Just recently I read a post which referred to online content marketing as a combination of “Art & Science” and the more I thought about that comparison, the more I realized that it is so true.
After all, to be effective at content marketing you have to pay attention to technology. The principles of SEO, social media, and the tips and techniques offered by Google are certainly important. But that’s not all.
You also have to tell your story in an effective but very creative way, and one of the best ways of doing that is through Infographics.
There is much more to good content than average business writing. As content marketers we have to face facts.
Most readers are in “La-la land” when they come to your website. They aren’t really paying attention. Actually they are pretty much zombied out, and are simply turning to the Internet to distract themselves, look around and see what’s out there…or kind of…find a certain business or service.
You actually only have about 5 seconds to attract a visitor to your site and keep him there.
Why?
Well because there is so much information out there. Tons of information is generated on a daily basis, and according to Tech Crunch we create as much information every two days, as we did from the dawn of civilization up until 2003. The amount of information we have today is nothing but spectacular; still as a business owner or marketer it can be too easy for your content to get lost in the heap. And that makes it hard for your targeted customer to see what you have to say.
What Can You Do About It?
Well, what you really need is something that grabs your audience’s attention. Something that gets them and attracts them within those 5 seconds…and that one thing may not be just your words; instead it is an infographic.
What Are Infographics?
These are highly visual graphics that also show your data; a type of graphic and content combination. See what I mean, it’s art and science. These are visuals that offer information that is easily understood and digested by your audiences in just a few seconds.
So instead of telling your story, you show it.
So Now What?
Statistics now prove that readers are very interested in infographics, and that the search for infographics has increased by over 800% in the last year. However, the one big drawback for most business owners when it comes to using this type of content is cost.
It can be expensive to hire a graphic designer. And spending $200 or more for an infographic can be very cost prohibitive.
But There Is Hope
Now anyone, any business of any size can create quality infographics by using special software options like Piktochart or Infogr.am.
How Does It Work?
Quite simply really; let’s say you are a project manager and want to add information to your website about “The Power of Teamwork.” You would sign up for the software by giving your email or signing in with Facebook.
Then all you have to do is start a new infograph, and choose from the options available. You can change backgrounds, add images, add text, headers, resize widths, etc., etc. All the tools in these programs are very simple and easy-to-use.
It’s Free!
Best of all, infographic applications like Piktochart or Infogr.am offer a lot of different free options. Once you finish your infograph, just download and then upload it to your website as an image. It is as simple as that.
What about Other Options?
Ok so you need more complex options. You are a teacher, or a website that needs complex infographic needs? Or let’s say you find that creating an infographic from scratch still takes up too much of your time.
Guess what?
You still have options here, Piktochart and other applications of this nature also offer pro versions, with pre-made templates; meaning the images are there for you. The color schemes have already been chosen. All you have to do is choose the template and place your info in the existing infograph template.
The Cost of Pro Versions?
Pro versions offer you a myriad of colors, graphics and pictures to choose from; meaning you don’t have to be artistic at all to use it. Price start at about $29.00 per month, and offer an ideal option for companies that require a large number of graphics, or content loaded to both their social media profiles as well as their websites. You’d be surprised at the number of things you can do with such a useful tool.
What about Computing Capacity?
Software is very different from what it was a few years ago, especially software like this. Nowadays you don’t have to download anything. It’s all done through the Internet, which means you don’t put your system at risk of virus infiltration or of malfunction. It’s as easy as writing your email address.
Do I Really Want to Do This?
You need to think of the benefits when investing time in producing content, and the facts are there. Humans are very visual creatures and they are easily attracted to beautiful visual elements. By activating their optical nerve, a person can assimilate almost 90% of the information that is given them, compared to 20% when reading or listening.
Truth is, Infographics get the job done….and they do it well. So if you want to increase your readership, get your message across faster and more effectively then yes, you want to include infographics in your content. And the creating of this content doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming.
When you use programs to help you create infographics, there are no learning curves. It just offers fast, easy and superb content.
Every brand has its own story that is waiting to be told. Storytelling technique combined with creative design is what you need to effectively tell this story.
It’s what we do at Visual Contenting.
We specialize ourselves in helping people and brands visually tell their stories to the right target audience, with the right messages and at the right time.
It’s time to TELL YOUR STORIES WITH PICTURES!!!
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