Content Marketing 101: Getting the Most Out of Visual Content

The old saying tells us that a picture is worth a thousand words—but when it comes to the visual content you deploy on Facebook, Google+, and other social networks, that’s not strictly true. A picture is really worth whatever you put into it. The more effort and strategy you pour into your pictures and infographics, the better return you’re likely to see.

Certainly, all content marketers should be using visual content in their strategies. Study after study confirms that users respond to visual content, that images posted to social networks tend to generate a lot of shares—often more than standalone text updates. This is not particularly surprising: As users quickly scroll through social newsfeeds from their tablets and mobile devices, it makes sense that their attention would gravitate toward colorful, compelling images.

There’s a world of difference between just posting an image and truly optimizing it—getting as much out of it as you possibly can. The Grammar Chic, Inc. team recommends that you keep in mind the following five pointers as you seek to refine your social image strategy.

1. Rod Stewart famously sang that “every picture tells a story,” but you shouldn’t necessarily make your images tell the entire story; instead, offer some brief text to illuminate the image. Offer a humorous caption, or simply a call to action. You don’t want to write more than a line or two, but text can help provide an image with some content and direction.
2. Specifically, include a hashtag or two, to ensure that your image is searchable. Tie your images to current trends in the same way you would an all-text update or a hyperlink.
3. Speaking of links, why not include a quick link to your website or blog in the images you post? If you post a really compelling image, people may share it—and your link will be shared right along with it. Images are excellent vehicles for generating website traffic.
4. Because images tend to get a fair amount of engagement, experiment with some paid promotions—especially on Facebook. Invest just a little money into a few images and see which ones generate the biggest buzz.
5. Finally: If you’re not adept at creating your own unique images and infographics, well, the good news is that you don’t have to. Remember that content curating is an important part of the content marketing process.

Ultimately, some well-placed, well-contextualized, and properly promoted images can transform your content marketing campaign. To learn more, contact the Grammar Chic, Inc. team today: Visit http://www.grammarchic.net, or call 803-831-7444.