The Rise of Visual Storytelling
"Attention is the new commodity. Visual Storytelling in the new currency"
- For 32,000 years, people have drawn. We've written for only 5,000. (And since the first written languages were pictorial, even that date is debatable.)
- J.K. Rowling, the most successful author of our generation, finally admitted two years ago that she drew Harry Potter's world before she wrote it.
- J.R.R. Tolkien drew Middle Earth before writing of it. The Lord of the Rings was originally intended to be illustrated, but his publisher said no! (His books of drawings became available only after the success of Peter Jackson's movies.)
- Our verbal mind does not work without our visual mind. Those of us raised in the western educational tradition find that terrifying! Pictures trivialize, drawings are silly, doodles patronize, art is decoration, These are the things we're told in school.
- The human brain processes visuals 60,000X faster than text.
- Web posts with visuals drive up to 180% more engagement than those without.
- Viewers spend 100% more time on web pages with videos.
Thinking in pictures is our nature. Sharing those pictures has long been our dream. With the arrival and evolution of the global web, social media and mobile, we have a whole new set of tools to make that dream come true.
In the age of infobesity, there are several ways to stand out from the noise and draw attention to your content in an organic way. And visual storytelling is one of them.
In the age of infobesity, there are several ways to stand out from the noise and draw attention to your content in an organic way. And visual storytelling is one of them.
"Visual storytelling is defined as: the use of images, videos, infographics, presentations, and other visuals on social media platforms to craft a graphical story around key brand values and offerings."
Visual storytelling, when done correctly has the potential to:
- enhance loyalty,
- strengthen customer relationships,
- increase awareness,
- and more.
Mobile, social media communities, and blogs have redefined how we connect with one another, search for information, and build relationships online.
But, don't just do content for content's sake!
Understanding who you are as a brand, what you stand for, and what goals you're trying to achieve in tandem with what your customers are looking for from your company or organization can be crafted into a powerful, creative visual story.
Companies that go beyond creating and sharing content to embrace visual storytelling are emerging as leaders of the pack and are being rewarded with
The rise of visual social media platforms has also resulted in the "Now! Economy," in which consumers welcome real-time marketing in the form of snackable bits of visual content.
Companies that go beyond creating and sharing content to embrace visual storytelling are emerging as leaders of the pack and are being rewarded with
- engagement,
- referral traffic,
- and even sales.
The rise of visual social media platforms has also resulted in the "Now! Economy," in which consumers welcome real-time marketing in the form of snackable bits of visual content.
Instead of relying on text-heavy content, a successful visual storytelling strategy requires a "show, don't tell," approach with the goal of generating more potential for engagement, conversation, and sharing.
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Marketing is creating products and services that lead your tribe to tell stories that spread.
This is amindmap of some of the essential topics covered in Seth Godin’s book: Tribes. Please click on it to open it full size in a lightbox.
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Visual storytelling is helping companies to break through the clutter and propel action as never before.
Examples: Sephora & Calgary Zoo
Sephora on Pinterest
Sephora's followers on Pinterest spend 15 times more than its Facebook fans. They have 322,000+ followers and 71 boards on Pinterest.
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Calgary Zoo 2012 Annual Report on Instagram
The Calgary Zoo, which generated national headlines and interest in its annual report by swapping a traditional PDF for an Instagram. Proclaiming its 2012 annual report "The Year of the Penguins," 55 photos and captions served as the report pages and content, telling the story of what the zoo had accomplished in a unique, highly visual way.
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