Two of the driving forces in marketing now are content and visual marketing.

Both strive to get messaging to potential customers and build brand awareness, but do it in completely different ways.

Content marketing

A recent survey by Content Marketing Institute cites 86 percent of survey respondents are using content marketing.

The Institute has redefined content marketing as “a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience—and ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.”

So what does this mean? Content marketing is about creating and developing a larger story about your brand or organization and draws customers to you to interact and engage in a desired behavior. It’s not just selling your product or services; it is about providing valuable, useful, information to your current and potential customers. You will become a resource for your customers, who in turn will keep coming back for the information you provide and your goods or services.

Visual marketing

In addition to content marketing, visual marketing with the incorporation of videos, photos and graphics, has grown by leaps and bounds. Visuals are fast becoming a preferred method of communication to deliver information quickly.

Business to Community reported in February 2015 that in the space of a year, the number of video content posts from individuals and brands has risen by 75 percent worldwide – and 94 percent in the United States. Tweets with images generated more re-tweets—150 percent—than image-free ones. They also earned 89 percent more favorites.

Among business to business buyers, 95 percent reported preferring their content in the shortest form possible. And one of the shortest forms possible is a visual—a photo or graphic. Think about what you would rather see: an all-text Facebook post or tweet from your local coffee shop about their great beverages or an attractive photo of a steaming cappuccino?

Sharing photos and videos are a great way to bring attention to your brand or message in the crowded marketplace. Photos really can “speak” 1,000 words and effectively convey your message.