BLOGS: THE ROLE OF THE VISUAL STORYTELLING

Many marketers creating blogs focus so much time and effort on getting the content right that they forget that visual storytelling and overall aesthetic matter just as much.

According to HubSpot, content with compelling visual elements and graphics can generate up to 94% more views and 37% more engagement.

That’s a huge opportunity for retailers! The photography not only increases engagement on the blog, but also is vital to your social distribution strategy for visual channels like Pinterest and Instagram.

A good example is J. Crew’s blog: very visually appealing, with beautiful photography custom to each article.

In the article, “Meet… Guillaume Guevara of Miscelanea”, they profile a shop owner in New York City and snap photos of the store and the owner in J. Crew clothing.

They also show pictures of his favorite products weaved in with quotes from their interview with the tastemaker. Each of the featured J. Crew products he is wearing has links to shop the look, but it’s done in a tasteful manner that doesn’t interrupt the flow of the article.

Also, each photograph has a “Pin It” call to action so readers can easily save the image to their Pinterest boards.

Each photograph has a “Pin It” call to action

What can you learn from J. Crew’s impeccable design and style? Make sure you pay attention to the photography and aesthetic of your blog! It should capture the ethos of your brand, from design to typography. Want great photography but on a budget?

Use rising talent or hire content marketers internally that know how to take photos. You can also use rights cleared UGC imagery to capture a more authentic look.

For blog layouts, there are many templated clean designs on WordPress you can license, like these, if creating a custom design is out of the question.