What is visual marketing and why is it important for your business?
Our digital world is saturated with information accessible to everyone with a simple scroll across multiple apps, and the only way to stand out is to put your best foot forward… or in this case, your best visual. Over 80% of marketers say visuals drive higher engagement compared to other forms of content. Visuals act as the "front door" to your brand, creating a first impression that can draw in potential customers or drive them away.
In this guide, you will understand what visual marketing entails and its psychological impact on audiences. You’ll also learn how to create an impactful visual marketing strategy as a small business.
What is visual marketing?
Visual marketing is exactly what it sounds like—using visuals to communicate your message, promote your brand, and engage your audience. It’s about leveraging the power of images, videos, graphics, and other visual elements to capture attention and drive your message home. Why does it matter? Because humans are visual creatures. Studies have shown that we process visual information faster than text and are more likely to remember it. It’s why we remember faces from years ago, or why a well-designed image can evoke emotion instantly.
However, it’s not just about posting pictures and grabbing attention. Visual marketing is about being strategic about choosing the right kind of visuals to tell your brand story effectively and drive the desired action. We are in an era where attention spans are shrinking and competition for consumer eyeballs is fierce, so having a visual marketing strategy is very important.
What are the components of visual marketing?
Images
Images are the cornerstone of visual marketing. They offer a direct and immediate way to capture attention and communicate messages. High-quality images can evoke emotions, convey brand values, and support storytelling in ways that text alone cannot achieve. For them to work, they must align with the target audience’s preferences and the message being conveyed. Eye-catching images drive higher engagement on platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
Videos
Video content combines visuals, sound, and narrative to create a powerful marketing tool. You can use explainer videos to clarify product features or processes in an engaging, easy-to-digest format or use short, high-energy clips to promote your product on TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram Reels. You can also use videos to connect with your audience in real time through live streaming.
Pro tip: Keep videos concise for platforms with short attention spans and use captions to ensure accessibility for viewers who watch without sound.
Infographics
Infographics merge text and visuals to present data, statistics, and concepts in an engaging, easy-to-understand format. They are ideal for simplifying complex information and making it more digestible. They can be used across blogs, presentations, social media, and email campaigns. Infographics are also highly shareable, particularly on Pinterest and LinkedIn, where informative content thrives.
Illustrations
Custom illustrations are unique, artistic representations that can differentiate a brand from competitors. They provide a humanized, creative angle to visual marketing efforts. A personal favorite is the rise of digital journals on Instagram and Threads where content creators share pictures with hand-drawn or vector art labeling objects in the image.
Memes
Memes combine cultural relevance and humor, making them a powerful tool for brands aiming to connect with younger, internet-savvy audiences. They use recognizable formats to deliver messages in a lighthearted manner. Their humorous nature makes memes highly shareable, extending a brand's reach.
GIFs
GIFs (Graphics Interchange Format) have become a versatile and widely embraced component of visual marketing. They are somewhere between static images and videos in terms of impact. For example, adding a GIF to an email can improve click-through rates by making the content visually appealing without slowing loading times. They are also a dynamic way to convey emotions, highlight features, or narrate simple stories in just a few seconds. Given their short duration, GIFs should center on one clear idea or call-to-action.
Data visualization
Data visualizations are powerful tools in visual marketing, designed to share complex information in visually compelling formats. By using charts and graphs, brands can communicate insights, trends, or statistics in a way that’s easy to understand and engaging for their audiences. People are naturally drawn to visual elements, and data visualizations attract more attention than plain text.
A good example of data visualization for brand awareness and engagement is Spotify Wrapped. Spotify’s end-of-year summary visualizes a user’s listening habits with engaging, shareable graphics.
The psychological impact of visuals on consumers
Here’s a fascinating fact: people remember 65% of visual content three days after seeing it, compared to just 10% of written content. This makes visuals indispensable in marketing, especially when your goal is to stick in your audience’s mind.
Visuals resonate deeply with audiences by leveraging psychological principles like emotion, memory, and attention, making them one of the most effective ways to communicate. They can evoke emotions, and emotions are a driving force behind decision-making. Colors and imagery, in particular, play a huge role in how we feel and respond to a message. Every color carries a psychological connotation.
