A Graphic is Worth a 1,000 Words

A majority of social media work is written. In fact, that is what I spend most of my day doing, writing captivating snippets of information that will grab people’s attention. I have noticed however, that even the best written post will almost never preform as well as a picture or image. I recently sat down with the MCP designers and asked them to make a case for why images are the way to go on social.

Me: Why are images important in social media?

Graphics team: Simple answer? They are more interesting than written words. People are naturally more attracted to color and design. If body copy is a single note a picture can be a symphonic movement. 

Me: What must good images have to stand out on Facebook and Twitter?

Graphics Team: First and foremost they have to look good. For people to engage with the work in needs to be engaging. This might sound like common sense but if an image doesn’t follow basic design theories it might not be taken seriously.

Me: I am a writer not a designer; explain to me what a good image needs?

Graphics Team: We constantly evaluate our work to make sure it is informative, clean, balanced, readable, and complements the client’s intent.

Me: Ok, I am beginning to get a better…picture…what else should I keep in mind when designing images for social?

Graphics Team: We like to use color and contrast in our images. In fact, any color can work as long as it can provide contrast. There is no specific color recommended for use on social media, each color has its own meaning and purpose. Therefore, it all depends on what you want your audience to see and feel when they see any particular image. Contrasting and complimentary colors are highly recommended, as they simple look better together. Color contrast can really bring an image together.

Me: Where do you draw your creative stimulation from?

Graphics Team: We keep up with trending works and new styles. For example, blues, and greys are very in right now, oranges and yellows are not. Nature is also a huge inspiration; a day at the beach or in a park can almost always wash away any creativity block.

Me: Got an example you want to share real quick?

Graphics Team: Yeah, look at the colors used in these images and see how they are all complementary of each other yet provide contrast and complete the image.

Me: This was great, thank you both! I have a new found respect for your work, but I think I will stick to what I know best.

 

This post was written by Chandler Elmore. Chandler is a Social Media Content Specialist with Media Connect Partners.