Technology has changed faster in the past ten years than ever before, and marketers have learned how to adapt to this. Innovators have even taken advantage of all five senses to create unique experiences for consumers. The original strategy was targeting the visual sense, specifically in advertising. Think about billboards, magazine ads, commercials, ect. All of these simple components of marketing have progressed, but not disappeared. Visualization is still a significant component in marketing strategy and idea creation.
However, smart search, smart speakers, and voice speakers have transformed the way we consume content. Almost everyone has a speaker or listens to podcasts/music everyday, contributing to auditory ads. Plus, many people have smart devices that answer questions or control their home. While we are definitely moving towards more auditory marketing, visual marketing is here to stay. Research proves that people still prefer visual content in comparison to plain text or auditory advertising. The growth of Instagram and Pinterest showcases this, as most people are visual learners. People want to view color, enjoy watching videos, and be consistently engaged. No matter how advanced marketing becomes, we are still human beings and 93% of all our communication is visual. Marketers must consider the importance of visual communication and learning, specifically when making social media decisions.
Visuals are more engaging and easier to remember, which is why TikTok has grown rapidly over the past few years. TikTok is an app in which people view short videos, which are usually 10 seconds to a minute long. When understanding visual marketing, we should break down the success of TikTok.
Captivating Videos: These videos capture your attention with small bits of text and music, while creators get creative with eye-catching content. When viewing TikTok-related research, businesses will realize that users are straying away from long text. Instead, people are engaging with short videos with short messages.
Marketing Strategy: There was certainly some strategic marketing to the humble beginnings of the app, in which the TikTok team pushed trendy dancing videos to the youngest generations. Scrolling through the videos of fun, exciting content became addicting. As businesses start to post videos, they become a part of this addictive scroll, which is very similar to Instagram and Pinterest.
Engagement: The growth of TikTok proves that people want to be included. This app allows users to participate in trends or simply watch them. The colors, trendiness, fun songs, and creativity of the videos engage people, and people want to be engaged alongside their peers. As a result, companies will often participate in trends that users are already engaged in, or try to kickstart a trend in hopes that it will become viral.
The success of a visual-app proves that visual content is not going away, as it has the ability to include groups of people in trends and create inclusive, online environments. TikTok is just one example of the power of visualization, and businesses should take advantage of online platforms to participate in the new version of an old advertising strategy.
Daniel James Consulting is a Full-Service Business Consulting Firm based in New York that designs solutions tailored specifically to the needs of your business in order to ensure you achieve continued success by designing, developing and implementing plans, metrics and platforms, be it a one-man operation, non-profit, startup or large organization. Our packaged solutions or a la carte selections include Website Design, Marketing & Advertising, Search Engine Positioning, and Graphic Design. Business Management Solutions are also available for companies of all sizes. For more information please visit:www.danieljamesconsulting.com.