Did you know the brain is able to process visuals 60,000 times faster than text?

The days of text-heavy newsletters or marketing content are long gone. Today, consumers are overwhelmed with content and limited on time. Make your messages stand out by embracing visual content. Your subscribers or social media fans may not have time to read a lengthy message, but you can still make an impression through visuals.

A picture isn’t just worth a 1,000 words, it’s worth a whole lot of engagement

Hands down, people are more likely to engage with visual content than text-heavy content. Photos on Facebook receive 120 percent more engagement than the average post, tweets with images are twice as likely to be engaged with, and using images in your newsletter can help boost your open rate. Even when your fans don’t engage with you, images allow them to process your content with a quick scan. Fortunately, small business owners don’t need to invest in expensive equipment or hire a professional to embrace this content marketing strategy. The tool you need is right in your back pocket.

Easy as 1, 2, 3

Using your smartphone to create visual marketing content is not only effective but it’s easy because you already carry your smartphone around with you wherever you go. It’s as simple as point, click, upload to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, add a caption, and press send. When it’s time to create your next newsletter, revisit your saved photos and select your favorites to incorporate into your messaging.

By showing off some behind the scenes action, you can humanize your brand and build genuine relationships. Don’t worry about finding the best angle or perfect lighting either. Photos that capture “real” moments aren’t perfect and your audience knows that.

Moments you can capture

  • Your employees in action
  • The production of your product/s
  • Customers enjoying your product or services
  • A sneak peak of a new product
  • New displays or decorations in your store
  • Events
  • Company milestones

The possibilities are endless!

Think of your visual marketing strategy as a way to tell your brand’s story. The photos your subscribers and fans will be most interested in capture the authentic moments in the everyday life of your business.

Advanced smartphone photography

If you want to take your smartphone camera skills to the next level, there are plenty of great free apps that you can download. Here are a few:

Pic Stich and Pic Collage: Both great for making beautiful collages.
Photo Editor by Aviary: Edit and add frames, text, filters, stickers, etc.
Panorama Free: Capture more with a panoramic image.
Fisheye and Color Effects: Get creative and have fun with color.

Glyder, an app featured in the Constant Contact MarketPlace, lets you create marketing messages on your iPhone that you can send to your Constant Contact lists, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Apple Passbook, and Address Book contacts.

A personal favorite of mine is Camera+. It costs $1.99, but it makes it easy to take photos that look like they were shot on a professional camera.

If you haven’t been using your smartphone to create marketing content, it may take a little getting used to. But once you get in the habit of pulling out your smartphone to snap great photos, you’ll be glad you did. Using your smartphone is an easy and budget-friendly way to capture moments and use them to drive engagement from your email marketing or social media.

More Resources:
How to Use Summer Images to Build Your Fall Business
17 Ways Small Businesses Can Use Pictures on Facebook
How to Use Instagram for Nonprofits
4 Ways to Use Pictures to Design Marketing Success

How do you use images in your marketing content? Share your tips below.