This New Zealand digital marketing agency has a few ideas on how to create a picture-perfect Facebook post. While they specialise in Facebook advertising, they also appreciate the marketing value of posts. The best posts have several things in common: snappy and persuasive written content, a strong call to action, and smart strategic targeting. Oh, and one more thing: eye-catching visuals that capture a reader’s attention and reel them in.
Your Facebook post is up against everything else on someone’s newsfeed. It’s been calculated that it takes just 2.5 seconds for their eyes to choose what to settle on. As such, even though you might have the best written content in the world or a cool call to action blended with an irresistible incentive, it stands little chance of being read if you don’t get the visual component right. Whether you opt for video, static images, or GIFs, check Facebook’s specifications to ensure you deliver the best possible images.
Low-resolution images look shoddy and will make your business come across as decidedly amateur – the low click rates will reflect this. Meanwhile, images with more than 20% text have reduced delivery so use Facebook’s Image Text Check tool before you post an image containing text.
If you can afford to commission your own images then do so; this is far preferable to using stock photography that is too generic to accurately portray your unique brand. Stock images just scream fake, and if you’re trying to convince your customers that you’re a genuine and authentic presence in the marketplace, then you really should skip them. This applies to all of your visual branding and not just your Facebook posts.
Facebook marketers will tell you that contrasting colours make your images leap off the page, even in low light or black and white conditions. Consult a colour wheel to help you make the right choices, and winning contrasts, in this vital area.
Finally, here is a statistic to keep in mind when you’re planning the visual component of your next Facebook post. Nearly 90% of Facebook users access the social media platform from a mobile device. Obviously, this means your visuals have to be mobile-friendly. Always test your images on a mobile device before you post them. This will ensure any text is legible and the focus is crystal clear. To optimise visuals for handheld devices, consider vertical video for maximum effect on mobile.
Everything else about your Facebook post may be perfect but that will mean nothing if you don’t capture the reader’s attention in the first place. Your visuals will make that vital first impression, so get them right and everything else will follow.