Did you know that a photo of an egg is one of the most liked images on Instagram? So far, it has generated more than 59 million likes. Someone posted it hoping to break a record. The egg remains among the most popular images on this platform, following the 75 million likes of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi and his teammates celebrating the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Think about how you interact on social media today. Are you more likely to click on a post that includes a photo, video, or graphic? When you are on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any other media platform, do you immediately become more engrossed when there is – literally – more to see?
A strong image or video can lead to four or five times as many impressions for a post as a similar message without it. Studies show 95% of LinkedIn comments are seen on posts that feature an image with text. Tweets with visual content are three times more likely to trigger a response. How many #TBT (throw-back Thursday) Twitter messages or food demo videos on Instagram do you click on each day or week? What makes you stop scrolling?
Consider how you consume content online, in a magazine or a newspaper. If you’re like most people, you will glance at a headline, but actually look at a photograph or watch a video, then determine if it’s worth reading or watching now, later, or not at all. But you at least paused and made the determination because a something eye-catching grabbed your attention.
We are visual people. When crafting your next message, give your audience more opportunities to engage with you.
