Bring Your Brand To Life Using Pictures
Pictures are worth a thousand words…and maybe even a free dinner. A restaurant in England, billing itself as “the world’s first pay-by-picture restaurant” (The Picture House), treats customers to a free meal if they post pictures of their food to social media. As it turns out, over 50% of people routinely take pictures of their food, according to research by BirdsEye. Just so happens the frozen food company is behind the restaurant, using the posting idea to promote a new line of dinners.
Because pictures stick in your memory, stimulate emotions, and improve understanding, they are a great way to get the word out about your company. However, choosing the right visuals to post for your business is no easy feat (which may be why The Picture House is letting customers have a go at it). Here are some tips to bring your brand to life using pictures, whether it be on Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook, thanks to PR Daily and Mashable:
1. Infographics are a great way for any company to be creative, especially those in the science and math fields. These visual portrayals of information allow you to present seemingly boring statistics in an attention grabbing way, such as through graphs, pictures or drawings. Take a look at this infographic on acidity as an example. Would you ever stop and read an article about the pH of lemons and limes? Probably not. But this colorful graphic from Visual.ly draws you in.
2. Use the right colors. Different colors can evoke different emotions, which is why it is important to align the color you choose with the message you want to convey. According to the Logo Company…
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Orange is associated with confidence.
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White is associated with purity.
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Red is associated with excitement.
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Yellow is associated with optimism.
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Blue is associated with trust.
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Purple is associated with creativity.
Take a look at this infographic from the Logo Company to see how brands use colors to their advantage.
3. Give your audience a glimpse of life behind the scenes. People aren’t just interested in the finished product, they also want to know what goes into making the item. Plus, this is a great way for any business to keep their audience engaged even when their new product isn’t ready. For example, if you are advertising a restaurant, post a picture of the chef testing a dessert recipe. If you are advertising a TV show, post a picture of the filming. If you are advertising a clothing store, post a picture of a model trying on the clothes.
A Williams-Sonoma Instagram post of employees testing a recipe.
4. Make a personal connection with your customers. People want to see unique photos that they can’t get anywhere else. Pictures of your CEO outside of work or a team photo will show that your company is relatable, that employees are having fun, and gives the consumer a chance to match a face to the brand.
A photo of the cast on set of Orange Is The New Black on their Twitter.
5. Create a lifestyle to post about. Don’t be afraid to get creative with stories and pictures that aren’t directly in your company’s industry. For example, Lowe’s (a home improvement store) compliments pictures of their home products with photos of craft projects, family-friendly recipes, and the outdoors. This way, they not only associate their product with a wholesome experience, but they also expand their customer base. Now they are attracting social media users who might not otherwise have looked at a home improvement store’s web offerings, but were attracted by other types of articles.
A recipe on the Lowe’s Pinterest page for cookie dough pops.