We hear the saying “content is king” all the time but in reality “visual content is king.” That’s not just a blanketed statement, but rather a scientific fact.

A Thomas Reuters infographic released in 2016 focused on the power that visual information has over the human brain. On average, our brains process visual information 60,000 times faster than text and 90% of the information transmitted to our brain is delivered in visual form. That same study found that when used properly, the right visuals have the ability to elicit a higher level of emotions.

Retention And Comprehension
Not only does visual messaging increase the emotional impact of a story, it also leads to higher rates of comprehension, a key indicator as to whether or not a story will be shared and re-shared because of the strong contextual understanding of the content. Readers are also more likely to retain the information they absorb, leading to a stronger likelihood that they will seek out that information again in order to share it with friends, family, and co-workers.

A Brand’s Identity And Visualization
If your main goal is to create brand awareness, visual storytelling, graphics for social media shares, and other visual markers are paramount to your brand’s success.

This doesn’t come as a surprise given the incredible attention to detail and messaging that we experience every day when company’s rebrand with a new logo, deliver powerful photographs that are shared by their followers, and develop infographics and animations that speak to an internet user’s senses.

Ultimately, layering together visuals with powerful contextual-based content provides a higher level of success across paid, earned, shared, and owned channels in the digital space. If your brand or publication is focused on building a bigger audience and remaining engaged with your current customer base an ecosystem that feeds visual content across all channels is incredibly important for your success.