Warm colors like red and yellow are often associated with energy, excitement, and urgency. That’s why you’ll frequently see them in sales banners and clearance signs because they make you feel like you need to act now. On the other hand, cooler tones like blue and green evoke feelings of trust, calmness, and stability, which is why they’re so common in corporate branding and healthcare logos.
Visuals also reduce cognitive load, making it easier for audiences to grasp complex ideas or data. For example, an infographic that breaks down the environmental impact of food waste with icons, colors, and clear data will stick with viewers far longer than a dense report filled with text. Videos take this a step further by weaving narrative and movement into visuals. A video showcasing a product in action demonstrates its value and tells a story viewers can easily recall.
Why is visual marketing important?
Visual marketing drives measurable business outcomes, from higher engagement and traffic to improved brand loyalty and conversion rates.
Increased engagement:
Visual content consistently outperforms plain text when it comes to getting people to interact. In fact, social media posts with images receive 2.5 times more engagement than those without. It’s simple: posts with visuals generate more likes, shares, and comments because they appeal directly to how we process information, quickly and visually. Videos are even more effective, pulling viewers in and keeping them engaged for longer and the more engaged your audience is, the better for your brand’s growth.
Boosted website traffic and SEO:
Shareable content like infographics and visually appealing graphics can earn backlinks from blogs, news sites, and other online sources. These backlinks help build your domain authority, improving your search engine rankings and driving more traffic to your site. Visuals on your website also increase dwell time, reduce bounce rates, and make visitors more likely to explore further.
Improved conversion rates:
Visuals are not just for capturing attention, they can also drive action. Seeing is believing, and product videos or testimonials help potential customers understand and trust your offerings. 96% of consumers would watch a video to learn more about a product. That’s almost everyone. Call-to-action (CTA) buttons are another great example of how visuals influence conversions. A well-placed, brightly colored CTA button can guide viewers exactly where you want them to go, whether that’s signing up, downloading, or making a purchase. Visual cues reduce hesitation and make the path forward crystal clear.
Real-world examples of visual marketing done right
Nike: Storytelling and emotional resonance
Nike has mastered the art of using visuals to tell powerful stories that evoke deep emotions like empowerment, determination, and triumph. They do this so well that when you think of Nike, it's not just about shoes or athletic wear. It's about inspiration, pushing boundaries, and achieving greatness.
Their iconic "Just Do It" slogan is always paired with visuals of real athletes overcoming challenges. These images and videos create a universal message of resilience that anyone can relate to, whether you're a professional athlete or someone striving to reach personal goals.
Nike also invests in high-quality videos that are visually stunning and emotionally compelling. Take their "You Can't Stop Us" ad, for example. Using split-screen imagery, the ad showcases diverse athletes from around the world, highlighting themes of inclusivity and perseverance. It's the kind of content that makes you stop scrolling and truly engages you.
By featuring real athletes and everyday people, Nike makes its brand both relatable and aspirational. This approach shows that greatness isn't just for the elite—it's within everyone's reach. User-generated content adds authenticity and allows customers to see themselves as part of the Nike story.
What your small business can learn from Nike
You might be thinking, "Sure, but I don't have Nike's resources." And that's okay! The essence of Nike's strategy is something any business can adopt.
Every business has a story to tell—what's yours? Use visuals to share your journey, your mission, or how you solve problems for your customers. Maybe you have a client who achieved something amazing using your product or service. Tell that story! It creates an emotional connection and makes your brand memorable.
For example, if you run a local bakery, you could create a short video showing the process of baking your bread from scratch, highlighting the love and care that goes into each loaf.You don't need a Hollywood production budget to create high-quality visuals. Today's smartphones have impressive cameras, and there are plenty of user-friendly editing tools available. Focus on good lighting, clear audio, and compelling content.
Encourage your customers to share their experiences with your products or services. This not only provides you with authentic content but also builds community around your brand.
Starbucks: lifestyle branding and visual consistency
Starbucks has elevated coffee from a simple drink to an integral part of a lifestyle, using visual marketing, They create an emotional connection with their audience, positioning itself as more than just a coffee shop but a place for comfort, community, and self-expression. Starbucks’ visual content rarely focuses on just coffee. Instead, it creates an aspirational lifestyle around its brand.
