Visual storytelling is the art of using visual images and videos to tell a story around a brand's values and offering solutions. Visual storytelling can be anything from a simple comic strip to a complex motion picture. The "visual" aspect is key to the concept. The story needs to be told through static or motion pictures or a combination of words and images to convey a message or story. Visual storytelling is a powerful way to create impact in your content. It can be used in website design, blogging, social media posts, or even in films and movies. The most important element of any visual story is the message or story itself. In fact, the first element of any good visual story is the message it is trying to convey. For visual storytelling to be effective, you need to know the message you are trying to convey. In the past, visual storytelling was used to tell a story in a variety of mediums like traditional media including paintings, drawings, and comics. However, over the past few years, technological advancements have allowed visual storytelling to grow by leaps and bounds. The advent of the internet has allowed visual storytelling to reach the masses in the form of movies and video games. Today, visual storytelling is more powerful than ever. Visual storytelling is now the main form of communication on the internet. It has become much easier for people to share stories using visual mediums. This form of communication is used to tell many different types of stories. These stories can be personal, educational, entertaining, or political. They are used to influence people and to reach consumers and affect their purchasing behaviors.
Visual storytelling uses images, videos, infographics, presentations, and other visuals on social media platforms to craft a graphical story around crucial brand values and offerings. A visual story is a visualization of a story containing a conflict and an escalation of events with a satisfying ending resolution. A brand must present its story that includes a solution to the customer’s problem or struggle that satisfies their needs and desire. The purpose of visual storytelling is to convince the customer and impact their buying purchase decision to take action and enhance an emotional connection between a customer and a brand. Visual storytelling transforms a selected set of information into a single complete static or motion picture that contains the fundamental elements of a story, designed carefully to draw the audience’s attention from their starting place to the desired conclusion. For example, people dislike changing, and where possible, most people will avoid making decisions. So, the story must give them an apparent reason to act and make a change.
The Power of Brand Visual Storytelling
Marketers shall rely on visuals to amplify social
media engagement for marketing and branding purposes. (Brightcove 2018) found
that 76% of consumers said they purchased a product or service after viewing a
video, while 85% of millennials (18-34-year-olds) reported the same. The report
proved that video is preferred for brand and marketing communication as it
enhances loyalty, strengthens customer relationships, increases awareness.
Further, (Brightcove 2018) research showed that people respond to visuals more
intensely and quickly than text alone; 36% of consumers overall and 46% of
millennials favor video content to other forms. Consumers believe it is
essential to watch a video when shopping for a particular product online;
personal electronics (56%), household appliances (52%), tools (48%), software
(47%), clothing, and makeup (35%), and personal care (27%).
Marketers
shall understand brand identity, image, values, and what it stands for as a
purpose to convey it to the audience. A brand’s message needs to be delivered
efficiently to the customer by meeting the customer’s needs, crafting the brand
message into a powerful creative visual story, and communicating the brand
values and culture message to the audience. Clarity and consistency are
essential in visual brand storytelling to build connections with customers and
grant their loyalty. When selecting footage, stock images, brand photography, and
illustrations, the first step is to clarify how the visuals will represent and
communicate the brand story across multiple marketing and social media
channels.
Visual Storytelling in Social Media
Video content is still booming. Interest in binge-watching content grew significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 70% of marketers looking to up their investment in video. The competition between Instagram reels and TikTok over visual content is getting fierce. Teens (29%) preferred Instagram as a social platform of choice compared to TikTok (25%). In terms of content, Instagram to continue to push story reels. Brands should consider posting short-form videos across both Instagram and TikTok rather than choosing between them. According to a (DataReportal 2021) report, there are 4.33 billion social media users worldwide starting in 2021, equating to over 55% of the total global population. An average of two hours and 25 minutes are spent per day per person on social media. Ten billion hours spend globally using social platforms each day, which is the equivalent of nearly 1.2 million years of human existence.
- Facebook’s active monthly users are 2.797 billion.
- YouTube’s prospective advertising reach is 2.291 billion.
- Facebook Messenger exceeded 1.3 billion monthly active users.
- Instagram’s reach is 1.287 billion, which provides an ideal platform for brand storytelling advertising.
