You’ve probably heard the old saying, “Men are visual creatures.” In reality, we’re all visual creatures. Our eyesight is one of the key tools we use to relate to our surroundings. As sophisticated as we think we are, a shiny object can draw our attention away from anything.

That’s why visual marketing has become such a key term for marketing strategists. In today’s world, the largest hurdle with marketing is getting through the clutter of ads your customers see every day. Grabbing a customer’s focus with strategic visuals is the perfect way to get your message across.

Knowing the importance of visual marketing is one thing. Being able to do it well is a whole other ball game. If you’re ready to step up your game, try these visual marketing ideas:

Visual Marketing Ideas for Any Business

As important as it is that your visual marketing is well-crafted and looks professional, the first step is coming up with an idea. Try on these for size:

1. Create Signage That Leaves Customers Wanting More

Signage is one of the best ways to capitalize on the traffic in front of your business. However, gone are the days of basic “here’s what my business is called” signs. While you do need to have a clear sign showing your business name, try adding some more intriguing signage as well.

Come up with a message that piques a reader’s interest. It could be as simple as a signature hashtag, like #hairrevolution for a hair salon. Don’t include any other information, just the hashtag. This makes readers curious so they’ll hit up Google and guess where they’ll end up? Your site.

Keep in mind that this works best for younger clientele like those in their 30s and below. The more tech-minded a reader is, the more likely they are to Google something that makes them curious.

Remember that quality matters, too. Learn more about top-notch sign design.

2. Say It Like You Meme It

Open up your Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or other favorite social media platform. Chances are that a large number of the posts on your feed are memes.

Folks love a great, entertaining meme and they’ll share it like crazy. Create memes that are both entertaining and that relate to your business. To make sure your name stays attached, include your logo as well.

3. Invest in Infographics

Another type of visual marketing that gets tons of shares around the internet is a great infographic. You can use infographics to broadcast interesting facts and statistics that support your business.

Infographics are appealing to people because they can get the message in a glance. There are a few caveats, though. First, people expect infographics to have high-quality, to-the-point information. No fluff, just facts.

Don’t forget about this Facebook tip too: you won’t be able to boost your infographic. Facebook will only let you boost images with minimal copy, so make your infographic strong enough to garner organic shares.

4. Venture Into Illustrated Art

Illustration is a massive trend today in all aspects of design: web design, graphic design, fashion, and more. It’s time to hop on the bandwagon and produce custom illustrations.

While businesses used to rely on stock photography, that can lead to cookie-cutter campaigns. Instead, create one-of-a-kind visual marketing by hiring an illustrator with an on-brand style.

5. Whip Up Some Whiteboard Videos

Another massive trend in visual marketing is the whiteboard video. These videos use fast-forwarded footage of someone illustrating their message on a whiteboard while a voice narrates.

People love whiteboard videos, and they’re great ways to tell your story or explain a new product. Keep in mind, though, that you need to offer captions or include enough text on the whiteboard that viewers will understand the message without audio.

Why? Social media is a major way to share these videos, and 85% of the time, viewers watch Facebook videos without sound.

6. Customize Your Stock Photos

As great as custom illustrations can be, chances are that your budget doesn’t allow for tons of them. There’s nothing wrong with using stock photos, but it’s time to add a twist.

In most cases, the license for a stock photo you purchase lets you alter it in any way you choose. Use them to create whole new designs, add geometric shapes, or play with color variations. However you choose, make the stock photo your own and mold it to your brand.

7. Use Signage That Interacts With Its Environment

Looking for a cool new twist on old-school signage? Try incorporating the sign’s placement into its design.

If you have a billboard, try including the pole in your design. Perhaps you can make the metal pole look like a smokestack in a skyline. If you’re hanging a poster, consider making the poster’s background mimic the wall where it’s posted. This can make it look like your logo or another graphic is coming out of the wall.

8. Add Titles to Your Blogs’ Images

This is a simple strategy but it can make all the difference in your visual marketing. You should already have at least one image each page of your website design. Have you thought about adding the page title to the image?

This works best for blogs. Let’s say you have a blog called, “Ten Tips for Detailing Your Car.” Instead of a standard photo of someone cleaning their car, overlay the title on top of that photo. This is an easy step but it gives you a clear visual to share on social media.

9. Get Comical

Comic strips are another huge trend in visual marketing today. More and more people are getting into graphic novels and comic books, so capitalize on that interest.

It’s important that your comic strips have a genuine entertainment quality. Readers will expect them to have a punchline or a clear message, so don’t disappoint.

Being the Shiny Object That Captures Your Audience’s Attention

Without a doubt, an intriguing visual is a great way to grab your audience’s attention. This applies to the digital world and the physical world alike. The visual marketing ideas above will help you add visual appeal in both settings.

For more great tips on how to rock your business and life in general, check out our blog of useful tips.