Visual Literacy Guide to Attracting Customers

Co-funded by the
Erasmus+ Programme
of the European Union
Look Good Sell Well (How To
Attract Customers With Visual
Literacy)
Module 4

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This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication]
reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use, which may
be made of the information contained therein.
1
Throughout this module, you will
learn about how to improve your
business by using visual literacy as a
method for attracting customers.
You will learn what a call to action is,
and how to attract customers to
your business with visual literacy.
You will also learn how to improve
the visibility of your business, that is
how to use visual literacy to make
your business stand out from the
competition, and finally how to
create an attractive brand using
visual literacy concepts.
Module 4 Overview What Exactly Is A Call To Action?
2 How To Attract Customers To Your
Business With Visual Literacy
3 Improving The Visibility Of Your
Business With Visual Literacy
4 How To Create An Attractive Brand
5 Further Resources

Co-funded by the
Erasmus+ Programme
What Exactly Is A Call
To Action?
Topic 1:

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CTA is a marketing term for any design to
prompt an immediate response or
encourage an immediate sale.
A CTA refers to the use of words or
phrases that can be incorporated into
sales scripts, advertising messages, or
web pages, which compel an audience
to act in a specific way a marketer
wants its audience or reader to take.
Call to action (CTA)

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A good example of a call to action here
would be something like:
“Call today to schedule your free
consultation!”
Not only have you stated the action you
want the user to take (call today), but
you have also provided them with a
reason why they should take that action
(a free consultation).
Example of a CTA

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In web design, a CTA may be a banner,
button, or some graphic or text on a
website meant to prompt a user to click it,
and continue down a conversion funnel.
The main goal of a CTA is a click, or a scan
in the case of a QR code, and its success
can be measured with a click-through rate,
a conversion rate formula that calculates
the number of clicks over the times the
CTA was seen.
How to use it

V I S U A L L I T E R A C Y F O R E N T R E P R E N E U R S
Use strong action-
oriented verbs
E.g. "click“,
"register“,
"subscribe“,
"download”, etc.
Create urgency
Including a deadline
or a limited time
offer
Keep it concise
Use short, punchy
phrases that are
easy to understand
Make it visible
Prominently
displayed on your
website or materials.
Use contrasting
colours or bold text
Personalise it
Use language that
speaks directly to
the reader, such as
"Start my free trial“.
Tips to write your CTA

Co-funded by the
Erasmus+ Programme
How To Attract Customers
To Your Business With
Visual Literacy
Topic 2:

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The term “visual literacy” is over 50 years
old. It was reportedly created in 1969 by
Eastman Kodak Company’s John L. Debes,
who shortly thereafter became the
company’s coordinator of visual learning.
However, the notion of using images to
convey information is timeless. Aristotle
relied on drawings and diagrams to help
him explain the theory of biology. Similarly,
Plato used sculpture to describe his
theories about geometry.
Hieroglyphics can also be considered as an
example of visual literacy.
Visual Literacy – History

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With the advent of digital media,
consumers have become accustomed to
interpreting and even creating visual
content online and via mobile devices.
Some years ago, The New York Times
reported that people were expected to
take 1.3 trillion digital photos in a year,
and YouTube users watch more than a
billion hours of video daily, much of
which is created by consumers.
We “read” images on screens, in print,
and all around us every day. Without
visual literacy to guide us, we’d be
missing out on a world of meaning.
Visual Literacy currently

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Visual communication is the practice of
using visual elements to get a message
across, inspire change, or evoke an
emotion.
Visual Communication exists in two
parts:
Communication design
• Refers to crafting a message that
educates, motivates, and engages the
viewer.
Graphic design.
• Visual communication can be found
everywhere. From newspapers,
websites, social media, even emails.
Visual Communication

It facilitates the
delivery of a clear
and unified
message
Help in better
retention of the
information
Faster
communication of
messages
Why visual communication is an important marketing aspect

