A Picture Speaks A Thousand Words

An age old adage but one that is more pertinent than ever given our current fixation with social media. Over the course of a day 500 million Tweets are sent, 70 million pictures are uploaded to Instagram and over the course of one month, 30 billion pieces of content are posted on Facebook – our lives are literally awash with images of people, products and places. Research shows that from a user’s perspective, images are the most engaging type of content. Facebook boasts an 87% interaction rate if a photograph is included, other post types e.g. link or status updates receive only 4% interaction. By adding a photo URL to a tweet can boost retweets by 35% (source Socialmediaexaminer.com) So what does this mean for your business? Karen Fewell, founder of Digital Blonde agency, says: “Sharing a brand story and telling customers why a product is special using imagery to create an emotional connection will increase sales and encourage brand loyalty. It has been found that people’s emotional reaction is stronger to photographs and images so these resonate better with an audience than words alone.” (Source bighospitality.co.uk) Changing consumer attitudes reflect this thinking. Where as once Generation X were happy to purchase products based on effectiveness and competitive pricing, Generation Y is more concerned with why a product exists; its history, its people, its vision – images are a significant contributing factor in this, helping to build the bigger picture and make the product more tangible. This insight allows companies to harness the market more productively by sharing images of their products/services; be it food, events or even its people; images help to create, build and maintain brand loyalty. NDML’s top tips for sharing images on social media: •Remember not all images will be of interest to your audience – think before posting •Don’t over saturate social media channels – make your posts relevant, well timed and appropriate •Only use high quality images •Only post images that you have created or have the right to publish •Take impromptu images and post in real time – especially relevant if at awards ceremonies etc •Avoid ‘selfies’ •Vary your images – make it interesting •Share multiple images in a single post to create a collage •Whilst the best day/time to post depends on your target audience, the Friday phenomenon is proven real. Research shows that consumer interaction is higher on Friday than any other day. So get snapping! Do remember that whilst we wholeheartedly encourage increased sales/footfall/consumer engagement, it is vital that all businesses operate with comprehensive insurance pertinent to their unique requirements. NDML boast being able to place an in exhaustive list of insurance needs, many of which are exclusive products unattainable through any other broker in the UK. For further information, to arrange a confidential face to face review or to speak to one of our experts – simply fill out the contact form or call 0844 488 9205.

For more information on A Picture Speaks A Thousand Words talk to NDML Insurance Specialists