Telling Your Story Visually

What comes to your mind when you think of visual communication? Emojis, the latest meme, or a billboard you saw while driving? Yes, this type of content communication comes in many forms. It’s important to remember visual content isn’t optional when developing communication materials – it is required.

Not only are is it a must-have, but since it can be consumed 60,000 times faster than text, visual communication design must captivate, inform and leave target audiences wanting more. That means the quality of your visual content has a big impact on your business and brand identity, and brand awareness.

Thinking you need a visual communication strategy? (Hint: the answer is “yes). You’re in luck, here are some things to get you started.

So, what is visual communication?

Visual communication succinctly and effectively summarizes information to create meaning. Things such as infographics, data visualizations, and others have changed the way we read, share and talk about information. But visual communication is not easy, and, despite what many think it’s not graphic design. When effectively done, it allows your audience to consume information quickly.

Why is visual communication important?

Humans are naturally wired to process visual information accurately and quickly. Our brains can take in and understand 36,000 visual messages per hour, but we can only process approximately 14,280 words per hour. An even more impressive stat – text combined with images improves our comprehension by almost 89%!

When do I use it?

Put yourself in your audience’s shoes – what’s the best way for them to understand your message? Consider visual elements when:

You have a lot of data
You are explaining a complex topic
You need to capture your audience’s attention

How do I get started?

Typography, colors and illustration all define your brand’s visual identity and tell a unified story. So, you have two different options:

Use generic visual content (e.g., stock photos). There is a ton of stock photos available, so odds are there is one that fits within your brand’s standards.
To truly capitalize on a visual approach to your brand identity, consider creating custom visual content that aligns with your brand. You can hire an in-house designer or outsource to a freelance designer or agency (e.g., online design agency or WayPoint!). It’s no surprise that most marketers believe a custom type of content performs better and generates more engagement than generic. But, something is better than nothing!

What are the basics?

The first step in creating an impactful visual strategy is to understand the differences in visual elements, so you can determine what is needed for your message.

Data visualization: a representation of the numbers and data that tell a story. This includes pie charts, donut charts, and graphs. Without context, our graphs only tell part of the story – these elements show the data, your content explains it.
Graphic design: combines a variety of design elements to create our collateral, artwork, content, and aesthetic. A cohesive design for your brand will help set the mood and the tone.

When we combine these visual basics, we start to visually communicate a story.

How do I apply these concepts?

Like we said before, this type of communication can come in many forms.

Infographics: tells a story using facts, data and visuals. Great for a fact-based message.
Motion graphics: delivers a story dynamically. Great tool for describing a situation.
Interactive content: creates a way to share complex information into easily digestible chunks.

And here are some places to consider using them:

Annual reports: adding data visualization and icons can help capture the reader’s attention while making the material easily digestible.
Collateral: this includes conference materials and print collateral – to help connect with your audience, even after a conversation or presentation.
Ad campaigns, social media: helps tell a larger story, whether you’re building brand recognition, sharing information, or launching a product.

Some final tips:

We know, there’s a lot to consider for visual communication in your marketing campaigns. To help ease any anxiety you may have, here are some helpful tips.

Communication is critical
- Do it clearly and often
- Everyone involved needs to understand the goals you are trying to achieve and the target audience – these drive the creative process.
- A designer is not going to create a perfect piece of content on the first draft. Be clear about what you do and do not like about the design, and where you would like to see changes. Explain why you are asking for these changes, so the designer can be an educated partner and take corrective actions that address your concerns while staying aligned with your goals.
Collaborate from day one. Whether the visuals are being created in-house or by an external person or agency, creating custom content requires ongoing collaboration to create an end product that suits your needs and will resonate with your audience.

We told you it was a lot! Lucky for you, visual communication comes to us naturally, so let us show you the WAY.