Category: Assignment #4

3. Question 3 

Visit the St. Clair College website. Analyze it strictly from a visual marketing strategy perspective targeting:

Local domestic high school students.

You are to provide three strategic visual enhancement recommendations. For each recommendation: 

b) Propose a specific visual improvement (3 x 2 = 6 Marks) 

c) Explain why it would improve recruitment effectiveness (3 x 2 = 6 Marks)

d) Connect it to student psychology and digital behaviour (3 x 2 = 6 Marks)

Do not provide vague suggestions like:

• “Add more pictures” 

• “Make it more modern” 

• “Use better graphics”

You need to be specific based on class content only:

• What type of visuals? 

• Where? 

• Why? 

• What behavioural outcome would it influence? 

Think like a digital strategist. (24 Marks Total)

One way st. Clair can improve is by flipping the dynamic between visuals and text. Theres alot more text than visuals on the site. People, especially young people, process images and videos way faster than text. If you want to reach a young and impressionable high school audience more images will be needed. These images and videos need to also be relevant to the students, display the authentic student experience rather than glamorizing the experience of the programs.This will boost recruitment effectiveness because you are speaking to the audience in a way that resonates with them the best. Teens are constantly consuming, and visuals allow them to consume more information at a faster rate and volume. 

Question 2a (8 Marks)

Why did you choose the specific image(s)?

Your explanation must include:

a) Business relevance 

• This image is relevant to my business because it clearly displays my product. It shows popular manga titles that are easily recognizable to anime and manga fans. Along with displaying the product, it shows a young person who is infatuated and engaged with the manga they’re reading. This shows how engaging and enjoyable manga is for fans.

b) Target audience alignment 

• The reason why this image aligns with my target audience is the overall aesthetic of the image. The image portrays a comfortable and enjoyable experience while reading manga. The reason it reaches my audience is that it taps into the culture of reading. The image shows how immersed you can become in manga, in terms of the collection of manga and manga-themed merchandise. 

c) Image intent 

• The intent of the image is to communicate the brand to customers. As previously stated, the image displays immersion and enjoyment. The core messaging is that manga is more than just books, it’s an experience that anyone can be a part of.

d) Why does this visual work better than alternative visual approaches

• This image works because of its general aesthetic and authentic feel. Theres nothing screaming at viewers of the image or overwhelming them. Its a simple image with a clear message. This image works because its a reflection of most manga, comfortably enjoying their favourite manga titles. 

Question 2b (8 Marks)

Explain in detail how the image(s) strengthens the post from a digital marketing perspective.

You may reference: 

• Attention economy 

• Scroll behavior 

• Visual hierarchy 

• Brand perception 

• Trust building 

• Emotional triggers 

• Information processing 

• Conversion influence

Be analytical. This is not a design reflection. This is marketing reasoning. 
The image strengthens the post by appealing to emotions. The image makes viewers feel as though they are the ones in the image, it portrays a comforting aesthetic as well as an immersive experience with manga. In terms of attention economy, the image strengthens the post by displaying popular manga titles that are easily recognizeable. The image also guides viewers attention by starting with the person in the center who is reading manga and then drawing the viewers attention to the popular manga titles around the person in the image. The engagement the person in the image has with the manga they’re reading creates a want for manga for viewers and can drive them to purchase simply because they see someone else enjoying manga.

1. Question 1 

Visuals are not decoration. They are communication tools. Provide three strategic reasons why visuals are essential to effective web content. For each reason:

• Clearly explain the concept

 • Provide a real-world example (not generic statements)

Marks are awarded for depth, not surface-level answers. (6 Marks)

The first reason visuals are essential for web content is that people process visuals much faster than text. The majority of the information our brain processes is through visuals. An example of this is graphs. Rather than displaying a bunch of numbers, present the data in a visual format that is easy to understand and process, such as a pie chart, line graph, or bar graph. The statistics are displayed in a way that you can clearly tell that one item is greater or lesser than another without complicating it with numbers.  

The Second reason why visuals are important for web content is speed. People’s attention spans aren’t long, and digital marketers operate under this understanding. When driving people to a website, if they are not satisfied with what your website offers, they will leave within a few seconds. It is for this reason that visuals are important. Rather than flashing visitors with long paragraphs, images and videos can be used to summarize what needs to be said. Using this strategic approach is beneficial because you can give visitors all the information they need within a few seconds, and they won’t have to do the work of reading. This way, you aren’t wasting any of their time, and they will likely be more inclined to stay on your website.

The third reason why visuals are important for web content is trust. When selling a product, fear can often lie with customers due to not truly understanding the product based on a description. This is where images and videos come into play. Images and videos that display the product in use or show off its features can reduce fear or anxiety for customers when deciding to purchase. An example of this is Amazon. Amazon provides many images and videos that display the products they sell, along with the product features. This can push customers further down the funnel and encourage them to buy.