Learn how to capture your customer’s attention and loyalty – even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak began, consumers around the world have drastically changed their habits in line with shelter-at-home orders and safety guidelines – all of which have had a direct impact on media consumption at a global level. 

COVID-19 has fundamentally changed the way we interact with the brands we love. 

While it will take time to see how this pandemic will affect small businesses and marketing long-term, some immediate trends have emerged. 

And if your customers are changing the way they shop and purchase, that’s something we all need to understand – as quickly as possible. 

How To Capture Your Customer’s Attention & Loyalty During COVID-19

The State Of Marketing During COVID-19

It’s been immediately clear that, especially in the United States, we’re all spending more time consuming news and media. But the trends vary for each type of media – social media, online videos, broadcast TV, podcasts, etc. – as well as with each generation. So let’s take a deeper look: 

• Among all generations, news consumption increased by 36%, social media usage increased by 21%, and audiobooks increased by 14%, according to a study published by Statista on April 30. 
• Subscription Video On Demand (SVoD) consumption – such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc. – have seen a massive increase as consumers self-isolate at home, with some platforms seeing audience growth of over 40% from February to March, according to another study by Statista on April 23. 
• Online shopping activity experienced significant year-over-year growth in April for both page views (88%) and order count (96%), according to data from Bazaarvoice.
• When it comes to brand consumption, 46% say there are brands they’re spending less on a brand they don’t miss, while another 44% say they’re spending less on a brand that they can’t wait to begin buying more of again, according to data by Morning Consult. 

That last statistic feels particularly important because it tells us: Nearly half the country is cutting back on expenses they consider to be “nonessential.” So some consumers may be spending less – but whether or not they decide to resume spending depends on how much they love the brand.

Here’s another vital statistic: 

Data shows that 73% of advertisers have held back campaign launches, yet 52% of them plan to resume or ramp up their spending this summer. 

Not only are consumers cutting back, but the competition is about to get steeper. 

So how do you become the brand people can’t wait to buy from – while still staying Safer at Home?

Simple. 

You need thoughtful, engaging digital content that captivates your audience on a visual and emotional level. 

The Power of Visuals 

If you want to capture their hearts, first you have to learn how to capture your customer’s attention. 

A study by Buzzsumo finds that Facebook posts with images see 2.3 times more engagement than those without images. 

Posts that include images produce 650% higher engagement than text-only posts, according to a study by WebDam. 

In an analysis of over 1 million articles, Buzzsumo also found that articles with an image once every 75 to 100 words received double the social media shares as articles with fewer images.

Why do visuals perform better? 

Vision trumps all other senses. When people receive information, they’re likely to remember only 10% of that information three days later. When the same information is paired with a relevant image, they’ll likely retain 65% of that information three days later, according to “Brain Rules” by Dr. John Medina. 

“Visuals are no longer a nicety; they’re an essential, core component of a successful social media strategy,” explains digital analysis firm Convince and Convert. 

That’s why 32% of marketers say visual images are the most important form of content for their business, according to Social Media Examiner.

How To Capture Your Customer’s Attention With Visuals 

“Social media users are voracious for visual content, and it is one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal for expanding your reach and driving conversions,” says a report by Content Marketing Institute (CMI). 

According to CMI, the rules of captivating visuals are simple: “Invest in unique visual content, take a step beyond stock product images, and pay attention to platform standards to succeed in the short and long term.”

But how do you define “unique visual content?” According to research by the 2018 International Conference on Information Management, images that get the most Facebook Likes have a few things in common: 

• Go bright, clear, lively and original. Images that receive lots of likes on Facebook tend to have four qualities – brightness, clarity, liveliness and ingenuity. 
• From a technical perspective, your brand images should be well lit and easy to interpret. 
• Ideally, they should feature a playful and creative subject. 
• Stock product images are less noticeable, or attention-grabbing, in the flood of social media content; however, highly specific and personalized images, such as a local portrait of you, perform best. 

The Bottomline

In short, competition in the marketplace and digital spaces is getting steeper. If you want to know how to capture your customer’s attention and loyalties, you need to stand out with engaging, purpose-driven content – starting with light, bright, personalized images of you and your brand. 

What’s that look like for you? Well, you tell us.

About SchlickArt Photography and Video

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 professional portraiture, 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.

About Lindsay’s Photography for Women

With the mind of a businesswoman and the heart of an adventurer, Lindsay began to conceive of a different kind of Santa Clarita photography business. In her vision, stepping in front of the camera could be an empowering experience that gave her clients more than just a photograph — it would give people a new way of seeing themselves. With an eye for seeing the beauty in life and in others, Lindsay could use the camera to spread beauty.