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When you read things you like, it treats you
with pleasure. But when you read for business,
it won't be the same situation.
It is very important for any business that the
message it wants to convey in its content is
interpreted by all readers with a similar
meaning. Otherwise, all your efforts will be
wasted.
Here, visual communication bridges the gap.
A short and simple animated GIF or video can
convey a clear and unified message.
A logo, a video, a picture, should focus on one
important concept, and one only. It shouldn’t
say to much.
Delivery of a clear and
unified message

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Visual elements play an important role
effectively in retaining information.
The reason behind this is that the
images are deposited directly and stay in
the mind for long term.
On the other hand, words only stay in
our minds for a short time. Information
retention is definitely the ultimate goal
of any content.
Help in better retention of
the information

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Humans can grasp a sense of a visual scene
within one-tenth of a second.
Videos and images express more impactful
experiences as compared to text-heavy
content.
Cluttered media will discourage readers
and the message contained within them
will be harder to retain. Thus, readers
habitually favor scanning content instead
of reading text-based messages.
That’s why micro-video content is booming
over the last few years (TikTok, Instagram
Reels, Youtube Shorts)
Faster communication of
messages

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Posting a photo or video online and
waiting for the business offers to start
rolling in is not a strategy. Neither is
hinging your visual content success on
creating the next viral phenomenon.
Like any content marketing format, you
need a compelling rationale for visual
storytelling and a clear plan for turning
views into meaningful marketing results.
Align the visual story with your
content marketing strategy
Tips to attract customers 1/3

Before you design any ideas, make sure they answer these questions:
What are we
trying to
accomplish with
our visual
content?
Who are our
audience
members? What
kinds of content
experiences
interest them?
What problems
does our
organisation
solve?
What makes our
brand unique? How
to communicate it
in a compelling and
visually consistent
way?
What metrics will
we use to
measure success?

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Consider the story – not just the
visuals
Visual storytelling isn’t just about the
pictures. Visuals should enable a clear,
consistent story from your brand. Even if
each individual visual asset doesn’t tell an
obvious story, your audience should be
able to follow the narrative thread.

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Images might speak a thousand words,
but those words do not necessarily
convey the same message to everyone –
especially those who aren’t represented
authentically in your brand’s visual
stories.
Keep in mind: Diversity doesn’t need to
be the focal point of a visual story for it
to play a key role. In fact, normalising
the representation of diverse
communities as part and parcel of your
creative process means you won’t have
to think about it on an asset-by-asset
basis. It will happen organically.
Ensure images reflect and
represent your whole audience

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In marketing, the persona (or buyer persona)
is a semi-fictional character representing a
group of people who share the same problem
with your offer.
In other words, it is your core target, the one
who is really likely to be interested in your
products. These people may also have similar
consumption or life habits, which makes it
easy to segment them.

Co-funded by the
Erasmus+ Programme
Improving the Visibility Of
Your Business With Visual
Literacy
Topic 3:

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Visual literacy can play an important role in
improving your project's visibility. In a world
where visual communication is becoming
increasingly prevalent, it is essential to
master this skill to stand out and attract
new audience.
Incorporating visual elements such as
photos, illustrations, videos, and creating
professional infographics, into your content
marketing strategy can help increase
engagement and convey your message
more effectively.
By working on this you can help to improve
your business.
Enhancing your visibility
through Visual Literacy

Technical tips for creating effective visual content in content
marketing
Choose the right
format: images,
videos,
infographics,
slideshow
Use high-quality
and simple
images/visuals
Incorporate text:
captions, quotes,
or headings to
provide context
Use color that
align with your
brand identity
Optimise for SEO
by using
descriptive file
names and adding
alt tags & captions

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Using visuals on social media can enhance
your project's visibility. Images and videos
grab the attention of social media users and
are more likely to generate interactions and
shares. Therefore, it is important to create
high-quality visuals for your posts or content,
whether they are for ads or regular content.
High-quality images can help break up text-
heavy content, add visual interest to your
social media posts, and make your website
more visually appealing. Be sure to choose
images that are relevant to your content and
reflect your brand's style and tone.
You can also check and use bank images such
as Pexels, Unsplash or Stocksnap.
Use High Quality Photos

Story Tale Open Peeps Undraw.co The Noun Project Icons 8
Illustrations or icons as an alternative to pictures
If you do not have the possibility to take high-quality and relevant pictures, or if you do not find your
happiness in bank images, you can also use illustrations or icons. If you have an artistic talent, draw
them yourself! Otherwise, you can check-out those amazing free tools.