Their visuals reflect experiences that customers identify with like a peaceful morning, a mid-day escape, or a festive holiday moment. They also use visuals to create a buzz around seasonal offerings, such as their Pumpkin Spice Latte or holiday-themed beverages. The visuals associated with these campaigns are vibrant, playful, and tied to specific emotions or traditions. These campaigns are designed to drive excitement and urgency, driving customers to participate in the seasonal experience.
The “red cup season” has become a holiday tradition
But, Starbucks’ greatest visual marketing strength is maintaining a consistent visual identity across all marketing channels. Whether you're looking at their website, social media, or physical stores, you'll notice the same earthy tones, clean lines, and the unmistakable green siren logo. This consistency builds brand recognition and trust, making the brand easily identifiable no matter where customers encounter it.
What your small business can learn from Starbucks
Think about how your product or service fits into your customers’ lives and create visuals that showcase those moments.
Develop a recognizable aesthetic by using the same colors, fonts, and logo placement across all platforms.
Instead of simply showcasing your products, think about the feelings or experiences they create. For example: If you own a spa, focus on visuals that evoke relaxation and rejuvenation, such as serene candle-lit rooms or glowing skin after a facial.
Dunkin’: trend-driven visuals and interactive content
Dunkin’ Donuts, or simply “Dunkin’” as it’s now branded, is a masterclass in blending fun, relatability, and trend-driven marketing. While they’ve long been known for their bright pink and orange logo and delicious coffee and donuts, it’s their approach to visual marketing that has made them a standout on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
Dunkin’ is quick to jump on trending memes, challenges, and pop culture moments, adapting them in a way that feels authentic to their brand. They are also really great at making their products look irresistible. Their visuals often feature colorful donuts, creamy iced coffees, and breakfast sandwiches in bright, appealing settings. The use of high-quality photography with close-ups and vibrant backgrounds ensures their food and drinks are the stars of the show.
Dunkin’ also actively involves its customers in campaigns through branded hashtags, contests, and shareable content. For example, the #DunkinLove campaign encouraged customers to post their favorite Dunkin’ moments, creating a lot of user-generated content (UGC) that feels authentic and community-driven.
What your small business can learn from Dunkin’
Stay on top of trending topics or social media challenges that align with your brand. Tools like TikTok’s trending tab or Twitter’s trending topics can help you spot opportunities. But, embrace them thoughtfully. If it feels forced or off-brand, it could do more harm than good.
Make your products visually appealing. Close-ups, colorful backdrops, and a bit of creativity can go a long way.
P.S.: You don’t have to buy multiple backdrops. Have you tried using AI Backgrounds in Photoroom?
Create hashtags or contests that invite your audience to share their own experiences with your brand. It’s an affordable way to generate content and build a loyal community.
Duolingo: humor and relatable content for digital natives
Duolingo has turned what could be a dry and serious topic (language learning) into an engaging and wildly entertaining experience. Their approach to visual marketing, especially on platforms like TikTok, is a lesson in knowing your audience and leaning into your brand personality. Duolingo’s green owl mascot is the star of its humor-centered marketing, appearing in videos and memes that are unapologetically funny and quirky. You can easily find videos of the mascot hilariously lurking behind users, a playful nod to the app’s reminders to complete lessons.
Duolingo tailors its visuals to the quirks of each platform. On TikTok, their mascot participates in trends, dances, and challenges, while on Instagram, they share colorful graphics and progress badges that motivate users. This platform-specific strategy ensures their content feels native, rather than like a corporate attempt to “fit in.”
What your small business can learn from Duolingo
If your brand’s voice allows for humor, use it to connect with your audience on a more personal level. For example, a local gym could share funny workout memes or create videos showing relatable “gym fails” to lighten the mood and keep followers engaged.
Understand the tone and trends of each platform you use. What works on TikTok might not work elsewhere, so adapt your visuals and messaging accordingly.
If you have the opportunity, create a recognizable mascot or visual element that people associate with your brand. A memorable character can make your brand more relatable and fun. For example, a pet store might use an illustrated dog or cat mascot in its marketing materials to add charm and personality.
How to build a visual marketing strategy as a small business
If you’re a small business owner, the idea of building a visual marketing strategy might feel daunting, especially when you see big brands with endless budgets creating stunning campaigns. But you don’t need a million-dollar budget to make a big impact with visual marketing. A thoughtful, strategic approach can help you punch well above your weight class.
