Nine Different Ways To Use Visuals On Social Media

Social media is a funny thing in that much of it is based on the platform and the ‘media’ that platform contains. For example, Twitter seems to still be constrained by that character limit, even though there are now many ways to get more out of the platform. Facebook is what it is, however it is now becoming a very visual platform. LinkedIn is all about long authority posts and the regular updates. Each platform has its own code when it comes to content.

Many businesses are finding that it is becoming easier to develop a steady stream of images for their content marketing, and these images are actually pretty good quality. They can be evocative and very effective in conveying a brand.

It’s frankly quite staggering to see that so many businesses don’t take advantage of the fact they can add images to their tweets on Twitter. But the fact is that adding images to tweets does a lot of good.

Put it this way, if we see an image on a tweet we instantly want to get involved in that tweet. We want to find out what it is saying and we are impressed (as long as the image is good quality) with the visual aspect. Look at any twitter feed and if it is full of acres of text and looks pretty bland. Tweets that have images tend to get more leads. People like images (it’s the way the modern brain is wired) so give them to your audience.

And don’t forget, you can actually have up to four images per tweet. This is phenomenal news if you know what you are doing. Experiment a little and find ways to make your tweets more engaging through imagery. You won’t look back.

Standout Example: this one from a killer brand on Twitter, McDonald’s

Remember when catalogues used to be cool? You used to be able to leaf through them and basically feel like you had a store in your hands. Well, some brands are doing this again with their images, and this is particularly prevalent on sites like Google Plus and Facebook.

Both of these platforms allow for multiple images to be grouped together closely, so you feel like you’re leafing through a catalogue. The effect can be incredibly stylish and engaging, as in the example we have for you below.

If you’re able to group together some images, then this is the best way to do it. Find your top images and present them like a catalogue. If you are an ecommerce company this is the ultimate step up for you if you haven’t tried it before. Ensure you have strong images laid out nicely.

But the very best example of social media branding that Subway has produced is a short video that simply shows the ‘unboxing’ of a sub. It’s a cheeky swipe at Apple, and it gained well over 1,000 likes.

Standout Example: Hugo Boss on Google +

A neat trick is to shoot slow motion video and use that as a promo piece. Let’s say you have just had a product launch and you decided to shoot some slow motion video at the launch. The launch went well and everyone had a great time. You decide to upload the video and then share it as much as possible. Everyone who was at the party and spots themselves in the video shares it with their friends and so on. It goes on for days. You end up with tons of exposure as your video becomes even more popular for two reasons: it’s different because it’s in slow motion, and people see themselves in the video and share it. It’s all good.

Slideshare is still going strong and many businesses are starting to see how it can be helpful for branding. But one of the best things a business can do is create a slideshare presentation and then simply link to it on their social media platforms. This makes perfect sense because slideshare is a highly visual platform, and people who see slidehsare content can become instantly engaged.

Here’s an example of a great slideshare so you can see the potential. Salesforce, like many other companies, realise the potential of this still relatively new medium. And by linking to a slideshare like this one on your social media, you are still giving your audience something novel and new.

Standout Example: Salesforce

Using imagery can be about just that, using pictures to convey a message. In fact, if you want to ensure you use imagery to the very best effect, don’t use anything else if you can help it. Some companies do this very well. They take an image that has had a lot of work put into it and then treat it as an update. This means the image literally creates the engagement they require as a brand. It can be tricky to pull off, but it works really if you have a product that is visually appealing, especially if it is a new product that you are releasing to the public.

This type of visual has always proven to be especially effective on social media, and it just keeps getting better and better for businesses that have real personality.

The smaller business can capitalise on the fact that people love seeing team photos on social media. It’s the simplest and most effective way to build trust for you among your customers, and it is also the easiest photo to take. We suggest using a high quality camera, or your phone with a strong app that can manage high quality output. That way you are guaranteed a good photo.

Try to create a relaxed environment for the team so the photo can be as natural as possible. Or alternatively let them ‘goof’ about and be ‘that team’ that really enjoys their job. It’s hard to exaggerate the power of the good team shot. Don’t overdo it (some companies do) but every now and then show your community that you’re alive and still having great fun serving them.

Here’s an example of a great slideshare so you can see the potential. Salesforce, like many other companies, realise the potential of this still relatively new medium. And by linking to a slideshare like this one on your social media, you are still giving your audience something novel and new.

Strong example: American Idol. Okay, this is a particularly weird team, but they are most definitely enjoying their job.

The people that matter to you as a business are the fans and the customers. This is absolute rock solid marketing stuff here. If your customers send in photos of themselves using your product then that photo needs to be given centre stage in your social media. This is incredibly powerful stuff because it takes the emphasis away from you and your company, and puts it squarely on your amazing customers, using products that your make or sell which enhances their lives.

The Facebook cover photo (you know, the one at the top that grabs everyone’s attention when they see your page for the first time) is quite misunderstood. For example, we just explained how it is the part of the page that grabs everyone’s attention, and this is so true. The cover photo is the first chance you have to make an impact on Facebook. But so many companies fail at it.

It’s large (851 x 315 pixels) and is therefore an incredibly useful part of your social media assets. Get it right and you’ll have people fall in love with your brand immediately. So use a high quality photo that you want people to see. It may be a great shot of one of your team presenting at a conference (very popular, especially among consultancies), or a high quality product shot. Check out the one from Starbucks below for an idea of the quality you need to show.

Oh, and while we’re on Starbucks, you need to know something about how they specifically handle their Facebook cover photo. They change it. Regularly.

Why do they do this? Well, it makes sense to keep things seasonal if possible. When Christmas rolls around, bringing Santa into the story makes for a more heartwarming and relaxed approach. If you’re not doing this and you happen to have a sale at Christmas every year, you’re missing out on branding gold, basically.

Also, it allows you to tell a kind of story about your brand. The size of the space and the possibilities regarding quality mean that you can easily develop some brand storytelling on a visual level. Starbucks change their picture almost every week, but you don’t have to. You could change it every month and show how your company is growing every 30 days. Have fun with it, play around with the images, but make sure they are of the highest quality.

Standout example: Starbucks

Pinterest is one of the most exciting social media platforms around right now, and it has huge potential for every business, even those that don’t have product images to upload every day. How can every business take advantage of Pinterest? By adding a Pin It button to every blog post that you create.

By doing this, you allow everyone who sees your post to pin any visual content that is attached to the post. Since the vast majority of blogging content has photos attached (it’s just the way things are now, unless you’re Seth Godin and you don’t have to), this means that every business can have their content pinned. So if you’re not adding a Pin It button to every post you do, you’re losing out on extra branding potential.

You know what? It’s hard to be different on social right now. But there are still ways to add a little extra sauce into your visuals on each platform. The ideas in this post should be enough to get you fired up. Whether it’s linking to slideshare or using slow motion video to keep it fun, visuals are still a new and unexplored territory for many businesses.

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