Do you need a Visual Consultant?
Lime Water at Pomodoro's in Asheville, NC ©Totsie Marine
by Totsie Marine
Webonobo.com
Websites have the challenge of being both visually compelling as well as having the information-rich content that make them a valuable resource. I've found that there are two distinct types of website visitors - those who immediately start reading the copy, and those who breeze in and start clicking through the site just looking at the visual content.
This behavior relates to our learning styles established in early childhood. Add in auditory preferences and you can see why your website needs to address all styles of information gathering.
The most common website mistake, however, is lack of visual interest. Copy-heavy sites tend to suffer from a lack of editing (which was addressed in a previous post). Remember that your web audience is typically moving quickly, on the lookout for information, and will readily click away from your site unless you have the visual hooks that keep them engaged.
A visual consultant can evaluate your site both in terms of immediate impact and authenticity of imagery. Stock images are handy and inexpensive, but many times they are misused and present contradictory messaging from your text. A visual consultant will also advise if your content could be enhanced by illustrations or even video presentation.
Take a look at your site from these perspectives and contact me if you feel that you need a professional visual consultation.
I could not agree more about the challenge of balancing hard copy with visual engagement. One of my best friends is a teacher - and she has taught ME a lot about different learning styles. A truly excellent website has balance to meet the needs of geeks like me (who read copy) and folks who follow their eyes. And more and more studies on websites indicate that the "eyes" have it!