Since the inception of the digital sector, or even before that, when businesses confined their marketing efforts solely to word-of-mouth and disseminating pamphlets in morning papers, only one strategy remains distinguished – an exceptional customer experience. Now, with the continuous advancements in the marketing landscape, such as a massive increase in the use of social media, ‘visuals over textual content’ has emerged as a promising strategy.
Recent statistics demonstrate that 84% of communication takes on a visual form in 2023. This inclination has led to a broader concept of marketing, i.e., visual marketing to improve customer experience. Visual marketing is an approach that entails the usage of photos, videos, presentations, infographics, and other elements to promote a message or product. It isn’t only about selling products or services but also about selling experiences.
Today, pictures and other visual assets are gaining significance since they leave instant impressions and stay with viewers longer. And this relevance becomes even more magnified in the context of digital marketing since visual content has experienced an astounding surge recently. One study quoted that approximately 60% of marketers claimed that visual content is crucial to their marketing plan. Another research stated that nearly 70% of businesses spend on content marketing, which may encompass visual marketing tactics. What’s more? The growing significance of social media channels such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Pinterest attests to this claim.
If you’re also willing to implement visual marketing tactics to boost brand awareness, read ahead:
Table of Contents
1. Use Quality Images
When it comes to boosting brand awareness, tapping into the potential of quality images remains unmatched. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, high-quality images instill a sense of credibility and inspiration in customers in no time. Not only this, but pictures also harmonize with the brand’s storyline, adding more depth and thereby making your narrative more relatable.
So, choose stock photos & images aligning with your brand’s identity. Whether it’s the depiction of products, brand values, or customer experiences, these images should elicit emotions and ensure authenticity. By incorporating these photos correctly, you can communicate a message that deeply resonates with your target audience.
The strong synergy of visual assets and brand essence can make your business appear more genuine.
2. Enhance Engagement with Videos
If pictures are worth a thousand words, then perhaps videos are worth millions. According to statistics, people watch 5 billion videos every day on YouTube. Also, 73% of individuals share that they use short videos as their primary source to learn about a product or service. In addition, 88% of individuals agree that a brand’s video compels them to purchase a product or service.
But what do these statistics signify? They essentially show that video marketing is an open field containing tremendous potential. With the emergence of Instagram reels and the rising popularity of TikTok, today, video marketing has surpassed other forms of visual marketing. Not only this, but the launch of full-screen short videos on YouTube and Facebook has further amplified this trend.
So, begin creating new multimedia visuals to capitalize on this trend. Since videos are an excellent way to give a voice to your brand, you can create short videos to make your content digestible and shareable. But if you wish to add depth, you can always opt for a long-form video format.
3. Capture Attention with User-Generated Content
User-generated content, or UGC, is the most crucial component of a visual marketing strategy. In essence, it is the content created willingly by the customers themselves. It may encompass captivating and engaging visuals such as pictures and videos in tandem with comments and testimonials.
User-generated content helps propel brand awareness to a whole new level. Not only this, but it also boosts brand loyalty and establishes a sense of trust. When users share their authentic experiences through visuals, it builds credibility and helps draw in more potential customers.
So, amp up your visual marketing game by asking your loyal customer base to post their experience on social media along with particular hashtags. Additionally, you can repost these experiences on your official social media channels to humanize your brand and increase brand awareness.
4. Craft a Narrative with a Solid Brand Story
More often than not, customers wish to know that their values align with the business they choose to support. So, show your intended audience that you share the same values by creating a compelling and coherent brand story.
Coming up with a captivating story allows people to relate to your brand and feel valued. Additionally, it also helps build an emotional connection and establish deeper engagement. Not only this, but a captivating narrative also gives your brand a precise and distinct voice. And this, in turn, helps target your intended audience more precisely.
Begin determining the core values, history, and vision to describe your brand’s identity. Use visually appealing elements such as infographics, images, and presentations to evoke emotions. Also, use colors that sit well with your brand and portray the sentiments you wish to express.
5. Experiment with Various Social Media Platforms
Imparting knowledge, sharing secret hacks, or offering exclusive insights through engaging social media posts assists in fostering a solid relationship with your customers.
Besides the obvious benefit of increasing brand awareness, sharing tips and tricks through posts motivates customers to share this wisdom with their network. However, be cautious of the social media channels you use. Not every platform yields the same result. For instance, TikTok is a video-centric platform containing a different audience than Facebook. Thus, uploading the same visual content on both channels might adversely affect engagement.
So, in your efforts to maintain the whole social media ecosystem, don’t overlook the significance of creating unique content for each platform.
Conclusion
Devising marketing campaigns that resonate with your existing and prospective customer base is no cakewalk. It requires an analysis of research-oriented data and leveraging prevailing market trends. Couple that with substantial effort in crafting and testing content, and you have a successful visual marketing strategy. A visual marketing strategy that aligns well with your brand’s identity and style and, naturally, your intended audience plays a pivotal role in the overall marketing plan. It helps boost brand awareness, strengthen the bottom line, and distinguish your business from competitors. Not only this, but it also complements most, if not all, marketing strategies such as content marketing, lead generation, and SEO.