Step 1: Understand your audience
The first and most important step in building a visual marketing strategy is to know who you’re trying to reach. Visuals are powerful, but they’re only effective if they resonate with the people you’re targeting. Ask yourself these questions:
Who is my ideal customer? Are they young professionals, parents, retirees, or students?
What kind of content do they consume? Do they spend hours scrolling Instagram, or are they more likely to engage with a well-crafted LinkedIn post?
What visuals grab their attention? Is it playful GIFs, clean and professional infographics, or emotional storytelling in videos?
For example, if you’re a bakery catering to local families, your audience might love bright, cheerful photos of your cupcakes and videos showing how they’re made. On the other hand, if you’re a freelance consultant targeting small business owners, polished infographics that simplify complex ideas could be your sweet spot.
Step 2: Define your brand identity
Visual marketing is an extension of your brand, so it’s essential to define what your business stands for before you start creating content. Think of it this way: your visuals should communicate your brand’s personality and values at a glance.
Start with these basics:
Color palette: Choose 2-4 core colors that reflect your brand’s tone.
Fonts: Select 1-2 fonts that complement each other and use them consistently across all visuals.
Logo: Make sure your logo is clean, clear, and adaptable for different platforms (e.g., social media profile pictures, websites, or printed materials).
When your colors, fonts, and logo are the same across all your visuals, your audience will start to recognize your brand immediately.
💡 Learn how to create a brand in Photoroom
Step 3: Set clear goals
It’s tempting to dive straight into creating content, but without clear goals, you’re shooting in the dark. What do you want your visual marketing to achieve? Be specific.
Here are a few examples of actionable goals:
Increase Instagram engagement by 20% over the next three months.
Drive 500 new visitors to your website through Pinterest visuals.
Educate your audience with weekly infographics, positioning your business as an authority in your industry.
When your goals are clear, it’s easier to measure success and make adjustments along the way.
Step 4: Choose the right platforms
Not all platforms are created equal, and not all of them are right for your business. Focus your efforts where your audience is most active.
For example:
If you’re targeting younger audiences, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are excellent platforms for eye-catching photos and short videos.
For B2B businesses, LinkedIn and Twitter are better suited for professional graphics, charts, and infographics.
Pinterest is fantastic for driving traffic to your website, especially if your business involves DIY, lifestyle, or visual inspiration.
It’s better to have a strong presence on two platforms than to stretch yourself too thin across five or six.
Step 5: Create a content calendar
Consistency is what transforms good marketing into great marketing, and the best way to stay consistent is by planning ahead. A content calendar helps you organize your visuals, stick to a schedule, and ensure you’re hitting all your goals.
Here’s how to get started:
Map out key dates and events, such as product launches, holidays, or sales.
Decide how often you’ll post. For example, aim for three Instagram posts per week or one infographic every Friday.
Plan your content types. Mix things up with photos, videos, infographics, and user-generated content to keep your audience engaged.
Tools like Trello, Asana, or even a simple spreadsheet can help you manage your calendar efficiently.
Step 6: Repurpose and recycle content
Let’s be honest: creating new visuals all the time can be exhausting, especially if you’re working with a small team or limited resources. But you don’t always have to start from scratch.
Repurposing content is a brilliant way to get more mileage out of your efforts:
Turn a blog post into an infographic or a short explainer video.
Slice a longer video into shorter clips for Instagram Stories or Reels.
Use customer reviews to create testimonial graphics or quote cards.
By repackaging your existing content, you can maintain a steady flow of visuals without overwhelming yourself.
Step 7: Track and analyze your results
A strategy is only as good as its results, so it’s crucial to measure how your visuals are performing. Most social media platforms offer analytics tools to track engagement, clicks, and conversions.
Pay attention to these metrics:
Which types of visuals get the most likes, shares, and comments?
What content drives the most traffic to your website?
Are certain formats (e.g., videos vs. images) performing better than others?
Use these insights to refine your strategy. For example, if your audience engages most with videos, you might shift your focus toward creating more of them.
Challenges in visual marketing
Visual marketing offers immense potential, but businesses often face challenges such as limited resources, consistency issues, and keeping up with trends.