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Videos are an engaging medium and can help
increase brand awareness and build trust.
Whether it's a product demo, an explainer video,
or a customer testimonial, videos can help convey
your message in a way that resonates with your
audience.
Videos are actually the media that generates the
most interaction on internet.
Utilising user-generated content (UGC) can also be
useful. It is content created by your customers,
such as photos or videos, that can be shared on
your website or social media channels. UGC can
help build brand trust and create a sense of
community around your brand.
Pexels, MixKit or Coverr provides free stock videos
that you can use to enhance the visibility of your
content.
Use High Quality Videos

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One way to create more visual content is
by utilising infographics. Infographics are a
visual representation of data or
information and are a great way to convey
complex concepts in an easy-to-
understand format.
They can be used to break down statistics,
explain processes, or simply add visual
interest to a blog post.
It is important to design professional and
well-crafted infographics to ensure that
the information presented is easily
assimilated.
The Power of Infographics

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Finally, it's essential to optimise your visual
content for SEO. This means using
keywords, descriptive alt tags for images,
optimising video titles and descriptions,
and making sure your website is optimised
for mobile devices. By optimising your
visual content for SEO, you can increase its
visibility and reach a wider audience.
Visit this website for concrete tips on how
to improve your search engine rankings:
https://business.gov.au/online/business-
website/improve-your-search-engine-
rankings
*
Search Engine Optimisation

Co-funded by the
Erasmus+ Programme
How To Create An
Attractive Brand
Topic 4:

Visual brand identity is the collection
of visual elements that a company
uses to communicate its brand to its
audience. It includes all the visual
components that make up a brand,
such as logo, typography, color
palette, imagery, and other design
elements.
A strong visual brand identity is
essential to a company's success, as
it helps to establish brand
recognition and build trust with
customers. When designing a visual
brand identity, it's important to
consider the brand's values, target
audience, and overall messaging.

Create your brand
Your Logo
Your Typography
Your Colours
Your Pictures
Simple, identifiable, visible on all
channels. It should also work in black
and white
Readable, consistent, highlight
important info
Consistent palette across
communication channels. Reflect
values and attract customers
High-quality, consistent with
brand image and values. Avoid
generic images.
Clear, consistent layout for all communication channels.
Highlight important info, use white space.
Your Layout

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Here are some tips on how to choose a logo:
1. Understand your brand identity: values, personality, target
audience, and market position. Your logo should be consistent
with it and help communicate your brand message.
2. Keep it simple and easy to recognise. Avoid complex designs or
too many details that can make it difficult to recognise or
reproduce in different sizes and formats.
3. Choose the right typeface as can have a big impact on its overall
look and feel. Serif fonts can give a more traditional and serious
look, while sans-serif fonts are more modern and clean.
4. Use appropriate colors: think about the emotions and messages
you want to convey and choose colors that reflect them.
5. Make it versatile as it will be used in different contexts and
formats. Test your logo in different sizes and formats to make sure
it looks good and is easy to recognise.
6. Get feedback, especially from your target audience. Consider
their opinions and preferences, but also remember to stay true to
your brand message.
Logo
The logo is the primary visual
element of a brand identity. It
should be memorable,
simple, and easily
recognisable. A well-designed
logo can make a brand stand
out from the competition and
help it to be easily identified
by customers.
A logo should embrace only
one concept, notion, and
shouldn’t say to much.
Click on this link for some
famous examples.

