Which Content Format Is More Effective: Text or Images?

When it comes to marketing, content is essential. Giving the appropriate information to the proper audience in the right format is a strategy that may help businesses stand out. Marketers must plan carefully due to the large number of websites attempting to take a piece of the readership pie.

There are many different types of content. Text, images, video, or a combination might be used to deliver information. But what is the best way to display information on your website? 

However, visual content is only one type of material. We compare the benefits and drawbacks of both text and picture content in this section.

Visual information is better processed by our brains

It’s been shown that in some cases, the text is up to 60,000 times less effective than visuals. It appears to be more difficult to comprehend pictures than entire blocks of text. In fact, non-verbal information accounts for 90% of the information that reaches the brain. Of course, our brains are built to understand images better than words.

This is due to the fact that people recall up to 80% of what they see, as opposed to just 20% of what they read. As a result, visuals are critical in terms of content marketing.

The number of people who view your posts is dependent on the presence of pictures

If you include images, you may almost double the number of people who view your webpage. In addition, images can assist you to attract the ideal type of audience to your site by as much as 67%.

Today’s fast-paced existence verdicts that visuals be more appealing

While the majority of people still use numerous platforms to visit websites, mobile usage has continued to rise. Mobile devices are convenient and allow you to access the Internet at any time and from anywhere. If you only have ten seconds, images will assist you in comprehending information more quickly.

For speed, the text option is best. High-resolution images on a page will take longer to load. This may lower the number of people who visit your site.

Younger people prefer visuals

You will benefit more from pictures if your company caters to the younger generation. Digital marketing experts frequently employ beautifully created visuals to appeal to this group. Video is very popular among young people between the ages of 18 and 24, with a strong preference for it. Meanwhile, older generations prefer to read news articles, receive email updates, and obtain reports that are written in text form.

Visuals are shared more frequently than words on social media

Viral pictures and videos go viral in large part due to people’s propensity to share more images than words. A typical person reads only 20% of a webpage or article. If the text is insufficiently compelling or fascinating, the individual will simply leave the page. If you want your material to go viral, incorporate photos as support for a concise message. You may increase your brand recognition by getting a post to go viral. In addition, you may improve your conversion rate by doing so.

Plan ahead when planning a creative infographic or image you want to go viral. You’ll want to get the most attention for your material possible. Make sure your logo and website URL are included in your creative infographic.

Text is better for SEO than visuals

Keywords are necessary for SEO. You can use as many as you want in a written piece, which assists search engines in better comprehending the topic of your content. In addition, readers can skim text more quickly than visuals to obtain the information they need.

Text is easier to produce than visuals

You may be able to complete a 1,000-word article in a shorter amount of time than it takes to produce an image. Creating infographics and videos requires more effort. Images also need to be high quality if you don’t want them to reflect negatively on your brand.

The text provides more opportunities for interaction

You have the chance to add links to your text, which allows readers to explore other parts of your website. You might also include calls to action, which prompt readers to take the desired action, such as signing up for your email list.

Text is better for building relationships

When you publish quality content, you establish yourself as an expert in your field. If you provide helpful information, people are more likely to trust you and do business with you. You can also use your articles to build relationships with other businesses by guest posting or linking to their websites.

In conclusion, each type of content has its own advantages and disadvantages. Text is better for SEO, while visuals are more likely to be shared on social media. Ultimately, the best approach is to use a mix of both text and images to appeal to the widest audience possible.

5 Essential Benefits of Long-Form Content (And How to Create It)

Some people think that long-form content, being lengthy and wordy, overwhelms the readers and fails to grab their attention. 

Contrary to this myth, it actually offers more room for creativity and depth. Hence, it is more effective.

In this post, we will present some important benefits of long-form content, and some valuable tips on how you can go about producing in-depth reader-friendly articles

Let’s dive right in

What Is Long-Form Content?

As the name suggests, any piece of writing that is long and offers in-depth information about a topic is classified as long-form content. While there is no specific length prescribed for such content, the word count generally exceeds the limit of 2,000 in most articles.

The realm of long-form content encompasses the following formats:

  • Tutorials
  • eBooks
  • How-to guides
  • Case Studies
  • Whitepapers
  • Resource Lists
  • Infographics

The domain also includes visual content, such as podcasts and videos.

What Are The Benefits of Long-Form Content?

The ultimate goal of any content in the marketing world is to provide value to the target audience and keep them hooked. You can achieve that through an efficient content marketing strategy that involves leveraging the power of highly engaging long-form content.

Read on to find out why you should be creating in-depth content for your website.

  1. Boosts Your Brand’s Visibility on Search Engines

Long-form content can help you enhance your brand’s visibility on search engines. To put it simply, you have more room to accommodate your search engine optimization strategy in a longer article by:

  • Adding your focus keywords as many times as you want without resorting to keyword stuffing and sounding unnatural.
  • Incorporating headlines, bullet points, detailed statistics, and backlinks to improve page readability. 
  • Applying a proper image optimization strategy through various visual elements. 

