INTRODUCTION
It has been known for sometime that images enhance social media the way the talkies transformed the film industry. It was a long time coming but visual design finally caught up to social media. Or did social media finally wake up to visual design? That does not matter. What does matter is that they finally got together and their marriage is one that was made in heaven, for the most part.
@MariSmith twitter page © Mari Smith
@JoyLynskey twitter page © Joy Lynskey
Social media has embraced the visual and has been benefitting from it ever since. Facebook posts that contain images get a greater percentage of Likes and comments.
Statistic Number 1: “…photos on Facebook Pages received 53% more Likes than the average post.”
Statistic Number 2: “…photo posts attracted 104% more comments than the average post…”
Source: Hubspot Blog
@LamourSupreme twitter page © Lamour Supreme
@WildmanBrill twitter page © Wildman Steve Brill
THE DUOS
Every major social media tool has a visual component:
• Facebook bought Instagram
• Google owns YouTube
• Yahoo flaunts flickr
Pinterest is social media’s grand dame having risen to fame and fortune faster than any other unit of the social media toolkit to date. So far it seems to have no desire to take a mate. It is doing quite well without one.
@FindandConvert twitter page © Find and Convert
@CraigEYaris twitter page © Craig Yaris
TWITTER TAKES A MATE
Well, Twitter has joined in. Twitter has the ability to connect Instagram images through tweeted URLs. Even better, it has developed a method for some serious customization of its pages. Twitter now allows its members to say, ‘Hey, this page is mine and no one else’s. I am cool. I am serious. I am funny. I am creative. I am unique.’
@ManOneLA twitter page © Man One
@AmyPorterfield twitter page © Amy Porterfield
EASY AS ONE-TWO-THREE
It does not take very long to figure out how to create a completely customized page or one that is a combo of twitter template and original design. There are three components involved:
• the image
• the header
• the background
@BasilPuglisi twitter page © Basil C. Puglisi
@MktngBytesMaven twitter page © Alison D Gilbert
Twitter offers all kinds of templates, choices of color and pattern making for the background. In addition, one can take a custom image and tile or repeat it on the screen. In front of that, appears a vertical band containing one’s tweets and other information.
At the top of the band is the header. Twitter allows a very large image to be imported for this area but reduces it quite a bit when uploaded. In front of the header, appear one’s image, name, twitter name, a URL and mini-bio. A 180×180 facebook icon works fine for the image.
@The EarthDiet twitter page © Liana Werner-Gray
@AlisonsArt twitter page © Alison Gilbert
CONCLUSION AND QUESTIONS
The results can be very creative and unique as witnessed by the samples displayed throughout this post. What do you think of them? I am eager to hear your thoughts:
• Do you think these samples are creative and unique?
• Do you think they are too much?
• Which one(s) do you like the most and the least?
• Do you have any other thoughts or comments about this post?
SOURCES
The Power of Images on Facebook
Five Reasons Why Twitter Background Is Really Important
Warning: Your Visual Message Is Just As Important
Visual Marketing Book
Twitter Headers and Covers
My apologies to Liana Werner-Gray for misspelling her twitter name underneath the sample of her twitter page. It should be @TheEarthDieter.
Great post, Alison. Thanks for outlining the importance of the visual. And, I’m honored to be included!
Thank you!
Craig
Craig,
It’s one of those Sunday mornings where I am up at the computer at 5 am and decided to catch up on some of my social media studies. In reviewing some Digital Ethos posts, I noticed that I had not acknowledged or responded to your comment.
I appreciate it. I also want to thank you for being a constant source of inspiration as we seem to be kindred spirits on this social media journey. I look forward to what’s coming . . . whatever amazing things they are.