WHY WE'RE MORE LIKELY TO REMEMBER CONTENT WITH IMAGES AND VIDEO (INFOGRAPHIC)
WITHOUT A VISUAL COMPONENT, YOUR MESSAGE MIGHT NOT BE GETTING HEARD.
If you want someone to remember your message--in a presentation, an article, or a report--tell them a story.
Our brains are far more engaged by storytelling than a list of facts--it’s easier for us to remember stories because our brains make little distinction between an experience we are reading about and one that is actually happening. And while we've covered the importance of storytelling before, there is another element that can drive your point home even more--images. That's because visuals add a component to storytelling that text cannot: speed.
According to researched complied by 3M, the corporation behind Post-it Notes, visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text, which means you can paint a picture for your audience much faster with an actual picture. It's no surprise then thatHubSpot's social-media scientist Dan Zarrella foundtweets with images are 94% more likely to be retweeted than tweets without.
According to this infographic compiled by design agency Ethos3, adding images to your tweets isn't the only way to get in on the visual action. Here are threevisual tools you can use to connect with your audience even faster:
1. PRESENTATIONS
Since 65% of people are visual learners according to the Social Science Research Network, one of the best ways to drive the message home is through visual content. One way to do this is to include embedded slideshows in presentations, or on your website or insocial media using tools such as SlideShare.
2. VIDEOS
Videos can be harnessed in all manner of ways, from convincing buyers that your product is worth the investment to learning a new skill. YouTube alone sees more than 1 billion unique visitors a month and hasmade stars out of everyday people.
In fact, Forrester Research found that your content is 50 times more likely to make it to the first page of Google results if it includes video.
3. INFOGRAPHICS
As you've probably noticed if you are reading this article, infographics are an effective way to visualize information and data. Presenting data in a visual way has been proven effective for a long time.
According to the New Yorker, Abraham Lincoln often referred to a map that “bore the marks of much service.” More than just a map of the southern states, this three-foot parchment also reflected the number of slaves who lived in each county and was a constant source of reflection for the President.
Today we're seeing a significant uptick in the amount of people searching for information graphics--infographics. In the past five years alone, searches for these tools have increased 25 times.
