In online journalism, it is just as important to provide your readers with engaging visuals as it is compelling text. Just ask Matt Atchity, the editor-in-chief of Rotten Tomatoes, whose famous red and green “Tomatometer” has become an iconic part of the site’s design.

When Mediabistro asked Atchity for the key to making sites more engaging, his answer was simple: great visuals.

“Users never get tired of photo galleries,” he said. “As long as the user experience is good (i.e. not reloading the entire page for each new picture), photo slide shows are something that audiences really respond to. Slide shows with good captions are an easy traffic win for online writers and producers.”

For the full interview, read So What Do You Do, Matt Atchity, Editor-in-Chief of Rotten Tomatoes?

– Andrea Hackett