Images, Streams, Attention, and Influence

blurry lights at night“Tonight I got more readers seeing the post as a tweet with the images associated with each other than I could hope with an actual post.”–source

I’ve noticed more and more people using images as the primary content piece for their online communications. Using photos to capture attention is the MOST effective content medium on Facebook. The author of the quote above is now using Twitter + Images instead of a Blog + Images to increase engagement.

Blogs are still critical online assets to develop and curate. Ultimately you have the most control over not only the content but the look and feel the blog. However most people are consuming online content through some sort of stream–whether it be on Facebook, Twitter, or a mobile app (such as Instagram or a RSS reader).

Capturing the attention of new people must be done through images and streams; transforming that attention to influence happens through a blog.

Example:

  • Sharing a photo on Facebook or Twitter of myself at a conference
  • A friend of mine likes or comments, or @ replies or RT’s the photo, pushing it out to their network of friends
  • One of their friends who has been to that conference then adds me as a friend or follows me on Twitter–Attention
  • The next time I share a blog post on Facebook or Twitter they click through and read the post–Influence

Do you have different tactics to attract attention and build engagement?

2 thoughts on “Images, Streams, Attention, and Influence”

    1. Thanks Ken!

      I notice that people often share pictures taken from a distance–this is not ideal for Facebook since people are seeing a reduced size image in their news feed–I recommend sharing pictures that are taken up close of people and if they pictures of nature or landscape, that they “zoom” in one particular part–for example instead of a forest a tree, or even a tree stump or branch would be best.

      Facebook is more personal than twitter and I see better results (likes, comments) posting family and personal pictures on facebook, and on twitter i share infographics, abstract pictures, etc.

      Hope that helps!

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