#11 On the importance of including people in your images
When creating content online, strive to include photos with people in them.
It’s something I learned in the newsroom – faces on page are more likely to capture people's attention and hold it there longer.
The same goes for blogs, online articles, landing pages, social media posts and all manner of content outlets.
Imagine the scenario – you write a blog post about trench conditions in the First World War. You want to compliment your words with imagery to transport the reader back in time to the frontline.
One image contains soldiers in the mud and debris, the other is an empty trench.
Both will have impact and supplement the words, but the photo including people will resonate with readers more and cultivate empathy with the subjects.
But the benefits of images with people in them go beyond serving your audience.
At a more practical level, Google loves photos.
In particular, pictures with people and faces in them will boost the ranking of your content in Google’s algorithmic eyes.
The mystery and changeability of Google’s ranking systems are beyond the scope of this post but this is the broad consensus with images (when combined with writing strong metadata and captions).
In summary, use photos with people and faces in them when creating content online to captivate your audience but also improve the technical merit of your work behind the scenes.
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Benjamin Craske
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