Social Media Visuals: How to Engage Your Audience

In the cutthroat world of social media, grabbing attention isn’t just a bonus – it’s essential for survival. 

As a marketer, you know your carefully crafted message or post can get lost in the endless scroll in the blink of an eye. Just take a moment to think about how many posts are seen during a lunchtime scroll.

Statistics show we scroll just under 0.5 kilometers a day, with each scroll a few centimeters deep, potentially thousands of posts. And you’re trying to get your content to stand out.

Well, one of the best ways to do that is by using social media visuals.

Think of them as your secret weapon – striking images, compelling videos, informative infographics, and more. They break through the noise, the text, and the dull, lame posts, convey complex ideas in seconds, and make your brand memorable. 

Social media visuals can boost engagement, drive conversions, and solidify your position as a thought leader in your industry.

Ready to harness that power? 

Let’s dive into the diverse world of social media visuals and discover how to create content that genuinely captivates your audience for your business or clients.

Start Working on Video Content

Source: Image by Freepik

If you’re not already using video in your social media strategy, it’s time to hit record.

This is hands-down the best approach you can take because you’re actively giving yourself content to work with, and you’re improving your skills as a marketer every second of the process.

Firstly, you never know what amazing nuggets of content you may find and create, whether a fascinating behind-the-scenes situation or talking with a manager. What’s more, analyze all the content you don’t like, figure out why you don’t like it, and based on that, create something that works for you.

When you start piecing together video content (which is by far the hottest and most popular form of content right now, with the average consumer watching over 17 hours of video content a week), you start gaining traction.

Videos are incredibly shareable, keep viewers glued to their screens, and offer a dynamic way to tell your brand’s story. Here’s why they’re a marketing must-have:

• The age of short-form video: Platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels have taken the world by storm. These snappy, entertaining videos and social media visuals are perfect for showcasing product demos, quick tips, or simply giving your audience a glimpse into your brand personality.
• Go Live: Live streaming creates a sense of immediacy and authenticity. It’s a type of social media visual available in real-time. Use it for Q&A sessions, product launches, or real-time events to build a strong connection with your followers.
• Explain it all: Complex topics or processes quickly become digestible with explainer videos. Use animation, screen recordings, or a simple talking head format to break things down in a visually engaging way.
• Behind the scenes: Give your audience an exclusive peek behind the curtain! Show your team, workspace, or the process behind creating your products or services.
• Getting started: Don’t be intimidated! There are many user-friendly video editing tools out there, from smartphone apps to powerful desktop software. Need more help? Outsourcing video production is always an option. And for cutting-edge social media visuals, use incredible, professional stock videos – they’ll make your content shine.

Bonus Tip: AI-powered video generation tools are rising and can help you streamline the creation process. Experiment and find what works for you!

Implement Social Media Images in Your Content Strategy

Source: Image by Freepik 

Sometimes video content can be expensive, and while it’s essential, you won’t have to produce it all the time, nor will some needs justify a whole video. So, to plug the gaps in your campaign, turn to images.

A picture is worth a thousand words, and when it comes to social media visuals, they’re worth a million. Images have the uncanny ability to cut through the noise, evoke emotions, and make your message unforgettable. Here’s how to make them work for you:

Types of Social Media Images: The possibilities are endless!

• Product Shots: Showcase your offerings with high-quality product photography.
• Illustrations: Add a touch of personality and creativity with custom illustrations.
• User-Generated Content (UGC): Tap into the power of authenticity by reposting customer images.
• Inspirational Quotes: Turn words of wisdom into eye-catching visual posts.
• Behind-the-scenes: Build connection by showing a more human side of your brand.

Not sure how to make social media images that work? Check out these design tips:

• Rule of Thirds: A classic composition guideline to make your images more balanced.
• Color Palette: Establish a consistent color scheme for a cohesive look.
• Mix it Up: Use a variety of image styles (aesthetic photos, illustrations, etc.) to keep things fresh.

Need images and can’t take them yourself? 

You can turn to professional stock image websites, like Freepik, that give you access to millions of ready and licensed stock photos and other design assets to create beautiful and original content. Or use an AI image generator if you’re looking for AI images that offer something more creative.

Pro Tip: Remember, even with beautiful social images, it’s all about context. Pair them with compelling captions and relevant hashtags to maximize their reach.

