Multiply Twitter, PR engagement with an image
What simple element can you add to your tweet to increase retweets by more than one-third? An image, according to Twitter’s own research.
That’s a pretty big bang for a story element that takes up only 23 characters on Twitter.
Plus, there’s more:
- Tweets with photos multiply engagement by 1,272%, according to an analysis from Simply Measured.
- Adding an image to a tweet can boost leads by 55%, according to a HubSpot analysis.
- Uploading images directly to Twitter could generate 94% more engagement than you get with other photo links, according to a MediaBistro study. That’s probably because Twitter displays inline image previews for images with a pic.twitter.com URL.
No wonder the two most-retweeted tweets ever have included photos.
The rapid rise of Buzzfeed and Pinterest are testaments to the power of social image. Photos rank No. 1 for likes and comments on Facebook.
Why not make all of your social messages more engaging by adding a picture?
Images for PR
When Toyota USA communicators decided to produce a visual to accompany a feature on National Coffee Day, they spent $27 on props and a couple of hours on writing, shooting and editing.
The return on this modest investment: Almost 600 page views and pick up by automotive blog AskPatty. On Twitter, the image garnered 23,444 impressions, giving it the highest engagement rate of any content — organic or paid — on Toyota USA’s Twitter channel that week.
That’s no real surprise:
- Images dictate content for 41% of journalists, according to Bennett & Company’s 16th annual media survey.
- Adding a photo to a release increases page views by 14% and almost doubles the release’s shelf life, according to 2011 research conducted by PR Newswire.
- Readers find text more credible when it’s accompanied by an image, according to a new study from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.
Here’s the Toyota feature and image:
What comes from beans and offers an aroma more addictive than new car smell? Yes, coffee.
It’s National Coffee Day, and we want to honor this pleasing beverage by celebrating the king of all coffee cup holders — the car.
What’s the level of “caffeination” one can achieve? It varies by vehicle. The new Yaris perks along with three cup and two bottle holders. The 2015 Camry gets things brewing with four cup and three bottle holders. The versatile Venza goes venti with a total of 10 beverage holders, four cup, six bottle.
Not enough macchiatos for you? The Highlander really stirs it up it up with eight cup and four bottle holders, as does the stylish new 2015 Sienna (LE grade and above), offering its eight occupants a whopping 12 cup/bottle holders.
But if you crave carrying as many iced cappuccinos as possible, the Sequoia allows you to fully espresso yourself. The Platinum grade of this grande SUV boasts 18 cup/bottle holders.
So indulge in a demitasse to help commute the daily grind.
Want to grab attention and increase credibility? Why not add a picture to your story today?
Reach nonreaders with releases
People skim 67% of news, according to a recent Harris Poll. Just 19% read news word-by-word.
So how can you craft PR pieces that reach nonreaders?Find out at NOT Your Father’s News Release our online PR-writing workshop from Aug. 31 - Sept. 28.
There, you’ll learn to write news releases that increase readership, make your message look easier to read — even get the word out to flippers and skimmers.
Save up to $100 with our group discounts.
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Sources: Sam Kirkland, “How to make the most of sharing images on Facebook and Twitter,” Poynter, April 30, 2014
Anum Hussain, “How to Craft Perfect Posts for Facebook, LinkedIn & Twitter [SlideShare],” Nov. 18, 2014
Roger Dooley, “Persuade with Pictures,” Neuromarketing, Nov. 1, 2012
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