The Power of Visual Storytelling: Why Your Brand Needs Professional Photos and Videos

With today’s technology, consumers are exposed to advertisements on multiple platforms all day long. According to Forbes, the average person encounters between 4,000 and 10,000 ads each day. One of the biggest challenges for companies is breaking through the “noise” and standing out from the competition.

To stay consistent, maintain positive customer experience and keep their brand top of mind, companies must tell a compelling story and connect with consumers. One of the most effective ways to do this is through photography and video with visual storytelling.

What is Visual Storytelling & Why it Matters More than Ever

Visual storytelling is the art of narrating a story through visual elements such as images, videos, interviews, illustrations, infographics, etc. These components help audiences quickly understand complex ideas and connect with content on a deeper level.

Because visuals are processed faster by the brain than text (i.e. a picture is worth a thousand words), they are more effective at capturing attention, building trust and evoking specific emotions about a brand. 

With the rise of visual social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest or even upcoming platforms like BlueSky, photos and videos have become crucial for brand success. WebFX reports that content with images gets 94% more views than content without, and visual content is 40% more likely to be shared. 

Benefits of Visual Storytelling

There are many benefits to using photography and videography for storytelling. Let’s explore each of them:

  • Multichannel Capabilities: Videos and images are both highly versatile forms of content. Professional visuals can work seamlessly across multiple channels including websites, email campaigns, social media platforms and even paid advertisements. Using a uniform visual style and messaging on all platforms works to build brand recognition and ensure cross-platform consistency. 
  • Create emotional connections: Photos and videos stir emotions in ways that text alone cannot. Getting people to feel a deeper emotional connection to a brand results in stronger brand loyalty and consequently more leads. Humanizing a brand through visual storytelling helps ensure that marketing messages do not sound purely transactional.

A great example of a company connecting with customers through video is Nike’s “Dream Crazier” campaign. The 2019 campaign highlights some major accomplishments of female athletes and reminds us that even the impossible is possible.

  • Elevate brand perception: Low-quality, do-it-yourself (DIY) visuals can leave a negative impression, which is why it is crucial to invest in high-quality, professional services to create these elements.

Working with a reliable marketing agency to ensure brand consistency within content is invaluable. Consistency not only builds recognition and credibility, but also ensures that your brand is capitalizing on the first few seconds that a consumer engages with your content. A company must ensure its first impression is compelling and articulates the appropriate message.

  • Drive engagement and action: The industry-wide push to take advantage of visual marketing is happening because it works. According to LinkedIn, viewers retain 95% of a message from video versus just 10% from text. Sproutworth reports that companies using video marketing grow their revenue 49% faster than those that don’t, and videos on landing pages can increase conversion rates by 80%. When it comes to photography, articles with images receive 94% more views than those without, and that number jumps up to 150% with regard to social media posts.
  • Improves SEO: When it comes to SEO and boosting your rankings, Google loves visual content. Consumers will rarely spend the time to read an entire article but will usually stay long enough to watch parts of a video or process an image. Since visuals tend to hold consumer attention longer, they increase the time spent on your site, signaling to Google that your content is relevant and valuable. 

The Process of Visual Storytelling

When working with a marketing agency like 898 Marketing, the process of creating high-quality photos and videos has several steps. Our process begins with partner discovery and a proposal–where the budget, goals, project scope, points of contact, and deadlines are established.

Next comes the brainstorming and pre-production, during which ideas are exchanged with the partner to determine the direction of the project. The brainstorming and pre-production phase includes creating storyboards and scripts that ensure the key messages align with the partner’s brand.

Once all creative elements are established, then begins the production phase where on-site filming and photography take place, leading us to editing the content in post-production. Finally, the utilization phase ensures that the finished photos and videos are launched on the partner’s website and social media platforms, as needed.

The Agency Advantage

Working with a marketing agency to fulfill your visual marketing needs can have many advantages from ensuring visuals look professional and at the same time deliver measurable results. Other benefits include:

  1. Expertise and Skillsets: An agency will have a team of skilled professionals who can create unique, high-quality visual content.
  2. Technology and Equipment: Agencies use advanced tools for lighting composition and framing, offering a far superior result compared to DIY content.
  3. Trend Awareness: Agencies stay up to date on the latest trends which ensures your content remains relevant.
  4. Data-Driven Insights: Similar to trend awareness, agencies use analytics tools to monitor content performance and make necessary adjustments.
  5. Cost-Effectiveness: Compelling visuals do not need to be expensive to be done right. Hiring an agency can be more cost-effective than building an in-house marketing team, particularly for small businesses.

Your Future is Visual

When it comes to visual marketing services, 898 Marketing can do it all.

Whether it’s storyboarding, photography, motion graphics, video editing or even live streaming, we’ve got you covered. The expertise of a skilled production team— in addition to frequent communication with an account manager through every step of the project— is what you will get when you choose to become a partner of 898. Our team will ensure that we are capturing the essence of your brand and bringing to life the story you want to tell.

Check out some of the recent projects we have completed for our partners Ursuline High School, Komara Jewelers, and Greenwood Chevrolet.

If you are ready to take your visual content to the next level through photography, motion graphics, video production and more–898 Marketing is here to help tell your story! Contact us today at https://www.898marketing.com/contact/.

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