Social media users are increasing each month; 9 in 10 internet users now use social media. In addition, 91% of all social media users log on to their accounts via mobile devices. These figures explain the ever-increasing need for mobile-friendly content on social networking platforms. Similarly, mobile platforms account for about 80% of total time spent on social networking sites (Lyfemarketing 2019). The Instagram platform is an ideal place for posting brand visual stories. An Instagram Story is a vertical slide show of images or videos. Each story lasts for 10 seconds, and the complete story reel expires after 24 hours unless users choose to highlight it on their profile. According to (Statista 2019) statistics the number of daily active Instagram stories users has soared from 150 million in January 2017 to 500 million in January 2019. Instagram claims that 500 million people use Stories every day, with companies accounting for 33% of the most-viewed stories. Furthermore, 87 % of consumers claimed that an Instagram influencer influenced them to buy something. Instagram also revealed that 70% of “shopping enthusiasts” turn to the Instagram platform for product discovery Even if people are not buying from influencers directly, there is no denying their impact on cementing Instagram as a shopping hub.
According to
individuals who purchase from influencers, standard image posts (78%), stories
(73%), and YouTube Videos (56%) are considered the most effective types of
influencer content reported by (MediaKix 2019). More than ever before, people
are following brands on Instagram, marking how the platform becomes rival to
Facebook in terms of shopping and ads in the long run. Even if Instagram isn’t stemming in direct sales, the social platform
remains a vital vehicle for any social marketing funnel for educating and nurturing customers. Instagram is one of the
many other social media platforms that can be used for compelling storytelling
through the unique format of Instagram. Several techniques include creating one
enormous picture composed of several smaller images to appeal to the reader’s
eyes. This technique is called
Instagrids. Another excellent example is
@Hershelsupply which used interesting photography displays to showcase their
new products or collections:
More actions can be added to Instagram stories to make them more engaging, such as adding questions, polls, and fun stickers or music to create branded content as unique as possible. Instagram stories invite brands to the possibility of higher creative freedom, which might help their campaign become a success with their audience. Billion Dollar cited Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab (2002), which asked 2,440 participants how they evaluated the credibility of websites. According to 46.1 % of individuals, the design of a company's website is the most important factor in determining its credibility. In the same direction, (MDG advertising 2018) has shown that 67% of consumers consider clear, detailed images more important than product information, full description, and customer ratings in selecting and purchasing the product.
Hubspot is a fantastic
example of a B2B company that leverages visual content and storytelling across
several social media channels. While many of the company’s social media
channels are showcases how B2B companies can their personality and creativity shine,
encouraging engagement with influencers and prospective clients. With boards
dedicated to company culture, helpful e-books, webinars, and infographics, the
visual content shared is a mix of informative, humorous, and inspiring. Of
course, the concept of well-composed photos is nothing new to companies—it is
something they have been sourcing for their websites, advertisements, retail
locations, and for the news media for a long time. What's new is the idea of
social media-friendly photos that elicit a quick reaction. Retouching, food
styling, scene design, and lighting are all popular methods used in
professional pictures. However, with social media, people are looking for images to be
realistic and in line with company values and offerings.
TripAdvisor Visual Content Marketing Strategy
The New TripAdvisor turned
social in 2018, enabling members to acquire relevant tips and inspiration to
become the one travel site to plan "Your" Perfect Trip." Travelers
can follow friends and travel experts they trust, including publishers, brands,
and social media influencers who share information relevant to their interests.
Trip Advisor allows members to post images of their hotel stays. With Millions
of photos posted to the site, the value of seeing these photos is that
travelers can see if the hotel truly matches the pictures shown on the hotel’s
website. One way to show the more human side of a brand is by putting its community’s
user-generated content in the spotlight.
Lululemon, Visual Marketing Strategy of Lifestyle Storytelling
A lifestyle brand is a company that will market services and
products that appeal to a culture or group’s interests, opinions, and attitudes.
Lifestyle products
will inspire and motivate people. The goal of the product is to contribute in
one way or another to the consumer’s lifestyle. Lululemon’s primary focus is on
fitness and yoga that changed the fashion industry and has been wildly
successful since its founding in 1998. The success of this brand is related to
the strength of its lifestyle brand and its continuous focus on product
innovation. In addition, they use consistent visualization storytelling around
yoga and other social-related matters in their respective digital marketing
campaigns to enhance their core values among their audience and communities.
