1. Fast engagement and better organic traffic – Visual marketing, when done right, can hook potential customers more easily, as a picture is worth a thousand words. Whether you are using crisp and well-shot photos or a video that is funny or emotional, these methods are more attractive than plain text and will draw more organic (or free) traffic to your site. And that’s just what you want. 
   
   
2. Better search engine ranking – Ranking high on search engines like Google, Bing or Yahoo is the best way to reel in organic traffic, as you might already know. This way, you won’t have to spend regularly on ads. And you can achieve a better ranking when people find your content relevant, informative and interesting. That is exactly what happens when you include photos, videos or virtual tours in your website, blog and Google My Business listings. When more people interact with your content, search engines read it as better engagement and consider your site to be high-quality. This, in turn, leads to a better rank and more traffic.
   
   Read – The Top 4 Predictions for the Future of Photography
   
   
3. Evokes curiosity and emotions – One of the biggest pros of visual marketing is that, it makes people curious and eager to know more. Action-oriented visual content formats, like virtual tours or videos are especially effective as they are immersive and realistic. They make your target audience feel, relate with your brand, understand your mission, and trust you. For instance, if you are promoting your school through a custom virtual tour, students and parents can explore it thoroughly and appreciate the fact that you are transparent. This can help you establish an emotional connection. Similarly, by watching videos or virtual tours of cafes, gyms, spas and such, people can find out more or decide whether they like a place or not.  
   
   
4. Better brand recall and conversion – You might be surprised to know that visual content has been found to boost learning in students by 400%! Naturally, it’s a powerful tool for marketing businesses too. Since visual information can be processed faster and easily by the human brain, it is possible to recall product or service details with more clarity even after a few days or weeks. And the better this recall, the higher is the chance of a visitor coming back to your site to place an order or make a booking. In other words, better recall can translate to better conversion, which is your ultimate goal.
   
   
5. Easy to share on social media – Another benefit of visual marketing is the ease with which visual content types can be shared on social media channels. Most people scroll their social feeds casually and notice posts or tweets that have images or videos. So, it is easier to connect with your brand’s followers this way and get them to share your visual content with others who might be interested too. Over time, it will boost your base of potential customers and website traffic.  
   
   Read – How to Maximize Exposure for Your Brand by Marketing Your 360 Virtual Tour
   

What kind of visual content should you use?

While still images are widely used these days by almost all kinds of businesses, consumer preferences and behaviors are evolving. And to keep up with them as well as beat competition, you need something more powerful than just pictures. You need beautifully shot pictures, emotive videos or immersive virtual tours that tell a story and keep your potential customers coming back for more. Apart from your website, these can be shared via emails, social media channels, brochures and more.   

So, are you quite convinced about the advantages of visual marketing by now? Email us at info@massinteract.com to discuss your brand and specific needs and we will help you zero in on the best visual content types.


 Read Also – Does Your Business Need a Virtual Tour?

Read on to know why the use of visual content is super effective:

1. Grabs attention quickly – People are known to have very short attention spans when they are looking for something online. And when they are looking for a rental property, they are likely to miss or ignore those that are not attractive or don’t give them the necessary information in the first go. This is where visual content comes in handy. Pictures or videos grab attention in seconds, speak volumes about the property, and are easier to recall as well. A long-winded text description of your rental property won’t do that trick.
   
   Read – Visual Content Strategy: How to Use Visuals to Get More ROI
   
   
2. Builds trust and educates viewers –Even if you are a well-known realtor, here’s a big reason why you need visual content. Pictures, videos and especially virtual tours show possible tenants what your property actually looks like. They subconsciously realize that you are not trying to hide anything. And this builds their trust. Also, by highlighting the important aspects of your rental property, you can send tenants a subtle message as to why they should pick yours over others. The more information they have about your place, the easier it will be for them to take a decision.   
   
   
3. Helps tenants to visualize – These days, the competition in the real estate market is simply cut-throat. So, you need visual content that offers tenants an immersive and engaging experience. For example, a 360 degree virtual tour can help them visualize their life at your place. Tenants can explore every nook and cranny of your rental property at their own pace and whenever they want, without having to visit you. This can be especially helpful in the light of the pandemic, since most people are trying to minimize face-to-face interactions or are not too keen to step outside unless essential.   
   
   
4. Easy to share on social media– We don’t need to tell you how important social media platforms are, when it comes to marketing literally anything these days! And visual content needs social promotion to grab more eyeballs than you normal would with just your website. This is easy to ensure though, since people tend to share social posts with images more than textual posts. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest are especially effective in this case. When your pictures or videos start getting shared, more potential tenants will come across your property, submit queries or show interest. This will put you in a better position to negotiate the rent.
   
   
5. Improves your search engine ranking – Did you know that search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo take social signals into account while ranking websites? And who doesn’t want to be there at the top? So, this means, if your social media posts get liked, shared or commented upon often, you will have a better chance of ranking high on the search results page. And, as we discussed, visual content is your best bet for effective social media marketing.      

To wrap up, visual content can help you market your rental property more efficiently and attract a tenant faster. It is a smart way to boost your online marketing strategy and target potential customers. And if you are looking for visual content ideas that are apt for you, simply email us at info@massinteract.com.  

Read Also – Does Your Business Need a Virtual Tour?

However, keep these rules in mind:

1. If you can show, why tell? – One of the top visual storytelling tips is to use visuals instead of text wherever possible. Your site visitor will pick up the information faster. For example, if you have a beautiful campus, don’t describe it. Use a virtual tour instead, and offer an immersive, engaging and realistic experience to students.  
   
2. Make an impression quickly –Students have very little attention span when they are exploring different university websites, as they are in a hurry to find the perfect place for the next four years of their life. So, the first image or video they see on your website should get them hooked instantly and make a favorable impression. This is why one of the best visual storytelling ideas is to put up a virtual tour that takes them across the grounds, through the halls, inside the cafeteria and more.  
   
   Read – How Virtual College Tours are Changing the Student Recruitment Game
   
   
3. Give your story a beginning, middle and an end – The art of visual storytelling for colleges requires you to follow a certain narrative arc. Whether you are using a series of images, videos or virtual tours, they shouldn’t be random or disconnected. So, craft a cohesive story that helps the student visualize his or her journey from their first day to graduation. Incorporate elements of excitement or suspense wherever you can, like awards they can win in sports or the scholarships they can strive for in different courses.
   
4. Show real people – One of the crucial visual storytelling rules is to show actual people (students and teaching staff in this case) in images or videos so that candidates can relate with your college or university better. For instance, showing a group of happy students playing baseball will build their trust better than showing an empty field.
   
5. Include wow factors – Having unique visual storytelling ideas always helps, as they motivate students to pick your university over others. For example, if you are creating a virtual tour for your website, make sure it evokes emotions like happiness, hope, and excitement. If your tour focuses on details like the dishes your cafeteria serves or the books your library houses, it will connect better with the students. Or, candid images of graduating students with their parents might evoke hope.
   
6. Keep it short and sweet – Using visual storytelling for your university website means you have to avoid distractions, so that site visitors can stay focused. Don’t throw in too many details that are hard to remember and highlight the most important aspects instead.

So, keep the above visual storytelling tips in mind to strengthen your university’s online presence. At present, this is the best way to attract potential candidates and get them to apply to your courses even if they are staying inside to beat the pandemic. And if you are not sure how to get started with visual storytelling or can’t decide on the right format, email us at info@massinteract.com.  

Must Read – Get Your College the Attenti