Much of this can also be achieved in shorter articles. Still, a study shows that top ranks on Google are occupied by more comprehensive articles.

  1. More Social Media Shares And Backlinks

With smartphones in everyone’s hands, social media has become an increasingly powerful marketing tool. A robust online presence on major social media platforms is what most businesses aim for.

According to Backlinko, long-form content helps acquire an average of 77.2% more backlinks than short articles. As for social shares, articles up to 2000 words long outperform shorter blogposts. Another study of 100 million articles shows that the top 10% of long-form articles got the most social media shares.

Ultimately, more shares and backlinks bring in more traffic and conversions. 

  1. Reinforces Your Brand’s Authority

Long-form content can provide deeper details and a higher degree of depth, allowing you to enhance your brand’s authority. You can talk at length about what your audience wants to know and create a strong impression of expertise in your sector.

By incorporating in-depth and comprehensive content, you can present yourself as a master within your niche and attract more readership. Your audience will start looking up to your content for insightful ideas, bolstering your brand’s reputation and credibility.

Moreover, a study reveals that people support businesses with more value and insightful knowledge.

  1. Better User Engagement

You might think that people are mainly looking for quick fixes. It is partially true, but often, the answer lies in the details. 

Long-form content readers happily bask in all the valuable details you’ve provided, taking their time. This increases the user engagement on your webpage.

And that is not it! in-depth content lovers will gladly check out other content on your website, enhancing on-site activity.

  1. More Number of Leads

Who knew long-form content could serve as a handy lead generation tool as well?

Yes, you can expand the number of prospects through long-form content. A comprehensive and in-depth article will allow more space to accommodate relevant CTAs (call-to-action). 

Not only that, but you can also bulk up your leads by simply trading long-form content like eBooks, guides, or whitepapers in return for as little as a name and email.

Creating Successful Long-Form Content

Now that you know what you’ll gain from investing in long-form content, it’s time to get down to business and start producing top-notch content!

The following steps will help you create winning long-form content for your business:

  1. Define Your Goals

Ask yourself: What do you want to achieve with your long-form content? Are you looking to bulk up your prospects? Maybe you want more social media shares and a solid online presence. Or you could be seeking a strong viewership?

Defining your goal will help you decide what type of long-form content you should create. For example, a survey found that listicles and infographics will get you the most social media shares. On the other hand, another research affirms the importance of ebooks and whitepapers in enhancing lead generation.

  1. Decide Your Keywords 

No matter how well-created your long-form content is, it will bear no fruit if it doesn’t incorporate relevant keywords. Just imagine: How will people find your content if you do not include appropriate search terms?

Keywords are essential for attracting organic traffic to your platform. They help search engine algorithms understand your content. They are also queries used by people to find relevant information.

The best way to decide keywords for your content is through Google Search. The autofill feature will give you an idea about the topics your prospect is searching for. Another way is to look at what your competitors are talking about and the topics helping them rank in the top SERPs.

You can also use SEMrush and Ahrefs to analyze your competitors’ SEO strategies and competitive keywords for your industry. 

  1. Be Descriptive

We all know that long-form content is descriptive. So do not shy away from offering additional and new information about the topic.

Whether it’s an eBook, a how-to guide, or a tutorial, you have to be an expert on the subject. And what better way to do that than being elaborative and touching the most intricate details?

However, make sure that the information you provide is well-researched and helpful for the readers. Simply adding fluff to cover the word count limit can impact your content quality and turn both – the readers and search engines away from your brand. 

  1. Make it Scannable

As a long-form piece is lengthy and comprehensive, you must make it readable. Your readers should be able to scan through it without necessarily having to read massive blocks of text to find the simple detail they are looking for.

You can start by adding a table of contents first and then linking each content to its respective section below. Then you can add headings, sub-headings, and bullet points to break and make it easy for the viewers to skim through the article.

Another great and necessary idea is to avoid big paragraphs. Cut down your content into smaller paragraphs, making it look more readable.

  1. Don’t Forget Visuals

Visuals are a vital element of your long-form content. It helps in understanding the textual content better and serves as meaningful breaks in between loops of lengthy texts. The right imagery will also make your page more appealing.

Always use high-quality and relevant images in your content. You can either choose to take custom photographs or source from an online visual content repository. Screenshots from other articles are also helpful in conveying the message. 

Conclusion

Today’s fast world of quick fixes and short attention spans might make you believe that long-form content is an old-school concept. But, the truth is, the thirst for detailed, in-depth, and insightful content is still there.

The Internet is flooded with shallow answers to deep problems, revealing their inefficiency to people seeking a comprehensive look at their issues.