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Here are some tips to help you choose the right typography:
1. Consider your brand personality. For example, if you have a
modern and minimalist brand, a clean and simple sans-serif font
may be a good choice. On the other hand, if you have a vintage or
retro brand, a serif font with decorative elements may be more
appropriate.
2. Legibility: Make sure that the typography you choose is easy to
read, even at smaller sizes. Avoid overly decorative or script fonts
that can be difficult to read.
3. Consistency: Choose a typography system that includes a few
different fonts that work well together. Make sure to use these
fonts consistently across all of your branding materials.
4. Versatility: make sure it can be used across different mediums
and applications, such as print and digital, without losing legibility
or clarity.
5. Contrast: Use typography to create contrast and hierarchy in
your design. Choose a bold or italicised font for headlines, and a
simpler font for body copy. This will help create a clear visual
hierarchy and guide the viewer's eye through your design.
Typography and fonts
Typography refers to the
font or typeface used in a
brand's design. It should be
chosen carefully to reflect
the brand's personality and
values. Different fonts can
convey different emotions,
so it's important to choose
one that fits with the
brand's message.
Check Velvetyne to find
beautiful free and open
source typefaces, or Lost
Type, a collaborative digital
type foundry, to help you
find your style!

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1. Consider your brand personality, values, emotions, and traits
that you want your brand to convey. Is your brand playful or
serious? Traditional or modern? Sophisticated or approachable?
2. Look at your competitors' colour schemes and think about how
you can differentiate your brand while still fitting in with your
industry.
3. Think about colour psychology as colours can evoke different
emotions and feelings in people. For example, blue is often
associated with trust and professionalism, while yellow is
associated with energy and optimism.
4. Choose one or two colours that will be the dominant colours in
your brand's colour palette. These colours will be used most
frequently in your branding materials.
5. Add a few accent colours to complement your dominant
colours. These can be used for smaller elements, like buttons or
headings, to add visual interest.
6. Test your colours, how they look together in different contexts,
like on a website or in print. Make sure they are legible and work
well together.
Colour palette
The colors used in a
brand's visual identity can
have a significant impact
on how it is perceived by
customers. Colours can
evoke certain emotions, so
it's important to choose
colours that fit with the
brand's values and
messaging. A consistent
colour palette also helps to
establish brand
recognition.
Check this to create
coherent colour palettes
and here for more free
colour generators.

The imagery used in a brand's visual identity
can include photographs, illustrations, or
other graphics. It should be chosen carefully
to reflect the brand's values and personality.
Imagery can be used to reinforce the brand's
message and create an emotional connection
with customers.
Other design elements that can be included in
a brand's visual identity include patterns,
icons, and other graphics. These elements
should be consistent with the brand's overall
message and values.
Other brand elements

Co-funded by the
Erasmus+ Programme
External resources and
references

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Who's teaching us to read and write visuals? |
David Hooker | TEDxBeaconStreet
Are you a Visual Literate?
Kiblind magazine, dedicated to visual arts,
current cultures and creative industries, with a
special focus on contemporary French and
international illustration.
Canva Design school, that provides a
comprehensive set of tutorials and resources on
visual design, including guides on creating visual
content for social media, email marketing, and
other digital platforms.
Datagueule as an example of using images to
explain concepts (Datavision).
External Resources

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What a Call to Action (CTA) Is and How It
Works
Visual Literacy and Visual Communication:
Their Role in Today’s Content Marketing
Why Visual Communication is So
Important in Content Marketing
Representation in advertising
References

Co-funded by the
Erasmus+ Programme
Good practice example

The MAC has developed an online platform called "MAC
répertoire" that presents ongoing exhibitions and art
projects along with artist and artwork information. It is
designed for an immersive visual experience with high-
quality photos, videos, and interactive animations.
Additionally, the MAC uses social media, specifically
Instagram, to promote its exhibitions and events using
attractive images and informative captions.
The Contemporary Art Museum
of Montreal

Co-funded by the
Erasmus+ Programme
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Visual Literacy Guide to Attracting Customers

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