How to use visual content for better brand engagement?

As you now know the importance and types of visual content, you can also learn how to create a visual content marketing strategy to grow your brand. Visuals help you build authority, drive more traffic and get you more customers. But all this success is possible if you use the right visuals with the right purpose at the right time. Without the proper strategy, your visuals won't be able to bring optimal results.

1. Identify your audience and channels

Know who you’re talking to before firing up Photoshop or your camera. Different people expect different things: a B2B tech exec probably wants in-depth infographics, while a fitness influencer might be all about aspirational Reels.

• Ask yourself: Who’s watching, reading, or scrolling through your content? What’s their level of knowledge, and what catches their eye?

• Choose your distribution: Owned channels like your website or social accounts let you speak directly to your fans. Earned channels (think: influencers, major publications) can get you in front of new audiences. And paid channels—like sponsored posts—are great if you want to speed things up.

Remember, it’s not about spamming every platform out there. Focus on where your audience actually hangs out so your visuals land where they’ll matter most.

2. Build the right team

If you want high-quality imagery, you are going to need the talent, equipment, and time to deliver. That may involve hiring some in-house design talent, or it might mean working with a creative network or agency who has already got the know-how (and the pricey equipment).

• In-house: Great if you want tighter control and alignment with your brand. You’ll need pros in design, SEO, and content creation at a minimum.

• Agency: Perfect if you need to tap into varied skill sets and stay on top of the latest trends—agencies live and breathe this stuff.

Either way, it’s about getting the right skill mix so you can execute top-notch visual projects without breaking a sweat (or your budget).

3. Think like a storyteller

Stories sell, it's that simple. A good story doesn't necessarily have to be an epic movie; sometimes a short video or a sequence of images can get the job done just as well.

• Keep it cohesive: Thread a clear narrative through your visuals—something viewers can grab onto.

• Emotionalise: Recall Nike's strategy, highlighting resilience and passion in each campaign. Whether motivational or emotional, a solid emotional anchor makes your images resonate strongly.

Your audience isn't searching for nice pictures; they want an experience, so tap into your inner storyteller.

4. Stay consistent on brand

If your brand appears with a chic black-and-white look on Instagram and a pastel paradise on TikTok, your audience may suffer from whiplash. Consistency is the cement that binds your brand identity.

• Unify your visuals: Employ the same color scheme, fonts, and design elements across platforms.

• Templates: Develop branded templates for rapid, consistent design. This ensures you post frequently without constantly reinventing the wheel.

• Logos and tags: Over your original pics, slap up your logo, apply relevant tags and metadata—let fans know where to look, and for prospective fans to spot you. 

In essence, your presence across your various locations should seem like one sustained experience, irrespective of where fans happen to bump into you.

5. Source images without breaching copyright laws

Pirate vibes might be fun for Halloween, but not when it comes to intellectual property. Always double-check usage rights before you snag that “perfect” image off Google.

• Read the fine print: Stock photo sites and Creative Commons licenses often come with specific rules. Respect them.

• Contracts: If you are working with artists or photographers, get it in writing—ownership rights, usage rights, everything.

• User-generated content: It’s gold for authenticity. Just remember to ask permission or give credit as needed.

Nothing kills a campaign faster than a takedown notice—or worse, a lawsuit.

6. Work smarter, not harder

Content burnout is not fictional. If you are creating so many graphics, you hardly find time to draw breath, revise your process.

• Automation: Automate tedious jobs such as scheduling posts, batch editing pics, or reporting analytics so your crew has time to engage in creative stuff.

• Repurpose: Got a stale blog article? Convert it into an infographic. A blockbuster webinar? Cut highlights into brief social vids.

• Collaboration: Get your team to share resources, templates, and best practices. That way, nobody's reinventing the wheel every time.

The aim is to produce consistent, quality content without exhausting yourself.

7. Distribute your content

You’ve got your shiny new visuals now, make sure they are accessible to everyone. Diversity and inclusion matter in your distribution plan.

• Alt-text: For those with visual impairments, alt-text is a must. It’s the difference between them seeing your content and missing it entirely.

• Captioning: Adding subtitles or transcripts to videos helps people with hearing challenges (and let’s be honest, those of us scrolling on mute).

• Consider context: Make sure your color schemes, references, and even emojis don’t confuse or exclude parts of your audience. Overuse of emojis? Screen readers can turn them into chaos.

In short, cast the widest net possible so everyone can enjoy your visuals.

8. Measure your ROI

Page views are not enough. You have to consider the larger picture: Are individuals really taking action on your content? Is it producing leads, sales, or love for your brand?

• Conversions: High conversions indicate your visuals are inspiring action such as newsletter subscriptions, demo requests, or even purchases.

• Engagement: Look for likes, shares, comments, or any indication that people are engaged. The more time they invest in engaging, the tighter the bond.

• Follow-up: If you are getting comments such as, "Where can I purchase this?" or "I need more information," that's a positive indication you are going in the right direction.

In the end, you want to establish long-term relationships with your audience, not merely accumulate a one-time increase in views.