Visit any website, blog, or social media site today and you will see
images as an important part of the content and layout. No matter where
you go, images are now an integral part of the stories we tell online.
Because images are such an important part of today’s online landscape,
it’s important to create and use the right kinds of photos across your
entire Web presence. Effective images can help drive action and
engagement from customers and prospects on photo-sharing sites,
directories, blogs, and social media pages. Check out the types of
photos you should be using to market your business online.
Product Images
There are many types of product images you can use across your Web
presence to drive clicks to your website, build engagement from current
and prospective customers, and grow awareness for your type of business
in your local area. Here are a few types and examples of product images
you should consider sharing.
- Best-Selling Products – Do you have products that fans and current customers rave about? Highlight them on your social media profiles, website, and local directories with a small description on what makes them top sellers.
- Before-and-After Shots – Sharing side-by-side before and after photos of the results of your products or services can be a great way to help potential customers visualize the value of your business. These illustrate the benefits of you what you have to offer in a way that words may not be able to fully demonstrate. Plus, there are many iPhone apps and Android apps that allow you to easily arrange side-by-side photos using images from your smartphone’s photo album.
- Happy Customers and Their Comments – If your business has customer feedback cards, or if you have received special handwritten notes from your satisfied customers, snap a picture of them and use them to show positive feedback about your business. Make sure to ask the customer who wrote the feedback for permission to use their comments, and make sure to hide any personal information such as phone numbers or email addresses. You can also ask happy customers to provide their photo to post along with a written review, which can humanize your brand.
Infographics
An infographic may take longer to put together than a photograph, but
when done correctly, it can be a great tool for sharing information
about your business or industry or to educate others about your types of
products or services. For example, a sushi restaurant could create an
infographic about the etiquette of eating sushi. Or, an orthodontist
could share an infographic illustrating the top 10 foods to avoid when
wearing braces and why. When you decide what content to feature in your
infographic, there are several online infographic generator tools
to help you develop your infographic, or you can hire a talented
designer to help you create something shareable. Then, post your
infographic on your blog and image-driven social media sites like Pinterest to get the word out.
Quote Images
Quotes are great pieces of content you use in “snackable” images, and they are simple to make with photo editing programs or easy-to-use quote graphic tools.
Consider using inspirational quotes that relate to your business or
that your fans will appreciate, quotes from leaders of your company, or
short messages from happy customers. Make sure to cite the quote’s
author in the image itself. Also, creating a quote image with an
attention-getting line from a blog post is a simple way to share your
blog post on your social media sites. Just make sure to include a link
back to your original post in the photo description.
Memes
From Grumpy Cat to Success Baby, you’ve probably seen many different
memes posted on your social media sites. But, have you thought of using
these as part of your business’ content marketing? For instance, GE has
taken the Ryan Gosling “Hey Girl” meme and turned it on its head,
creating industry-related memes starring Thomas Edison. There are many different types of memes to choose from,
but if you decide to use one as part of your content marketing, make
sure it’s not offensive or crude. You can also upload your own image to
start your own meme.
Culture Images
Posting images featuring your company’s culture is a great way to
demonstrate your commitment to your employees and to your community. Do
your employees volunteer at community events? Does your business sponsor
a local animal shelter or youth sports team? If so, make sure you share
photos of these events and goodwill on your website, blog, and social
media pages. You may discover that you have even more in common with
your fans and create new advocates within your online community.
These are just some of the many types of images that you can post
online to boost engagement with your brand and build your overall Web
presence. What other types of images do you use as part of your content
marketing strategy? Let us know in a comment!
About the Author:
Tara Banda writes about how small business owners can reach local customers through online marketing for the ReachLocal blog. You can connect with her on Twitter.
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