Infographics Are the Next Best Option

Source: Image by Freepik

Got a complex topic to explain? Want to make data digestible? Infographics are your best friend. These visual powerhouses transform information into easy-to-understand graphics, charts, and timelines.

They’re incredibly shareable and showcase a ton of information quickly. Put it this way: content posts with social media images and graphics have up to 650% more engagement than a text post, and infographics are specifically 30 times more likely to be read than a written article.

So start using them!

Essentially, infographics are visual summaries that combine text, icons, illustrations, and data to tell a straightforward story. They rock because they make complex topics easier to grasp. People are far more likely to share a visually appealing infographic than a wall of text.

Design Tips: For maximum impact, remember these:

• Clear Hierarchy: Guide the viewer’s eye with a structured layout.
• Bold Colors: Use color strategically to highlight important points.
• Keep Text Minimal: Focus on social media visuals, using short text blocks to support the message.

Focus on Producing Quizzes

Source: Image by Freepik

How many times have you found yourself passing the time with a simple BuzzFeed quiz on what kind of pizza you are? Or how many times have you filled out an Instagram Story or X (formerly Twitter) poll so that you could see what others are saying?

This is the power of quizzes, and let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good quiz? They’re the perfect blend of fun and function, keeping your audience hooked while providing valuable insights.

The Hook: Quizzes are inherently interactive, encouraging users to participate and share their results.

Strategic Benefits: 

• Brand Awareness: Spread the word with a playful personality quiz.

• Lead Generation: Collect emails in exchange for results.
• Audience Insights: Learn more about your followers’ preferences. Use this data to shape the decisions of your business and ensure you’re moving in a direction aligned with your target market.

And don’t worry; there are plenty of options regarding what kind of quizzes you can share. It could be as simple as a ‘Do you prefer this or that?’ or a more complex quiz or survey on a customer’s experience with your brand. 

The best thing you can do, however, is to experiment with formats and see what gives you the results you’re looking for. Formats like:

• Personality quizzes (“Which Type of Coffee Are You?”)
• Trivia challenges
• Simple polls or surveys

Don’t Hesitate to Rely on Memes!

Memes are the language of the internet – visuals for social media that are funny, relatable, and incredibly shareable. When used strategically, they can be a potent tool for injecting humor and personality into your social media presence.

• Meme Magic: Memes are snippets of internet culture that spread like wildfire, often in image or short video format. They tap into shared experiences, inside jokes, or current trends with a humorous twist.
• For the Brands: Tapping into relevant memes can boost engagement and make your brand seem more relatable. But tread carefully! Always ensure the meme aligns with your brand voice and won’t alienate your audience.
• Staying on Trend: Memes move fast! Sites like Know Your Meme are great for tracking popular memes and understanding their context.

Pro Tip: If creating original memes sounds daunting, curating and sharing relevant ones can still be effective!

Dedicate Time to Create Case Studies

Video How Knight Frank APAC Optimized Their Marketing Processes with HubSpot

Want to show, not just tell? Case studies are a powerful way to showcase how you’ve helped clients or customers achieve outstanding results on social media.

What are they? 

Case studies are detailed stories and social media visuals about your real-world successes. Think of them as extended testimonials that dive into the problem, the solution, and the positive outcomes.

The thing is, people trust other people. It’s the same reason why when you’re shopping on Amazon, you skip any items with four or fewer stars. Other people had a bad experience, and you don’t want that for yourself.

Put it this way – 98% of consumers will read online reviews to learn about local businesses, with 46% of consumers trusting online reviews as much as they trust reviews from their friends or family.

Therefore, case studies are a great way to connect with people and show them you’re the real deal. They’re social proof that your product or service delivers on its promises, building credibility with potential clients.

Types to Consider:

• Customer Testimonials: Short, focused quotes highlighting the customer’s experience. Visuals for social media in this context could be a picture of someone with their text review or a featured video interview with them.
• Success Stories: Mid-length narratives focusing on a single problem and solution.
• In-depth Case Studies: Long-form pieces may include data analysis and results.

Conclusion

And there we have it.

From eye-catching social images and engaging videos to informative infographics and shareable memes, the world of social media visuals is vast and exciting, and the importance and impact of great visuals in social media can never be understated.  

The key is to experiment, find what resonates with your audience, and, above all, stay consistent. By developing a solid visual style across all your social platforms, you’ll create a memorable brand experience that keeps your followers coming back for more.

So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to unleash the power of social media visuals and take your social media strategy to the next level!