We live in a visual world. Help your business make the most of it.

Your visual brand is the face of your business — and your first impression on the digital world, say the visual marketing experts at SchlickArt in Santa Clarita.

Our brains process visuals 60,000 times faster than text, according to Web Marketing Group, and better yet, they retain 80% of visual content, as compared to 20% of written content. Not only are visuals the first thing your audience sees about your business, but it’s most likely the last thing your audience will remember, as well.

As they say, you only get one first impression, and in today’s saturated digital market, you better make it count.

To support your local marketing efforts, Brian and Lindsay Schlick, owners of SchlickArt in Santa Clarita, share their thoughts on establishing a strong visual brand for your business.

What Is A Visual Brand?

If you think of your comprehensive brand identity as a whole person — with a purpose, goals, personality, emotion and ever-evolving nature — then your visual brand is the face of your business. It’s what the world sees when they think of you.

A visual brand includes:

• Professional headshots
• Business portrait photography
• Candid business photography
• Professional business video
• Candid business video
• Advertisements
• Website design
• Customized graphics
• Logos, and more.

Don’t panic. You don’t need every element in place right now, and you don’t need all of them tomorrow. You need a firm foundation for your visual brand — and a plan.

Where Do I Start?

Start with your best visual content, then add on from there.

To establish an intentional and credible brand, head for the professionals first. Selfies and Facebook Live are great avenues to add relatability to a well-established brand, but if it’s the only visual content your audience sees, it will detract from your credibility. Even if your target market is a casual, organic-marketing kind of bunch, opt for professional photo or video and use a casual tone with subtle messaging.

Consumers are spending more and more time researching the brands they patronize, and they can tell when content was produced thoughtfully, intentionally and professionally. Can’t you?

SchlickArt Business Photos

Even before you tackle your website, you’re going to need content to put on it. Make sure your logo is in line with your brand, if you haven’t already, and then get ready to say cheese. Professional portraits, or at least a few good headshots, are vital. Not only do they help connect you to your business’ visual brand, but they make your website more inviting.

People like faces, and they want to see yours. Let the people have what they want!

Build a solid foundation of business photos with these essential elements:

• Professional headshots
• Group shots of your entire team
• Business portrait photography showcasing your location and/or products

SchlickArt Business Videos

Once you’ve populated your site with professional business photos, business video will take its credibility — and engagement — to the next level.

Viewers spend 100% more time on pages that contain video, according to MarketingSherpa, and they are 85% more likely to purchase a product after watching a video about it, according to Internet Retailer. As a bonus, it’s 50 times easier to get a video to rank on the first page of Google than other content, according to ragan.com.

It’s as simple as that: Be seen with video.

Build your business video foundation with these essential elements:

• Professional introduction for your homepage
• Tell the story of your business in short, professional clips
• Videos showcasing your top services
• Testimonial videos

While the sky’s the limit in visual content, a firm foundation is a necessary place to start. Keep your foundation professional, and layer on candid content in social media and other informal digital spaces. The face of your business will never look more appealing.

 

Cherish your story,

Kirsten

Read More Like This:

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Behind the Scenes: A SchlickArt Business Video Session

Video Marketing: Three Steps To Maximizing Your Branding Power

About SchlickArt

SchlickArt, a boutique photo and video studio in Santa Clarita, started in March 2012 with the simple idea that empowerment creates a kind of beauty and authenticity that shines through every camera lens. Built on a philosophy — rather than a product, service or person — SchlickArt has rapidly evolved, meeting business photo and business video needs as diverse as the community we capture. It’s the desire to take care of you, the client, that drives us at SchlickArt.