In today's hyper‑competitive media environment, visuals are your press release's secret weapon—not just design flourishes, but storytelling accelerators. While a 2024 article from 24‑7 Press Release underscored the importance of imagery, noting that videos lead in ROI but images still deliver a significant 12 % return on investment according to earlystagemarketing.com. The media landscape has evolved—and so has the data affirming the power of visuals.

Rapid Attention Capture and Higher ROI
Visuals are attention magnets. According to HubSpot, 50 % of marketers emphasize video, and 47 % prioritize images in their content strategies. According to WebFX more strikingly, visual content gets 94 % more views than text-only content. And when it comes to retention, combining imagery with text can improve recall by up to 65%

According to an online article at Przly, press releases with media (images or video) are not only more shareable—they're more likely to be picked up by outlets. For example, Facebook social posts with images get 53% more likes and 104% more comments, and content with compelling visuals sees up to 9.7× more views than plain‑text releases. Tweets with images are nearly twice as likely to be retweeted. With media platforms increasingly favoring multimedia content, leading PR distribution services (like 24-7PressRelease.com) embed visuals and video capabilities to increase reach and engagement.

Measurable Results: Marketing Isn't Guesswork
The visual edge is no longer anecdotal—it's measurable. According to Empathy First Media (May 2025), 83% of PR professionals struggle to measure ROI, yet the real impact lies in how visuals drive the right metrics: referral traffic, branded search volume, and quality backlinks. (Empathy First Media). Unlike vanity counts, these metrics reveal tangible outcomes from your visual-led releases.

The Visual Advantage: Strengths vs. Weaknesses (Reimagined)
Visuals bring instant emotional connection, improved shareability, and journalist convenience. They enhance credibility, elevate distribution ROI, and catch attention fast. Yet, they require investment—both in production time and licensing diligence.

Pro Tips for Your Visual Strategy

• To harness visuals effectively:

• Be intentional: Choose images that align with your story—authentic, on‑brand, and high‑quality.

• Name files descriptively: Instead of "IMG_1234.jpg," use "Jane_Doe_New_Product_Launch.jpg."

• At 24-7 Press Release, there is an option for the image description. Ensure to fill in a short, meaningful description to assist with accessibility and SEO.

• Try to use images of people or people in action where applicable.

The Updated Impact Landscape of Visual Content
Recent broader marketing data further supports visual strategies: information presented with charts, infographics, or color design drives an 80% improvement in effectiveness, according to an article at Media HQ.

Visual content boosts engagement dramatically—brands in 2025-2026 plan to prioritize visual formats, with 84% of marketers agreeing visual content is indispensable. The shift toward mobile—and visuals—has only accelerated these trends.

Summary
In 2025 and 2026, visuals in press releases are far from optional—they are essential strategic assets. They elevate attention, emotional connection, credibility, shareability, and measurable ROI. By weaving visual storytelling into your press strategy—backed by data, delivered smartly, and licensed responsibly—you don't just get seen; you get remembered. At 24-7 Press Release, our editorial team can tell a story based on the image attached when companies use them regularly. That is the power of imagery.