If you want your Facebook marketing posts to attract attention, then you’d better say it with pictures. Images aren’t just processed more quickly by the human brain, they make a stronger emotional impression. Of course, you don’t have to know that to tell the difference between image‐based posts and ones made from text—if you’ve been on Facebook for more than a few minutes, you have already noticed images are far more likely to be seen, commented on, and shared by your fans and followers.
But, knowing you should use images on Facebook is one thing, and getting real marketing mileage from them is another. To help you make an impact with all the pictures you send out into the world from your business account, here are five simple rules you should follow…
#1 Only Use Images You Own
It’s a very, very bad idea to use images you don’t have the rights to. Take some time downloading high quality stock images from a site where you have a subscription, or consider taking your own pictures and using them. No matter what you do, though, you shouldn’t grab anything from Google… or worse, from a competitor’s website or social feed. This could land you in hot water, and cost you a lot of money if the owner of the image finds out.
#2 Check the Dimensions
The ideal size for a photo that will appear in your Facebook feed is 470 pixels wide by 394 pixels tall. You can play with these sizes a little bit in either direction get away with it, but strayed too far from these dimensions—or the ratio between them—and there’s a chance your photo will be warped, cut off, or displayed incorrectly. That’s not a good way to spread your marketing message.
#3 Go For Instant Attention
The images you post should be relevant to your business and content, but they should also be set up to draw attention. Human faces, animals, vivid colors, and interesting landscapes are all attractive views. Remember, you can’t use Facebook as a marketing tool if you aren’t getting prospects to look at your content in the first place, so do what you can to grab attention quickly.
#4 Keep it Clean
Of course, you can go too far when it comes to looking for interest and attention. Things that are “blue” in humor or content might get a reaction, but they aren’t going to do your marketing campaigns any big favors. Along the same lines, be careful about posting material that’s overly religious, political, or divisive from your business account, as you might get drawn into arguments instead of discussions about your products or services.
#5 Get Credit for Your Image
If you post custom images that you own, it’s a good idea to claim them with a small copyright notice, domain name, or Facebook username. At a minimum, you could include your logo somewhere in the images as a watermark. These won’t necessarily stop others from stealing your material, but it will at least make it easier for interested buyers to trace the message back to its source.
Summary
Social media—and Facebook in particular—runs on images, attention, and entertainment. So, if you’re looking to make a better impression with customers and prospects, post more pictures and follow these tips to make sure they stand out.