As the web evolves, it’s increasingly turning into a visual medium as opposed to a text-based information medium. You can clearly see this transition occurring in channels like social media, where visual content is outperforming regular text. As a matter of fact, more brands are using visual storytelling to better communicate and connect with their target audience. Ranging from whiteboard animation video pricing to commissioning the creation of commercials with high production value, there are numerous options for brands big and small to incorporate visual storytelling into their marketing budgets.

If done well, these forms of media can not only enhance a brand but take its popularity to new heights. Here are five reasons why visual storytelling has the potential to take your marketing to the next level:

It Makes Complex Topics Easier to Understand

Whether it’s explaining how your product works or explaining a technical subject, content becomes far easier to understand with visual aids. One example of a company that relies on visual storytelling is Apple. For many of their product launches, they’ve used a long form visual guide to explain the various features of their latest product. These guides were very interactive. They opened up windows, displayed mouseover text, allowed users to control visual angles, and more. And all of this made the products all that more appealing.

There are a Higher Consumption and Retention Rates

There’s surmounting evidence that visual elements lead to higher consumption and retention rates compared to regular text. For instance, four times as many consumers prefer videos for a product rather than a text-based explanation. Even Fast Company has written a piece about why there’s a higher retention rate with supporting visual elements. The bottom line is that with visual storytelling, your message is more likely to get seen and remembered.

It Differentiates You from the Competition

While the use of visual storytelling has increased over the past few years, many brands are still using very little of it if any at all. By using a unique visual presentation with your marketing message, you’ll be able to differentiate yourself from your competitors. And being able to differentiate yourself in the digital space is very important as the web is saturated with similar businesses all competing for the same customers.

Visual Storytelling Has a Stronger Emotional Impact

When storytelling is combined with a vivid visual presentation, it has a stronger emotional impact than text alone could ever produce. Making visual storytelling work is largely about the concept of show versus tell. For instance, a video that tells a story about the cause a charity may be supporting is far more effective than a message in print that tells the person to support the cause. There are many implicit things that the person takes away and a video allows the person to experience the emotions behind the cause through strong imagery.

Visual Elements Can Overcome Language Barriers

One of the greatest things about visual storytelling is its ability to overcome language barriers. Even if people from other countries cannot understand the words being said in a video, they can easily understand the story through the imagery. That’s why some ads and viral videos become popular with users from all over the world. This kind of exposure through visual storytelling can help you open up new markets and discover new opportunities for your brand.

As you can see, visual storytelling in marketing is something every brand and small business should invest in. While it does make creating content and crafting marketing campaigns more challenging, it is most definitely worth the time, money and effort. There are numerous case studies that show the effectiveness of this approach.