Graphics and Visual Contents as a Great Tool of PR
20
2014
The internet is a powerful tool that can be used to spread PR messages across the world instantly. In the past companies would issue a press release and rely on the mainstream media to convey their message to a target audience. This is no longer the case. Companies are able to instantly connect with their target audience as well as mainstream media outlets via online public relations releases. Social media has resulted in a situation where bad or good news about a company can spread quickly. This can have a huge impact on the public's perception of an organization and even cause direct financial consequences such as a movement of the share price. Because of the new paradigm for PR it is vital that press releases and other promotional efforts are as captivating and informative as possible. Attractive graphical content is an excellent way for online PR to differentiate itself from the efforts of competitors.
There are several reasons why visual media is especially important for contemporary online PR campaigns. People increasingly access the online world via their smartphones and tablet devices which are optimized for graphically rich content as opposed to dense text. Consumers also have access to a wide array of promotional material resulting in a phenomenon known as information overload. Due to the overwhelming amount of information consumers are exposed to it is vital to capture their attention in order for promotional messages to be received and understood. Visual design is a concise and powerful tool for achieving this aim.
Advertizing and promotional efforts have long understood the power of the image. It is a cliche that a picture is worth a thousand words but one which rings especially true in the internet age. Carefully designed visual PR can convey the same information as a written press release in a fraction of the time. A promotional image can be shared and viewed by millions of people around the world at the touch of a button and at a speed far faster than if the same message was conveyed in a textual format. Now that the importance of graphical PR has been firmly established some practical applications of it will be explored.
There are many ways to incorporate powerful visual and graphical elements into the world of web PR. One of the most popular means of doing so is through the use of a promotional video. Many people would rather watch a short clip than read a lengthy article. This has been facilitated by the rise of smartphones and the spread of high speed internet capable of viewing video content without any major delay. Sites such as YouTube make it quick and easy for companies to create and spread promotional efforts relying solely on visual content. A carefully constructed visual viral promotional effort can result in far better RP than even an expensive traditional promotional campaign.
Visual content can also play a vital role in reinforcing a company's brand. For proof of this concept one only needs to consider the written word 'Coca Cola' as opposed to the iconic red and white company logo. Visual aspects such as color can reinforce brand image and solidify the company in the mind of the consumer in a way which plain text cannot.
In the social media age companies need to utilize every tool possible to reach and influence consumers. Graphical and visual content is one of the most potent weapons in the arsenal of a modern marketer. Utilizing it correctly can spread a message around the world at a speed which traditional PR efforts could never conceive of, let alone achieve.
Roman Sahakov, the author of this article, is very smart and creative person who currently works for Acuity Training Company and writes articles on such kind of interesting and actual topics like confident communication, management, leadership trainings and so on! His mind has no boundaries and he is always ready to face whatever difficult or new comes around!