Press Photos: Why Are They Important?

PR is often associated with text and words, which to some extent reflects the reality of things. However, the power and importance of professional photos to the PR industry cannot be overstated. What catches one’s attention when they are flicking through a magazine or newspaper? Surely it is stories accompanying professional photos that get one’s attention.

Given the declining attention span —less than 9 seconds—of human beings, images are more important in marketing, today than ever before. At the same time, a large part of the human brain focuses on visual processing which allows it to recognize an object in as little as 100 milliseconds. This use of vision makes imagery an important component of human communication.

That said: what are press photos and what’s their significance?

What Are Press Photos

Press photos refer to any photograph taken for public release. Taken by a professional photographer, these photos exude quality and capture the desirable traits of a subject.

Given the significance of photos in achieving coverage goals, it’s crucial to highlight the importance of press photos.

What Is the Importance of Press Photos?

#1. Drawing a Target Audience’s Attention

With intense competition experienced by companies within different communication channels, incorporating images is a sure way to grab an audience’s attention. Studies have shown that social media posts incorporating images get 2.3 times the engagement received by posts without images.

Given that brains process images faster than text, and that images lead to more engagement, including interesting press photos will capture a target audience.

While many images draw attention, PR pros should ensure the relevance of their photos to their client. For example, campaigns targeting a child-bearing audience should incorporate pictures of families and their children. Ensuring that each visual counts and is relevant to a target audience is crucial in drawing maximum rewards from images.

#2. Help Audiences Remember a Message

Studies show that the human brain remembers only 10% of what they’ve heard after 72 hours have passed. However, pairing relevant images with appropriate content enables the brain to remember close to 65% of the content,72 hours later.

Given the incredible retention of content that includes press photos, brands need to include professional photos in their messaging. Increased retention of key messages can lead to more leads.

#3. Build an Identity

Consistent imagery across platforms—Facebook, Twitter, etc.—helps a target audience associate the given set of images with a brand. Publishing a brand’s products and services with visual consistency helps a target audience understand the interconnection between various marketing channels.

Plus, adding relevant press photos to marketing messages helps reach target demographics and builds loyalty by communicating important details and increasing engagement. As well, ensuring editing consistency through professional photography and marketing messages helps a brand increase its staying power.

#4. Keep an Audience’s Interest

Adding a variety of professional images does the trick of keeping an audience’s attention. Brands can experiment with different layouts—say banners, memes, infographics, etc. This helps in identifying which visual combination does better with keeping an audience’s attention.

While varied image layouts can be great, press photos should be about a target audience and should incorporate new styles. This prevents marketing initiatives from losing touch with an audience or losing fans due to repetition and boredom.