12 Hard Stats That Proof The Power Of Images

. That means there are potentially over 150 million eyeballs that could be viewing web images promoting your own, delightful products or content.

2. Research

[PDF] from Stanford University shows that 46.1 percent of the over 2,500 people studied say a website's design is the top criteria for deciding if a company is credible or not. This stat goes beyond just images, but shows the importance of visuals like layout, typography and colour schemes when it comes to impressing visitors on your site.

3. A study done by Social Bakers last year exposed the visual nature of social networking. The study indicated that photos trump the market on Facebook, making up 93 percent of the social network's most engaging posts!

4. Images can make or break a deal when it comes to local searches. Bright Local found that 60 percent of consumers are more willing to consider local search results that include images and another 23 percent are more likely to contact a business showcasing an image.

5. If you're going to use an image, you better make sure it's mind-blowing. Research from Skyword found that if your content includes compelling images, you can average 94 percent more views than your boring counterparts.

6. Good news! The introduction of Facebook Timeline has had a positive impact on brands interacting on the social network. Simply Measured found that there was not only a 46 percent increase in content engagement for brands, but an additional 65 percent increase in photo and video engagement.

7. If you're going to send out an email blast, make sure you fulfill its maximum potential by including relevant images. According to Hubspot, 65 percent of users like emails that are mostly made up of images, while only 35 percent prefer their emails to be text heavy.

8. Still not convinced that images play an important part in digital marketing? Truth be told the importance of images goes beyond digital marketing. Researchers have found that 65 percent of the population is made up of visual learners, leaving auditory and experiential learners in their dust.

9. If you include images in your content and on your site, people are more likely to remember you. Psychologist Jerome Bruner has uncovered some interesting studies that show while people only remember 10 percent of things they hear and 20 percent of what they have read, around 80 percent of people remember things they see or do.

10. A study done on Google+ users has revealed that images can play a role in providing visual cues to grab a consumer's attention online. Researchers found that a post on Google+ was three times more likely to be reshared if it included an image.

11. Take your time and make smart decisions when choosing photos to make sure you have the best impact on your audience. An eye-tracking study from Nielson Norman Groups showed that using detailed photos is more attractive than including a more generic, stock image.

12. After choosing the perfect image, having that image shared across the web is the icing on the cake. And you just might be able to have your cake and eat it too because data from PewResearch proves that 35 percent of people on the internet are willing to share images they find on the web.

Conclusion

When choosing images, think your decision through and pick one that targets the audience you are going after. Make sure images have a starring role when tweaking and finessing your digital marketing strategy so you don't miss out on an easy opportunity to boost interaction on and enjoyment of your site.

Next Step:

• Learn how large product images engage customers as if they're touching the product