Work smarter, not harder.
Whether we know it or not, biology is in the driver’s seat, guiding us to live by this motto. It’s instinct, it’s evolution – so much so that our brains have evolved to adopt this way of life, including the way we see.
No, you didn’t click the wrong blog – I may be dipping into a little neuroscience, not so much my wheelhouse, but I promise it is all relevant to pictures and developing the brand of your dreams.
Sight is just one of the many ways our brains have adopted the work smarter, not harder philosophy. It plays a role in how we communicate, process information, and even taste foods! (Look – I swear I didn’t make that one up).
Our dependence on sight is so great that in a recent study, a whopping 88% of participants selected sight as the most valued sense, and I’m definitely with them on that!
If humans are out here touting sight as so important, you better be using pictures in everything you make that is client-facing.
There may be no formal research to back this up, but I firmly believe marketing without pictures is like a cupcake without icing. It checks the dessert box, but it’s just not quite right. There is no pizzaz, the flavor is limited and it’s definitely not bringing people back for seconds.
I want my clients to come back for seconds, friends! Don’t you?
So let’s look at how neuroscience, among other factors, should be influencing the marketing we create. The stats don’t lie – pictures are the way! They help you communicate with and attract your dream clients all while elevating your brand.
Here is a data-driven list demonstrating that pictures are just one more way you can work smarter, not harder:
5 Ways Pictures Elevate Your Brand
1. Photos are Memorable
Images don’t just help tell your story – they leave a lasting impression. In a world where visual learners dominate – use pictures!
Your audience is more likely to remember your messaging if you add images. You’ve probably lived this: Have you told or emailed clients must-know info and they recall nada the next time you talk? Clients are likely to remember 10% of what you tell them 3 days later. Show them a picture alongside the info and recall jumps up to 65%. Say yes to pictures, people.
We can process an image in as little as 13 milliseconds (.013 seconds!).
2. Pictures are Easier to Understand:
Pictures draw your dream clients in and communicate your point faster. In fact, we can process an image in as little as 13 milliseconds (.013 seconds!) – that’s 75 images per second. Side note: the human brain is legit amazing!
Images clearly require less brain power to digest than text. Our brains see letters as multiple tiny images, meaning processing time is inevitably longer.
3. Images Help Your Brand Stand Out:
Whether we are talking social media or your website – images encourage people to click and then stick around! Articles and blogs see 94% more traffic when relevant images are included.
The same goes for social media. Research shows that social media engagement increases with the presence of an image. The same study also found that high-quality or professional images saw more engagement than phone pictures. *Hint, Hint*
4. Images Create Emotional Responses:
Now, you know you want this! A study out of California demonstrated that pictures stimulate emotional responses and even found that humans have a greater emotional response to images over text.
This is important, why – because 95% of the time a consumer’s purchasing decisions “are made from the unconscious, emotional part of the brain.” Go connect with your dream clients!
5. Images Do NOT Require a Translator:
Images are universal. They transcend language barriers and can resonate with humans no matter their cultural or socioeconomic background making their reach greater than text.
Now go work smarter! Throw some relevant (⇦ this being the keyword) pictures on your marketing and put these stats to the test. Share what you find out!
With the right strategy and consistency, I guarantee you will see:
☑Increased social engagement
☑Increased open rates on email
☑Increased traction on your website
☑A more recognizable & memorable brand
☑More qualified leads
Sources:
- https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.641069/full
- https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2019.3537
- https://news.mit.edu/2014/in-the-blink-of-an-eye-0116
- https://brainrules.net/vision/
- https://www.jeffbullas.com/6-powerful-reasons-why-you-should-include-images-in-your-marketing-infographic/
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0022243719881113
- https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02261/full
- Enoch, J., McDonald, L., Jones, L., Jones, P. R., & Crabb, D. P. (2019). Evaluating Whether Sight Is the Most Valued Sense. JAMA ophthalmology, 137(11), 1317–1320.
- https://www.mdrt.org/learn/2022/html/rtt202205en-subconscious-selling/
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