People are visual creatures. Ever since man learned how to draw, people have been using visuals to communicate, tell stories and share knowledge. Read on to learn about the role and benefits of using images in your social media campaigns. Here are some valuable tips on the types of images that perform well.
Images are Social
People notice strong visuals before they notice anything else. They’re big, they stand out, and they’re easy to consume. Reading text takes much more effort than looking at an image. Images are also highly shareable. Just as the cavemen used rock paintings to record and tell stories thousands of years ago, modern man can capitalise on the strength of images to communicate with social media audiences.
Why Use Images in My Social Media?
Between February and March 2014, SocialBakers looked at the different types of posts on Facebook to determine what post type gets the most interaction from users. What their report uncovers is on Facebook Brand Pages, like your business page, photo posts generate the most interaction, beating out link, status and even video posts.
Here are the benefits of using images in social media:
- Images are easy for visitors to consume. It’s easy for your brain to process an image.
- Graphics create a quicker connection with your audience. They can convey complex emotions and ideas far faster than text.
- All major social media platforms support images. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Google Plus and many other platforms support images.
Images are also easy to create and include in posts. Your smartphone is a brilliant, accessible device for creating rich, unique visual content for your small business social media presence. Also, new services, like Canva, allow you to easily create graphics for inclusion in your social media posts. Creating rich visual content has never been more accessible.
Smart Ways to Use Images
The types of images that are effective at generating interaction and engagement on your small business social media presence include the following:
- Tip images: If you’re an expert in your field, write a short post with a tip for your audience and include an image with the tip imprinted on it.
- How-to images: Any procedure can be the basis for great visual content. Create a graphic that shows the steps.
- Quotes: Everyone loves a good quote. Put them on images.
- Infographics: These are insanely good right now. If you’ve got information to share, display it in a visually stunning infographic.
- Consistent segment images: Schedule days of the week where you’ll share a topical tip or piece of content.
What Makes a Good Social Media Image?
Just like copy, an image is a piece of strategic content, so you should treat it as such. A great social media image should:
- Help or inspire your audience.
- Be original and relevant to your post topic and your business.
- Fit with the corporate identity of your business.
- Build trust or interest in your business.
- Have a clear intent. What are you trying to achieve with this image?
Consider how you can use more images in your small business social media presence. Build processes and workflows into your social media strategy to ensure you’re using visuals as often as you can. Visuals can do most of the marketing work for you in your social media posts.