By Amy Olivieri, Constant Contact
Regional Development Director
Take a second to think about the latest breakout social media successes: Pinterest, Instagram, Tumblr, etc. What do these mediums have in common? They’re all highly visual. Images are compelling content that can communicate in a way that text alone cannot—and for this reason they are incredibly popular. Effective images have been helping marketers “speak” to their target audience for quite some time. That’s certainly the case when it comes to your email marketing.
Still need further convincing? Here are a few reasons why you should start using images in your next email:
- Images catch attention, guaranteed.
As a marketer, emails that fail to catch your readers’ attention could result in missed opportunities. Unfortunately, in today’s hyper-connected world, these missed opportunities are becoming all too common. Images give you the chance to stand out from the noise and make a more meaningful impression with the people who are receiving your emails.
- Images are easy to find and create.
With the prevalence of mobile devices and advancing photo technology, stunning marketing images have never been more accessible. You can store photos right on your phone, upload them to your desktop or laptop, or host them on social media sites like Facebook or Instagram right from the palm of your hand.
- Images humanize your message.
You want your emails to not only reflect your business, but to also reflect the experience customers will have when they walk through your door. An easy way to do that is by adding a photo of you or your staff. For readers who already know, like, and trust you, seeing a face they’re familiar with can help increase the amount of time they spend with each email. For those people who are new to your business, adding that small personal touch can be a bridge to a meaningful relationship. While they may not know you now, next time they’re at your store or in your office, they will. This means, they will be more likely to introduce themselves, ask questions, and hopefully share their feedback.
- An image really is worth 1,000 words.
Even if you’re the most talented and experienced writer in the world, in the inbox, text alone can fall short when it comes to engaging your readers and sharing your message. Rather than pulling your hair out trying to come up with the perfect words, you can use an image to help demonstrate your point.
Ready to ramp up your use of images? Get started with these image ideas:
- Your business, in action: Show off your hard work and tell your organization’s story with images.
- Enhance an offer: Use an image to catch attention and inspire action.
- Promote your event: Use images to reflect the experience your event guest can expect. They’ll be more likely to go if they can visualize what the event will be like and picture themselves attending.
- Get recognized: Choose emails that your readers will easily recognize and associate with your brand.
- Show personality: Your business is unique! Use images to show why.
- Establish consistency: Sending out multiple emails around the same topic? Use the same image to visually tie these separate communications together.
- Be seasonal: People’s attitudes, interests, and needs change with the seasons. Make an immediate connection by using seasonal, current images.
Images bring emails to life.
If you’re worried that your emails may be failing to make the type of impact you’ve been looking for, adding the right images to your emails could offer a simple solution to the problem.
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Amy E. Olivieri is the Regional Development Director at Constant Contact. You can reach her by email at aolivieri@constantcontact.com, by phone at 713-401-2841, or visit her website at www.constantcontact.com/amy-olivieri
