When you meet someone for the first time and you find out their story connects with you. Isn’t it such a wonderful feeling to feel that emotional connection? You may not know them entirely but when you first meet a person you can pretty much tell if that’s the type of person you’d want to hang out with.
The same thing goes online… well you may not meet the person face to face but you get to know people with their website, their blog, their social media posts, etc. All of the online aspects of someone’s life can be put together rather quickly and people can decide if they want to “hang” with you or not. Your online space can actually make or break you because it’s like making your first impression with someone. If they “met” you via a social media post or your blog, would they have a good take on what you’re all about? If your online space is messy then it may have people not want to get to know you or stick around.
Visual marketing and branding can definitely help people get to know you better and will want to learn more about you.
Here are the 3 overlooked areas that may be killing your visual marketing:
1. Sidebar
On your blog’s sidebar, you may have several affiliate link banners and perhaps a bio to let people know who you are. That’s all well and fine but if the sidebar is an absolute mess, with affiliate banners in all sorts of sizes it can be distracting. Or maybe some of those banners have nothing to do with your branding. That’s why I love Marianne Manthey’s Design Your Own Blog’s website. She took a whole month of blog posts dedicated to sidebar prioritizing and clean up. It really does make a world of difference.
When I go to a blog with affiliate banners all over the place, it actually makes me feel uneasy and uncomfortable.
2. Social Media Headers/Covers
When people first get to know you on social media they see your profile photo and Facebook/Twitter/Google+/LinkedIn header. Do you have them aligned with the same type of image? I know I don’t have to tell you that you’re not an “egghead” on Twitter, right? I hope not! All of the social media spaces are your online “homes”. Let them see you! I want to see your beautiful face smiling and what your biz is all about. You can definitely take it up a notch with creating your graphics in Canva. They make it so easy with their templates. There is really no excuse of not having a photo or image to brand your business.
There have been many times that I will not follow someone who follows me on Twitter because they didn’t take the time to properly create their profile with a photo and image.
[tweet_dis inject=”Take the time to setup your #SM header with @canva.”] [/tweet_dis]
3. Email
Yep! You’ve read it correctly! Email marketing is HUGE and when someone subscribes to your blog you should bring a dose of your branding to their inbox every time. 65% of people prefer emails that contain mostly images vs. 35% who prefer mostly text, according to HubSpot. It’s not just any email… people want the experience that they found on your website.
Have you ever been excited to sign up for a subscription on a website feeling pretty pumped that you’re going to get pure amazingness? When you get the email it’s all plain text and you wonder who the heck is sending you this email?! It’s disappointing.
[tweet_dis inject=”Brand your email so people recognize you and WANT to open their email.”][/tweet_dis]
Not mind blowing, just simple fixes.
You see what I mean? These are very simple fixes but can really be disastrous for your business. Visual marketing is all very emotional.
Let people get to know you by adding a little something personal in the sidebar and tidy up a bit. Everyone likes to visit a home when it’s nice and clean.
Then update your social media covers/headers accordingly to your brand. Put your face on the profile photo and let people see you. Design an image that represents YOU and people will want to step further into your space. Oh my! They may even click on your links on your profile. Haha
Let’s not forget your emails to your subscribers! Are they getting emails that make them want to learn more about you and your business? Will they recognize your emails? Take the time to set yourself apart and open up your arms to welcome them into your community.
These 3 areas will definitely welcome people with open arms and make them feel like they want to hang out with you.
Have you taken these steps to help gather your readers into wanting more?
Let me know in the comments, what you’d like to improve on or do you feel right on track in making your community feel right at home.
Take care,
Lillian De Jesus
Tigerlily 
Hey Lillian, thanks so much for sharing about my sidebar series, I’m really glad you found it so useful! You made some excellent points around visual marketing that make all the world or difference.
Hi Marianne,
I love that you did the sidebar series! You always have some really great advice.
Thanks for visiting!
Lillian
Lillian,
Thanks for the tips. I always knew I needed to make my emails a little more interesting. More photos, less text. I’ll try it.
Hi there!
It’s my pleasure. Glad you found the tips helpful! Be sure to check in next week’s post where it’s all about enhancing your email newsletters. I have a guest post coming up from an email marketing expert.
Take care,
Lillian
Hi Lillian,
When it comes to that sidebar full of “stuff” it is not only annoying to the reader, but worse, makes the blogger look desperate.
It has to be clear and clean. Sure we can have an opt-in on the sidebar, but it has to be something that we have produced like our products or services. If one doesn’t have that in place, an opting to their affiliate company is fine, as long as they do a little video or something to brand themselves.
Hmmm I gotta get my game on with emails. Thanks for that reminder.
-Donna
Hi Donna,
I’m glad you agree! I can’t wait for the post later this week. I’ve invited my first guest blogger and she is an email marketing expert. I LOVE her style and she’ll teach us all about branding our newsletters.
Stay tuned…
Take care,
Lillian
Hi Lillian ,
I like this post and I think too this sidebars are sometimes not very
nice . I do not like to have too many things on my sidebar.
I am looking forward to learn about the emails .
Thank you for your always helpful posts
Erika
Hi Erika,
I’m sorry I missed your comment, I’m not sure how that happened!
Glad you’re finding the posts helpful.
Take care,
Lillian
Great article! Clean up your side bar!
Clutter makes it look like your desperate and
even more than that it looks amaturish.
Clean and tasteful looks much more
professional, Love your new site Lillian.
Thanks Kathryn! Glad to see you here on the new website.
I completely agree with you that it looks amateurish to have so much on the sidebar.
Take care,
Lillian 🙂
These are some important areas to check out your visual strategy, Lillian.
I think the worst visual area of so many blogs is, as you point out, the cluttered sidebar. Yes, you do want to have people click your affiliate links, I agree… but confusing them visually is not the way to do it.
I think simple is always the best way to go. That means a clean, unambiguous sidebar.
I think the same goes for your email. I’m not a big fan of making email messages very visual, and it does negatively impact your deliverability because spam bots consider complicated visuals to suggest a spam message, or unsolicited sales pitch.
Social media covers are important too, and again, I’m in favor of clean design there.
These are excellent tips, lillian, and a good reminder to everyone online to keep a sharp eye on the visual message they are giving their visitors.
Hi David,
I’m glad you agree that these areas are important!
Keeping a balanced visual in these areas can really help support a business.
Thanks for stopping by!
Take care,
Lillian
Hi Lillian,
Great post. I’ve often wondered about photos in email; whether they are good or bad. It seems like the times I have tried it, they did not turn out as I expected.
I change my sidebar every now and then. Sometimes I think I have too much and then sometimes not. I guess it’s all a matter of testing.