An image is worth, in some cases, as much as $1,000,000,000
A picture is worth a thousand words and, in a recent development, photo-centric mobile application Instagram is now worth a billion dollars….
Facebook’s acquisition of Instagram reinforces the concept that images have unparalleled power to drive traffic – and the PR industry is taking notice. One of the common themes at a recent Bateman Group Penthouse Event Series was that infographics play a key role in content development. Participating in this new trend, more companies are employing visuals across their social media channels to build brand awareness.
At the latest Borders and Gratehouse’s social media training, we invited Rachel Melia, an online marketing consultant, to offer some best practices when actively utilizing illustrations to draw users’ attention. Here are a few:
- Post about one visual a day on Facebook. Any fewer and you lose their attention; anymore and you’ll annoy them by bombarding their Facebook home feeds. This could lead Facebook fans to “unlike” your company page.
- If you really want to go crazy with visuals- try Pinterest. Whereas Facebook automatically refreshes people’s home feeds, Pinterest’s users have the option to view visuals that are relevant to them. Users also enjoy the ability to create multiple boards on Pinterest as the boards keep the images organized and more appealing to the eye. Keep in mind that Pinterest has evolved to attract many females who are planning their personal events, so if you are trying to go after this audience, share images around design and organization.
- A little humor can go a long way. Other than posting relevant and attention-grabbing images, it’s also helpful to use visuals that showcase your brand’s personality or your company’s unique culture. For instance, other than posting business-related images, Hubspot has Pinterest boards such as “Fun Orange Things.” Lindt Chocolate reveals its social benevolence by having a “Pin for Autism” board.
- I have engaging visuals to share, now what? In order to successfully foster a community of fans, you also have to interact with them by asking simple questions, hosting contests, or offering prizes. Always remember to thank users that provide feedback and good mentions.
by Kelly Xie, B+G Intern
