Visual Marketing

Why is everyone Instagramming their coffee? 

The importance of visual content in our digital society.

I’ll admit, I’m guilty of it, but so are the million other people behind the 65 million #coffee posts. Yes, 65 million! But… why? I’d say the coffee posts keep coming because it’s a trend, and well, lattes are pretty, and make for pretty pictures.

What does Instagramming your coffee say about you? You’re with the trend. You’re at Spyhouse, one of the trendiest spots in town. You are trendy – or at least trying to be. Or, you just really love coffee. Whatever the case, you’re putting the image out there for people to see rather than writing a blog about it, because we are living in a visual, digital and, to put it bluntly, impatient society.

“Great feed!” is a sought-after compliment, as crafting a beautiful Instagram feed is something, well, a whole lot of people put a whole lot of effort into. It makes sense though, because our society is becoming so increasingly digital, and instant gratification is so expected, that image really is everything.

Images grab our attention. We are visually wired. Psychologist Albert Mehrabian said that 93 percent of all communication is nonverbal. To add to that, 90 percent of information transmitted to the brain is visual. Graphics influence how you and your company are seen, which is why visual content marketing is so imperative today.

Thompson Reuter’s claims that, “Visual content marketing is more successful than any other form of communication.” Although I am only just starting my journey in the field of strategic communication, after what I’ve learned and seen so far, I’d have to second that.

Although visual content is not a new topic, the fact that we have so many social networking and digital platforms to post on makes it a game-changer. When people are scrolling through their feeds, what makes them stop and look into something further? I’d argue it’s the images. Just look at Instagram. It’s an app based on image sharing, and this app is one of the fastest growing social network platforms of all time.

So, other than capturing people’s attention, why use visual marketing?

Visual content drives engagement. Visual content tells a story for a brand. It captures viewers and makes them want to follow along. I can’t tell you how many Instagram accounts I follow based on the content that they share, above all else. I can think of one right away — a b­lanket company, Sackcloth & Ashes. It shows people on their amazing travels around the world with their blankets. I don’t even really care about the blankets, yet it makes me want to be a part of that community.

In my opinion, visual marketing should be a key strategy for all companies. After all, the latest generation is being nicknamed, “Generation Swipe.” What’s going to capture these swipers attention? I predict it’s even more creative visual content.

Posted April 29, 2017 11:39