Visual content is powerful and persuasive, engaging audiences cognitively and emotionally. To effectively utilize visual content, one must develop a strategic process that includes understanding the audience, content deployment, and measurement. Success relies on creating unique, relevant content tailored to the right channels to stand out in a crowded digital landscape.

1. Visual Content:
How it works, why it works,
and how to make it work for you.
Danny Blackburn
Content Director, Stickyeyes
@danny_blackburn

2. Anyone know what this is?

3. It’s this…
The Charge Of the Light Brigade, 1854

4. Consider the circle…
A curved line with every
point an equal distance
from the centre

5. Visual content is powerful,
impactful and persuasive.
Sources: Nilsson & Pelger, 1994; Merieb & Hoehn, 2007

6. It works cognitively, emotionally
and incredibly quickly.
Sources: Levie & Lentz, 1982; Preece & Arnold, 1999; Potter et al, 2014 (Image: FourSquare, 2011)

7. It’s no secret what people
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Keep me
informed
Improve
my
knowledge
Entertain
me
Talk to me
like a real
person
Give me a
personal
service
Give me
relevant
content
Inspire me
with new
ideas
Be part of
my daily
routine
Help me
organize
my life
Percentage
Source: Global Web Index UK baseline data
want from brands.

8. Source: Global Web Index UK baseline data
So all you have to do is give ‘em
some of that, right?

9. Everyone’s doing it.
You HAVE to cut through.

10. When it’s good, visual content
is really powerful.

11. And when it’s bad…

12. So how do you make
it work for you?
Start by not using crap stock pics…

13. Develop a process. Follow it.
Strategic
Planning
Deployment
Preparation
Content
Delivery
Marketing
Communications
Measurement
& Valuation
1
2
3
4
5

14. 1. Strategy: What are you trying
to achieve here?

15. Get people talking?

16. Communicate personality?

17. Boost search rankings?

18. Or just make a point?

19. 2. Deployment preparation:
Do your research.

20. Understand your audience.
Who are they?
Where are they active?
Why are they interested?
When are they online?
What do they want from you?

21. What are people doing online?
Paid channels.
Source: Global Web Index; UK base
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Research/find products
Research how to do things
Stay up-to-date
Stay in touch with friends
Inspiration/ideas
Entertainment
Education
Fill up spare time
Research for work
Update my friends
Organize my life
Share my opinion
Percentage

22. Where is your audience?
Paid channels.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
%monthlyactiveusage
Source: Global Web Index; UK base

23. Awareness
Consideration
Conversion
Loyalty
Advocacy
Reach people & grab them:
Off-site video, image-led social, PR-able visuals
Understand their journey.
Reasons to believe
On-site videos, infographics, visual tools
Turn interest into action
Amplified UGC, Slideshares, benefits videos, infographics
Reinforce and reward
Visual storytelling, image-led blogs, visual games, useful video
Encourage word-of-mouth recommendation
Image-led social, curated UGC, visual storytelling, fun video

24. Understand your site.

25. 3. Content deployment:
Ideation for visual content.

26. Steal like an artist.*
*HT to @AustinKleon for this nugget – read his book cos it’s awesome

27. What works in your industry?

28. What works in other industries?

29. What works beyond marketing?

30. 4. Marketing communications:
Visual content only works if it moves

31. Bloggers / Vloggers
Journalists
Influencer Outreach
Media Relations
Bylined Articles
Syndication
Earned Paid
Owned
Biddable Media
Content Networks
Advertorials
Affiliates
Retargeting Networks
Display Network
Website
Organic Social
Email
Paid social media
ATL
Know and use the right channels.
and aim for the sweet spot!

32. Maximuscle: The Protein Project.
Owned channel: Website.

33. Howies: Bank Holiday email.
Owned channel: Email.

34. Howies: Bank Holiday emailDenny’s Diner: Tumblr.
Owned channel: Organic social.

35. Gala: Ice Casino.
Earned channel: Media.

36. Asda: Mum’s Eye View.
Earned channel: Influencers.

37. The rise and rise of Facebook
Paid channel: Facebook.
video.

38. Rules change. A lot. And often.
Paid channel: Facebook.
Photos are now officially the WORST way to engage people organically on Facebook

39. Choose your weapon wisely.
Paid channel: Facebook.

40. Facebook video is not
Paid channel: Facebook.
a silver bullet.
Source: Mixpo
Mixpo Case Study, 2014

41. Sometimes ads can just be ads.
Paid channel: Facebook.

42. Pics still rule the roost.
Paid channel: Twitter.

43. With 35% more engagement.
Paid channel: Twitter.
Source: Buffer, March 2015

44. But native video has landed.
Paid channel: Twitter.

45. And livestreaming is here too.
Paid channel: Twitter.

46. The top platform for referrals.
Paid channel: Pinterest.

47. How do people use it for real?
Paid channel: Pinterest.

48. Buy it.
Paid channel: Pinterest

49. Go native.
Paid channel: Instagram.

50. Aspire to inspire.
Paid channel: Instagram.

51. Generate word-of-mouth.
Paid channel: Instagram.

52. Instagram’s buy button.
Paid channel: Instagram.

53. 5. Measurement & valuation:
Did it do what you wanted it do?

54. Measure the right things

55. 5 top takeaways

56. Humans are wired
for visual content.

57. You have to be
different and
awesome.

58. Use data, insight
and creativity to
cut through.

59. Be specific:
right content,
right channel,
right platform.

60. Measure, learn
and iterate.

61. stickyeyes.com/cmabreakfast
Thank you
Danny Blackburn
Content Director