Traffic is the name of the game when it comes to business presence on the web and social media now has the potential to play a huge role in driving traffic to your site. But there are some critical challenges to overcome if you wish to taste success in this area.
Capture Their Attention
While social media is largely a free marketing platform, the trade-off is that you have to compete not only with other businesses (even non-competitor businesses) but with the constant stream of content from friends of the individual.
Graphics will always trump text - that we know - but it is eye-catching, engaging graphics that are the key to success and the key to capturing the attention of a potential client. Prior to the widespread availability of digital cameras, it was good enough to simply have a photo in the ether. But now that pretty much everyone is walking around with not only a camera, but a video camera in the form of their smart phone, your images really have to be at the next level.
Pinterest is quickly becoming one of the most popular social media platforms for businesses. The benefits for small business are numerous and well covered by Web123's terrific blog on the subject.
While the benefits are substantial the challenge presented is just as great.
As you can see in the screenshot above, Pinterest is almost exclusively populated by graphical content; images, illustrations and infographics make up the vast majority of what is posted to users' boards. So while it is an excellent forum for displaying your wares, you need some pretty speccy images for it to be worthwhile. You want your images to stand out from the rest and grab the viewers' attention; you want your image to scream "CLICK ON ME!!!"
You Have the Traffic, Now Keep Them!
Ok, so you have people coming to your site. Whether it is by referral (such as coming from Pinterest or another social media platform) or direct from search engines, you want visitors to be engaged and you want them to hang around; bright, rich graphics are an excellent way to do it.
Take a look at the image above... Which site holds your attention? I don't know about you, but the site on the left is like a brick wall. Visually it stops you in your tracks; a frying pan to the face. On the other hand, the site on the right engages you visually, it draws you in. The images invite you to explore the site further and help to break up the text.
Avoid Stock!
In this day and age of corporate-consumer relations, a generic stock photo can lack genuineness. Consumers want to see you, your staff, your premises and your products.
Don't see this as a 'bare-all' but rather the first step in developing a more personal rapport with your potential customer. It is an opportunity to introduce them to you and your business before they venture into your store, engage your services or buy your product. After all over 75% of consumers use the internet to research products and companies as a part of their decision to buy.
Use a Professional Photographer
It's hardly a surprise that this is included, but I think there is a perception out there that quality photography is something that can be short-cut.
Professional photographers are professional for a reason. And it is no coincidence that successful companies have invested in quality photos for their website and print media. Whether it be product, portrait or location, a professional photographer, with your vision in mind will be able to create an engaging, attractive image that not only shows someone the product or person, but tells the story behind it.
The same dish is shown in both photos; the photo on the left was the restaurant owner's photo (for their website) and on the right is my attempt after they called me in. Which gets those juices flowing more?
In the end corporate images are really about three things:
- Getting noticed
- Retaining visitors on your site
- Building a rapport with your potential client
As always I would love your feedback, so feel free to leave a comment or ask a question. You can also keep up by heading over to my Facebook Page or by following me on Twitter.
Cheers,
Will
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