What Is Visual Communication & How Does It Work + Examples

Do you find it hard to engage your audience and are considering visual communication to solve it? 

You’re in the right place. In this guide, you will learn to use visual elements to turn complicated concepts into easy-to-understand, actionable messages. We’ll cover everything you need to get started, from knowing how to leverage each visual element to putting it into action with examples.

Let’s get right to it. Cover photo via Antenna.

Visual Communication in a Nutshell

Visual communication is a strategy that uses images, graphics, shapes, and visual elements to convey messages and ideas. It simplifies complex information and turns it into attention-grabbing visuals to improve how we understand concepts.

It includes using charts, infographics, and videos to make your message more accessible and engaging. Visual communication is used to highlight key points and create a more memorable and impactful experience for your audience. 

It also helps to bridge language barriers, taps into the brain’s natural preference for visual information, and makes your points easier to remember.

Why is Visual Communication Important?

What can visual communications do for your brand? Consider these 5 reasons why you should invest in this strategy.

I. Improves Understanding

Visuals make complex information easy to grasp. If you run a service-based business, use images to demonstrate how your services are billed. Here’s an excellent example from Prime Time window washing service. Since they bill their service per window washed, they included a visual of what counts as a single window to help clients gauge how many windows they should pay for.

II. Engages Audiences

Visual content grabs attention more effectively than text. If you create your marketing campaign with vibrant images and videos, it attracts more viewers on social media than plain text posts. 

Infographics will make your business presentations engaging and keep the audience’s attention, making key points memorable. If you have a retail store, use eye-catching displays to draw customers in and highlight promotions to boost your sales.

Don’t forget about GIFs and memes—they add a fun touch to your content and make it more enjoyable to read. This product designer blog did just that, turning their formal how-to guides into something more light-hearted and engaging by sprinkling in some well-placed memes.

III. Boosts Marketing & SEO

Visual communication is important for boosting marketing and SEO because it makes content more engaging and easier to understand. Eye-catching images and videos attract more visitors, reduce bounce rates, and improve site rankings. Good visuals also enhance user experience, leading to longer site visits and more interaction. The SIXGUN team specializes in this if you need a helping hand.

IV. Cross-Cultural Communication

Visuals help convey messages across different languages and cultures. For example, the DIY furniture company IKEA uses easy-to-understand pictorial instructions. In another area, public health campaigns use posters with images to show proper handwashing or safety measures. Even local services, like window cleaning, use visuals to explain their processes.

V. Supports Learning Styles

Visual aids cater to different learning styles. For example, teachers use mind maps to help students see connections between concepts. A history teacher can use a timeline to illustrate events. In corporate training, videos and interactive modules show processes in action which makes the learning experience more effective than text-based manuals.

How Visual Communication Works

Visual communication involves many elements and aspects so in this section, you will learn how to leverage them for your brand.

1. Simplifies Complex Information

• Graphs & Charts: Used to turn numbers into visual data that is easy to understand at a glance.
• Diagrams: Break down processes and systems into simple, visual steps.
• Infographics: Combine images, icons, and text to summarize complex information.

2. Grabs Attention

• Bright Colors: Use vibrant colors to direct the viewer’s eye where you want them to focus.
• Contrasting Text: Ensures that the text stands out against the background so it’s easily readable.
• Dynamic Content: Animations and videos engage viewers and keep their attention.

3. Enhances Memory Retention

• Visual Metaphors: Use familiar images to explain new concepts.
• Consistent Branding: Reinforce your brand identity using logos, colors, and fonts.
• Storytelling: Create a narrative with visuals to make the information you present more memorable.

4. Increases Engagement

• Interactive Elements: Use clickable graphics, slideshows, and videos to invite users to interact.
• Social Media Graphics: Design shareable images and videos to reach more people and engage with your followers better.
• Personalization: Adjust your visuals based on what your audience likes and prefers. By using custom visual presets, you can create the right atmosphere to build the emotions you want in your users.

5. Bridges Language Barriers

• Universal Symbols: You can use widely recognized icons and images to convey messages.
• Pictograms: Illustrate instructions or information in a way that doesn’t rely on text.
• Multilingual Graphics: Include visual aids that can be understood regardless of language.

