The massive social media presence in the world today has created one specific problem – how to keep your audience tuned in and interested.
Many experts in the field point out that social media that is posted with artwork of some kind, be it an image, a graphic, or a video, easily draw more attention than those that don’t. People will read only so much. They want to see. They want to visualize what you’re talking about. If they can’t touch it, they need to see it. If there’s nothing to see, it’s quite likely they’ll pass it by.
This does not need to be an expense venture. You don’t need a high-priced graphic artist or a photographer/videographer on staff. A business and/or a marketing consultant can utilize what’s very easily at their fingertips to make their social media posts stand out.
#1 – Cut back on the verbiage
Words need to be there, but they don’t need to be the most powerful part of your post. Let a visual do more talking than the words. Use the visual to add punch to your words. Make use of vibrant colors. Give your image a catchy title that boosts interest in what you are posting. Using visuals allow for a seamless transfer of your post throughout the various social media mechanisms. Your post on Pinterest will quite likely be just as poignant on Twitter and Facebook. When that happens, what you had to see and show becomes much more sharable. The more views in the more places, the better chance you are going to see bigger and better rewards.
#2 – Make your image the best it can be
Whatever you do post with matching imagery, be sure that it matches the level of prominence of your brand and company. If it looks sub-par, then viewers will associate the half-hearted effort with the quality of product or service you offer. If it looks professionally done and attractive, it will reflect the high quality of work you bring to the table for every customer or client. If need be, use stock photography to help you along. Stock images used to be quite expense but they are now very cost-effective. These images are available at a reasonable price and are near-perfect in resolution and result. Check out sites like GraphicStock, Life of Pix, SplitShare and Shutterstock. A minor investment with one of these sites will be worth major payoff.
#3 – Don’t be afraid to mix it up
There are so many options out there that you don’t have to just rely on photos, graphs and pie charts. Look for creative avenues. Again, the more interesting and eye-catching your imagery is, the greater chance that your post is shared which in turn leads more people to checking out your product or service. Some ideas for changing things up include:
• Quote graphics – an attractive quote using bold typeface, lighting, and color almost automatically get viewers’ attention. These can be directly tied to your business or a message of motivation. One way or another it’s going to register with people.
• Infographics – customers/clients checking out business-oriented postings know that data might very well be a part of the messages. But you can make it appealing to view rather than hum-drum numbers and letters. Here’s where editing and use of color of key. Try to pack a lot in a little space and make the most important information stand out.
• Screenshots – don’t just answer a question, screenshot it. Your visual response offers a sense of exclusivity to the person who posted the initial inquiry yet more than likely the same question is on the minds of others and it is far more attention-getting than a straight text. Screenshots can also be used to help demonstrate a product or service, and the imagery is so much easier to share with others than explain over and over again.
By Mark Pavelich President Ceo The Mark Consulting & Marketing
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