Visual memory is encoded in the brain in the same place emotions are processed. Visual assets are a way around this hurdle, as they help you break up text-heavy content so it’s more digestible, engaging, and scannable. Early research shows that web page visitors likely only read 20% of the words on the page, a finding that still holds up to this day. Nielsen Norman Group, a user-behavior research firm, has conducted eye-tracking studies since the dawn of the internet. Done right, it can help you win audience attention, hold it, and establish deeper emotional connections. This gives visual content the cognitive advantage. Our eyes hold roughly 70% of the body’s sensory receptors, which means the brain processes, interprets, and “feels” visual content faster and with more strength than content that does not appeal to our sense of sight, like text. And go figure, there’s actually some science behind all this success: Furthermore, this group indicated that the number one area they see an impact with their visual content is in their audiences’ positive perception of products and services. Nearly all respondents (98%) say quality visual design in marketing content enables stronger relationships with audiences. In our 2020 Widen Connectivity Report we surveyed or interviewed over 300 marketing and creative professionals. Not surprisingly, we aren’t the only organization that sees the benefits of visual content. We know that the right visual content marketing efforts work because we see it in the content analytics. But why? What is it about visual content that has this powerful effect? And once you have this attention, it helps you appeal to your audiences’ senses and establish authentic, lasting connections that keep them coming back and advocating for your business. It helps you attract and keep the attention of your audiences. Visual content marketing helps you break through the noise at any stage in the customer journey. And audiences don’t know where to focus their attention, spend, and loyalty. New competitors are constantly surfacing. Throughout the marketing lifecycle - as your audience moves from prospect to customer to advocate - visual content plays an increasingly important role. Why is visual content marketing important? This graphic illustrates how they work together and how some deliverables can be both! Visual assets and visual content both play a big part in your marketing. However, the point is that both your visual assets and visual content are the building blocks that enable visual content marketing and power your efforts. And you guessed it, visual content is also a visual asset. Visual content does not mean the content is 100% visual in nature - there’s often text it’s supporting. Visual content is a visual asset or a combination of visual assets that are leveraged to create visually-driven or visually-supported materials or resources, such as infographics, a product brochure, or even a slide presentation.A brand logo is a visual asset, but technically it’s not considered “visual content” unless it’s utilized in a way that adds value for your audience. But, it can also hold its own as relevant, informative visual content. For example, a video is a stand-alone asset.
In their own right, many of these individual assets are visual content.
It uses sight, or even motion, in a way that supercharges a marketing message with more meaning and impact. Visual content marketing goes beyond the mere presence of a photo, design element, or other visual asset.
Visual content marketing is a strategic marketing approach that uses visual assets to engage, inform, or influence a specific action or reaction from an audience.