How To Create Graphics For Social Media: Quick Tips
What are Social Media Graphics?
Social media graphics refer to visual elements specifically designed and optimized for sharing and promoting content on various social media platforms. These graphics play a crucial role in capturing the attention of users and conveying information effectively in the fast-paced and visually-driven social media landscape. Social media graphics can include a wide range of elements such as images, illustrations, infographics, charts, typography, and branding elements.
They are designed to be eye-catching, engaging, and aligned with the brand's visual identity. Social media graphics are used to enhance the visibility and impact of social media posts, attract audience engagement, communicate key messages, and ultimately drive traffic, conversions, and brand recognition. Effective social media graphics are visually appealing, well-crafted, and tailored to the platform's specific requirements and best practices to maximize their effectiveness in capturing the attention and interest of social media users.
Helpful Social Media Graphics Tools
There are numerous helpful tools available to create engaging and visually appealing social media graphics. Here are five popular ones:
Canva:
Canva is a versatile graphic design tool that offers a wide range of pre-designed templates, customizable elements, and easy-to-use features. It provides a user-friendly interface, making it accessible to both beginners and experienced designers.
Adobe Spark:
Adobe Spark allows users to create stunning social media graphics, videos, and web pages with its intuitive design interface. It offers a range of customizable templates, fonts, colors, and stock images to help users create professional-looking visuals.
Piktochart:
Piktochart is a powerful tool for creating infographics, presentations, and social media graphics. It offers a drag-and-drop editor with a wide selection of templates, icons, and charts to effectively communicate information and data visually.
Visme:
Visme is a comprehensive visual content creation tool that enables users to design social media graphics, presentations, infographics, and more. It offers a vast library of templates, images, icons, and interactive elements to create engaging visuals.
Snappa:
Snappa is a user-friendly graphic design tool that provides customizable templates, high-quality stock photos, and a drag-and-drop editor for creating social media graphics. It also offers features like
image resizing for different social media platforms and a library of pre-designed elements for easy customization.
These tools can simplify the process of creating visually appealing social media graphics, even for users without extensive design experience. It's important to explore these tools and find the one that best fits your design needs, skill level, and budget.
With a myriad of choices for information sources at our disposal, it is safe to say that information is all around us. Perception is the process of perceiving and understanding stimuli. Visual perception is the most important of all types of perception as it accounts for about 90% of the information that enters our brains. Not only that, 65% of the world’s entire population classify themselves as visual learners. As a result, both marketers and designers understand the value of graphic design for social media.
In order to position your business online, you must learn how to create graphics for social media because aside from the web, people lurk themselves around these platforms whenever they have the luxury of time to do so. Thus, the content that you produce should not only contain words or audio but must also be supplemented by compelling graphics for your audience to relate more to your blog posts, ad campaigns, and more.
Read further to know how to create graphics for social media specifically tailored for you.
Why Use Graphics?
Your content marketing plan needs to be well-written material, but you might be shocked to learn that graphics are just as vital as words that they come along with. Learning graphic design content is a must in order to provide images that go well with the written content. Usually, people gravitate into a collection of stock imagery, however, this may be problematic as the possibility of using the wrong photo is higher. They say a wrong photo is worse than having no photos at all.
Since most of your graphic content is shared on social media, graphics are a must-have. Users will pay extra attention to a post with a graphic image on it especially when it is on a text-heavy caption. Viewers are more likely to spend more time looking at those photos, and this increased attention is a crucial first step in obtaining that coveted click or share. In addition, Tweets with images receive 150 percent more retweets than those with only text. On Facebook, a post with a picture receives 2.3 times the amount of interaction as a post without an image.
The secret to achieving these outstanding outcomes is to include a contextually appropriate image in the message. And for you to execute that, you must know how to create graphics for social media. Stock photos should be avoided since they may rapidly become so popular on social media that viewers will scroll right over them. You should pick a picture that is original, appealing, and appropriate for your topic.
Importance Of Graphics for Social Media
Graphic design is an important component of a content strategy for social media marketing (SMM). No matter how good the content is, it will go unnoticed unless it is complemented with attractive graphics that catch people’s attention while they are surfing.
When using visuals to communicate your brand’s narrative, it’s crucial to bear in mind the strategic goals that apply to each marketing channel. A working graphic design for social media aids in brand awareness and links your target audience to your company and services. Adding visuals to your social media accounts may help you raise brand exposure and, more importantly, enhance the engagement of your followers. Adding graphic design social media posts may almost triple the number of shares, retweets, or likes. That is why selecting the appropriate graphics for your social media posts is so important.
To create graphics for social media is more than just simply integrating a pretty picture with text. It’s critical to employ specific color schemes, font styles, and visual layouts depending on the information you’re presenting. This is important because it allows your overall post to be more appealing to the eyes of your audience and allows you to be more cohesive with your brand.
Tips On How To Create Engaging Graphics For Your Social Media
Visuals should be an element of your social media strategy.
