The phrase “a picture paints a thousand words” may seem like a cliché, but not if you think about its origins.
The words are actually a combination of two sentences that were often printed on 18th-century newspapers: “Use a picture. It’s worth a thousand words” and “One look is worth a thousand words.”
Back then, these words were used to convey that a single image can advertise something as effectively as a written block of text (due to the limited space in newspapers). However, that notion still rings true today.
Visual content such as infographics, presentation slides as well as image and video content is more popular than ever, dominating almost all social media platforms. This is exactly why brand owners, company executives or marketers should take advantage of it and use it to catapult brands to fame, increase traffic and convert sales.
Here’s the exact science to prove it:
Image source: Unsplash
There’s a reason why we consider sight to be the most important out of all the senses we have. Without vision, we can’t make sense of the world, of what’s happening and of how we perceive things.
According to a study, half of our brain is devoted and dedicated to vision -- which includes the processing and storing of visual information as well as recalling it as and when needed.
The study beautifully conceptualises everything into the following text:
“[...] compares vision to an orchestra, where clusters of cells in different parts of the brain cooperate to process different components of visual information such as vertical or horizontal orientation, colour, size, shape, movement, and distinctions between overlapping objects.”
In short, the brain just loves to be stimulated, and what better way to do that than through colours, shapes and at times, movement? That being said, despite our brain loving stimulation, it also likes ideas that are made simple through… you guessed it: visuals.
Image source: Pexels
While dogs are famous for their sense of smell, and bats are known for their sense of hearing, primates rely heavily on visuals to navigate their way in the world. The eyes are used for hunting, finding shelter, looking out for predators and more.
We’re basically and biologically hardwired to engage in and pay extra attention to visual cues. Think about babies, for example. Way before their eye muscles and visions have fully developed, they’re already looking out for shapes, colours and know to seek out their mothers long before they’re aware that they’re doing so.
Image source: Pexels
Another interesting fact to note is that over 65% of humans are visual learners, as was found through a research study on engineering students by Dr Richard Felder in the 1980s.
This then became a foundation for a standardised test called the Index of Learning Styles (ILS), through which subsequent studies have estimated that the visual-verbal learning style is far more superior than other methods.
It’s easy to understand why; simply seeing a picture allows us to recreate an experience in our minds which then eases the process of learning and retaining. A good example of this would be one that we experience in our daily lives, like a flat tire. Would you be able to fix it by reading a wordy guide, or would you fare better by searching for a solution on YouTube and then watching an expert do it?
Image source: Piktochart
There’s just no way to deny the power of colours and their effects on us. How else would we naturally know that red is usually a sign of alertness -- which is why they’re often used in cautionary visuals or warnings -- and that we’d feel naturally calm and soothed when surrounded by blue?
By the way, here’s a tip for you: if you want your brand to seem loyal, reliable and safe, always choose the colour blue. There’s a reason why Facebook, Twitter and other brands use this popular colour.
And if you’re going for an interview and hoping to make a good impression, always wear blue. Trust us, it works.
Image source: Pexels
Want to convey a powerful message or make a big announcement? Use visuals, as it only takes 150 milliseconds for the eyes to process an image and then another 100 for the brain to attach understanding and meaning to it.
This isn’t to say that clever copy won’t do the trick -- it just won’t do it as fast. In the crazy-paced world of social media and mass visual consumption, time and speed are of the essence.
On top of this, it’s just easier to remember visuals even when we’ve been exposed to them for a short time. A study has shown that we are able to remember up to 2000 images with 90% accuracy, which exceeds our ability to remember words.
This isn’t something new though, as a 1986 study showed that presentations that used visual aids were found to be 43% more persuasive -- which is something marketers and business owners should definitely take note of.
Image source: Pexels
on how colours can directly impact your brand, business and marketing efforts, as collated by Xerox:
The truth is, we can keep throwing numbers and scientific data at you but the evidence is all around us: audiences want content that is engaging, informative and easy to digest in visual form.
But the real question is, how can you leverage this innate need for engaging visuals and tie it to your brand, business or company AND beat the flood of other visuals while you’re at it?
You can do this by delivering total knock-out and eye-grabbing designs, of course, and that’s what our team at Brandripe can help you with.
No matter what type of designs you’re looking for, be it educational infographics, promotional posters, food ads, web banners or logos, our team of talented graphic designers are able to take your brief on and deliver results within 48 hours -- complete with unlimited requests and revisions.
We can talk you through the entire process, but in the spirit of applying what we know about the power of visuals, of what working with us would be like:
Did all that grab your attention and successfully convey all the necessary information? Great, let’s move on to the next step: schedule a 15-minute VIP Demo Call with us today and let’s chat about your projects!
