If your travel blogs are struggling to get out of the slow lane, then it may not be the writing that’s the problem – it’s the images.
You may have immaculate intros, beautifully written blog posts and snappy conclusions, but if your travel images don’t cut it, then you are missing a huge opportunity to engage with your audience.
So, not only does your travel copywriting need to be first class, your images do, too.
Make your brand stand out
The old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words has never been more accurate in travel writing.
Every brand is looking for their next piece of viral content and the right image could be just what you are looking for. With careful research and planning, the simplest image ideas can be the trick to what makes your brand recognisable.
Example: Photographer Murad Osmann went viral after uploading a photo of his wife leading him through the streets of Barcelona. Now with millions of followers and voted by Forbes as one of the world’s top travel influencers, the couple are recognised solely by their iconic image.
An SEO boost
Did you know that relevant images are a ranking factor with Google?
Landing the top spot on search engines is made easier with pictures. The benefits of using great images aren’t just visual, but also work behind the scenes, too. When search engines crawl sites, they’re also able to pick up images.
Make sure that all of your descriptions, tags and titles are up to date, so that search engines know you have information relevant to the search on that page.
It’s all about readability
The rise of digital has meant reader attention spans are lower than ever. Everybody is looking for the next best thing just a click away.
However, no one wants to read a blog filled with lengthy text. Make your blog visually appealing by breaking your page up with images. Easy on the eye, readers are more likely to read the post, rather than give up faced with a text-heavy post.
A good travel copywriting agency will always use images in its blogs that simplify complex information and create an easier visual experience for the reader.
Sharing is caring
Standout images are a must for social media content.
When it comes to social platforms, people tend to scroll through their newsfeed until something catches their attention. Eye-catching images that make the user stop in their tracks are the perfect form of clickbait to increase traffic and engagement on both your channels and website.
And they all lived happily ever after…
The key to the perfect travel blog is understanding the art of storytelling. Adding a picture to a post makes all the difference, with audiences likely to remember 65% of them, compared with just 10% that don’t have imagery.
The secret behind a great story is having the visuals to match. Audiences become emotionally connected to your brand through identifying with your words and also the images you use. If you’re talking about a specific location, the reader wants to see what you experienced.
A brand that is great at using both images and storytelling is Airbnb. Using the campaign Meet Your Host, it shares information on different locations worldwide from a local perspective.
From photos to infographics and screenshots, there are many different types of images that can be used in travel blogs. Travel bloggers can turn to user-generated content or supply people on location with a professional camera to keep costs down.
A final point is never post images for the sake of it, and always take the time to plan which images are most relevant to your blog – that way, you’ll gain the best results.
Using these top tips and examples, sit back and relax as your blogs are transformed through the use of great imagery.