We don’t have to be graphic artists to identify a poorly designed web page, presentation or email from one that immediately grabs our attention. Adding visuals can make our copy shine. However, it is essential that our messages and visuals coexist in harmony. This post discusses four design tips that will help elevate your content from great to unforgettable.
Think visually.
Declutter to guide the readers’ journey.
Optimize your use of visuals.
Choose visual elements deliberately.
Tip 1: Think Visually
Visuals are an essential element of effective storytelling. A January 2016 article by HubSpot cites several compelling statistics for adding visuals to your copy. According to research mentioned in the article, the use of colored visuals increased people’s willingness to read a piece of content by 80 percent. Researchers also found that content materials with relevant images got 94 percent more views than content without relevant images.
When I get stuck trying to think visually, I start by answering the following questions:
What do I want readers to notice first? Answering this question is important as it helps to visually focus a message or story. Once I identify my visual anchor, I rearrange my copy so that everything flows from it.
How can I help readers identify my main idea as quickly as possible? When working on an article, I include headers, sub-headers and sidebars to guide my readers’ journey. I also use numbered lists and calls to action (CTAs) that let readers know what to do next.
What easy fixes can I incorporate right away to make my copy shine? In addition to adding relevant images and illustrations, I like to use different colors to distinguish section headers from sub-headers. I also organize blocks of content into “digestible” segments by splitting long paragraphs into smaller ones or using two columns instead of one.
Tip 2: Declutter to Guide the Readers’ Journey
Research shows that our eyes can transmit roughly 10 million bits of data per second. However, our brain only absorbs about 60 bits of this information. In other words, the more details our eyes detect, the more difficult it is to zero in on the right information.
An easy way to focus readers’ attention on what’s important is by visually decluttering a page. Previous posts talked about the importance of editing for brevity and only including relevant details. The same is true of visuals. When trying figure out which visual elements to keep or eliminate, I begin by answering these questions:
Are the visual elements eliciting a “butterfly” response? (Are they vying for my readers’ attention all at once and for no particular reason?)
Are the visuals “yelling” at my readers? (Am I choosing the right colors and other visual treatments to accentuate my content?)
Am I trying to cram too much on one page or above the fold? (Do I have space limitations, or can content flow into other pages or areas?)
What is the proportion of content to visuals? (Do I have far more visual elements than content?)
Tip 3: Optimize Your Use of Visuals
UsabilityHub offers a tool that helps users optimize their designs by testing how much people can remember after five seconds. While the tool is geared toward webpage optimization, the five second test can be used with any materials containing a visual element. Simply:
Ask this person to scan the piece for five seconds.
Have them record how much they can remember.
Repeat this process with others to obtain more feedback.
If you have an editorial or content advisory group, perform the five second test with them.
You can use this feedback to identify what visual areas need to be enhanced. For instance:
What are testers recalling after five seconds?
Is the CTA the top item (or two or three) testers are recalling after five seconds?
What details can testers provide about the main purpose of the piece?
Are recorded details in alignment with the copy’s main purpose?
Tip 4: Choose Your Visuals Deliberately
I only keep visuals that are key to telling my story and discard the rest. The same is true of white space. When used sloppily, white space can make an otherwise great piece look unrefined.
From the fonts, colors and images we choose to a page’s layout and use of white space, all visual elements need to help readers move forward with the story. Therefore, every visual element we keep needs to be purposeful and not an afterthought. These six questions will help you determine if a particular visual or design element is important enough to stay:
Why is the visual included? What is its purpose?
Does the visual element detract from the message’s main point?
If I eliminate the visual element, will my message be better, worse or stay the same?
Is this visual helping readers get to the main point fast?
Is this visual memorable in a way that aligns with my story?
Is the content structured like an obstacle course (i.e., do readers have to scroll, swipe or click several times to read everything?)
In Short
While great, useful content trumps subpar visuals any day, keeping readers engaged is essential for a story to be unforgettable. Carefully selected visuals can help transform a story from a caterpillar to a butterfly. However, visuals need to catch readers’ attention fast. Otherwise, they’ll move on to the next butterfly that crosses their path.
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