Why Pictures Are So Powerful

This week, two images captured our attention and moved millions in a way that text never could – the stirring image of Óscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez and his daughter drowned in the Rio Grande trying to cross the border and that of a newborn baby laying atop the plastic bag she had been seemingly discarded in. The images brought forth emotions in us – for some it was outrage or sadness or frustration. These images immediately found themselves co-opted and incorporated into heated discussions and debates on divisive issues. We found ourselves confronted with them on social media and broadcast news and, for many of us, we couldn’t look away. The images halted us and forced us to pay attention.

History is full of examples of powerful images breaking through the clutter of information we sort through every day. Even if we were not yet alive when the events occurred, photos like the impromptu kiss in Times Square on V-J Day, dust-covered office workers filling the streets of lower Manhattan on 9/11, the “Migrant Mother” during the Great Depression and the graphic image of 14-year-old Emmett Till in his coffin continue to grab our attention. Since the modern camera was invented in the 1800s, the power of photographs has had the ability to drive conversation and news cycles by connecting us to the reality of our world and culture in significant ways.

And while the powerful imagery in the above help propel these stories to the forefront of our mind, an image doesn’t necessarily need to be upsetting to capture our attention. The power of the image propels us personally, too. In fact, it’s why social media platforms like Instagram thrive as we tell the story of our lives through photos. When I look back at old posts shared on personal social media handles, I often scroll past the simple text-based status updates. However, that image of my daughter beaming at Cinderella during her first trip to Disney World five years ago or my son’s first baseball game stops me in my tracks.

The power of images isn’t new. Phrases like “a picture is worth more than a thousand words” exist for a reason. But why are pictures so powerful and what does that mean for us as business owners, PR professionals and marketers?

We’re Wired For Images

The human brain is a fascinating place for many reasons, including its ability to quickly recognize and process images. In fact, a large part of our brain function is focused on visual processing with 90 percent of information processed by the brain being visual. which means that humans can process familiar visuals in only 100 milliseconds – 600,000 times faster than we can process text. Given the average human has an attention span of only 8 seconds, the ability to grab and hold their attention is critical to ensuring you are breaking through.

Images Make Us Feel Connected

Perhaps it is because our brains are wired to process visuals so much more easily, but photos can also evoke powerful memories and create a sense of tangible connection that the written word can’t. With text, we must visualize for ourselves what the story is, but images help tell the story for us and bring us into the message. Through images (or at least the right type of images), we can connect and create shared connections with our target audiences. We help overcome their abbreviated attention span and provide a reason for them to spend a bit more time with us, our message and our story.

Images Are More Memorable

As noted above, our brains are wired for images, which allow us to process information much faster than written text. However, images also enhance learning and retention of information. In fact, visual aids have been found to improve learning by 400 percent. If you ever used flash cards to help study for an upcoming exam, you’ve already tapped into the power of visual learning. But this concept doesn’t need to end in the classroom and is equally relevant to content marketing.

Images Are More Likely to Make Us Act

We’ve already established images help connect with viewers in a way that outpaces text. This also means images are more likely to drive engagement with content. In organic search, potential customers are 60 percent more likely to click on a business page result with an image than one that doesn’t. Visual content leads to more engagement and more engagement can drive more leads.

While it is easy to accept the importance of images in our content marketing, attention must be paid to ensure the right images are used. Images are powerful and can connect and grow our businesses and brands when done correctly. Ensuring the image portrays the right message and emotion is imperative and often overlooked by marketers eager to just “add image.” But when done properly, a strong image can move people and strengthen their connection with your brand.