SEO

7 Reasons Why Content Needs Amazing Images, Videos & Visuals

Published

1 year ago

April 30, 2023

7 Reasons Why Content Needs Amazing Images, Videos & Visuals

Humans are visual-oriented beings.

We use five critical senses daily to solve problems and get through our daily lives, each of which helps humans significantly.

But vision is responsible for 80% of everything humans learn, and similar numbers are likely for most animals with developed brains.

That’s why visual-rich media – photos, images, videos – have a huge impact on the success of written content and overarching content marketing strategies.

Visuals Communicate Ideas Faster & Easier

Eye-catching visuals captivate us; then, we use that focus to better understand the message that visual conveys – and who is behind the message.

This is why having visuals is so important in branding and marketing.

Visuals do the same for leads, sales, and the forces that drive them.

People consistently hold the things that are most attractive in life – those people, places, and products – in high regard. They’re sought after with great pride and determination. They’re popular and in demand. And they’re visually appealing, for better or worse.

Build your content the same way.

Start by properly planning your content with its messaging, audience, and goals in mind.

But never ignore the need for compelling visual content to supplement – or complete – each piece of content.

From the beginning, you should consider what kinds of images, infographics, videos, animations, and any other rich media could be added to your content to enhance messaging and further ensure it resonates with users.

Telling your audience is one thing; showing it while doing so makes the world of a difference.

There are many visual-rich media types that will improve your content exponentially. And the numbers support it.

Most of all, let’s not forget to lean on science.

Solely reading words can only go so far in storytelling; visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text, so including them in your content can help pique your audience’s attention quickly.

Looking beyond blanket statistics, here are seven evidence-based reasons why content needs compelling visuals to fully and efficiently convey a message, tell a story, and create a connection.

1. Humans Prefer Visuals

People are visual creatures by nature.

It’s not just because of our short, modern-day attention spans that we tend to prefer video, animation, and imagery over text (because of how much faster and easier we can consume it).

It’s also because we can obtain and retain this information faster, better, and for longer.

Visuals are easier to digest, as well as easier to remember.

And they’re more available now than ever before.

With the growth of multi-device usage for people across the planet, it’s no surprise visual content has become vital to success.

It’s probably also why, in 2022, internet traffic from videos made up 82% of all global web traffic on Earth.

In today’s digital climate, we’re more likely to be quickly captivated by an image or video than by words on a page. That’s likely how humans have always been, at least since their introduction to the video.

There has been a dramatic shift in content (and content preferences) with the growth of faster phones, better picture quality, faster internet connections, and more content and content types available.

We can expect this to continue trending that way.

2. Visuals Create Connections

The right visuals can create strong connections.

With the fast-paced lives many people live, it’s harder now than ever to capture – and retain – attention spans. We need all the help we can get to ensure people are actually absorbing (watching, reading, hearing, etc.) the content we produce.

Visuals help us make those connections.

These connections – built upon emotion and messaging – become stronger with creative, stimulating visuals that are the backbone of marketing success.

Not only do visuals allow brands to enhance and clarify their messaging, but they also help solidify brands’ identities.

This is how brands become “household names,” recognizable anywhere in the wild.

And it’s why all digital assets a company owns should be branded before publication.

That way, when they are re-shared across the web, the right brand gets the credit for them while building that connection with its audience.

3. Visuals Generate More Organic Visibility

As Google search evolves, so do the ways people search and interact with it.

There are now more search verticals at the forefront of search.

Now more than ever, users know the varying ways to use search to their advantage depending on the subject they’re searching for and the stage of intent they’re at.

Both factors determine the results we see.

Marketers should be considering those (and other distinguishable factors) and the best way your messaging can be displayed in terms of how it appears on:

Your webpages.
Social media.
Search.

When snippets have compelling visuals, they perform better. That’s why CTRs are higher for content that contains images.

Google is also continually transforming how its platform works and is presented, and, in turn, how humans interact with it is also transforming.

Since search results have become more personalized and dynamic, user interaction has changed. Visuals stand a better chance to be seen since their surface area has also increased across multiple search verticals.

That includes Google Discover, a curated news feed of online content delivered to Google users that the company’s automated systems think would be interesting and appealing to specific users.

And while many of the best practices for showing up in Discover are still up for debate, using high-quality imagery in pieces of content is a recommendation Google has pointed towards on several occasions for showing up – and earning clickthroughs – in Discover.

