7 Critical Tips Regarding Social Media Profile Images

Facebook boasts more than 50 million business pages, and 65.8% of US companies with more than 100 employees use Twitter for marketing. If you have a business, you probably have at least one social media profile. (And if you don’t, you should, even if you’re a solopreneur.)

As you create your social media profiles, you are building a part of your brand online. The words you type into the “about” section aren’t only a description; they set the tone for your businesses’ personality.

Similarly, the images you choose have a lasting impact. According to studies, people are only likely to remember 10 percent of heard information three days later. But a relevant image paired with that same information can help people retain 65 percent of it days later.

On social media profiles, it’s important to select images that say something about your brand and resonate with the viewer. Here are seven things to keep in mind:

1. Size matters. Do not upload a tiny jpg for either your banner/background or your profile image. Check the sizes required for each social media platform and find an image that fits. Otherwise, yours will look grainy, stretched, or otherwise icky. What does it say about your work if the photos you post are low quality? If you are struggling to get your logo to fit in the profile image box, talk to your graphic designer (or to us) about finding creative ways to display your brand in the square box.

2. Be authentic. If you can, use an image in the banner that shows off your business in some way. Maybe it’s your team, your location, or your product. Avoid stock photography if possible. In some cases, you can tweak stock images to suit your needs, but customers can always tell the difference. You may consider working with a professional photographer to get a few good images of your service or product, which you’ll also use on your website.

3. Be consistent. Work with a graphic designer to put words on the banner image in the font that matches your logo. A general rule of thumb in graphic design is to have no more than two different fonts. The social media platforms have their own fonts, which you might want to keep in mind. Note that most are sans serif.

4. Use powerful text. The words you put on this image matter. What are you trying to say? Keep the message short and sweet. You’re going for impact, a feeling, not a full explanation of your company. Use this to showcase your brand or as a call to action.

5. Focus on the image. The banner image is a useful place to put some text. But most of the space should be about the picture. Facebook no longer enforces its 20 percent rule — no more than 20 percent text on the banner — but it’s still a useful guideline.

6. Think about the overlap. The profile (smaller) image overlaps with the banner on most platforms. Make sure the two work together and don’t clash. Some companies even have them blend into one another for a cool effect.

7. Don’t get stuck. Consider changing your banner and image once in awhile. You can create a calendar to check them for special events, promote a specific hashtag, mention a current sale, or push a product or service that’s on sale or not selling well. It's OK to get creative.

If your business pages on social platforms need some oomph, we can help!