We are sure that you have heard about this before, but for the reason it is said – the facts are getting stuck, the stories sell. Let’s take it a step further in an effort to adapt to the new era and to translate it into – the written stories get tired, while the visually narrated stories lure.
Visual storytelling is a buzzword for many reasons, and Pinterest, Instagram and Snapchat are just a part of them. So most of the most popular sides are based on stories that can look like. Good marketers easily learn and not only adapt quickly, but also manage to exploit to the maximum what those platforms have to offer.
Successfully staying at the top will make you learn how to embed visual storytelling in your everyday work and effectively engage visitors.
For starters, let’s motivate you with some good statistics from an infographic that we encountered. It is likely that 64% of website visitors will buy a product after they have a video. Facebook posts and images encourage visitors to act most (or 87% of the total interaction). But the sad truth is that not all are equally created and not everyone has the power to tell a story.
You’re probably already aware of how good storytelling works, but you still do not have a glitter. Are you able to recognize a good one from a bad movie right? So think of all the good films that you have looked at, analyze the ways in which they used to present the story and come to the same conclusions. Keep pushing down and look at the tips and tricks that will help you become more skilled in telling visual stories.
Visual telling means more visible things and fewer words
We tried to avoid the cliché of the sentence – one picture is worth 1000 words, but it fits perfectly with what we want to convey. Even after the century of film without words, the best storytellers still know how to tell a story with just a few words.
And today it’s even easier than ever to create visually displayed stories, with any form – a 7 seconds video, meme, infographic, or a photo with an excellent filter. For everything there is an application, so let the aesthetics speak. Use them wisely to show the benefits people would have if they used your product.
Make your content personal
The times that set the automatic time for posts to post on Facebook ended. Not only does it no longer look good, it does not work. You have to go deeper and separate to explore each social media platform. Discover the features and abilities. Analyze the audience’s demographic framework that uses them in order to get to know what the best kinds of visual storytelling you can use.
Learn from Dragons. Stand by them and analyze how the most successful companies succeed in the intentions. Follow them. If those who follow you on an installation enjoy a good story more than in an ordinary picture, then give it to them. Probably you can not afford a team of marketers, so it’s fine to engage a person to focus on the platforms and with a little more effort you will find the right formula that will work best for your product.
Remember to be human
It’s no secret that people are more connected to other people than with brands and businesses. This means that visual marketing will affect much more when a human element is inserted in the story.
Do not tell the story of the brand itself, but allow customers to get to know the story of the people behind that brand. Show them that there are real lives working on a product, show yourself, your employees, and customers. People will want to know whether Van Gogh or Monet was the one who painted the image they liked. Everyone connects with the artist, regardless of whether it is a writer of a beautiful article or a director of their favorite movie.
Be more accessible and grounded, both you and your brand. This is precisely why Hollywood actors share photos of everyday profiles. They want to be seen as true personalities, and that’s exactly what you need to love.
Be your own
One thing is to look human, but the other is to take the story to a personal level. Do not forget that the most humble part of you are your faults. Do not be afraid to show them, on the contrary, be proud of them. People will trust you more if you look like any other person than as a perfectly designed Facebook page.
Be your own by sharing something personal and unique. Tell customers what makes you different from other brands. If your company produces cosmetic products made from Argan oil, go tell the customer a story about a woman from a village in Morocco from which you buy argan and help them make society more sustainable.
Concentrate
Nobody suffers a person who recounts irrelevant details without a break. Proficient people know how to tell a story using less words / images in order to convey more. It’s even more risky when it comes to a visual story, because if you tell too much detail you will lose the audience.
Do not forget to be smart and focus only on important things. Share content that is clean, straightforward and balanced. People are too busy and need someone who will help them focus, even if you follow a pattern from one basic image of Rule of Thirds.
