Using Visuals in your Online Writing

Visuals are a very important part of writing online. Unlike reading a book, searching online is very much about "looking" as much as it is about reading. However, you need to be sure to use visuals that support or continue the main ideas and are relevant to your article -- otherwise, they are just fluff.

There's enough "fluff" on the internet these days, you want to add valuable, useful information to the billions of pages available out there, including your visuals.

What's the Deal with Visuals? 

Users are hunting for specific information when they type into a search engine. Everything on your webpage, post or article should convey that information to the user. It's been proven over and over again that internet users first "look" at a webpage for something to catch their eye.

It could be bold or italicized fonts, highlighted links, videos, graphics or images. You have just a couple of seconds time to capture their attention so they will decide to stay and scan or read your content. You need to "hook" them.

Videos, graphics and images are a great way to capture that attention. However, to include any old image or one without relevance to your topic can backfire on you.

Your credibility is always on the line. Don't try to "trick" the user into staying. Visuals need to support the information/content you are delivering.

Ideas for Visuals

As with the visual above, you can make your own. Pull a quote from your article to highlight an important piece if information or make a statistic stand out.

Photos are great visual content as well. Be choosy. Don't use a photo simply because you like it. I should relate to or be the subject of your topic. Be careful when choosing photos. Copyright infringement is rampant on the internet. It's stealing. Don't do it.

Best practice is to take your own photos or make your own graphics. Even if you are reviewing a product you own, take a photo of it as it sits in your home instead of using the manufacturers photo.

The bottom line is, online users want information quickly and efficiently. They won't remember all the text in your article but they will remember visuals that carry an important message.

Interesting Stats About Using Images

Infographic by MDG Advertising