Photos add the most value to your social media content marketing strategy. They consistently get the most shares on Facebook over text, links and video (though video engagement has risen with the auto-play settings on Facebook and Twitter).
To make sure you’re sharing images with the greatest potential, abide by these do’s and don’ts in your publishing process:
Do post images that aren’t studio quality.
You don’t need to wait until you have a professional camera to take and post photos. The camera on your smartphone will work well enough to take quality pictures. Shoot some impromptu shots and upload them to your social media profiles.
Don’t use images that don’t belong to you.
It may be tempting to download or screenshot an image from the internet, but doing so can get you into hot water with copyright violations. Make sure you have permission or rights to the photos you want to use.
[bctt tweet=”Posting tip: use images that aren’t studio quality” username=”rallioHQ”]
Do use brand images.
If you’re part of a larger company, corporate has images created and available to use on social media networks. They’re already paying in-house or have an outside agency to make these high-quality and on-brand pieces. Get access to them and use them to post on your own location pages.
Don’t use stock photos.
It’s easy to use a stock photo, but they look unprofessional for your brand. You may also find that you’re using the same photo as a competitor or a business in another industry. Better to have personalized photos than ones anyone can download.
Do get creative
Have a clever idea for a post, maybe about the pets that visit your office? Go for it! Be inventive and share images that are unique to you.
Don’t go against brand guidelines.
However, when you’re being creative, make sure your photos are aligned with your company’s branding guides. For instance, it may be against company policy to share photos with swear words in the image.
[bctt tweet=”Use brand photos and follow brand guidelines #socialmedia” username=”rallioHQ”]
Do use good sizes for social media posts.
Square photos are best, but at the minimum make sure photos are at least 600 pixels wide. These image sizes enable customers to see them clearly on desktop, mobile and tablet devices. Stay away from small or blurry images.
Don’t make the photo an advertisement
Images made for print collateral are prone to be filled with text and offer information. But these kind of images can hurt your engagement on social media sites. Keep your text to a minimum if needed.
What kind of images do you use? What’s the most popular image you’ve posted so far? Share it with us in the comments so we can see what types are most engaging for different businesses.
