As the saying goes, A picture is worth a thousand words. We are attracted to images. They can be very powerful, as the famous one above by Eddie Adams. They are naturally the holy grail of advertising and marketing. In the real estate industry, photo ads attract more eyeballs, the bigger and glossier the better.
But what about those hallowed journalists? What’s their take on the visual image versus the sacred word? Does it sell newspapers? Of course. But is it needed for the story? Well, it might surprise you to know that they overwhelming agree that visuals are important to them as well.
According to the 16th annual media survey by Bennett & Company, when asked How Important are Visuals to your Story, 63% of journalists responding said that visuals were “very important“. Only 10% said they were not important to the story.
But the survey goes further. Not only did visuals make a difference to journalists, 41% said that visuals could dictate their content. News media’s insatiable demand for visuals can affect coverage of a story. Got photograph, will publish?
As a blogger, I always find the image first. I try to find one which will either enhance the story, serve as a jibe or otherwise interest. Like a great headline, a great image will cause a reader to stop and perhaps read your copy.
Try using an eye-catching visual the next time you advertise, or blog.
