Framing a Digital Story for Your Brand
By Josh Rosenberg, SVP/Director,FirstWord Digital, M Booth
Every day we see hundreds of images in our social network feeds that make us take notice –from our friends’ vacation candids to brilliantly edited videos to those hilarious cat memes.
It’s no surprise that the way we take in information these days is in short, visual bursts. The proof is in the social networks themselves –with the rise of image-based platforms Instagram and Pinterest, and with the increased importance both Facebook and Foursquare’s redesigns place on sharing visual imagery. Brands can no longer avoid thinking and communicating visually.
We worked with Simply Measured to analyze how consumers interact with visual content online and found that on Facebook’s top 10 brand pages, photos receive two times more ‘likes’ than text posts and videos are shared 12 times more than links and text posts combined.
So, while cats and vacation photos may not be the best content for a brand’s social networks, it is increasingly important for a brand to think visually. Here are five tips to help your brand frame visual stories:
1. Think visually: Can you use a photo or visual to explain your point? Don’t just describe your new office, take a picture or create a video tour. Keep text short and use it to caption your visual.
2. Bring it back to the real world: Steer clear of corporate artwork and stock photos when you can and take photos out in the real world. Look to the images your community is posting for inspiration, but make sure to stay true to your brand.
3. Share insider moments: Use your behind-the-scenes access for engagement. Is your brand about to release its fall collection? Share a sneak peek of the fabrics and photo shoots to make your fans feel like they’re insiders.
4. Tap into your history: Don’t just tell your fans where you’re going; show them where you’ve been. Share old logos, photos or advertisements that tell your brand’s story from the beginning so they feel more a part of the journey.
5. Be original: It may be tempting to search the internet for the perfect photo, but remember that many images online belong to someone else. Luckily, it’s easier than ever to take high quality photos on a mobile phone, so get out there and get snapping.
For more information on visual storytelling, check out www.mbooth.com/framed.
About the Author: Josh Rosenberg is SVP/Director,FirstWord Digital at M Booth. With a unique ability to tell a brand story across multiple platforms, Josh is the force behind the agency’s digital innovation and strategy. Josh has a passion for creativity and big ideas and develops integrated communications programs, anchored online and designed to spark dialogue for the agency’s clients.
You may also be interested in...
