We undoubtedly exist in an age of visual culture. It has become second nature for most of us to take pictures at the drop of a hat wherever we are. Many well known figures such as celebrity chef Jamie Oliver have embraced the power of photographs and images to market their brand identity. Oliver has in excess of 412,000 Instagram followers, which shows that by consistently flooding your online profiles with images, you can utilise the immense power of advertising and successfully engage your viewers and website visitors.
The power of the internet has led to the daily action of sharing via updates and pictures. The fact that you can take a great shot and instantly upload it to your social media pages and websites encourages constant utilisation of the method. There are currently over 2.5 billion camera phones in use worldwide and we are entrenched in a dynamic new era involving image creation and content.
Recent studies reveal that 10% of photographs taken by humankind took place in the last 12 months. Photos are evolving into the universal language and sites such as Facebook, Tumblr and Instagram are the names on everyone’s lips as they have completely embraced the visual medium. If you have an online store or business website you can benefit your company substantially by regularly sharing images online.
Articles that contain images attract 94% more total views than those without. The inclusion of a photo and a video in a press release can increase your views by over 45% and consumer research shows that potential customers are more likely to make contact with a business or consider purchase when local search results produce a visual image.
67% of online consumers claim that the quality of visual content is important when selecting a product for purchase. With regard to an online store, research highlights that customers think the quality of a product’s image is of greater importance than the specific product information, long descriptions and reviews and ratings.
By harnessing the power of visual content, you can communicate with your customers and site visitors on an intimate level and create a sense of familiarity that inspires people to trust in your business. You can use images to relate to your visitors, advertise products, launch new ideas and instantaneously engage with everyone that views your professional website.