Size is everything - for social media images
I’m sure you’ve all been on a Twitter profile or a Facebook page where the images in the header or the profile picture are too grainy, or don’t fit properly so you can’t tell what something says or what it is supposed to be. When you're creating a social media presence for your organization you need to look at these spaces as key real estate and make sure that the images you choose are appropriate, sized correctly and conveying the right message.
The sizes for images on most social media channels can change once or twice a year, so be sure you’re checking regularly that your images look the way you want. Constant Contact has posted an updated cheat sheet for these images – which I recommend bookmarking so you can find it easily in the future.
Some tips for getting the most out of these images?
Lets start with the profile picture. I recommend first deciding if you are going to use a logo here or if your headshot would be more appropriate and then sticking with this across all your social media platforms. Being consistent will increase brand recognition.
If you decide to use a logo for the profile picture, make sure that you aren’t cutting your logo off by using a picture editor (there are free online ones like picmonkey.com) to size the image to fit perfectly. For instance, the Facebook profile picture dimensions are 180x180 pixels. Check out the comparison below. The top image is what happens to my oval logo if I just load the jpg up on Facebook. The bottom image is cleaner because I used PicMonkey to make sure my whole logo fit in the 180x180 dimensions.
For cover photos and headers you can have some fun. Consider changing these out for holidays or the seasons. If you didn’t use a logo on your profile picture – you might want to incorporate a logo in this space. Or using it as a spot to say “thank you” to your membership or donors. Just make sure that any text in the photo is legible and isn’t taking up too much of the space. Pictures say a thousand words.
Take into consideration the space that gets covered by your profile picture.
Remember when posting links and photos to Facebook that if you use the sizes they recommend – the photo will show at its largest and you can get the most bang for your buck.
Images are key when engaging your fans and followers – but be selective on the images and make sure they are high quality and engaging.
Need some resources for free photos? Check out my post from last week. If you need help managing or setting up your social media profiles, I can help. And of course for more tips, tricks and exclusive content – sign up for my newsletter, follow on Twitter and Facebook!SaveSaveSave