The Power of Visual Storytelling

Even from a young age, we know the magic of storytelling. The way words can activate our imaginations and paint us a picture through carefully selected words.

Storytelling is something we connect with and is something we crave, it’s why we read, watch movies, listen to music and even interact with each other. We desire the connection, the magic, the possibilities. But the art of storytelling when it comes to marketing businesses, or in the day to day is often lost. Sometimes we lose the magic behind our words because we think our copy needs to be strict, and factual to come across as professional.

But this simply isn’t true. You can still maintain professionalism and be creative, the two actually go hand in hand.

The stories that stick with you, the stories that compel you to move forward and to take action - their words have soul, imagination and magic.

This is what you need to achieve in your brand.

Whether it is an email, a social media post, a webpage or any other content you might produce, you should use visual storytelling as your driving point, to engage and connect. You will also find that you will receive a better response from your audience for your efforts.

Nobody wants to sit through a boring business meeting, a lifeless webpage, or an inanimate blog post or article. That is why it is important to add life, add your personal experiences, convey emotion, inspire, spark imagination and watch as your copy is propelled forward.

When you do, watch as your audience hang on your every word.

Think of any of the TED talks you may have watched, the speakers use their words to paint a picture, to engage with their audience and trigger emotions.

This goes for all of the best public speakers, content creators, websites and business owners, they all do this to engage with their audiences and you should be doing it with your brand as well.

Do you need to? No.

Should you? Definitely!

If you want success, if you want to fully engage with your audience, if you want them to trust you and to choose you and your product, when the time comes to buy or make a decision, then making your brand memorable is the first step. And one of the best ways to do this, is through visual storytelling.

So how do we do this?

Determine who your audience is.

Who is your audience? What triggers their emotions? What do they value? What are their interests? What are their pain points? Once you know the answers it is easier to craft your story accordingly.

Your copy needs to resonate with them specifically, not the whole world, just your targeted audience. The ones who you can help and who your product or service will benefit most, because they are the ones who will invest in you, so cater your visual storytelling specifically to them and their needs.

Use Copy Techniques

Create an engaging hook, to draw your audience in. Express your story and use Call-to-Actions to lead your audience to your desired outcome.

Even though the story may be about you or some else, you want your audience to feel like they’re in the drivers seat, that the situation is them and the journey they will go on if they choose your product/service/solution and the outcomes/benefits they will receive if they do. That’s why making your copy and storytelling relatable is so important.

If they can visually see your outcome, if they can feel it, connect to it, engage and relate, the chance of them choosing you and your product or service, increases dramatically.

Think of it like a great car salesperson - they sell the dream, the benefits and evoke the emotion… not the price tag.

Humanise your copy

People connect with people. Tell your story, of how you got to where you are today, of the obstacles you had to overcome, the highs and the lows. Inspire them and use your personal experience to engage. Your audience are more likely to relate and therefore connect with your brand and overall message if you do.

If your content or message doesn’t speak about your personal story, or about another person’s journey, then that is fine, just make sure the story you are telling relates to your audience and conveys some human elements. This helps to build connection and enable your audience to relate on a personal level.

Be Consistent

Keep your copy consistent, make sure what you are writing or saying, flows naturally or along a structured format. Make sure your copy is concise and to the point, don’t drag it out, get overly repetitive or make it long winded. That’s the quickest way to lose your audience. If your message can be said in fewer words do it.

Use Visuals

Using graphics, charts, graphs, videos and images to accompany your information and reinforce and influence your story.

If you can help guide your audience to see something, to help them connect or understand your copy better, do it.

Use a balance of different visual effects, to make your copy stand out and reinforce your message. It is best to determine what kind of content your audience consume, and then be sure to tailor your work to their preferences.

There’s no point in writing long blog posts, if your audience only like watching short Tik Toks.

Prioritise your marketing and adapt your content accordingly.

Get Feedback

Ask for feedback. The best pitches, speeches and webpages have all been heavily analysed, edited and perfected through trial and error. So don’t be afraid to seek feedback on your work and continue to update and evolve it as time goes on and your message changes or becomes more refined.

Even consider asking your audience what they find engaging, their opinions on your content or what they want to learn more about. This will help boost engagement and you will be able to level up your content at the same time, specific to their preferences.

Engaging with your audience is crucial for your business’ success, and including visual storytelling is one of the many ways to help build character, refine your message and connect with your audience, so make sure you add it into your arsenal of copywriting techniques.

Until next time, Happy Writing!

If you would like help crafting your perfect story to engage with your targeted audience then Contact me today or join The Digital Branding Journey, where I will deep dive into your business and help you to generate leads, increase your traffic and build your brand through engaging creative content.

Hi there! I’m Kaeleigh, a Digital Marketer with a focus on Creative Content & Copywriting, who helps business owners and entrepreneurs generate leads, increase traffic and build their brands through engaging creative content.