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How Illustration Is Stealing the Spot of the Good Quality Photo

We are predominantly visual beings and this is backed up by science – studies show that our brains process images 60,000 times faster than text. Also, having in mind the amount of information that we are bombarded with daily, who can blame us for wanting to simplify some pieces of information and present them in such a manner that they are more digestible?

Visual elements, such as photos, illustrations, videos, infographics have the power of simplifying complex notions which helps us understand them quicker.

Photos are notoriously great tools for this intention but they are slowly descending the throne because there is a new(ish) kid on the block – illustration. So, let’s see what makes many businesses choose illustrations over photos.

 

Bringing uniqueness to your brand

We all know the business world is tough due to the competition which is present in any industry. New businesses are sprouting daily and disappearing just as quickly. In order to endure and succeed, you need to offer something unique to your audience, something they will remember you by.

Photos are powerful tools, as mentioned, but the possibilities that illustrations offer are endless. Illustrations are not connected only with humor and regardless of whether you are better suited with a humorous tone or if the type of business you are in doesn’t allow it, you can still use them to bring that something special to your brand.

If your website has generic product photos, people will assume your products and services are also generic so don’t be surprised if they go to your competition for more unique customer experience.

 

Making promotional material pop

Visual elements don’t just entice people on the web, they also captivate their attention in the offline world. As marketers noticed a long time ago, people love promotional materials and gifts and the more original their design is, the better. They welcome stickers, pens, and notebooks with brands’ logos, and also mugs, memory sticks and all kinds of more or less useful items.

However, those items will get them interested in your brand but they would not divulge its real nature or show them your offer. So, for a knock-them-off-their-feet effect, it is good to add illustrations to your printed material, such as brochures and catalogues.

Even fully digital products can benefit from the printed promotion – many apps, such as the MENU app, have been promoted by Infostarters print format, offering their customers a simplified and engaging insight into the seamless order and payment process. Illustrations turn seemingly uninteresting factual data into engaging visual elements that entice customers’ curiosity about the brand.

 

Introducing changes is easy

Getting back to the realm of the digital, for your content to stay fresh and your brand relevant, a small business has to change things frequently. No matter how creative your team is, it is just impossible for them to constantly come up with original quality content. So, one solution to this problem is recycling the existing content.

When we transport this to the story of photos vs. illustrations, the latter takes precedence simply because they are easier to change and edit. With a few purposeful clicks and a creative idea, you can brush up an old illustration and give it a new life. This means that any illustration your illustration artist makes is a source of almost endless inspiration and combinations you can tap into when the need for a makeover arises.

 

Load faster = low bounce rate

Website loading speed is a big thing in the world of business – we all noticed that we seem to be expecting websites to give us what we are looking for in that very instant or otherwise our patience is gone and we are off to another website.

In the fast-paced information-packed world that we live in, in which we ourselves are expected to achieve excellent results as fast as possible, it is no wonder we have no patience for slow things.

Well, the good thing with illustrations is that they have smaller file sizes because they don’t contain as much information as a photograph. In return, this allows your website to load faster which is joyful news for many of your website’s visitors.

In addition to that, a website’s loading speed is an important ranking factor which in the simplest terms means that if your website loads faster, it will be ranked higher on the Google search results page.

 

In the sea of cheap stock photography, the idea of investing in illustrations might seem odd. However, if you go for that more seemingly convenient option, you will be just another generic brand and also your products might seem cheap (in the sense of quality).

This leads us to the conclusion that one of the reasons illustrations are stealing the spot of photos is their cost-effectiveness.

Therefore, hiring a professional illustrator is an investment in the uniqueness it brings to your brand and since it can be repurposed in as many ways and as many times as you need it, it makes it a good choice in the long run. Brochures and catalogues could always use a bit of refinement illustrations brought to the table, while its size promises your website a higher position in the search results.

All in all, illustrations are fun, cost-effective attention-grabbers!