Want Your Posts to Stand Out? You Need Images.

Chris Naff - May 19, 2014

Content is king, everybody knows that. Therefore, marketers produce a large amount of content. And who could blame them? Search engines place a high importance on content, and perhaps more importantly, people love to consume it. So how then, can you make sure your content is noticed when everyone else is producing as much, if not more, content at the same time?

Not only must you be in the right channel for your target audience, the content you’re using to tell your story must stand out. A great way to ensure this is through the use of images.

Just look at the difference in interaction between these two LinkedIn posts – one with an image and one without.

With:

Without:

Both posts had approximately the same number of views, but the first one received likes and clicks, while the second was simply passed over.

Why Images?

Images are naturally more eye-catching than plain text. As a result, social media channels have adapted over time to make images appear in ways that audiences will like. Facebook and Twitter, though not purely image-based platforms, have made concerted efforts to have more images display in their news feeds. Image-based giants Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr comprise part of what is referred to as the “visual web,” and are growing at a rapid pace.

But don’t take our word for it. The research bears this out:

• According to a HubSpot survey, images shared on Facebook generate 53% more likes than the average post
  • 44% of respondents said they are more likely to connect with brands if they post pictures than any other media
• A poll from the Pew Research Center’s Internet Project found that 47% of all Internet users share photos and videos they found online.

What Types of Images Should Your Brand Share?

We recommend selecting images that characterize your brand, and enhance your messaging by telling a story. The possibilities are endless. Here are some examples:

• A behind-the-scenes look at your company’s operations
• Customer spotlights
• Showing a product being made
• Visual tips or quotes
• Diagrams
• Pictures that showcase your team

Need a little help?

Check out this post about some easy image creation tools available for free online. Or, get more ideas by following MoreVisibility on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.