I’ve written scripts in the past and produced videos for over 20 years with my post-production friend Steve.
We were both aware of the value of finding the right image to hold the viewer’s attention, but my scripts often had what we jokingly called “cloud shots” that did not easily lend themselves to a specific picture – for instance, talking about hope or faith – and we both knew something generic like clouds was better than nothing (a black screen).
When you are promoting your library or a service, images are also important. A few years back MDG Advertising research found them important for both performance and engagement. A picture may literally not be worth a thousand words, but it can improve on a lot of copy that will go unread by a time-conscious reader.
The research found that retention went from 10 percent to 65 percent when a picture was added. On social media, images got 20 percent more engagement than videos and a whopping 352 percent more engagement than a link.
Here are some general tips about using images in your promotion:
Use quality. The best picture in the world will do more harm than good when it is pixelated, too small to begin with, or stretched so that the image is squished. To avoid stretching and fuzziness, keep the image proportional. For more information about cropping and enlarging, see this article from TechSmith, and tips on using photos in presentations and promotions by SlideTeam.
Use the right formats. Pictures come in rastor (jpg, gif, png) vs. vector (eps, pdf) formats. The former type will blur or pixelate when they are enlarged cropped too much; the latter will hold their proportion when enlarged. You can find more information about using different formats at HubSpot.
Use relevancy. The MDG research found that articles with relevant images get on average 94 percent more views than those without images.
Don’t miss that word “relevant.” That means an image that does not scream out-of-date clipart or obvious stock photos. Try to spend the extra time to find a picture that adds to the overall message. If possible, use pictures of individuals that are known rather than models who look generic. There is a place for stock photos, but Marketing Garage explores alternatives to simply finding a generic shot, including better searches, using a cropped image, graphics/infographics, and shooting your own pictures.
Use legally. One of the biggest tells that you have used an image you simply downloaded from the internet is a watermark that covers the image. It’s not always that evident. Justia gives guidelines to avoid copyright infringement, including not relying on Google Image Search or Wikimedia Commons.
Use with permission. We’ve already established the importance of relevant images, but that doesn’t mean you can make church members your models without permission. That’s especially true with children, or those that may be a foster child. A parent or guardian may not want or cannot legally allow you to publish a photo. So, always ask first. Brotherhood Mutual gives additional guidelines.
While pictures will help people read and remember what you promote, thoughtfully considering what you use will do even more to make a memorable promotion.
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Ken Satterfield spent almost three decades in media ministry and lives in Jefferson City, Missouri.
Download: Dealing with Photos (1).pdf
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