Visual Content Marketing Trends to Follow in 2021

Digital content is today an integral part of the consumer’s journey, whether they are looking for entertainment, information, or shopping. There is a lot of content on the web, more than users have time to consume. According to the Content Marketing Institute, 91% of B2B and 86% of B2C companies already include visual content marketing in their promotion and branding strategies, which means that there will be even more content shortly.

Back in 2018-2019, creating high-quality and useful content was enough to attract the attention of an online audience. The situation is completely different today. Not only do you need to produce good content but also experiment with its formats and follow all marketing trends that are driving the industry. So what content marketing trends are on the go this year? Let us get all this straightened out.

What Makes Visual Content Rock in 2021?

There are several reasons why visual content gets more attention than digital copy. First, videos, pictures, and infographics are remembered better. Visualization makes it easier to perceive the key message and engages a wide audience. What is more important, creating quality visual assets is a good way to promote yourself in search engines.

Google, Pinterest, and Instagram are working on the development of visual search technologies. Research by eMarketer has shown that 62% of young people are interested in visual search technology. No other new technology is getting so much attention. So you should definitely give it a try, but do it right – follow the top trends; we have listed them further in this post!

Trend #1 – Optimism and Confidence

People are more likely to interact with those brands whose visual content cheers up and instils confidence in the future. Design experts recommend using rounded fonts and bright colours in digital visuals. Such assets create a feeling of optimism, calmness, and comfort in people. Positive imagery is becoming the backbone of visual communication in 2021.

Trend #2 – Healthy Lifestyle

The pandemic has changed people’s values. Now, health and wellness are becoming the main aspirations. So brands should use images that show how a person does sports, takes care of themselves, and demonstrate concern for the physical and digital health of the target audience.

Trend #3 – Getting Closer to Nature

Natural shades and botanical patterns reduce stress, increase productivity, and boost mood. Such visual content helps attract the right people to your website, engages more of your prospects’ brains, and adds interest to your page.

Trend #4 – Mix of Visuals and Video

According to Forbes journalist Matt Bowman, video is the most effective promotion method for 87% of internet marketers. The consumption of video content is increasing by 100% every year. Video content is a must-have for any company since the visual and sound components allow you to convey the target idea in a couple of minutes. However, if the video is combined with high-quality visuals, then it’s doomed to success. Check here how to create a video that converts at max!

Trend #5 – Augmented Reality

XR is a new marketing term that combines virtual, augmented, and mixed reality. It is highly popular; therefore, you should use it too. However, brand stories created with these technologies should be real, close to the user, and sincere. When taking a look at the visual, the user should have a multi-sensory experience, just like in real life. This is the only way to make people empathize, completely immersing them in an ecological disaster or the daily life of a person from another corner of the planet. This will force users to change their attitude to everyday problems and large-scale global challenges.

Trend #6 – Content Authenticity and Originality

There is too much content on the web, and a big part of it is identical and similar to each other. Users simply do not perceive or remember it. To gain attention, build trust, and stand out from the crowd of competitors, it is important to create authentic and original content that reflects real stories and raises brand awareness.

Trend #7 – Aesthetics of Cinema in Photos

The main trend in photography in 2021 is the focus on detail when there is a lot of space around the main object. A muted colour palette and the absence of retouching will enhance the “value” of the image. To achieve this effect, photographers use a variety of lighting and photography techniques. You should also employ them in your content marketing strategy to make it perform at max.

Trend #8 – Snack Content

There is one more new term in digital marketing – snack content. It characterizes material that is quick to perceive and doesn’t require a lot of time or full concentration from people. This format of visual communication is suitable for brands that want to quickly react to new events, catch the trend of situational content, and reach new audiences.

Trend #9 – Gamification of Visuals

Game elements in design increase engagement, trust, and loyalty. The use of gamification excels in the process of taking the audience as the subject matter. Such aesthetics visually engage people and lead to their behavioural change.

Final Say

You already know that visual content marketing is highly important in digital marketing. The aesthetics component remains one of the key tools for capturing attention and conveying the main tone of the brand’s message. To help marketers use the right visuals, we have collected the most promising visual content marketing trends in this post. To summarize the above, visual content will become calmer, more real, and more sincere in 2021. Users are more likely to interact with real content than with retouched footage in a design laboratory. So you shouldn’t be afraid to show the “real face” of your company and brand, instead of making things look perfect.