It isn’t always easy to find the perfect image for your blog post, but the extra effort is well worth it. An attractive image will not only succeed in visually engaging your audience before they ever read your first sentence, but will also make your message more powerful. Hence, the old adage: “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Political sites have a tendency to blur together if there is nothing setting them apart, and images have proved to be a very useful in not only making a political site more unique, but also in making political messages that can sometimes be boring and complex more straightforward and exciting.
Effective Image Templates for Political Websites
Four image types that have proven to be very effective in getting across a political message are:
1) The Image and Headline
2) The Centered Peek-A-Boo
3) The Large Logo
4) The Special Image
It is, of course, impossible for every image that you post to fall into one of these categories. Sometimes a generic and preexisting image is more appropriate, but when designing your own images or even having a designer to do so specifically for you, these are great and effective templates to keep in mind.
The Image and Headline
Not necessarily the most complex image, but it’s easy and certainly more effective than no image at all. This template should essentially be a visual representation of your blog title. Big, bold, writing for your title, appropriate image beside it to make it more visually engaging. This image could be something as simple as the Olympic symbol partnered with the title “Congratuations to America’s Olympic Medalists”. Even such seemingly generic image will add personality and attractiveness to your post.
The Centered Peek-A-Boo
Another simple design, this image template consists of a bold, centered text at the top of the image, and a circular image “peeking” up at the bottom. For best results, the image be attention grabbing. In other words, have a powerful image, vibrant colors, etc. This template would be very useful if you want your words, more so than your image, to be the first thing noticed. If you are writing a powerfully opinionated piece about a hot topic, then an image won’t necessarily be what draws in the audience, but the image will still fulfill its purpose of solidifying your message.
The Large Logo
If you have a logo or specific image that you use for your campaign, it would be beneficial to incorporate it into certain blog posts. And if you don’t have a logo, having one designed is highly recommended.
Doing so will do wonders for branding purposes. When your logo is consistently used, readers will begin to associate that image with you. Immediately upon seeing it, they will become more engaged and know what to expect if the logo is perpetually used for a specific type of post; such as press releases, weekly legislative updates, any frequent post that you feel would be beneficial to tie directly to YOUR brand- being your campaign, platform, and yourself.
The Special Image
The other template ideas I have shared with you are very useful and efficient, as they can be used over and over again, but it sometimes helpful to design special images for a one-time use.
If you are writing about something that you really want attention drawn to, or is a complex issue that an image would make more clear, or is a special event (such as the Olympics) it never hurts to think outside the box. If an image is used too repetitively, it loses its ability to grab your viewers. Take this image for example:
An image such as this gets your message across instantaneously. Even those who might not take the time to read everything that you have to say would be able to glean from your image “Here is an American who cares about our country” and will therefore view you as someone worthy of their time and esteem. Images greatly advance your online reputation and immediately grow your viewership, followed later by readership and ultimately, a strong band of loyal followers.
Source: WPCandy