Limited budget and resources: For many small businesses, creating high-quality visuals feels like an uphill battle due to financial and resource constraints. Professional photography, graphic design, and video production often come with hefty price tags. Additionally, subscribing to premium design tools or hiring experienced creators may exceed the budgets of startups and small teams.
Lack of time to create visuals consistently: Consistency is key in visual marketing, but for small teams or solo entrepreneurs, finding the time to consistently produce high-quality content can be overwhelming. Regularly creating fresh visuals for websites, social media, and marketing campaigns can detract from other critical business operations.
Maintaining consistency across platforms: As businesses expand their presence across multiple platforms—each with unique requirements and audiences—maintaining a cohesive visual identity becomes increasingly challenging. Misaligned visuals or inconsistent branding elements can confuse audiences and weaken trust in the brand.
Low engagement rates: Even when businesses put effort into creating visuals, they may fail to capture the audience’s attention or drive meaningful interactions like likes, shares, or clicks. Low engagement often stems from visuals that don’t resonate with the target audience. It reduces your reach on platforms with algorithm-based feeds, such as Instagram and Facebook. It also signals that your content isn’t connecting with your audience, which can hinder your overall marketing goals.
Staying relevant to trends: The fast-paced nature of social media trends can make it difficult for businesses to keep their visuals fresh and appealing. Failing to keep up with trends can make your content feel outdated and out of touch, particularly for younger audiences who value relevancy. However, jumping on every trend can dilute your brand identity if it’s not aligned with your values.
Best practices for effective visual marketing
You can create compelling visual content without breaking the bank by focusing on practical strategies that align with your goals and resources.
Choose the right visuals for your goals
Every piece of visual content you create should serve a specific purpose. Choosing the right visuals involves understanding your marketing objectives and matching them to the type of content that will resonate most with your audience. This ensures that your visuals grab attention and drive the desired action. So start by defining what you aim to achieve with your marketing campaign:
Are you trying to increase brand awareness?
Do you want to engage your audience with interactive content?
Are you focusing on driving conversions, such as purchases or sign-ups?
Each objective requires a different visual strategy. Different types of visuals also work best for different platforms. For example, a 1-minute video on Instagram will not have the same results if it is embedded in a marketing newsletter. And the simple graphics that load quickly in your newsletter may not have the same impact on social media.
Maintain consistency across platforms
Consistency is the foundation of a strong and recognizable brand. When your visuals maintain a unified look and feel, your audience can easily identify your business, no matter where they encounter it. A consistent visual identity creates trust, reinforces brand recognition, and establishes a professional image.
Now, consistency doesn’t mean copying and pasting the same designs everywhere. You have to adapt your visuals to the unique requirements and audience behaviors of each platform. Your vertical posts on your Instagram stories will not look properly placed as Facebook posts. You will need to resize your image to fit each platform's requirements.
To achieve this, start by developing a brand style kit. This essential document ensures that everyone creating content for your business—whether in-house or external—follows the same rules for visual presentation. Your brand style guide should include:
Your approved color palette, including their hex codes, CMYK values, or RGB settings.
Your font choices for different types of content, such as headlines, subheadings, and body text.
Your design style, i.e., minimalistic, bold and vibrant, vintage, or modern.
Examples and mockups as a reference point for future content creation.
Focus on quality over quantity
When it comes to visual marketing, more is not always better. Flooding your channels with subpar content can dilute your brand message and overwhelm your audience. Instead, focus on creating fewer but high-quality visuals that leave a lasting impression. Visuals are often the first interaction people have with your brand. Low-quality designs or blurry images can make your business appear unprofessional and untrustworthy.
Instead of churning out generic visuals, aim for visuals that educate, entertain, or solve a problem. Every visual should go through a quality check:
Ensure images are high resolution and optimized for the platform.
Proofread any text in your designs to avoid typos or errors.
Use a consistent design style that adheres to your brand’s standards.
By prioritizing quality, you’ll build a reputation for delivering visually compelling and meaningful content that keeps your audience engaged.
Prioritize accessibility
Ensuring that your visuals are inclusive allows a broader audience to engage with your content, including people with disabilities. Thoughtful accessibility design also demonstrates your brand’s commitment to inclusivity and care for all customers. To prioritize accessibility:
Always include alternative text for images on your website and social media. Alt text describes the image’s content, enabling screen readers to convey this information to visually impaired users.