6. Supports Diverse Learning Styles

• Visual Learners: Use charts, diagrams, and illustrations for visual learners.
• Kinesthetic Learners: Include interactive visuals like drag-and-drop activities or simulations.
• Auditory Learners: Pair visuals with narration or sound for audio learners.

Effective Visual Communication Best Practices

There is more than 1 way to implement what you have learned so far, but to make the most of visual communication, follow these best practices.

1. Know Your Audience

Understand what type of visuals your audience prefers. Are they more responsive to infographics, videos, or charts? You can either analyze engagement metrics from social media and website analytics or use surveys and feedback forms to ask your audience about what they prefer.

Also, be mindful of cultural differences that might affect how your audience perceives the visuals. In some cultures, colors have specific meanings: red may symbolize luck in Chinese culture, while it can indicate danger or stop in Western contexts. 

2. Keep It Simple

Use clean designs with minimal elements to deliver a clear and concise message. Here’s what you can do: 

• Your visual should have one immediately understandable main message. For example, use a single, bold headline to state the main point.
• Use images that directly relate to the content, not decorative images that don’t add value to the message. Do what this digital marketing measurement blog did. Throughout the guide, you will see diagrams and helpful screenshots that explain the points they are making to make it easier to understand.
• Keep the text short and to the point. Use bullet points or short phrases instead of long paragraphs.
• Use lots of white space to make your website look clean and easy to read. It helps visitors focus on your content and reduces clutter.

3. Use High-Quality Visuals

High-quality visuals make your content look professional and trustworthy. Here’s what you can do:

• Use images of at least 300 dpi (dots per inch) for print and 72 dpi for digital screens. 
• Use the same fonts, colors, and design elements across all visuals to create a cohesive look and reinforce your brand identity.
• Use Adobe Illustrator or Canva to create high-quality graphics.

4. Make It Accessible

Accessibility ensures that everyone, including users with disabilities, can understand your message. Here’s what you can do:

• Use font at least 16 points for body text and ensure high contrast between text and background. For example, black text on a white background is easier to read than light gray text on a white background.
• Provide alternative text descriptions for images to help screen reader users understand what the image is about.
• Use color combinations that people with color blindness can distinguish. Coblis (Color Blindness Simulator) can help you check your visuals.
• Provide accessibility options to ensure everyone can use your website easily. It makes your site more inclusive and improves the user experience for all visitors. A great example of this is Green Supply and how they implemented this feature.

5. Tell a Story

Telling a story with your visuals makes your content more engaging and memorable. Here’s what you can do:

• Arrange your visuals logically to tell a story. For example, start with the problem, then show the solution, and end with the outcome.
• Use relatable images and scenarios. For example, if you target parents, use images of families and children.
• Stick to a consistent theme throughout your visuals. This could include using the same characters, color schemes, or visual styles.

6. Use Data Wisely

Accurate and clear data representation gets your audience to trust you better and makes it easier for them to understand what you are presenting to them. Here’s what you can do:

• Make sure your charts and graphs accurately reflect the data without being misleading. Avoid manipulating axes or cherry-picking data (not altering the graph scales or selectively choosing data points).
• Use visual elements like color or size to draw attention to the most important data points. For example, use a different color to highlight a significant data point in a bar chart.
• Avoid cluttered charts. Use clear labels and present only the most relevant data. For example, your pie chart should not have too many slices.

7. Include a Call to Action

A call to action directs your audience so they are not second-guessing what to do next. Here’s what you can do:

• Make your calls to action clear and actionable like “Download Your Free Guide,” “Watch Our Tutorial,” or “Join Our Community.”
• Make buttons and links prominent and easy to find. 
• Use contrasting colors to make them stand out. Here’s an excellent example from 3Wishes. They strategically used a Fuschia pink for the discount percentage and the code to use, a clever technique to drive the reader’s eye and help persuade them to buy. 

8. Test & Iterate

Testing and iterating on your visuals lets you identify what works best and what doesn’t so you can improve it. Here’s what you can do:

• Gather feedback from your audience using surveys, comments, or usability tests to understand what works and what doesn’t.
• Do an A/B test with different versions of your visuals to see which performs better. For example, test different color schemes or layouts to see which one gets more engagement. Test only 1 element at a time.
• Make it a habit to review and improve your visuals quarterly or yearly.

