The Power of Visual Communication

A picture is worth a thousand words… You’ve heard this before but it absolutely rings true today in the realm of social media. Studies show that people remember 80% of what they see, 20% of what they read, and 10% of what they hear. In terms of your brand’s social media strategy this means that utilizing images is increasingly important.

Here are a few of ideas and tips on how to incorporate images in your brand’s daily social routine.

Post images often.  This may seem like a no brainer but you’d be surprised how often people don’t do this. People are more likely to respond/engage with a post if it has an image associated with the text. If you’re sharing an article on Facebook, try and include an image from that article. On Twitter try and use horizontal images because that is how they automatically display in the twitter feed.

Most shared posts on Facebook % of total

• photo – 87%
• link – 4%
• album – 4%
• video – 3%
• status – 2%

Utilize inexpensive resources: If you are unfamiliar with Photoshop or Illustrator, don’t fret. There are several free ways to create original content simply without knowing graphic design software.

Canva – simple graphic design for blogs and social media

Fotor – create collages online

Share as Image – quick and easy for quotes

Create custom headers. Where: Facebook, Twitter, and maybe even your blog header. Whether this image be a photograph of your physical storefront or a holiday graphic it is important to have graphics/photographs be the first thing a viewer sees. Interested in having multiple headers throughout the year? Think about rotating themes, ie. seasonal offering or important event coming up. The image below is a Facebook header I created for Upland Brewing Co. for their winter seasonal brew, Easy Chair Amber Ale.

Facebook Header size: 851 x 315 px

Twitter Header size: 1500 x 500 px

Videos are important tools as well. Now that Facebook has allowed direct uploading of video on it’s platform seems to signify that the interest in video is growing. They do not need to be long to make an impact; the average video is about 2 minutes. Instagram videos are a great way for followers to see tiny snippets (15 sec) of your brand as well.

This is a video I created for Upland Brewing Company to give their followers a behind the scenes look at some new can offerings.

Libbie Summers, another TSC contributor, is queen of the 15 sec inspirational videos. They are really short but simple and so fun! Check out one of her latest below…

Ideas for short videos:

• behind the scenes
• staff spotlight
• special event video

Want to make a longer video but no time to edit? Check out Candidio. Their dashboard allows you to upload clips and submit them to Candidio staff to edit and produce your video. This site isn’t free but it could save you a lot of time from behind your computer screen.

Hope these tips are helpful and stay tuned for more!

Emily Hines is a writer and social media manager hooked on cruising backroads, photographing old houses, and loving all things local. For more check out her blog Em’s on the Road. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Sources:

Social Media Examiner – photo engagement

The Power of Visual Communication