Graphics are simply an amazing visual to help you with your content.
Is that so?
Authors NEED graphics?
Well, I hate creating them. How about you?
For years, I used PowerPoint and threw some stuff together to create the world’s simplest and ugliest graphics.
But visuals are lit! They are what drives content.
Ugh, I’d like to slap all those zippy little digital natives with their MacBook Airs, lattes, and seeming less endless supply of snappy, cool graphics, visuals, and videos, who generally laugh and say, “Oh see it’s so easy? Do this.” Six steps in and I’m lost.
Back to Powerpoint, I go.
Even when Canva came out a few years ago, I rolled my head back and shut my eyes up and was like, “Ugh, not another freaking graphics program to learn!”
I shook my fist in the air and screamed, “Why God? Why!”
Why can’t we just write a whole bunch and people will read it and get the point?
Why do authors need graphics?
Well because we invented the internet, that’s why Smarty.
The world got faster because Steve Jobs and his buddy, the one no one can ever remember his name, decided to start computing. Then that little Zuckerberg nerd decided guys needed a faster way to meet chicks.
And, now, the whole world moves at a gazillion miles an hour, and writers are stuck learning to create graphics.
Well, you could hire a VA. But if you’re not killing it on Amazon and have 600 books for sale, let’s assume you don’t want to hire out.
That leaves us with Powerpoint.
Ok, maybe not. If you’re super into all this and think I’m just a whiny baby, then go for broke and learn to use Adobe Photoshop. That’s big-time there!
Or you can concede like I did and take the time to learn Canva.
Yes, mea culpa. I learned how to use a graphics program and if I, a refuser of graphics programs and happily graphics illiterate can learn, ANYbody can.
But why should you?
Here are 6 Reasons Why Authors Need Graphics
1- Because crappy graphics in your content is a reflection of you.
Tough love, but 94% of website viewers will bounce if the site isn’t aesthetically pleasing. That indicates web/internet illiteracy. You can’t afford that in this day and age.
2- Because you do want to be remembered, right?
That is what we’re trying to do here at Authorpreneur HQ…..help readers remember us. A good brand design is memorable and if used consistently across your internet presence, even better.
3- Do you WANT people to get to know you?
Well, a great first impression is a black website with a small photo, no graphics, and a long bio people can’t read. Um, no. Perception is everything and good, clean graphics help people form a positive impression right off the bat.
4- Because 65% of people on the planet learn visually.
A stake in the heart for writers, I know. But a cool map of your world gives a lot of info in a split second and readers love that stuff.
5- Because images are prince…right after video, which is king on the internet.
Images receive nearly 150% more engagement on Twitter and 2.3 times more on Facebook. Engagement is the objective. Always.
6- Because people follow directions better with visuals.
Yes, we’re all knuckle draggers at the end of the day, and with a good arrow pointing the way, we’ll do what we’re told.
No matter where you are in your writing life or your graphics learning, you just have to do it. I know we’d much rather be banging out words on our keyboards, but authors need graphics.
You’ll give yourself the best advantage of your social media or content marketing.
Besides, pull them in with graphics. Keep them in with killer stories!