A Thousand Words: How to Integrate Graphics within Your Content
You’ve probably heard the phrase “a picture’s worth a thousand words”, but in today’s content marketing age the question is raised “how do I fit a picture within a thousand words?” So much effort is rightfully placed in generating written content, something we encourage on this blog often. However, it’s important for graphics and images to not get lost in the fray. Not only can attributing alt-tags to images help improve your SEO, images can help keep your audience engage. In the post-Vine era where attention spans are flashes in pans, integrating graphics into your content can help create a dynamic user experience that will keep them glued to your blogs and articles.
So, what types of graphics should you be using? There are countless options that are only bound by how creative you want to get and how much time you want to put into it. Let’s walk through a few different mediums we’ve found to be particularly helpful in creating a vibrant, engaging blog experience. Throughout the piece, we’ll be including examples N2Q has created for our own clients. This blog will walk through how to leverage graphics into your content to bolster your impact, enhance your SEO ranking, and just – you know – make you look cool.
Infographics
Data doesn’t have to be a bore. The proliferation of infographics has dramatically changed how we can visual complex analytics and numbers and – gasp – even make them fun! So long flat pie charts and bar graphs! Infographics aren’t exclusive to hard data either. The medium can be used to display all sorts of information, including flowcharts and lists. The main idea is to take a complex idea and make it simpler with graphics. That’s the real quicker, too. It can be tempting to make an infographic just because it sounds like a fun idea and you read a blog like this saying you should do it. But you have to go in with a plan. Ask yourself these questions “What does the graphic add to my content?”, “Is it easy to understand?”, and “How simple and clear can I make it?”
Still need more convincing on why infographics are awesome?
Check out 9 awesome reasons to use infographics in content marketing by Jeff Bullas. He goes into the trend wave back in 2010 and how infographics have increased over 800% in a 2 year span. And just for an update to that article, it peaked at 2014 but infographics are still a hot ticket item from searchers.
Pull Out Quotes
Let’s be honest here – how many of us have skimmed through an article? Don’t worry, I’ve got my hand raised as well and I’m a writer who should know better! It’s inevitable. We’re all constantly on the go that it can be hard to find the time to sit and read each word. Sometimes you just have the swiped through or CRTL+F to find the relevant info you’re looking for. But with how much time you’ve put into your articles and making them so thoughtful, you don’t want people to miss out on some of your best gems. In platforms like WordPress, you can use functions to do pull out quotes. But why not take it a step further? A custom designer quote can really pop and is sure to be seen even when someone is speeding through an article on their phone. If you think the reader’s going to miss a key takeaway, use a pull out quote that they can’t miss.
Maps and Icons
Especially when you’re working with geo-targeted content, maps and icons can be great to connect with your audience. It’s a functional design, helping communicate information more quickly and keeping the reader’s attention. If you’re talking about how your business serves the greater Seattle area, include a map that shows what you mean by that. Does that go all the way to Shoreline? Are you talking about the East Side? A map adds clarity and saves both you and the potential customer time with clarifying questions.
Photos and Gifs
Photos are tricky. It’s easier than ever to get photos with the proliferation of stock photography, but it’s easier to see through as well. Never underestimate the public’s savviness. We all see stock photos everyday in advertisements and marketing materials. Sometimes we even start to recognize the same people in the photos – there’s even an entire Tumblr blog dedicated to one particular stock photo model you’ve almost definitely seen before. When possible, opt to use original photography. Having a professional photographer document your office space, work, and staff will add authenticity to your content. It may seem arbitrary, but there really is a difference.
Not just that, but you can also embellish on your photos. Adding some text overlays or simply using an image as a large hero graphic can draw in the reader’s eye and make them want to dig deeper into the content. If your brand has a little bit more pizazz and snark embedded in it, consider adding in gifs throughout your blog posts. Especially with pop culture references to movies and TV shows, they can be a great way to relate to your audience. It doesn’t matter if you’re blogging about the cloud or craft beer – if that Stranger Things gif is relevant to what you’re talking about it in your content, use it.
CTA Buttons and Forms
It’s not wrong to want your content to drive leads. The content you write, first and foremost, has to provide value for your audience and not be a sales pitch. However, at the end of your informative piece it’s not uncalled for to leave the reader with a call-to-action (CTA) as long as it’s relevant to the content of your blog. For example, if you wrote a post all about the benefits of buying local beer over macro-brews you could then end with a note about how they can buy craft beer from your store.
This can all also be noted in the copy, but if you really want someone to take action you’d be wise to include a button or form at the end of your piece. Make it eye grabbing and stand out on the page. CTA buttons and forms are great ways to get organic leads – make sure your readers don’t miss the opportunity.
As we said at the top of the article, these are just a few of the many ideas you can try. The important keys to remember are to make it pop and make it relevant. Need help getting custom designs for your website? N2Q can help. Our expert design and SEO teams will help build your content and graphics that will leave your readers wanting more. Give us a call today.
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