7 Ways to Optimize Your Blog Through Visual Content
Power in pixels
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According to blog reader statistics, blogs with at least one blog post image get 94% more views as compared to those with no visual content. This doesn’t come as a surprise as visual content is more catchy and easier to process by the readers. It keeps your blog posts from getting dull or redundant, which translates into more views.
Without visuals, a blog post is less likely to hold the attention of your readers for more than a few seconds. Therefore, since readers are now busier than ever, it is essential to incorporate blog post images in the text content to keep your readers captivated.
How’d you feel about reading a big chunk of plain text? Probably not so great!
Boost User Engagement
Adding interesting visual content is an easy way to boost your user engagement and bring down bounce rates for your blog or website. Furthermore, it also helps improve dwell time (time that readers spend on your website). All this translates into a higher ranking on search engines which, in turn, results in more views!
A common practice is to include a blog post featured image right at the beginning of the blog post, above the text. This ensures that your readers scroll down, spending more time on the page.
Long-Lasting Effect
It is easier to remember content that you see as compared to the content that you read. Studies show that people can recall almost 65% of the visual content that they see even after a period of three days. However, they are able to recall only 10% of text or audio content.
So, if you want your readers to remember something, don’t forget to add a relevant photo. You can also use this strategy to build reader loyalty by making sure they remember your blog post.
Power tip: combine great images with evergreen content for even longer-lasting impact.
Is Visual Content Right for You?
It is settled that regardless of the niche or industry, visual content can help you take your blog game to the next level. However, it is also true that certain blog niches can benefit more from good images as compared to others.
For instance, imagine a food blog with no images or irrelevant ones. It’s the perfect recipe for doom! Similarly, fashion blogs also require a lot of images to help the audience learn more about the latest fashion trends. And travel blogs are perfect for beautiful images that showcase different parts of the globe. Therefore, we can say that the kind and volume of visual content that you include in your blog depends on your blog niche.
1. Have Fun with Gifs and Memes
Want to add a fun twist in your content to engage and entertain your readers? Include Gifs and memes!
These forms of visual content are generally used to introduce a casual touch to the content. They are ideal for humanizing your content and showing readers that you are approachable and up to date with the latest trends. While they are highly engaging, make sure that they go with the tone and feel of the content. You can find fun and interesting gifs on the social media site, GIPHY.
2. Use Screenshots and Illustrations for Enhanced Understanding
Using screenshots or illustrations can help you big time when you are discussing a particularly hard-to-grasp idea or want to explain something step-by-step. For instance, if you are writing a blog about How to do Keyword Research on Quora, instead of confusing your readers with big chunks of text, show them how to do it with relevant screenshots.
It will not only help them understand the content in a better way, but it will also improve your credibility. Adding screenshots and illustrations is the perfect way to show your readers that you know what you are talking about.
3. Provide Value with Infographics
Infographics are one of the best data visualization options out there. Want to display a lot of important data in a fun way that makes it easy to understand and remember it? If yes, infographics are what you need!
You can use infographics available online (don’t forget to view copyrights), but it is best to make your own. An original infographic will ensure that you offer something new and unique to your audience. Furthermore, research shows that people share infographics three times more than any other form of content. So, adding a high-value infographic will also help you widen your reach.
4. Add Personality to Content through Pull Quotes
Adding pull quotes is a great way to add personality to your content and give it a unique spin. If you want to emphasize an important takeaway or are planning to add a relevant quote from an expert, turn it into a simple graphic to bring focus to it. If you use pull quotes frequently enough, then this practice can evolve into a personal style for your blog. This helps in building a brand.
5. Engage Readers with Videos
Research shows that 72% of people prefer to watch videos over reading text. Videos are making waves in the world of content marketing. Video content offers an easy way for people to consume information in bulk. Plus, videos are considered to be one of the most engaging forms of visual content. This means that adding a video to your blog is the perfect way to increase user engagement. Furthermore, it increases the time that readers spend on your page and brings down bounce.
However, before you embed a video into your content, make sure that it is properly optimized so that it doesn’t compromise the loading time of your blog.
6. Free Stock Photos for Blogs
As a blogger, you may not have the time to create your unique and high-value visual content for your blog. So, where can you find visual content that is not only relevant but also highly engaging? Let’s find out!
There are multiple ways to get your hands on relevant blog post images. There are various websites that offer free stock photos for blogs. Here’s a list of some websites that you can check out to find a good quality free blog post images, illustrations, and vectors for your blog.
Keep in mind that while these websites offer free content, you may have to add attributions. Free stock photos are a good option for bloggers. However, sometimes, these photos may fail to bring the quality that you need. In case you are unable to find the right picture, it is best to look for paid alternatives, like ShutterStock, instead of compromising on the quality or relevancy of the visual content.
7. Make Your Own Visual Content
If you don’t mind the time and effort that goes into creating visual content, try and make your own unique visuals. You can create visual content on platforms like Adobe or check out various platforms like Canva that allow you to make your own content easily and quickly.
You can also hire expert graphic designers, video makers, or animators to make all kinds of visual content for you. However, it may not be the most cost-effective long-term solution.
If you are going to shoot your own photography and are just getting started, we recommend investing in a proper DSLR to shoot the best quality visuals.
In Conclusion: Boost Your Blog with Visual Content
Adding engaging visual content, like an optimized blog post image, with high-value written text is an easy recipe for success. However, make sure you are smart about it. Use only relevant content that adds value to the readers. While there’s no denying the power of written words, you can take your blog to the next level by adding rich visual media. So keep great visual content in mind as you go through your writing process. It will keep your readers engrossed in your writing and they’ll keep coming back for more!
This syndicated article was originally published on InspireFirst.
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