In addition to the uptick in searches coming from mobile devices, voice search continues to grow, too.

These types of searches represent additional chances for a brand’s rich media to show up, especially considering search results commonly vary based on device.

Many eyes also see a specific piece of content through social media shares, emails, and more, including the referral visits attributed to those backlinks.

4. Visuals Help Capture Short Attention Spans

While obvious, it’s probably the most important one on this list.

No matter how you slice it, humans don’t just want visuals – they need them.

The average person can get distracted (or bored) within a few seconds. That doesn’t give you much time to grab someone’s attention.

Video, infographics, and relevant, high-quality photos can help break through the noise and reach those with short attention spans.

Make sure you capture your audience’s attention fast!

But don’t stop there.

Ensure you publish and share useful content for your audience that is valuable and beneficial to them. Otherwise, you’re going to lose them.

5. Visuals Are More Memorable

Visuals don’t just stand out at first sight; they’re also easier to remember.

Add visuals to well-researched and useful content, and that content is much more likely to resonate with its audience over time.

The message being communicated in any piece of content – even its headline(s) – can be enhanced by relevant and memorable supplemental rich media.

Adding visuals to any presentation helps humans’ ability to recall it up to several days later by 65% and by 80% to recall it within just a few hours.

Remember when we used flashcards and other visuals in grade school to help us learn new topics? That’s because so many of us are visual learners who can comprehend and retain information better, faster, and easier through the use of visual aids.

This is the same.

Most humans retain visual information much better, clearer, and longer than we can solely with written words.

And, those visual connections often remain in place for a long time – sometimes for entire lives.

6. Visuals Can Help Drive Leads

Visual content can lead to increased engagement – and more engagement often means more leads.

Match this concept with a clear and consistent brand tone, and one of the most critical components of your content strategy will be in place.

But all aspects of the strategy need to make sense to generate real, quality leads. That includes using high-quality and relevant rich media to support your message and connect with your audience.

Use visuals as the tool they are and explain common questions or unique ideas efficiently.

There’s a reason visual assets in content marketing continue to increase yearly.

Plenty of evidence points to people’s favoritism for watching a video versus reading a bunch of text when learning about a new product or service.

Relevant rich media matched with the right written content can have incredible results. And, to drive leads through content marketing efforts, that should be the goal every time.

Beyond just including relevant visuals with content is the aspect of digital quality. This matter greatly as well.

The quality of product images is critical when people are browsing (then selecting) a product and will impact a user’s decision-making along the way.

Most people will see page image(s) before recognizing and reading words, including a product title.

Depending on that first-impression visual, they will either be turned on or off, then decide to stay, go, or buy/convert.

7. Content Can Be Repurposed Into A Variety of Rich Media Types

One challenge all marketers face is how to keep content fresh without too much reoccurring overhead (editing, shooting, color-correcting, etc.) – and without boring your audience by beating a dead horse.

That’s where repurposing content comes in.

There are various ways to repurpose data that is optimized for delivery on specific platforms/devices and for specific audiences, including various content forms for different stages of intent that make it possible to reach customers in all different stages of the buyer funnel.

Don’t be afraid to take survey data, write a blog post about your findings, then turn it into a pie chart – then an infographic, an animated video, and a meme, before talking about it on a podcast.

Get the most out of your content by repurposing it in a way that makes the most sense for both your content and audience.

Conclusion

It sounds dramatic, but visuals make a huge difference in the value of content.

Visuals affect how people digest content and how they understand it, retain it, and even engage with it.

Visuals also affect how that content appears in organic search and how people react to it.

Use this to your advantage and help people (and search engines) better understand your content more quickly and efficiently by using images and other visuals to enhance your messaging.

The numbers show just how much better rich media fares in the wild. Use it to your benefit, save money, and increase your brand following.

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Featured Image: Kaspars Grinvalds/Shutterstock

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Related Topics:Amazing Content images Reasons seo videos Visuals

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Best Practices For Keyword Localization

Published

17 hours ago

October 7, 2024

Max

As brands expand into new international markets, the challenge of running successful PPC campaigns becomes increasingly complex.

Navigating the differences in culture, language, consumer behavior, and market dynamics requires a more nuanced approach than simply translating ads.

For PPC marketers using platforms like Google or Microsoft Ads, it’s critical to adapt campaign strategies for these global audiences.

This article will cover best practices for optimizing international PPC campaigns, with a specific focus on keyword localization.

