Tired of plain text? Wondering how to add some pizzazz to your updates? Web content does not need to be boring! As seen from Pinterest and Instagram’s skyrocketing numbers, the online world is madly in love with visual content. Here are six creative ways to spice up your web content using visuals.
1) Infographics
Any uni student can tell you, understanding large sets of data can be a challenge at best. Make your information easy to follow by breaking complicated pieces down into chunks. Charts, graphs and fun visuals make your data informative and engaging. Better yet? Infographics are highly shareable, and when done well can be a powerful tool for brand exposure.
2) Quality Photos
Nothing beats authenticity and originality in web content. If you’re worried a professional photographer might break the bank, consider stock photos to spruce up your content. If the plain-as-text content in question is your product line, then getting some creative visuals in there is an absolute must.
According to Hubspot, 21% of Pinterest users have gone on to make a purchase after viewing a product. Strong images will help put those products right into your customers’ shopping carts.
3) Not-so-Quality Photos
Everyone with a smartphone is an amateur photographer these days. Snap and share shots from candid moments and behind-the-scenes peeks. No, your website homepage is probably not the ideal spot for an Instagram photo of the staff lunch meeting, but for Facebook and Twitter, it could be! Using mobile photos adds a layer of personalisation to your company, making you and your staff seem more real. People like to buy from those they know, like, and trust, so consider web content that includes casual snapshots as a way of personally introducing your brand to the world.
4) Creative Headers
For little extras around your website, a little custom design work can go a long way. Consider creating custom banners and buttons so they’re branded to match your colours and style. Instead of text headers, break up large pieces of text with fun, branded images. That added touch helps establish credibility and brand recognition. Being consistent with these little design elements will ensure that the moment a customer sees your content online, they will recognise it as part of your brand.
5) Doodles & Illustrations
Embrace your inner child and sketch your ideas! Sometimes stock photos just can’t get your message across. More and more, I’ve been seeing doodles, sketches, and illustrations online as people are trying to create light-hearted visual content. These can be used for really complicated flow charts without the help of a professional design team, or just as simple, personalised additions to a blog post.
6) User Content
Don’t think for every piece of content you upload that you have to completely reinvent the wheel. Showcase previous visual work you’ve done as examples, letting some of the glory fall back to your clients. Many brands are turning to user-generated visual content, encouraging Facebook fans and the like to create branded images using company templates or submitting photos for contests. Research shows that images are much more memorable than plain text. On Facebook, Edgerank studies have repeatedly shown that posts with photos are much more likely to rank well in Newsfeed. So what are you waiting for! Be silly, be fun. Give your brand a face online by getting creative with your visual content. What are your favourite forms of visual content? Share in the comments below.
