"There are no words without pictures" Task d

When using social media what do you prefer long, dry pages of text or shorter ones with images that help replace some of the words? If it's the latter your not alone. A study by Curata ( a content curation agency) showed that images can increase "clicks" by up to 50%. .

An image can grab our attention. It can make a page "pop", it can even encourage us to read it when weren't going to. Humans with a short attention span will make a judgement within a few seconds. Images require a speedy response.

Images engage us immediately. We are wired to be receptive to them. Images help us to communicate by using our eyes, our vision.  Jeff Bullis states
"Photos are becoming a universal language."

Of course this makes sense. Even if we can't understand or read a language, a smiling face, fantastic location shot or yes even a cute kitten can say a thousand words (give or take).

His article "6 Powerful Reasons why social media should include images" is simple but effective. Although tailored towards sales, our professional practice might benefit from this self-promotion.

A poor quality or choice of image can devalue a good text and needs to be considered carefully especially if it is a idea to be shared. Used correctly it greatly can enhance the presentation.

There is increasing appetite for all types of images and audio -visual presentation in social media. These include Pinterest (used for sharing ideas), Instagram, (on-line mobile phone photo/video sharing app), Snapchat ( video that disappears after a few seconds) and Vine (an app based on six-second video).

Photo, videos, graphics, pictures, slides, animation are all being used more frequently in social media.
Wikipedia describes Infographics as "graphic visual representations of information, date or knowledge intending to present information quickly."


Three key sentences from Ekaterina Walker the author of "The Power of Visual Storytelling" stayed with me -
"visual storytelling is the new currency"
"attention is the new commodity"
"viewers spend 100% more time on a web with videos."
confirming the importance of images and audio-visual as part of social media.

It is strangely comforting when people's faces accompany their blog comments. Making us feel that they are really saying it to us and not just writing faceless text to share with the community.

How many times have you heard somebody say they felt they "knew" an actor based only on their professional performances? This is the power of images and film.

Digital storytelling is a computer based tool that tells us a story. The usual format is a short video with pictures and background music although there are endless variations. It is a personal audio-visual presentation generally to be viewed. Windows and Mac have apps that can be used to this effect.

Donna Moritz on socially.sorted.com .discusses how our telephones can be a radio, television and even our own publishing house.

Flickr is a on-line photo management/sharing application and its photos are not all for public use. It uses Creative commons licensed content as an alternative to full copyright. They is a non-profit making organisation). Upslash has a good selection of stock photos for free.

Regarding the implication of  using social media with or without images, as well audio-visual presentations, it is important to remember "ownership". Technically, if you have designed and created any social media posting you "own" it. You can sign an agreement that allows the person who may have commissioned your work to own it with your permission. There can be "grey" areas. You "own" your work for the duration of your lifetime or for seventy years after (as is the case with plays).

However, you  MUST read all the conditions of each site as they vary. Privacy policies normally in very small print somewhere on the page, are worth investigating as they can protect your professional reputation or a vulnerable person or minor.

"Legacy Locker" is a "digital safety box", an on-line tool, that allows beneficiaries to access your account when you are no longer here.

People like to pass on quotes, little word bites. As he great man himself said -
"There can be no words without pictures."
Aristotle