Hardly does any online business join the attention-grabbing battle without the weapon named visual content, especially if they choose social media to be the main battlefield.
The combination between visual content and social media doesn’t only benefit businesses but also users, as they will have more easily digestible, memorable and shareable information to enjoy.
This article provides a thorough analysis about the importance, benefits and best practices of posting visual content on social media. Social media amplifies the power of visual content once you know how to wield it.

Visual Content on Social Media: Which Type for Which Platform?

There are so many types of visual content, each with their own strengths. Let’s take a closer look at the top 3 popular types and the most suitable platforms. The analysis is based on the features of popular platforms and their main users.

Part of the reason for this trend is because so many users are active on social media, offering various business opportunities (and challenges). And that’s why “4 million businesses use Stories ads every month” to capture as many opportunities as possible.
Also, this is a great place to “tempt” users to visit your site by posting some “teasers” of your great blog posts or infographics.
SECOND, of all types of content posted on social media, image/photo and video are considered the most engaging, which means visuals rule for this channel.
Visuals are just so good at promoting your brand. They are a great way of storytelling, and easy to digest and share.
LAST, you can boost revenue by shoppable visual content on social media. This is a trend in 2020s visual content marketing.
In conclusion, there is no reason to disregard the importance of visual content on social media. The question now should be “How to make the best use of it?”

Photos or images have the widest application as you can use them for any purpose and post them anywhere. However, to reap the highest benefits, pay attention to the best types of images for each platform. Here are some examples:

Best for product images and real people photos such as employees, customers or fans of the brand.

Have you ever tried “blog headers as an image”? Instead of a link to your new blog post, you will add a relevant image and caption to attract attention and ultimately increase your site traffic.

The banner image on your company page is very important. It tells others who you are and what you represent. Consider adding a logo and a tagline for a unique, longer lasting impression.

Twitter is known for in-the-moment updates and you can’t have an essay-long tweet. That’s why many choose to add an eye-catching photo to attract attention to their tweet.

Don’t forget that you still have many other platforms like Pinterest, Tumblr, Snapchat, etc. to post brand images.

A research by Hubspot has found that the majority of users prefer watching Facebook Stories. But there’s a tweak: the study surveyed all age groups. Had they only focused on Gen Z, Instagram might have been the winner.

Infographics

In short, the right social platforms for you are where your target audience are gathering, and it often varies with demographics and geographic. For example, when it comes to social media in Vietnam, Facebook is the first choice, and the runner-up may be Zalo – a local social platform.

Video

Video should be as welcomed as images everywhere, except for the fact that not all platforms are made to host long videos, and you can’t even negotiate. For example, an Instagram video can’t exceed 60 seconds.

The “teaser” can be a visual snippet or an intriguing data visualization that provokes curiosity and stimulates sharing.
So, as you may have guessed, one of the best social platforms for infographics is Facebook.
But no matter which platforms you choose, don’t try to provide the full infographic by “cutting” it into screen-fit chunks.
One of the benefits of infographics is that it provides a one-stop information hub for people with relevant concerns. Infographics help you measure their level of interest and engagement. Cutting an infographic into smaller images will defeat this purpose.

Video marketing is a strategy that optimizes and utilizes all types of video of all lengths for marketing and business purposes. And because creating and managing this type of visual content generally takes more time and resources, many companies opt for a reliable digital marketing agency with all-inclusive content and social media services to take care of the whole process.

Others

Apart from the top 3 popular types of visual content, we also have:

Slideshow: LinkedIn is your best bet.
Memes & GIFs: Facebook and Twitter. You can also utilize the GIF library of Twitter.
Quotes: Instagram and Twitter.
User generated content (UCG): Except for LinkedIn (B2B platform), any other can serve the purpose.

All in all, no matter which types of visuals you choose for social media, remember to:
(1) “Brand” your work. Sharing is the nature of social media, so don’t let your visuals become “public assets” after several rounds of sharing. A logo in a corner will do just fine, as long as it’s noticeable but in no way obtrusive.
(2) Size your images. Each platform has their own recommended specs, adhere to them.
(3) Track the reaction. You need to know which visuals work and which don’t to adjust as quickly as possible.

Visual Content on Social Media: 3 Do’s and 2 Don’ts

Apart from the top 3 popular types of visual content, we also have:

Slideshow: LinkedIn is your best bet.
Memes & GIFs: Facebook and Twitter. You can also utilize the GIF library of Twitter.
Quotes: Instagram and Twitter.
User generated content (UCG): Except for LinkedIn (B2B platform), any other can serve the purpose.

All in all, no matter which types of visuals you choose for social media, remember to:
(1) “Brand” your work. Sharing is the nature of social media, so don’t let your visuals become “public assets” after several rounds of sharing. A logo in a corner will do just fine, as long as it’s noticeable but in no way obtrusive.
(2) Size your images. Each platform has their own recommended specs, adhere to them.
(3) Track the reaction. You need to know which visuals work and which don’t to adjust as quickly as possible.

DO follow your well-designed plan

Here we are talking about your digital marketing plan or in specific, your content and social media plan.
One common mistake is running after trends because of FOMO (fear of missing out). The actions in those cases are very likely to be impulsive and sub-optimal. Smart businesses know how to take advantage of FOMO on social media instead of being controlled.
To avoid this, follow closely your original plan.
Exceptions are allowed of course, but there must be rules to follow. One example of such rules is brand image can’t be compromised in any case, or any mention (explicit and implicit) of controversial topics should be left out of all brand messages.
Also, prepare a code of conduct to keep calm and act wisely when things go sour, such as when your visuals are misinterpreted in a negative way. The community there can get very emotional with just a ‘wrong’ like, share or post from the brands they follow.

DO follow the golden recipe, with a tweak

Discussed in detail in the article “How To Create Effective Visual Content”, the golden recipe can be summarized as follow:.

Discussed in detail in the article “How To Create Effective Visual Content”, the golden recipe can be summarized as follow:.

Effective Visual Content = Consistency + SEO + Time-Resistance

But it is a bit different with social media, specifically:
Consistency

It’s still recommended to follow closely the brand guideline to ensure your visual content is branded with unique identifiable elements, such as your logo or brand color.

Each social platform has their own Search function, and the way it works is more or less different from Google. Do your homework and adjust your SEO strategy accordingly.

Some may argue that this element is unnecessary because social media prefers speed to sustainability.
While the fact about social media is correct, do you know that “longer lifespan of your posts” does help with SEO on social media? And imagine how misleading or wasteful it would be if you change your banner photos, slideshows or infographics once every few days.
Do hasten your pace on this special channel, but do it with class.

DO promote your posts

Social media is known for its ability to make things go viral very quickly, but it needs momentum. If you don’t care for your posts, no one will.
Take one extra step to promote your posts, for example:

Share to relevant groups and communities at different times after adapting the message to each group.
Schedule your post multiple times.
Share a snapshot of your intriguing infographics in special interest communities such Quora, Reddit, Medium, etc.

Make sure these actions are well-planned so you can’t forget or skip them.
And prioritize your PR efforts for different posts to get the best ROI. But no post should be left to grow on its own.

Make sure these actions are well-planned so you can’t forget or skip them.
And prioritize your PR efforts for different posts to get the best ROI. But no post should be left to grow on its own.


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