Visual Content: the future of storytelling

A couple hundred years ago, a Norwegian playwright called Henrik Ibsen alluded to the idiom: a picture is worth a thousand words.  It turns out, he was right. Behind every great brand, is a compelling visual story.

Our human brains are hard-wired to respond to what we see: our eyes making up 70% of all sensory receptors in our body. This means our brains can process and interpret images 60 000 times faster than text – making visual content one of the most powerful communication mediums available to brands today.

Visual content includes all the creative elements used to represent a brand – from digital assets like video, memes, diagrams, designs and photography, to the use of colours, font and logo.

Studies have found visual storytelling content can make a notable impact on every major business goal – influencing website traffic (85%), brand awareness (84%) to social media engagement (81%).

It is therefore incredibly important to paint the right picture of your brand from the start, as it enables you to shape your brand perception, express its personality and grab the attention of your audience.

First impressions matter.

First impressions count and when you have only a few split seconds to make a good one (50 milliseconds to be exact) it is worth knowing poor quality visuals can negatively impact your brand.

Visuals are also an important catalyst for trust. The associations and emotional responses our brains make to what is seen, is hugely influential. So when audiences spend time visually with your brand – it’s important that they begin to trust what they see.

Take the colours in your branding identity – do they reflect your core values? Blue, for example, is said to inspire trust and loyalty. It’s a reason many leading brands incorporate it into their visual identity – think Skype, Facebook, Paypal and American Express…

Visual content isn’t just about aesthetics.

Getting visual content right for your brand is a complex balancing act, but one where a professional agency (or creative team) will be able to guide you on visual content that instantly reflects who you are – and what you stand for – all of which are imperative to how audiences will perceive, interact with and share your content.

The science behind it.

In addition to attracting and holding attention, visuals are compelling communicators and storytellers of your brand, influencing the way audiences think, feel and act.

This is because the visual memory is encoded in the same part of the brain where emotions are processed. This is why people remember 65% of what they see – compared to only 10% of what they hear. Video really did kill the radio star.

When creating and selecting your visual content, making sure they relate to the story you are trying to tell, ensures people are able to make quick visual associations with your brand.

The brain is designed to link both visual stimuli and emotional response, forming memories. Visuals trigger emotions, which prompts connection, leading to recognition. Both retention and memorability are essential building blocks to any successful brand marketing strategy and can prompt positive emotional responses.

Visual design based on a scientific understanding of human emotions is becoming more important than ever before. According to Linkedin, posts with images have on average, a 98% higher comment rate – and 94% more views.

More and more successful brands are recognising the value in developing their visual branding identity: 95% of B2B buyers want video content and publishers that feature visual content, are experiencing a growth in traffic 12 times greater than those without.

Humans are visual creatures. 

When you consider 93% of all interpersonal communication is nonverbal, visuals are the most important asset in any content strategy.

Business objectives change over time. Reviewing your creative and visual elements on a regular basis ensures consistency and cohesion with brand storytelling and identity.

The last thing you need is to go viral for all the wrong reasons.

A great story is wasted if you don’t know how to tell it. Visual content isn’t just about making something look or sound good, it’s how it makes you feel. At Bretom, visual storytelling is our craft. Experts at breathing life into brands, we create content that is brilliant, beautiful and memorable.

Actively outsourcing professionally-designed visual content isn’t just a good idea, it’s an investment. A bit like artwork. It pays dividends over time.

Give us a call.