7 Examples of Visual Communication

Now let’s see how visual communication looks with these real-world examples. As you consider each example, think about how you can apply it to your brand.

1. Infographics

Infographics use images, charts, and short text to make information easy to understand. They’re great for sharing stats, summarizing reports, and simplifying complex data on social media, blogs, and presentations.

2. Videos & Animations

Videos and animations turn complex explanations into easy-to-understand and attention-grabbing visuals. Let’s say you run a Quality Management System software business – a nicely animated explainer video can explain what you do in just one minute. This makes it an ideal way to grab attention and communicate your message effectively.

3. Charts & Graphs

Charts and graphs turn numbers into visual data that’s easy to understand at a glance. Use them in reports, presentations, and articles to clearly show trends and comparisons.

4. Presentations

Presentations use slides with visuals like images, videos, and text to present a concise but comprehensive report. They’re perfect for meetings, lectures, and pitches to keep your audience engaged and make your points clear.

5. Social Media & Website Graphics

Social media and website graphics use eye-catching images and designs to grab attention as soon as the user’s eye lands on the content. They’re ideal for attracting viewers, promoting content, and engaging better on your online platforms.

6. Visual Reports

Visual reports combine text, images, charts, and infographics to present detailed information in an easy-to-digest format. They work well for annual reports, project updates, and performance reviews to help stakeholders quickly grasp your key points.

7. Interactive Visuals

Interactive visuals engage users by allowing them to interact with the content–clicking, zooming, or navigating. Use them on websites and apps to explain processes, showcase products, or provide immersive experiences.

Beginner-Friendly Tools for Your Visual Communication

For those new to visual communication, there are many easy-to-use tools to help you create great content. You can also hire full-time help through services like Genius for 80% less cost if you prefer outsourcing.

Design Software

Canva

Canva is perfect for beginners and non-designers. Its intuitive, drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to create social media graphics, presentations, and infographics. You don’t need any design experience to produce professional-looking visuals quickly and effortlessly.

Venngage

Venngage specializes in creating infographics and data visualizations, making it easy for anyone to turn complex data into clear, engaging visuals. It’s great for reports, presentations, and marketing materials, and you don’t need any prior design skills to get started.

Data Visualization Tools

Microsoft Power BI

Microsoft Power BI is a beginner-friendly but powerful data visualization and business intelligence tool. It lets you connect to multiple data sources and create detailed, interactive reports and dashboards so you can visualize data and share insights without needing advanced technical skills.

Google Data Studio

Google Data Studio is an easy-to-use tool to create interactive and shareable dashboards. You can pull data from multiple sources and present it in a clear, visually appealing way.

Video Creation Tools

Animoto 

Animoto has a user-friendly interface that lets you make engaging videos quickly and easily. You can create marketing videos, social media content, or personal projects without needing any video editing experience.

Camtasia  

Camtasia is great for beginners who need to create tutorials, how-to videos, or presentations. Its screen recording and video editing features are easy to use, making it a favorite for educators and business professionals looking to produce high-quality videos without the steep learning curve.

FilterGrade

Even though FilterGrade isn’t a complete video creation tool, it offers engaging video presets that can give your videos a vibe that’s more relatable to your audience. You can also find video LUTs, templates for After Effects, Premiere Pro, and Final Cut Pro, and Sound Effects too!

Conclusion

Think about this as you create your visual content: How can I make my visuals not just informative but also engaging and memorable for my audience? This will guide your creative decisions and help you use it to fulfill your goals.

For more resources and inspiration for your visual content, check out FilterGrade Marketplace. We offer top-notch filters and presets to make your photos and videos look stunning and professional so you can communicate the right visual message to your audience.

Read next: The Importance Of An Omnichannel Visual Marketing Strategy

Author Bio:

Burkhard Berger is the founder of Novum™. He helps innovative B2B companies implement modern SEO strategies to scale their organic traffic to 1,000,000+ visitors per month. Curious about what your true traffic potential is?