Marketing to the Visual Generation
August 4, 2017
Scott Dine
Partner + Technical Director
3 min read
Marketing to the Visual Generation
Marketing to the Visual Generation
by Chris Hartley
Principal + Creative Director
Do you really need an infographic?
Never since the invention of moving pictures has the visual medium had a greater impact on consumers. The reasons for the rise of this Visual Generation are as complex as they are obvious. By recognizing this development and examining its causes, you can more effectively utilize the visual medium in your marketing efforts for greater success.
Some reasons this generation responds so strongly to visual communication:
- Everyone carries a camera.
A whopping 77% of the population has a smartphone, and these are excellent cameras. The visual generation doesn’t keep lists anymore, they photograph and screenshot what they want to remember. If they want to show off a craft, accomplishment, or success, they share a photo or video on Instagram or Facebook. - Raised on computers.
The young consumers of today grew up on the web and social media. - Immune to the bombardment.
The visual generation is saturated with information, and they’ve conditioned themselves to tune out the noise. They’re pretty immune to static words and as a result, it takes something more dynamic to get their attention.
Wordy blogs and details don’t impact young consumers the way they work with older consumers. But rather than lament the “short attention spans” of the visual generation, you can take that knowledge and use it to communicate your expertise and services more effectively. Examples include:
- Photos:
Before and After photos can communicate in a glance the skills of a variety of professional services, from landscaping to artists to chefs and more. (Admittedly, it may take a little creativity to apply this to accounting services.) - Videos:
From lectures to commentaries to how-to videos, no one takes the time to read the blog or peruse the directions when you can find a video on outlets like YouTube or embedded in a company website. - Infographics:
The strictest definition of an infographic is a visual that breaks down complex ideas into a visual model, or “data visualization.” Infographics don’t have to be formalized or complicated. A one-panel cartoon, comic strip, or piece of art can serve the same function. There are plenty of popular memes and GIFs that can help liven up an otherwise text-heavy blog.
Infographics don’t have to be formalized or complicated.
The challenge facing experienced accounting marketers going forward is to shake off complacency. What worked before may not work now. We must stay innovative and dynamic in our approach, and embrace the tools of the visual generation if we hope to effectively communicate our services to the young, savvy potential prospects of today.
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