Functionality. Why the picture should not compete with the word

A picture worth a thousand words? Are you sure? The eyetracking study conducted by Nielsen Norman Group shows that the word can win the picture in a fight for the reader’s attention. The respondents reviewed pages with offers in which the text and image were parallel, in the form of blocks. Initially, their attention was drawn to the paintings, but soon the eyes began to wander between the image and the text.

If the images only decorated the content and did not convey information, the readers considered it irrelevant and devoted more attention to the text. The picture in the first row played the decisive role. When he did not meet the expectations of users, they ignored the others.

For example, on the site offering a box diet, readers have responded positively to images depicting products in a box. The looks followed several times from the picture to the text and back. The readers completed the information, using the image once, once with the text. Although the fixation tracks, documenting the study, seemingly seem like a nervous struggle, in essence result from planned action.

However, if on the same page, in the first row there would be a picture of “ornate”, showing flower pots with spices, the eyes would stop for a moment and then hastily turned to the text. The next pictures on this page were skipped by obstacles. Such chaotic browsing can affect how the viewer perceives the offer.

The e-reader focuses on completing the task. The reader wants to spend a minimum of time on achieving maximum results. As soon as he realizes that the pictures do not help in completing the task, he begins to disregard them.

But, beware, with similar reluctance, users treat images that are overly saturated with information, for example, complicated screenshots. They overlook them and look for a clear explanation in the adjacent text.

Users like to look at images that increase information value and make a visual story. They help to understand the offer. So let’s avoid fillers, let every photo have a purpose. Well-chosen images are not those that compete with the text, but complement it.

SEO: What’s new in 2019

SEO relieves itself of key words.  To achieve high ranking, the site must gain trust among readers. Google checks how the user interacts with the site and how quickly you can find the answer. The quality and insight of content have become more important than the precise selection of phrases.

The search engine begins to recognize the links between user queries. Algorithms can understand the context and try to identify the intent behind the query. Google groups phrases thematically. For example, for “SEO 2019” they will be: “seo strategy” or “seo trends”. However, for “Paraphrasing tool” they will be “Paraphrase tool” or “Article spinner”

Before writing an internet text, it’s a good idea to get to know these diverse contexts.
Tools such as Paraphrase Online will be helpful. They provide thematically related phrases that are not necessarily based on one “native” word.

Also note the mixed results that appear in the query response above the traditional list of results on Google. They suggest what aspect of your content is most interesting to readers. Is it a picture row or a collection of the latest articles? Suppose you enter the query: “men’s shoes for the winter.” Above the list of results is displayed a row of promoted offers with pictures of shoes, their prices and links to stores.

This means that users entering the query are guided primarily by the desire to buy. So if you do not run a shoe store, but you want to write an article about winter men’s shoes, you have to change the context, so for example, make a comparison or ranking. Otherwise your text will disappear in a flood of commercial results and, more importantly, will not meet the expectations of most readers.

In turn, below the list of results you will find another helpful tool that helps to put your topic in context. This is “similar searches“, i.e. popular related queries.

Do not just stop reviewing them, but click on selected ones to see the results and other similar searches displayed under them.

What else helps a search engine to discover links between your article and related topics? Links to external sources and other texts on your site, which additionally increase the position in the search engine.

And what about the main phrases? The most effective are those from the category, so-called long tail, i.e. niche, precise and several words, i.e. “how to write posts on Facebook library”. For such phrases, your text may turn out to be unrivaled. However, this is not just a question of words, but – above all – a good idea for fresh text.

Copywriting. Are there words that always sell?

New, free, still, because, you. What connects these words? They belong to the players who supposedly always work well in advertising texts. Can you believe the letters that they sell? Although instant copywriting seems tempting, the reactions of readers to words can be complicated and surprising.

The WiderFunnel team investigated the effectiveness of three calls to operate on a button that encourages subscriptions. They were: Submit, Become a maven, I want in. It was assumed that the boring Submit would fall out the least. The second option (Become a maven) promised that the recipient would become a specem, and the word maven as often used among potential recipients would sound appealing. In the third version (I want in) the first person of the singular was to increase identification with the message and encourage quick decision making. It turns out that the Become a maven option noted a drop in interest in the subscription at 6.5%, while I want in was 0.5% weaker than the winner, ie Submit.

Does this mean that the words on the buttons should be predictable? When the eye of the reader rushes around the screen, certain terms such as Subscribe, Join, Buy now function as road signs. They begin to be associated with a given activity, and their synonyms cause consternation.

Maybe the reason is different. Perhaps the words that most increase the conversion on the page tell us something more about our group of recipients. Another study, tested the popularity of three calls for action in the gaming community. These were: Subscribe, Join Now and Select Your Plan. This time, Join Now won. You could actually stop at this, but the team tried to figure out what the reason was behind this choice. Perhaps the audience motivates the willingness to be part of the community to act, and this means that they should be addressed by a “social language“. So they also changed the text above the button to Join 110,023 Geek + Gamers Just Like YOU !, which increased the conversion by 14%.

Sometimes the intentions behind the choice of inconspicuous formulation can tell us a lot about the needs of readers. In copywriting, therefore, it is better not to assume anything and instead of making lists of words believe the tests.