The social media strategy that accompanies great graphics is only as good as the images themselves. Despite being so creative if you lack a clear goal, story, timing, and other strategic factors, then everything might be put to waste. Every company has a social media brand identity and a way to convey its visual content altogether. However, not everyone is as proficient and efficient in portraying what they are trying to say. Thus, a social media guide might come in handy along with some tutorials on how to create graphics for social media.
2. Utilize those free tools and resources available to you.
To generate original material for your company, it is always recommended to employ the help of a graphic design virtual assistant or a photographer. But if you’re on a limited budget but are still in need of some tools, there are a plethora of options available online especially on how to create graphics for social media.
3. Understand the concept of image copyright.
It’s not always simple to find photographs, especially when there is copyrighting involved. But it’s critical, especially because there are major ramifications if it’s not done correctly. When utilizing stock images, graphics, and templates, take note of the fine print or else, watermarks, before using them. If something is unclear, contact the image owner or the website for further information. The same may be said for contracting and licensing. When working with artists, make it clear where you want to use their creation, who owns the rights to it, and so on. But as a general rule, if you repost something that’s not yours, give credit to the original owner of the material.
4. Specify picture size.
Using the incorrect size while posting pictures on social media is one of the most serious offenses you can do. Stretched, cropped, and crushed out of proportion images with improper aspect ratio or low quality will look negatively on your business. Every platform has its own set of terms and conditions, and you should modify your content to meet those requirements. Always strive for the best possible image quality. Pixels and resolution are included in this. Also, don’t forget about the aspect ratio. Some social media platforms automatically trim picture previews based on the aspect ratio.
5. Whenever possible, include your logo.
It’s never been a bad idea to incorporate a logo if you want your graphics to be shared. A branding that is effective is noticeable but not intrusive. Typically, this entails placing a small logo in the corner or on the visual’s outer frame. Choose a greyscale or neutral version of your logo if the color clashes or makes the visual too busy. It’s all about the context in this case. For example, a logo may not be required for every Instagram post. You may not require a logo on your cover banner if your Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook avatar is your logo. But you would need a logo for a post where original graphic material is used or when it is posted on Pinterest.
The designer’s contribution to the success of marketing strategy is indisputable, and visual graphics are a vital aspect of every social media marketing campaign. When producing graphic design content for social media, as a graphic designer, take into mind your company’s marketing goals and branding tone. Don’t forget the most important guideline when it comes to social media - never stop trying until it becomes viral and relevant.
(Frequently Asked Questions)
What should I include on social media graphics
A well-designed social media graphic should include key elements that effectively convey the intended message and capture the attention of the audience. Here are some important components that should be included in a social media graphic: Visual Elements: Choose visually appealing images, illustrations, or graphics that are relevant to the content and visually engaging. The visual elements should be high-quality, clear, and properly sized for optimal display on social media platforms. Text: Incorporate concise and compelling text that communicates the main message or call-to-action. Use clear and legible fonts that are easy to read, and consider using bold or eye-catching typography to highlight key points. Branding: Include your brand logo, colors, and other branding elements to maintain consistency and reinforce brand recognition.
What are the types of social media graphics?
There are various types of social media graphics that can be used to engage and inform your audience. Here are three common types:
Quote Graphics: Quote graphics feature inspirational or thought-provoking quotes presented in an eye-catching visual format. They are often accompanied by relevant imagery or backgrounds that enhance the message and grab attention. Quote graphics can be shared as standalone posts or as part of a larger content strategy to inspire and resonate with your audience.
Infographics: Infographics are visual representations of information or data designed to make complex concepts or statistics more digestible and visually appealing. They typically include a combination of text, icons, charts, and illustrations to convey information in an easy-to-understand format. Infographics are ideal for presenting statistics, explaining processes, or simplifying complex topics in a visually engaging way.
Promotional Graphics: Promotional graphics are specifically designed to promote a product, service, event, or offer. They often include captivating visuals, persuasive copy, and clear call-to-action buttons or links. Promotional graphics can be used to create buzz, generate interest, and drive conversions by enticing your audience to take a specific action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.
How can I use social media graphics for my business?
Social media graphics play a crucial role in the success of a business's online presence. They are essential for capturing the attention of the audience, conveying messages effectively, and enhancing brand visibility. Visual content is more likely to grab users' attention as they scroll through their social media feeds, making social media graphics a powerful tool for standing out in a crowded digital landscape. Engaging and well-designed graphics help businesses communicate their brand identity, values, and offerings in a visually appealing and memorable way. They can create a positive first impression, establish brand recognition, and foster a sense of credibility and professionalism. Moreover, social media graphics can convey complex information or data in a visually digestible format, making it easier for the audience to understand and engage with the content. By incorporating visually appealing and compelling social media graphics, businesses can enhance their online presence, attract and retain a larger audience, and drive higher levels of engagement and conversions.
Thanks for reading!
Kristy Yoder here, the founder and CEO of Smart VAs, a Filipino based in the United States. Visit us on Facebook or hang out with us on Instagram to stay up-to-date on what’s in store for you! And don’t forget to Download our FREE E-book on Delegation.