For example, in one of the YouTube videos, lululemon elite ambassador Maddie
Brenneman talked about her journey through life’s challenges and how fly-fishing keeps her grounded. Lululemon founder Chip
Wilson’s passion for activewear and yoga outfits led him to build an
enthusiastic community around the brand movement, leading to the brand’s
growth. In addition, the brand sparked a sense of belonging in the customers
and gets them to shop repeatedly.
Lululemon's social media accounts are utilized to their utmost potential: Pinterest serves as a product catalog, YouTube serves as a resource for easy-to-follow yoga lesson videos, and Facebook and Twitter serve as a platform for updates and hashtags. Lululemon does a great job of this by hosting classes and arranging exercise groups in its active communities. The company’s purpose is to be the favorite brand of those who wake up in the morning with an objective in mind, then go to bed at night with that aim completed. Lululemon ensures their customers remain connected with the brand through their social media accounts, committed to replying to as many fans as possible. The Twitter hashtag of Lululemon, which exceeds a million posts, #thesweatlife, provides a glimpse into the versatility of its products.
Patagonia Marketing Strategy - Environment Commitment
Patagonia is
one of the most influential brands and most passionate followings. Their
marketing strategy, “Buy less demand more, “points to their commitment to
quality, deep integrity, and care for the environment. According to Patagonia,
the clothing industry contributes up to 10% of the pollution driving the
climate crisis. Today still, less than 1% of the cotton grown worldwide is
organic. So, Patagonia asked employees to take cotton to 100% organic by 1996.
Earlier in 2021, they asked its customers and followers to demand organic cotton. Their visual storytelling maintains their core story of integrity and
environmental protection vows. Without using supermodels, each image shows real
people enjoying the outdoors, holding to cliff sides, marching through snow
mountains, or throwing themselves off the sides of yachts in the Caribbean. These images
that communicate to a particular niche audience are the images that help the
audience plan their subsequent exciting journeys. Patagonia’s ongoing ‘Worn
Wear’ campaign praises the stories of the consumers that wear the company’s
clothes. It also extends the life of Patagonia gear and makes it simple to
recycle Patagonia items after they have been restored. In addition, the company
asked its customers who may have old Patagonia items to trade-in and get paid
credit towards their next purchase on a used or new garment. @Wornwear is
Patagonia’s Instagram hub for building a loyal community around the brand
values of environmental responsibility of cutting waste “Buy less, demand more.”
The "Stories We Wear" slogan refers to biographies of elite athletes
and everyday individuals who equate holes, burns, and patches with the scars
they collect on their journeys and wear as badges of accomplishment, respect,
and success. By stitching together, the people who take pleasure in their
Patagonia products and the memories they create wearing those products, the
campaign “Stories We Wear" tells a larger story of things worth preserving
which strengthens the emotional bond between the brand and the users. The
company wanted to prove that it produces high-quality clothes that last for years,
and customers do not have to buy more, but this turns consumers more loyal to
the company. It is a brave message to ask consumers not to buy more unless they
need to. The tagline “Better than new” immediately show that this is no
ordinary marketing effort. The “Worn Wear wagon” (pictured above) drives around
the country with Patagonia to refurbish old garments and gear, sell used
clothing, and hold DIY workshops. Along the way, they are
also reinforcing the brand’s values and boosting their community of loyal fans,
and telling their stories in YouTube videos. In addition, they spread the word
visually on social media platforms for brand followers to meet up and mend
their garments.
Harvard Business Review (HBR) Visual Content Examples
The Harvard Business
Review often places stories around management,
professionalism, and career life. It uses an informal
tone of voice and similarly adapts long-form content into shortened Stories.
However, one key difference is that HBR is a bit more interactive. While HBR adopts
Instagram’s poll, quiz, and other interactive Story features, it also gets
creative by adding its take on interactivity to a story. The story then gives
the viewers advice on what to do if they checked any of the boxes. Readers who
want to know more offer a swipe up to a long-form article on their website.
Moon Oral Care, Bang Visualization on Instagram
Moon oral Another
startup brand that first launched on Instagram a series of videos to introduce
their brand with a bang visualization. It was an impactful and standout
campaign for their new followers. Launching a brand visualization on the Instagram
grid with the hashtag #ElevateYourRoutine partnering with celebrity Kendall Jenner for the first
time is truly a creative and a sure-fire way to help the newbie brand stand out
from the crowd.
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