Member Article

Ten tips for creating shareworthy social media images

The social media images you post convey more information than you realise. Here, we share ten tips that will help you develop imagery to attract more customers.

Practice makes perfect
Don’t expect to create amazing images from the start — it takes time.
Consider investing in lighting and factor in the need to practice editing too.
There are packages dedicated to creating social media images, such as GoDaddy Studio.

Be thoughtful
There are a number of composition rules photographers follow when setting up a piece:

• The Rule of Thirds — If your image is divided into nine even sections, place the subject along the lines, slightly off centre
• Balancing Elements —Add other elements to the scene to make the content feel more stable
• Leading Lines — Use natural lines to tell the eye where to go
• Viewpoint — Look for a unique viewpoint another photographer has yet to catch

Create a signature style
Look at your internal values and the visual presentation you want to share.
What makes your brand unique?

Crop images instead of zooming
Zooming can reduce image clarity, especially if you are using a phone camera.
As an alternative, cropping can help focus on the most important element of a photo.

Avoid using a flash
Camera flashes are far inferior to other options such as natural light or simple lighting equipment.

Vary social media images
Consider options such as:

• Candid images
• User-generated images
• Behind-the-scenes images
• Personal images
• Graphics

Invest in the right equipment
Assess what is on the market and decide which gadgets can really help.
You don’t have to spend a fortune to take high quality images.

Brand your images
Branded content allows people to tie certain images back to your name.
Some social media channels use a logo or watermark on every post, but your branding could show through in filters, colours or content composition.

Editing photos
Editing images will ensure they meet the right dimensions for the social media channels you post on.
As you edit, check for unwanted blemishes or problems like an underexposed subject.

Tell a story
Your images can tell a story and give customers the information they need before they even read what you have to say.
You can sell a certain lifestyle or tell stories with the items you promote; customers will tune in for a good tale.

Authored by Derek Miller for GoDaddy

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Bdaily Publishing .