On social media, it’s more important than ever to have imagery that stands out from the crowd. Consumers follow thousands of different accounts and if they’re to really engage with your brand, you need to capture them within a split second.
Most social media platforms focus on being visual, the main contenders being Instagram, Pinterest and Tumblr. However, imagery is also becoming more important on other platforms, including Facebook and Twitter.
Why Should You Use Imagery On Social Media?
An Image Is Worth A Thousand Words
We process images 60,000 times faster than text, making an image far more important than the copy. Copy is still important but we remember images far better than text. If you’re selling product, think about the styling and colours used. If you’re offering a service you can still use imagery, but these could me images of case studies, or graphics of what you offer.
Consumers Have A Short Attention Span
Our attention spans have reduced significantly; we can now do everything from a click of a button and we want everything instantly. You need to try and capture your audience in 3 seconds or less if you want them to engage with your post. Bland or no imagery won’t capture them and they will just continue to scroll on past your post like it never existed.
Using Images Improves Engagement
Featuring a strong visual image on a social media post makes it much more likely to be retweeted or shared. On twitter, an image can improve post engagement from around 35% and on Facebook a post with a photo can on average receive 53% more likes and 84% more link clicks!
How To Create Successful Imagery
Find Your Style & Keep It Consistent
You will probably already have your companies branding mix, from the colour palette, logo, brand story and brand style. If not, then this is something you need to look into! These elements should all flow in your social media imagery, to keep the content consistent and to make a brand image that people can recognise instantly.
Use Product Placement
If you’re selling products, then use these in your imagery. Avoid using imagery of the product on it’s own against a white background, as this isn’t engaging and won’t excite the human eye. Instead, shoot the products styled up, and be creative with it. For small items, flat lays work really well, if it’s clothing, then get some models and have a photoshoot. If you’re offering more of a service or an activity, get imagery of people taking part in these or case study examples of things you’ve created or done.
Images Can Still Contain Copy
Imagery doesn’t just have to be a photograph of something, you can create imagery that has a quote or an offer on it. Use your brands fonts and make it bold enough for people to see it and want to interact with it.
Here at Fifteen we offer a variety of social media services for you and your brand, to find out more click here or feel free to contact us!