With well-researched and knowledgeable long-form content, you can provide your audience with the seriousness and depth they crave. Add consistency and determination to it, and you are sure to pave the way for a loyal and steadfast clientele.

In this article, we highlighted the top ways to help you create long-form content. Give them a try and let us know the results you experienced. 

Why You Need a Website for Your Startup ASAP

As a startup owner, one of the most important things that you have to focus on in the beginning is setting up a website. According to a report, around 81 percent of people search for products and services online and your business web page is a good way to get their attention. With a well-designed and interactive website, you will be able to engage more potential customers and increase sales too. 

In order to get your small business off the ground and slowly build your brand, you need to establish a strong presence in the digital world. This starts from a website which runs smoothly, is easy to navigate and provides consumers with relevant information. 

If you are a bit confused about investing in a web page, here are a few reasons why your startup needs it. 

  1. It Markets and Promotes Your Business All the Time 

A website can feature elements of your visual brand identity such as the logo design, brand colors, fonts and imagery. However, don’t make the mistake of designing a logo that follows trends. Instead go for an appealing logo, suitable color scheme, fonts and imagery, you could create a strong and memorable impression on consumers instantly. It will help them become familiar with your brand and promote your products or services effectively.

 If it is engaging and provides a good user experience, the visitor might get convinced to stay on and explore what you have to offer. This way, you can pitch your products or services to them and even convert more leads. So think of a website as an effective tool for marketing and promoting your startup round the clock. It can be accessed by people at all times and used to spread brand awareness as well. 

  1. It Builds and Adds Credibility

In this day and age, a majority of purchasing decisions are made online. People look up for their desired items or goods on search engines like Google and then begin narrowing down their choices from the top results. If you don’t have a website, a lot of consumers may not be find out about your business and get any information on the products or services. 

It would cause a lack of trust in your products or services and even those who know your brand may not consider it credible or authentic. According to a survey, almost 75 percent of consumers assess the credibility of a business based on its web design. 

In order to get people to buy your goods and items, you need a website for your startup with all the details, contact information and listings. It will help you build credibility and encourage trustworthiness from visitors. 

  1. It Can Help You Compete with Established Brands

Now, you might be wondering how a web page could be useful in competing with big brands in your industry. Well, even startups can move ahead in competition with corporations through effective digital marketing and branding strategies. Your website will be at the center of those as most of your consumers will be directed to different landing pages through emails or social media networks. 

With search engine optimization (SEO), you can get your web page to rank in the top results of search engines such as Google. This will help attract more visitors who might choose to explore your website than looking for established brands they are already aware of. 

By using attractive high-quality images, videos and engaging content, you might be able to convince people to buy the services or products that you have to offer. The Newton Supply Co. website is one such example where the small business can compete with big names through its interactive design and user-friendliness. 

Image Source: netwonsupplyco.com 

  1. It Can Provide Latest Updates and Offers

While, you may reach out to your existing customers through email marketing or keep your followers updated on social media, you will still need a website for it. Your web page can be updated with ongoing sales, latest discounts and promotional offers so you can attract first time visitors and convince them to make a purchase. 

Think of it this way. A well-designed and upgraded web page can make a strong impact on people as soon as they come across it. If it has the relevant and most recent information, consumers might be encouraged to return back to look for more products or take advantage of a holiday sale. 

The AllBirds website has a New Arrival category in the header that immediately tells visitors about their recently launched shoe lines. Similarly, you can promote an offer or feature an update as a slider image on the home page or near the top navigation bar.  

Image Source: allbirds.com

  1. It Gives You Control over Information 

If you skip on having a website and solely rely on social media platforms such as Facebook or Instagram to reach out to consumers, you might face some challenges. These networks are controlled by third-parties and they also get access to your information as well as the interests and preferences of your potential customers. 

However, when you get a website designed for your startup, you can avoid this hassle and keep control of everything on your own. You will not have to follow any guidelines by other platforms or filter information. 

To Sum Up 

These are some of the reasons you need a website for your startup. In the end, it is the best way to attract more consumers and convert quality leads. When you have a well-designed web page, you can make your people aware of your products or services, and gain an edge over the competitors that do not have a web presence. 

About Veronica Johnson 

Veronica likes reading, writing and exploring through her travel. With her freelance guest writing, she hopes to achieve both her passion and career in online content marketing. She writes on topics like business, advertising and digital marketing.

Digital Restaurant Menu – The Safe & Clean Option

Using a QR Code on your tables, exterior signage, promotions and on your website – you can present your menu in an appetizing and safe format.

Your clients may not feel comfortable handling typical menus that are often difficult to clean and have been in many different hands.

QR Codes can be read by any mobile device and allow your clients to view your menu on their own device. And it is always available allowing them to plan their meal in your establishment long before they arrive.

Learn more