Humans are highly visual creatures and it all starts as soon as we are born. As newborns, the clear structures of things are not fully formed but we can still detect brightness changes and notice the difference between a still and moving object. However, before we even begin to distinguish and recognise objects, our brains are busy processing and trying to understand what we are seeing.

As we develop, our brains begin to associate what we see with something, even if we don’t fully grasp the meaning of that object. Visuals connect us to the world as soon as we are born because our brains are biologically hardwired to love images.

Over the last decade, the internet has experienced a rise of 9900% in the use of images and visualised information. Following suit, businesses and corporations are increasingly using visuals to advertise and engage. Why? Because they understand that science is showing how much humans rely on visual cues above all else.

Almost half of the brain is used for processing visuals. Despite having 5 senses, 70% of all our sensory receptors are found in the eyes. Our eyes are so much more effective than our other senses that we can see and process an image in less than one tenth of a second! Consider how your business could benefit from better visuals. For Digital Signage, visit moodmedia.co.uk/digital-signage-solutions/

Visuals are easier to grasp and more powerful to us than relying on text alone. Studies have shown that only 20% of what we read is remembered, only 20% of what they see is recalled but 80% of information that people see and do will be remembered.

Most importantly, visuals evoke emotion, whether that is disgust, hate, happiness, surprise, anger or sadness. What we see generates strong emotions in all of us and brains love emotions even more than they love images. The way we feel and how the brain processes those emotions are what makes us tick – how we survive and react.

Humans actively seek out visuals because of the way they generate emotions. It is this connection that we crave, and it doesn’t even matter what emotion is evoked, from awe to despair, joy to horror – it needn’t be a positive image to create that connection. Emotions help us to survive, make decisions and better understand the world around us.

These raw emotions are the most powerful connections we make to visual content and they come from the area of the brain that deals with survival instincts like fight-or-flight reactions. The responses come from our subconscious, directly from our central nervous system.

It’s important for businesses to recognise the importance of visuals as 60% of customers are more likely to visit an online business who have images in the search results. As many as 67% of consumers admit that a good, clear image is more important than customer reviews or product information!

To look at visually engaging information is more attractive and if it’s well-designed, interest can be generated before the information is even fully processed. Visuals that work best should be easy to interpret as our brains are hardwired to interpret links between objects, providing us with immediate comprehension with as little effort as possible.