Districts have two options: communicate with words, or communicate with visuals. School leaders will often find that most messages can be said with photos, graphics and other visual elements. After all, pictures are a lot prettier than walls of text!

Here’s why pictures deserve a spot in your district’s communications.

People are drawn to pictures

Compared to the written word, people are more likely to focus on photos, graphics and other types of visuals. Adding visual elements to your communications can vastly increase stakeholder engagement. They’re a great way to get your message across, and they can help draw attention to important pieces of information.

Pictures are a highly effective form of communication because most people prefer to absorb information through a visual medium. Pie charts are more engaging than a list of numbers. A web page is more interesting when you add graphics to it. Visuals can (and should) be a part of all district communications!

Look for places to add pictures

Your district already uses several inherently visual mediums. Email, social media and websites all present opportunities to incorporate visual elements. When you promote an event, create a social media graphic to go with it. Put photos in newsletters to illustrate all the exciting things happening in your schools.

The visual doesn’t always have to be a picture, either. A few small details go a long way toward capturing stakeholders’ attention. Spruce up fliers, web pages and post cards with school colors and some fun graphics. The key isn’t to distract from the message, but to emphasize it!

Can you say it with a picture?

When you say something, you can either say it with pictures or words (or both). Communicate with pictures whenever you can. Next time you write a message, ask yourself whether it can just as effectively be communicated in visual form. Many times, the answer will be yes.

For example, a social media flier engages stakeholders more effectively than simply writing out event information. Instead of sharing lengthy research studies, organize key facts and statistics into a visually-appealing infographic. Stakeholders prefer visuals, so use them where it makes sense to do so.

The effectiveness of pictures cannot be overstated. Given the choice between pictures and words, stakeholders will choose pictures almost every time. Add pictures to district communications, and you’ll notice higher engagement levels right away.