Creating social media graphics should be easy—but they shouldn’t look like they were such a breeze to create. Ditch the default with these 4 tips!
If you post on social media, chances are you will eventually need to make graphics of your own. Whether you are promoting an event, creating posts for regular engagement, or just goofing off, you should always consider quick ways to elevate your graphics.
4 Ways to Elevate Your Social Media Graphics Game
1. Keep your branding consistent
You or your designer should establish consistent ways to use your fonts, colors, logos, etc., and stick with them. If you look at any well-crafted brand, you will notice that their logo is always in the same spot on social graphics or it isn’t there at all. Their fonts are always the same size and consistent across all digital and physical platforms.
Brands do this because staying consistent engages viewers and enables them to subconsciously recognize your branding while quickly scrolling through social feeds; it also builds a sense of trust with your viewers.
2. Put thought into your stock photos
Don’t just pick a photo because you like it. You should think about color psychology, image orientation, the amount of background blur, the context of the post–and that’s just the start!
For example, if you’re putting any words on your photo then you need to either find a photo with lots of empty space or block off the busy part of your image with a color/shape so that your image isn’t too overwhelming to the viewer.
Did you know that there are royalty free photo sites that you can use for commercial projects? Check out Unsplash.com for classier photos and Pixabay.com for tons of free stock images!
3. Size and optimize your graphics correctly
Nothing looks tackier than a post with incorrectly sized social media graphics. When the words and borders of your image get cut out, it defeats the purpose! In addition, needlessly large graphics on your website or social profile slow your page loading speed more than you may think.
You can use programs like Canva or Get Stencil to create your own social media graphics that size automatically according to where you are posting.
4. Less is more
When creating social media graphics, every photo doesn’t need words or a logo. In fact, simpler graphics tend to stand out and draw the eye more than lengthy or busy ones.
Follower attention spans are also drastically decreasing, so it’s important to target your graphics to what your followers will actually engage with. Keep in mind that every niche is different; make sure you know what your followers want to see.
Bonus Tip: Ditch the Default
Just like Tip #2—a reminder to be intentional with your stock photo choices for the sake of your unique needs and branding—Tip #5 is a reminder to sidestep the default, and embrace your brand’s voice.
If you’re using the amazing templated tools out there, make sure you do some customizations—even if they’re subtle and simple—such as switching up default text, color, or shape—so your social media graphics stand out as yours.
