just shout 📢