We’ll explore four key themes that can drive more successful international PPC results:

Keyword localization.
Geo-specific bid adjustments.
Market-specific creative adaptation.
Leveraging automation tools for international scaling.

1. Keyword Localization: Translating Intent, Not Just Language

Keyword localization is a cornerstone of international PPC success, but it’s often misunderstood as a simple translation exercise.

When translating keywords from one language to another, it’s not a “2+2=4” equation most of the time.

In reality, it’s much more complex.

Keyword localization involves understanding the intent behind searches and adapting keywords to match the local language, cultural context, and user behavior.

Steps To Effective Keyword Localization

Market Research: Before diving into translation, research how consumers in the target country search for products or services. This involves understanding search intent, popular terms, slang, and regional dialects.
Translation with a twist: Work with native speakers or linguists familiar with the market. Tools like Google Translate can give you a starting point, but they won’t capture cultural subtleties. Manual keyword research in local search engines is vital.
Use local search engines: Google may dominate globally, but other regions may favor different search engines. Baidu in China, Yandex in Russia, and Naver in South Korea have distinct algorithms and keyword trends. Tailor your keywords to the dominant platform in each market.
Test and optimize: International markets are fluid. What works in one month might need refinement in the next. Regularly review performance and optimize based on search trends, conversion data, and shifting customer behaviors.

For example, in Spain, the keyword “coches baratos” (cheap cars) may seem like a direct translation of its English counterpart.

However, further research might reveal that “ofertas coches” (car deals) or “vehículos económicos” (affordable vehicles) performs better depending on user intent.

2. Geo-Specific Bid Adjustments: Tailor Bids For Performance By Region

International campaigns are prone to fluctuations in performance, driven by differences in local competition, purchasing power, and user behavior.

Geo-specific bid adjustments allow you to tailor your bidding strategy to the realities of each market, maximizing return on ad spend (ROAS).

Below are some best practices for geo-specific bidding:

Analyze Regional Performance: Use data to assess performance on a country or even city level. Look for patterns like higher conversion rates in certain regions and adjust bids accordingly. This is especially important in diverse markets where sub-regions may perform differently, like the UK or Canada.
Adjust Bids Based on Currency Value and Buying Power: Regions with lower purchasing power or fluctuating currency values may require different bid strategies. In some markets, a lower cost-per-click (CPC) approach could help maintain profitability.
Consider Time Zone Differences: Adjust bids based on peak performance hours in each time zone. A broad international campaign can benefit from time-based adjustments that ensure ads show during peak periods in each country.

For instance, if your campaign targets both New York and Berlin, you may find that your peak performance hours vary drastically, necessitating different bid adjustments to maximize efficiency.

In this instance, it’s likely worth segmenting your campaigns by region to account for maximum return on investment or ROI in each region.

In larger enterprise accounts, most regions have different audience sizes, which require different budgets.

If your brand falls into that category, it may be worth creating a separate Google Ads account per region, which can roll up into one MCC account for easier management.

3. Market-Specific Creative Adaptation: Speak The Local Language Through Ad Copy

One of the most common mistakes in international PPC campaigns is failing to adapt ad creatives to local contexts.

Just as keyword localization requires cultural adaptation, ad creatives must be tuned to resonate with local audiences.

A few approaches to localized creative to think about include:

Ad Copy and Messaging: Localize ad copy to reflect cultural preferences, holidays, humor, and common phrases. Avoid literal translations that may miss the mark. Collaborate with local copywriters who understand the nuances of language and sentiment.
Visual Adaptations: Imagery that works in one region may not resonate in another. If your ad visuals feature people, clothing, or settings, make sure they align with local norms and expectations.
Calls to Action (CTAs): CTAs should be adapted based on local shopping behaviors. In some regions, urgency works well (“Buy Now”), while in others, a softer approach may perform better (“Learn More” or “Discover”).

For example, a successful ad campaign in the US using a humorous tone may need to be entirely rethought for a market like Japan, where subtlety and respect play a bigger role in advertising.

4. Leveraging Automation Tools For International Scaling

Managing international PPC campaigns across multiple markets can quickly become overwhelming.

Automation tools, both native to ad platforms and third-party solutions, can help streamline campaign management while still allowing for localized control.

