Tips For Making Eye-Catching Branded Content
It’s no secret that visual content reigns supreme in the world of marketing and beyond. Everywhere we look in the digital landscape there’s many eye-catching images being used to tell a brand’s story and give us more information than words alone ever could. Rich content helps to not only catch our attention – but keep it. We’re more likely to respond to and engage with advertisements and social media posts that include some type of rich content. As mobile devices become the digital tools of choice for many, our initial exposure to brands tends to be through this medium. Much of that time is spent within apps like instant messaging and social media platforms where we view and consume tons of content at the same time. From accounts we follow to sponsored posts, there are specific things that get consumers to stop, view and click through on a particular post or ad. Here are just a few tips for creating eye-catching branded content.
Understand The Psychology Of Colour
The way our brains respond to colour is an important thing to know and remember when creating your images and other branded content, even your logo. Depending on what type of niche your brand fits into, you may fare better with different colours as the focal shade in your image content. While colours like yellow are optimistic and youthful and grab the attention window shoppers who weren’t looking for anything specifically, red is a high energy shade that creates a sense of urgency and speaks to impulse shoppers. Blue tones invoke feelings of trust and are perfect for brands in the healthcare, banking and food sectors, while purple’s close association with royalty make it a prime shade for beauty brands. Depending on the feeling you’re looking to create, keep these colour designations in mind when creating your images.
Go Animated
If you have the resources, think about going animated with your images with either flash animation or .gif files. This doesn’t mean you have to create an entire cartoon, but adding moving elements to your images can be just the thing that makes someone pause to look at it further. It could be subtle or obvious, but think about adding an animated element to your image content and see how consumers respond to it. Though it’s not something that’s compatible with every platform, it’s worth adding to your digital marketing arsenal and using where they do currently work: the Google Ad Network, Email marketing and Twitter.
Go Custom When You Can
As useful as stock images can be, they’re accessed by tons of brands with a similar vision. Sometimes a stock photo can be specific and high quality enough to be the best option, so don’t get rid of your Shuttershock account just yet. Whenever possible and again, if you have the resources for this to be done well, opt for custom images that set you apart from anyone else in the same market/niche as you. Not only does this give you the flexibility to get the exact types of shots you need, but it’s just another way to brand yourself and create a cohesive look or aesthetic. Stock photo sites are a collection of a thousands of models and photographers, who’s work all looks different. Sometimes, it’s difficult to solidify a “look” using images that all look so different from each other, even with your logo and other brand messaging associated with it. There are enough advances in mobile technology to make them a viable camera option if you don’t have access to a professional camera or photographer.
Keep It Simple
One of the things that brands and graphic designers alike get wrong sometimes is the concept of visual simplicity. “Eye-catching” doesn’t necessarily equate to something cluttered and busy. Be cautious about using colours that don’t complement each other or fit with your overall branding. Don’t go overboard on the copy, as these visual elements are supposed to trigger the consumer to do further research on their own. Focus on elements like balance and make good use of white space. Images with too many elements are less likely to grab the attention of your intended audience.
Not every brand has a graphic designer on hand, but bear in mind that images are a vital part of how consumer interact with brands. You can outsource to freelance designers or take advantage of free online tools to make the most out of your images and digital marketing plans.