I got into a discussion with a friend recently about “high impact visuals” versus “information” and the value of each. Any of you already dabbling in social media marketing or inbound marketing probably have already heard the phrase “Content is King”, but for those of us who are “visual” learners and who rely on more “sensory” data, does the same thing ring true? I’m willing to bet it does, but for different reasons.
I remember during Hurricane Katrina, I was in the midst of a major renovation project in my house, and hence had zero TV time. I was really limited to audio coverage, and the magnitude and severity of the disaster didn’t hit me until weeks later, when I had time to “see” the coverage. Similarly, the vivid picture of the planes crashing into the World Trade Center remain fixed in my mind as well as their ultimate collapse to the ground. Yes, I know those are major disasters, but I also have several high fashion shots etched into my mind — hardly high on the importance scale.
Two things occur to me. When it comes to getting found on the web content is king. If you don’t have the info that people are looking for, they may not find you. But when it comes down to the ultimate sale — in many categories — visuals can be the deciding factor. They can seal the deal. If you’re in an industry where visuals matter, make sure you have both!
Photo Courtesy of Alaskan Dude