Words may lead to sales, but without a great blog image, it can be tough getting anyone to read those words. Blog images not only impact how many people read a blog; they can determine how much coverage it gets on social media.
According to one study, Tweets with an image get 35 percent more re-tweets. On Facebook, 87 percent of the top posts include pictures of one sort or another.
As Andy Crestodina says in his book, Content Chemistry, “a blog without an image is like a postcard without a stamp.”
Crestodina goes on to say that not only are images relevant as far as getting viewers and shares on social media, but they are also essential in helping us remember a company, product, or service. This is referred to as the “Pictorial Superiority Effect.” We see the visual; it catches our eye, so we read the blog that goes along with it. However, later we remember what we read because we remember the visual.
Here are some other ways to make visuals in blogs stand out:
- Add a quote or a comment to the visual. This increases the likelihood that it will catch a visitor’s eye. One way to accomplish this is by using editing tools provided by Canva.
- An image of just a product along with a blog will not have the same impact as an image with someone using or looking at the product. Always bring people into the picture and something to remember, it’s a good idea to have them looking at the product.
- Our eyes tend to flow in the same direction as the person’s eyes in the image. This i
s why they must be looking at the product. Crestodina calls this “you look where they look.” - The size of the image is not that important, as long as if fits in comfortably with the blog. It should, however, be about twice as wide as it is tall. In other words, landscape images are more effective than portraits.
- Always add ALT text with the image. This improves SEO. And here’s another tip. Add your logo in the upper right-hand corner, The SEO will help pick the image up in search engines, and with the logo embedded into the image, everyone will know where it came from.
A final thought on images: always include one of yourself and your staff in your About section. This is especially true if you are a SOLO-entrepreneur or small business.
People like to do business with people they know or at least can see. With the Internet, your customers may be anywhere in the world. You may never actually meet them. However, by adding images to your About section, it makes them feel like they know you.
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