You know what they say, a picture speaks a thousand words, and now, it’s official: humans spend a trillion hours on YouTube every day.
To back this up, Cisco estimated that 80% of customer internet traffic would be via video by 2021. However, that’s not the only form of visual communication that consumers are demanding – 90% of buyers prefer visual and interactive content over customary (static and text-based) media. Nothing wrong with that!
But why the sudden enlightenment in the digital world? For this, we would suggest you think of it this way — always expect the unexpected. Visual communication is the art of delivering information to people via images, posters, signs, gestures, and short film advertisements. Indeed, visual communication is the most electrifying way of passing information since the human mind responds better to images. That said, every business must understand the cognitive operations to maintain customers.
Yes, people love to point at pictures, but that doesn’t make them inarticulate.
Today’s audiences long for quality, custom visual content delivered with determination – but they have lost their temperament to respond to one-off pieces the way they did before. Those days when a single infographic could bring in millions of backlinks and views don’t exist anymore. Today, audience expectations have expanded. With that, impeccable brand marketers combine multiple types of visual content into one program to satisfy those expectations.
The primary confusion: Sure, visual communication works wonders for a business, but why is it in more demand than before? Here is why.
PROVIDE STUNNING RETENTION
When it comes to intensifying any content, retention plays a critical role. Here is where visual is primary – impactful graphics are deposited and remain in mind for longer. Based on research, only 20% of participants could recall written and spoken information, while over 50% remembered images and visuals. It is essential to aim at the retention of data when choosing visuals to advertise services and products.
Can anyone ever forget the apple with a bite? Probably not. A lighted Apple logo is now a universal recognition. No need for words. The logo is enough. For the younger ones, a circular logo with green waves parallels Spotify! The brand utilizes monochromatic rendering in its design.
All of these retention-examples are unforgettable. Whenever you see a similar visual, your mind will direct towards these brands. Astonishing, right? Furthermore, it is a magnificent time to create a future in the global digital industry. Every improvement in technology and digital graphics changes the way creative experts work and think. Therefore, opting for a digital media degree would elevate your knowledge of visual communication.
SAVES OUR PRECIOUS ELEMENT – TIME
It doesn’t take much effort to understand a visual signal. However, reading a text can take a while. An image will spread plenty of information within a short time. So next time you think about loading an advertisement with lengthy sentences, think about your consumers with such busy schedules. Will they want to stop by and read a flyer?
SERVES AS A NEW MODEL OF MARKETING
Visuals have entirely altered the way marketers communicate today. 95% of businesses are now using visual communication strategies to spread their services and products in every corner. And, about three-quarters of marketers offer visuals in their social media campaigns.
The focus on visual communication has increased the prevalence of video usage in internet marketing. And to leverage the marketing cost of visual communication, here are five simple steps:
- Commit to a persistent visual style.
- Look for novel and new opportunities to use visuals in the information.
- Express your brand’s message on visual podiums.
- Incorporate a combination of visual marketing elements, such as infographics, videos, images, and others.
- Strive to engage customers with significant stability and superior scaling opportunities
PROVE TO BE AN AMAZING CONTENT MARKETING TOOL
We can’t stress this enough: visual communication encourages easy understanding and spreads more information than words. It uplifts the comprehension of the subject matter. Some types of two-dimensional graphics that aid communication include pie charts, signs, graphic designs, drawings, typography, animation, among several others.
When traveling abroad, let’s suppose that Japan will notice that their signs feature cartoon-type illustrations. As tourists, even if we can’t get the hang of Japanese characters, we will still be able to obey their road rules, put our trash and bus directions.
PERFORM IMMEDIATE PROCESSING OF IMAGES
As said multiple times, people respond more quickly to images than to texts. Humans can understand the sense of a visual scene within a second. Photos and videos tend to have another impactful experience than text-heavy content. Consider your Facebook feed – while you scroll, you tend to adopt a slower pace when images, graphic videos, and GIFs pop up. Hence, the mind processes visuals faster than words.
A picture of a turtle with a straw stuck in its nose blew the internet. The photo spoke for itself. People went crazy over using plastic straws and encouraged business people to eliminate them and search for substitutes. That image had a groundbreaking impact on everyone’s mentality, so they stood up for a change. Stunning visuals can communicate messages efficiently and have an optimistic effect on improving your business. Without excellent visuals or any visuals at all, even the most perfect product features may be misunderstood or lost. Coming up with a groundbreaking image for an advertisement may take some time, but the result will make you proud.
CONNECT WITH CURRENT IDEAS
Visual communication is all about creativity and connecting the dots. There is bound to be a current portrayal of the point you are trying to make – you need to discover the connection. First off, you must create a non-concrete concept and say something about the core idea. Once you are there, it is easier to latch on to the existing examples.
Just remember, people don’t purchase products; they buy an improved version of themselves. Samuel Hulick projected that businesses are using visual communication today more than before because it helps create a better understanding of the customers. He made that connection to the fire flower and Mario power-up. In this memorable instance, the resulting item was better than the sum of its elements.
CONCLUSION
You see, the possibilities of using visual communication are endless. Visual communication is vital, just like using any other form of communication. People listen and pay attention when communicating with individuals they see rather than using emails or telephone. No doubt, visual communications have a remarkable impact on boosting your brand.
So what are you waiting for then? Start applying visual communication strategies to your business and witness the results for yourself.
