Last updated on August 13th, 2015 at 01:13 pm
We love visuals, and infographics in particular. Just take a look at how many infographics and images are shared on social media every day.
And look at the rise of image-based social media networks like Instagram and Pinterest, or the image sharing site Imgur.
There’s just something about images that we love and crave. In fact, we’re hard-wired that way. Our brains absorb images much faster than text. Which makes perfect sense, given that we’ve only taken to reading and writing in the last several centuries. Before that, we had to rely on our sight to give us the visual clues to survive.
In today’s world, we’re dealing with an explosion of information. There is just no way for us to assimilate all of that information coming at us. Especially if it’s text-only information.
The Educational Technology Research and Development Journal found that the understanding of information jumped from 70 to 95 percent with the introduction of images. We’re all visual learners, whether we think so or not.
Our recent report from a content marketing conference revealed “newsletters with cartoons have a 45 percent open rate compared to the typical 5 to 8 percent. And engagement is much higher, with customers actually looking forward to receiving B2B messages in anticipation of reading the next cartoon installment.”
Also, a recent report found 62 percent of companies surveyed by Content Marketing Institute used infographics in 2014 (compared to just half in 2013), with another 26 percent expressing intentions of using infographics for the first time in 2015.
But we’re also seeing a structural disconnect: While the majority of senior marketers say visual assets are important to their marketing strategy, they don’t feel they’re allocating enough of their marketing budget to creating visual content. The study found nearly a quarter (24 percent) of marketers allocate less than 5 percent of their marketing budget to the creation or procurement of visual assets.
Savvy marketers don’t need to shed a lot of budget to freelancers and asset creators. Your B2B marketing strategy can incorporate visual elements in order to add some pizzazz to your campaigns. But how?
Tools to create images
To make the visual side of your B2B marketing work seamlessly with other content, here are some tools to help you create great images.
PicMonkey
An easy-to-use photo editing tool that runs in your browser, you can quickly edit a single image with PicMonkey, create a collage, or put together a design for a business blog post or social media message.
Photovisi
A photo collage tool that runs in your browser. Use it without creating an account, upload and create your collage easily. Then download and use it as you like.
Canva
Canva is a favorite of many people and for good reason. It’s a simple, easy to use image creation and editing tool that lets you create images in minutes. Upload a photo from your computer or use one of their many templates or free images, add some text and you’re done! Click and drag image creation at its best.
Pixlr
Pixlr has two options, Editor and Express, each with their own set of options and features that make editing and creating images in your browser a snap. With Editor, you can edit layers in an image, transform objects, and more, just like using Adobe Photoshop. Use Express to apply quick touch-ups to images, add creative effects, overlays, and borders.
Recite
Another great tool for creating quote images, Recite lets you choose from a wide variety of backgrounds and layouts to create an excellent image for sharing.
Tools to create infographics
If you’re looking to create some insightful infographics for your B2B audience, try one of these tools.
Easel.ly
Piktochart
Create your own infographic with a template
Many of the top stock photo sites also have infographic templates available for download. Just use them to create your own and share as you like.
Back to you
Have you created any great infographics for your B2B marketing audience that you’d like to share? Copy & paste the URLs in the comments below and we’ll all take a look.
Also read: How to add meaning to B2B marketing with visuals
Photo via Flickr user gerlos
