As a social media marketer, you will be using a lot of images. They are the quickest way to catch the eyes of online surfers, but with all the clutter online how can you be sure that your posts will stand out? With Facebook the competition is especially high be it from other businesses, their friends, or even themselves (thank you very much, Memories…). There are some rules you can follow to help ensure that your pics get the clicks.
One way to break through the clutter is to keep a simple, clean image. If an image is too busy, often times the viewer will barely give it a glance. People just are not that into Where’s Waldo any more. They want to know exactly what your image is about the second they see it. To do this make sure the object you want them to focus on clearly stands out. Also keep the number of colors to a minimum. Too many bright, flashy colors is just untidy. A few bright, contrasting colors combined with a simple picture should be your goal.
Keep the caption short. No one wants to read the fine print. They want instant understanding delivered with simple text. For example, I posted a picture of a single piece of cardio equipment on the Y’s Facebook page with the caption, “Brand New Equipment”. The treadmill stands out in the photo, and the caption lets the reader know instantly exactly why I’ve posted it. Compare this to a wide shot of all of our new cardio equipment with the caption, “We here at the YMCA just installed 38 pieces of cardio equipment ranging from the stair climber to the new and improved treadmills that now measure heart rate and will really help you…” . Ugh, even I got bored typing that, let alone expecting a Facebook browser to stop and take the time to read it. Once they are hooked, if they want more information they can leave you a comment. Precious comments. Do not use all capital letters either. No one likes to be yelled at, so keep away from the caps lock.
Images that skew our sense of reality are a good way to catch someone’s eye. If I see a squirrel water skiing you can bet your bottom dollar I’m gonna give it a second look. You could also distort an image to make something seem oddly bigger or smaller. The bizarre will always catch you a second glance. Just make sure you remember who your target audience is. Here is a ridiculous image of a man doing a one armed, no leg push up that would help me catch the attention of some Y members. 
Before you post your image, see if it fits the rules I’ve laid out for you. Well sort of like the pirates’ code, they are more guidelines than rules. If it follows my guidelines, then go ahead and post away. If not, take some time and see if there is anything you can change about it. In what situations do you think it would be worthwhile to skirt the guidelines? What other tips do you have for your fellow marketers to help make our pictures stand out? Leave me a comment and tell me where I went wrong. Don’t forget to hit the share button below because gaining knowledge is the first step to wisdom; sharing it is the first step to humanity.