Provide accurate captions for all videos. This ensures your content is accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing and also benefits those watching without sound.
Choose fonts that are easy to read, even at smaller sizes. Avoid overly decorative or script fonts that can be difficult to interpret, and the text should stand out clearly against the background.
Always think of the bigger story
Your brand is more than just a product or service, it’s a story and visuals play a crucial role in telling that story and building an emotional connection with your audience. Every piece of content you create should tie back to the larger narrative of your brand, giving your audience a reason to care about what you offer. If you are unsure what your brand story is, ask yourself these questions:
What inspired the creation of your business?
What values or mission guide your decisions?
How do your products or services make a difference in your customers’ lives?
Once you’ve established your narrative, weave it into your visual marketing and ensure your visuals reflect the same overarching message across all platforms. For example, a small organic skincare brand might emphasize its commitment to sustainability and natural ingredients in its visuals, using earthy tones and nature to reinforce this story.
Tools for visual marketing
Design and editing tools
Photoroom: It uses AI to easily remove backgrounds from photos and create professional-quality product images in a minute. Other features include AI Backgrounds, AI Images, and other AI tools. Perfect for crafting clean, professional product photos for online stores, ads, and social media.
Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro): Adobe remains the gold standard for professional design and editing, but it comes with a steeper learning curve. Best if you have a designer on your team.
Figma: Figma is also an excellent tool for creating collaborative designs. It’s particularly useful for teams working on branded templates or campaign assets.
Stock image and video resources
Unsplash and Pexels: Both platforms offer royalty-free images and videos that you can use for commercial purposes without paying. Ideal for finding professional-grade images and videos to use in blog posts, social media, or websites.
Shutterstock: Shutterstock is a paid service that offers an extensive library of stock photos, videos, and illustrations. Its collection is larger, and the licensing ensures peace of mind when using the visuals for commercial purposes.
Video creation tools
Animoto: A beginner-friendly tool for creating professional-looking videos with templates and drag-and-drop functionality. Great for social media ads, explainer videos, and testimonials.
Kapwing: Kapwing offers online video editing tools that let you trim, subtitle, and add effects to videos with ease. It’s simple, web-based, and has a free version for small-scale projects.
CapCut: Very versatile tool with multiple templates for highly creative videos. It has a desktop app for more high-level edits and is a bigger investment than the others.
User-generated content tools
Taggbox: Taggbox aggregates content created by your audience, such as photos and videos tagged with your brand’s hashtag. It makes it easy to curate and display UGC on your website or social media.
TINT: TINT helps you collect, moderate, and display user-generated content across various channels. It offers advanced customization for how and where you display UGC. Perfect for businesses wanting to integrate UGC into email marketing or event displays.
FAQs about visual marketing?
What does visual marketing mean?
Visual marketing refers to the use of visual elements such as images, videos, graphics, infographics, and other design assets to communicate a brand’s message, engage an audience, and achieve business goals. It is especially important now that audiences expect engaging, image-driven content.
What are key visuals in marketing?
Key visuals in marketing are the primary visual elements that define and support a brand’s messaging. These include images, videos, logos, infographics, product photos, social media graphics, GIFs, and animations. Each type of visual serves a specific purpose, such as storytelling (videos), simplifying complex data (infographics), or reinforcing brand identity (logos).
How can small businesses create high-quality visuals on a budget?
Small businesses can leverage free or affordable tools to create professional visuals. Smartphones can be used for photography or video content with the right lighting and framing techniques.
What is the best type of visual content for social media?
The best type of visual content for social media depends on the platform and target audience. On Instagram, high-quality photos, videos, and carousel posts perform well. TikTok is ideal for short, engaging videos, while LinkedIn audiences prefer professional infographics and branded graphics. Experimenting with different formats and analyzing performance metrics will help determine what resonates most with your audience.
How do I measure the success of my visual marketing efforts?
Measuring the success of visual marketing involves tracking metrics such as engagement rates (likes, shares, comments), click-through rates, website traffic, and conversions. Social media platforms provide built-in analytics to help you measure the performance of your visual content.