Images are virtually everywhere. They stimulate online growth for businesses and keep audiences engaged. According to a survey in 2016, 83.5% of online marketers stated that between 71 to 100% of the content they created included images.

Because of these changing trends, it’s no longer surprising why a huge majority of content marketers include images as part of their strategies. However, it’s not just about enhancing a content’s appearance or readability. Images actually have a deep psychological impact. With that in mind, here are the 8 types of images that have a psychological impact on your content and encourage reader engagement:

  1. Infographics

Infographics are the perfect tool for conveying various messages and research findings in a single image. The best thing about infographics is that they are easily shareable, not to mention that they  get shared 30 times more often than text articles.

  1. Stock Photos

If used properly, stock photos can incite real emotions in your readers. With the help of high-quality stock photos from sites like Burst by Shopify, you can make your brand more credible and keep your readers engaged. In fact, 35% of marketers stated that they used stock photos the most, higher than any other visual content marketing tool

  1. Screenshots

Screenshots are the ideal tool for showing your readers something instead of just telling them. The psychology behind using screenshots is that you show your readers something, like a positive email you have received from a customer, and have them see it for themselves. This increases your overall trustworthiness and also shows that you take feedback from your customers seriously.

  1. Comics

Laughter is a powerful emotion that encourages engagement among your readers. It encourages them to leave a comment on your content or share it with their circle of friends. This is possible with the help of comics that convey your brand messaging in a humorous way while being framed around a more pertinent issue that your customers may be facing.

  1. Personal Photos

Personal photos give your audience the assurance that you are indeed human. They make it easy for them to relate to you, not to mention they also help build the authenticity of your brand. Make sure to share photos of your team doing normal activities, such as a team lunch or outing in order to build trust. This plays particularly well on platforms like Instagram or even Snapchat.

  1. Quote Graphics

Quote graphics might seem rather old school; however, they’re still highly acknowledged and shared by their readers. In fact, quote graphics can easily gain massive traction on social media platform like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. With the right quote, font and imagery, capturing your audience’s attention will be a piece of cake.

  1. Charts and Graphs

Charts and graphs allow you to deliver statistics and research findings to your audience easily. The best thing about them is that they are easily absorbed by your readers on the spot. Since we tend to remember data when presented through images rather than through words, they make the perfect tool if you want to convey something that will stick with your readers.

  1. Custom Art

Sometimes, you can’t find an image that relates to your post. In such cases, custom art will do the trick. Fortunately, they are really easy to make, or you can have one designed for you for a very affordable cost by a graphic designer who understands your brand messaging.

Final Thoughts

Including images in your content is a no-brainer. However, using visuals that trigger an emotional response from your audience is the smart marketer’s approach. Whether you create your own images, source them online, or shoot them on your own, always make sure to consider how they will impact your audience.

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