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According to Social Media Today –

* People remember visual information 6x more effectively
* Tweets with images receive 150% more retweets
* Facebook posts with images draw 3.2x more engagement
* LinkedIn posts with images draw a 98% higher comment rate
* Video content, in general, generates 80% higher conversion

And, according to HubSpot, visual content is 40 times more likely to get shared on social media compared to non-visual content!

As you’ve probably realized by now, if visual content is what’s dominating social media feeds, the importance of using only high quality graphics is paramount. But, not every brand can afford to invest in photographers and graphic designers consistently. That’s where the following tips will prove handy. Let’s take a look at how you can use FREE, high quality graphics in your digital marketing endeavours –

Step 1 – Create an Image Bank of Royalty Free Photos

Websites like Unsplash and Pixabay have a massive database of free, high-res images you can use across pretty much any topic. Once you have a social media editorial calendar in place, all you need to do is search for relevant keywords on these platforms, download the images that seem appealing and organize them in a folder you can easily access as and when needed. Not being able to afford fancy photo shoots is no longer an excuse to put up sloppy graphics!

Step 2 – Customize Creatives in a Consistent Format

Once you’ve created an image bank by following Step 1 above, turn to one of our favorite resources – Canva! Canva has a ton of layouts to pick from in a variety of pre-set sizes for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook Covers, Instagram Stories, etc. Since image dimensions are different for each platform, this feature is a lifesaver.

Furthermore, you don’t need any design or editing experience to modify your images on Canva – it is extremely user-friendly to use by even the most beginner-level person. However, rather than changing the look and feel of your creatives every other day, try to stick to particular colors, fonts, layouts so there is consistency and alignment with your overall branding.

If all fails, you can also consider using something as simple as Powerpoint to add text boxes on top of the photographs you’ve curated, as well as your brand’s logo. Or, you can use phone-based collage apps to add text and borders, as well. However, we would again like to emphasize that Canva is your best bet, given the level of sophistication it offers.

Step 3 – Don’t Underestimate the Power of Typography

Motivational quotes and testimonials always perform well on social media platforms, because they are positive in nature and humans are drawn toward uplifting, feel-good content. Tools like Canva, Gravit, Snappa, etc. all offer you the ability to create nice text-based creatives that use stunning font options. Harness these tools to the max, rather than using boring Times New Roman font on a plain white square (epic fail!).

Step 4 – Curate a Content Bank of GIFs

GIFs are on the rise – brands like Dell, Netflix, McDonalds, Nike and Paramount have all been using GIFs in their social media outreach and even in email campaigns! Why? Because GIFs are FUN – they brighten up one’s mood, and humor is contagious.

Step 5 – Build Simple Infographics

According to NN Group, infographics are shared and liked on social media platforms 3x more than other content categories. After all, infographics make it easier for audiences to follow different points/steps. A handy tool to bookmark is Infogram – you can easily create infographics, reports, charts and more to build your brand’s credibility.

Step 6 – Pick Consistent Overlays / Filters

If you are clicking photographs yourself, make sure you use consistent overlays/filters so branding is consistent. Instagram has pre-set filters you can pick one from to stick to.

Social Media Examiner reports 37% of marketers think visual marketing is the most content bucket. Yet, Venngage reveals 29% of marketers really struggle to produce well-designed visual content. We hope the six steps above help you overcome these challenges so you can stay ahead of your competition with kickass visual material! If you need any help with content generation for social media, don’t hesitate to reach out to us right here.

Sources –
> https://buffer.com/library/free-images
> https://zapier.com/blog/graphic-design-tools-for-social-media-images/
> https://blog.hootsuite.com/resources-to-create-quick-and-beautiful-images-for-social-media/
> www.socialmediatoday.com/news/7-tips-for-using-visual-content-marketing/548660/
> www.digitaldoughnut.com/articles/2017/january/gif-the-biggest-digital-marketing-trend-for-2017
> www.lucidpress.com/blog/32-infographic-stats-facts