Automation Tactics To Help Scale International PPC Campaigns

Smart Bidding: Utilize Google or Microsoft’s automated bidding strategies tailored to individual market performance. Smart bidding leverages machine learning to optimize bids for conversions or ROAS, adjusting bids based on real-time data.
Dynamic Search Ads (DSAs): Dynamic Search Ads can help expand your reach by automatically generating ad headlines based on your website’s content. For international campaigns, ensure that your website is properly localized to ensure the DSAs serve relevant, accurate ads.
Automated Rules and Scripts: Set up automated rules or scripts to adjust bids, pause underperforming keywords, or raise budgets during peak times. For example, you might set rules to increase bids during holidays specific to individual regions, like Singles’ Day in China or Diwali in India.

Automation tools should be used to complement your manual efforts, not replace them. While they can help manage large campaigns more efficiently, regular oversight and optimization are still essential.

A Holistic Approach To International PPC Success

Expanding into international PPC campaigns presents both challenges and opportunities.

Success depends on taking a holistic approach that incorporates keyword localization, tailored bidding strategies, localized creatives, and effective use of automation.

By adapting your strategies to each specific market, you’ll be able to tap into the unique search behaviors, cultural nuances, and competitive dynamics of global consumers.

Remember that the global PPC landscape is constantly evolving, and regular monitoring, testing, and optimization will be key to staying ahead of the competition.

Whether you’re managing campaigns in-house or as part of an agency, these best practices will help you optimize your international PPC efforts and drive better performance across borders.

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Featured Image: Mer_Studio/Shutterstock

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SEO

Google’s AI Overviews Avoid Political Content, New Data Shows

Published

2 days ago

October 6, 2024

Max

Google's AI Overviews Avoid Political Content, New Data Shows

Study reveals Google’s cautious approach to AI-generated content in sensitive search results, varying across health, finance, legal, and political topics.

Google shows AI Overviews for 50% of YMYL topics, with legal queries triggering them most often.
Health and finance AI Overviews frequently include disclaimers urging users to consult professionals.
Google avoids generating AI Overviews for sensitive topics like mental health, elections, and specific medications.

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SEO

Executive Director Of WordPress Resigns

Published

2 days ago

October 5, 2024

Max

WordPress Executive Director Josepha Haden Chomphosy resigns,

Josepha Haden Chomphosy, Executive Director of the WordPress Project, officially announced her resignation, ending a nine-year tenure. This comes just two weeks after Matt Mullenweg launched a controversial campaign against a managed WordPress host, which responded by filing a federal lawsuit against him and Automattic.

She posted an upbeat notice on her personal blog, reaffirming her belief in the open source community as positive economic force as well as the importance of strong opinions that are “loosely held.”

She wrote:

“This week marks my last as the Executive Director of the WordPress project. My time with WordPress has transformed me, both as a leader and an advocate. There’s still more to do in our shared quest to secure a self-sustaining future of the open source project that we all love, and my belief in our global community of contributors remains unchanged.

…I still believe that open source is an idea that can transform generations. I believe in the power of a good-hearted group of people. I believe in the importance of strong opinions, loosely held. And I believe the world will always need the more equitable opportunities that well-maintained open source can provide: access to knowledge and learning, easy-to-join peer and business networks, the amplification of unheard voices, and a chance to tap into economic opportunity for those who weren’t born into it.”

Turmoil At WordPress

The resignation comes amidst the backdrop of a conflict between WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg and the managed WordPress web host WP Engine, which has brought unprecedented turmoil within the WordPress community, including a federal lawsuit filed by WP Engine accusing Mullenweg of attempted extortion.

Resignation News Was Leaked

The news about the resignation was leaked on October 2nd by the founder of the WordPress news site WP Tavern (now owned by Matt Mullenweg), who tweeted that he had spoken with Josepha that evening, who announced her resignation.

He posted:

“I spoke with Josepha tonight. I can confirm that she’s no longer at Automattic.

She’s working on a statement for the community. She’s in good spirits despite the turmoil.”

Screenshot Of Deleted Tweet

Josepha tweeted the following response the next day:

“Ok, this is not how I expected that news to come to y’all. I apologize that this is the first many of you heard of it. Please don’t speculate about anything.”

Rocky Period For WordPress

While her resignation was somewhat of an open secret it’s still a significant event because of recent events at WordPress, including the resignations of 8.4% of Automattic employees as a result of an offer of a generous severance package to all employees who no longer wished to work there.

Read the official announcement:

Thank you, WordPress

Featured Image by Shutterstock/Wirestock Creators

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