This blog was originally published on November 16, 2021, and updated on May 5, 2023.
Information in this blog post was obtained from Social Media Today, Hootsuite, and Neilpatel.
Have you ever been drawn into a blog post just because of a nice photo? Have you ever watched a video because of its appealing cover picture? The old saying holds true, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” While you have probably heard this expression before, have you taken the time to consider the value of imagery in social media marketing? It is important to give your target audience information about your brand, but this information is wasted if no one consumes it. Effective imagery on social media can hook your audience, draw them in and help you communicate your information to them. Consider the following key features of your images.
Tips for Formatting Your Images
It seems obvious that the way images look would be an important aspect of social media posts. Focusing on specific things inside of images is important. You might want to just simply go with your gut but using some outside tactics can greatly improve your posts. Katie Sehl writes some image tips for Hootsuite’s Blog that are explained below.
Tip 1
Use text very carefully. Ensure you haven’t used too much of it and make sure the colors and contrast are such that all individuals, even those with diminished vision or color-blindness, can read it. The text on your post should be simple and should add to the image.
Tip 2
Make images that people want to see. Use good visual tactics, such as choosing one point of focus and keeping images simple but tasteful. Don’t bombard your audience with too much in an image.
Tip 3
Be inclusive in your imagery. Consumers like to see people in marketing communications that they can associate with and who look like them.
Tip 4
Finally, be creative! Use effective image tactics but be sure that what you create is interesting and adds a bit of your own flair.
Read the rest of Katie’s tips for effective social media images here.
General Tips When Posting Images on Social Media
Tip 1
There are many factors to consider when creating images for social media. Adi Englander discusses tips for social media images in a post for SocialMediaToday. First, make sure to use different images for different platforms. Consumers likely do not want to see the same image from your accounts on multiple platforms.
Tip 2
Audiences on different platforms want to consume different types of images. Do a bit of quick research to see what types of images will work best on a platform before making a strategy for that platform.
Tip 3
Use background images for social media posts. These will allow you a starting canvas for creating effective images if you intend to create an infographic or other kind of visual. Just be careful not to make it too cluttered and keep contrast in mind the whole time. Remember, you want all of your audience to be able to read it.
Tip 4
Make sure your images are high-quality. While an image might look okay on a smaller phone screen, posting an image with a low resolution will look bad on a larger computer or T.V. screen. This will make the image ineffective and can damage a consumer’s view of your brand. For more tips about posting images check out Neil Patel's blog.
Tip 5
Ensure your image has alt-text. This unseen text will help search engines decipher what is in your image. More importantly, this text helps consumers with vision issues consume your images. Taking the needs of these consumers into account will improve their view of your brand.
Tip 6
Don't forget concerning your image size! Social platforms are always updating their image formatting and layout options, and if you’re not on top of the latest, you could end up giving users a lesser representation of your brand, with blocky, pixelated header images, or out-of-date profile logos that no longer fit the frame. Therefore, looking at these recommended image sizes for different social media platforms will help you avoid image size errors.
Instagram image sizes: Profile photo: 320 * 320 pixels, stories: 1080 * 1920 Pixels, reels: 1080 * 1920 pixels, aspect ratio of 9:16
Twitter image sizes: Profile photo: 400 * 400 pixels, header photos: 1500 * 500 pixels, In-stream photos: 1600 * 1900 pixels
Facebook image sizes: Profile photo: 170 * 170 pixels, cover photos: 851 * 315 pixels, cover photos: 1200 * 628 pixels
Linkedin image sizes: Profile photos: 400 * 400 pixels, profile cover photos: 1584 * 396 pixels, blog post link images: 1200 * 627 pixels
Tip 7
Understand image copyright. Sourcing relevant images isn’t always easy especially when it comes to understanding copyright. But it’s important, especially since there are serious consequences for misuse. Read all the fine print when using stock photos, templates, and illustrations. If anything is unclear, inquire with the image owner or site for more detail.
To sum up, if you consider all of these tips when you choose your images used on each platforms, your images will stand out and attract audience's attention!
For more information about driving more readers on your blog posts, go read my colleague Trinity's tips here. See the rest of Neil's tips and some guidance for image sizing here.
Resources
Hutchinson, A. (2022, January 12), Hootsuite’s Social Media Image Size Guide for 2022 [Infographic]. Social Media Today. Retrieved April 16, 2023 from https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/hootsuites-social-media-image-size-guide-for-2022-infographic/617109/
Hirose, A. (2022, December 8), 2023 Guide to Creating Stunning Visual Content for Social Media. Hootsuite, Retrieved April 16, 2023 from https://blog.hootsuite.com/epic-guide-creating-social-media-visuals/#
Englander, A. (2017, February 21). 5 tips for creating more effective images for your social media campaigns. Social Media Today. Retrieved November 9, 2021, from https://www.socialmediatoday.com/social-business/5-tips-creating-more-effective-images-your-social-media-campaigns.
Patel, N. (2021, October 18). These Pinterest image sizes get businesses 80% more traffic. Neil Patel. Retrieved November 9, 2021, from https://neilpatel.com/blog/pinterest-image.
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