There’s no substitute for high-quality writing. But good visuals also have a big part to play in reaching your content marketing goals. The visuals you use have a huge impact on getting the attention of readers and keeping them engaged. Therefore, I’ve put together a few tips on how to best combine great written and visual content to get you more engagement.

  1. Create Infographics

If you want to maximize social media engagement, infographics have been shown to enjoy three times more likes and shares than any other content type. The key is to stay focused, keep it simple and avoid too much text.

  1. Show Your Brand’s Personality

Showcasing the more casual side of your company can be challenging, especially if your business is in a more corporate industry. However, a smart pairing of text and visual content that’s not directly related to what you sell can help you connect with your audience.

The tax-preparation company H&R Block puts this strategy to good use on Facebook with a steady stream of witty posts and clever illustrations have earned them over 380,000 Facebook fans and an average of 500 interactions per post.

  1. Show Off Your Stuff

Posting beautiful pictures of what you’re selling and adding some engaging captions can be surprisingly effective. Jolie and Elizabeth, an online women’s clothing brand, doubled their sales after they became active on Instagram. Consider providing a sneak peek of new products, spotlight your best sellers or offer inspiration. If your product isn’t the most visually engaging, consider showcasing your office or the people behind your brand to connect with your audience.

  1. Ask Your Audience

User-generated content is a great way to engage with your audience, give your fans some much-deserved recognition and let your fans share the spotlight. Ask your fans and followers to send in their photos and stories with your product. Alternatively, you could have a caption contest to generate even more engagement.

  1. Text As A Visual Asset

Well-designed text can be a powerful visual element on its own, even without the help of photos or other images. Bloomberg Businessweek created a website for their recent design conference that challenges the norms of web design. The website consists of nothing but black text on a white background, but the envelope-pushing aesthetic is definitely attention-grabbing.

Better Together

Written and visual content each have strengths. However, their marketing power is multiplied when you combine them. It can make your content and messages more inviting and more accessible while being a magnet for clicks, likes, comments and shares.