I curse the day social media was invented. Granted, it’s a huge part of my work as a designer and gives me ample illustrations to view. But I’d rather not watch authors twerk for reviews. Hence why I try to make my posts purposeful. Otherwise, there’s no point in posting.
Sometimes I write to help you guys. Other times I write to remind myself of good design methods. That’s where we’re at today, cause y’all know I wouldn’t willingly discuss social media. Yet we all have to deal with things we dislike in order to grow.
Last week, I learned more about Facebook and Instagram ads. I work with long form content all the time (can’t you tell?), so rewiring my brain for ads took a minute. In this process, I’ve learned some valuable information about what to consider when designing an image for social media.
Social Media Constraints
Y’all should know this stuff by now, but just in case, here’s a recap.
Facebook ads are 1:1 ratio, usually 1080px. Same as Instagram posts, though stories (9:16 or 1080x1920px) are the usual. Like any post, there’ll be a caption where you can add more details about the advertisement purpose. RGB colors, 72ppi. All super easy and well known.
But even with the basics, it’s hard to figure out what posts attract followers and likes. A range of styles get engagement, yet we all know a few bucks can buy likes and follows. That’s where the next points come in, the basic formula for a good ad and, inevitably, a good post.
Image, Image, Image!
Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest. They all have one thing in common. Pictures. Lots of them. You can write the most beautiful caption and include all the right hashtags, but if your image doesn’t pull people in or give them the details they need, you’re out of luck. Video is a little easier to be engaging, especially with how people are reinventing film, but pictures can have the same effect on hearts and minds.
You might be thinking, “I’m not a photographer. Why do I need photos in my feed?” Same honestly. Many people that come across my socials craft excellent content with sketches and abstract graphics. But not everyone has those skills. Regardless, photography and imagery are important because they tell a story about your work. Doesn’t have to be elaborate or award-winning. Look at what aligns with your brand, the story you wish to tell, and either take the picture, create the graphic, or find images.
Stock imagery is the solution for non-photographers, but it can be daunting with copyrights and such. Some places like Pixabay and Pexels have royalty-free stock imagery whereas iStock and Adobe Stock have subscription plans where you’re given a set number of credits for the month (you can also purchase images individually). CHECK THE FINE PRINT! Most free licenses allow personal use, meaning the image can’t be used in a sellable product. In the case of businesses, it’s better to safeguard yourself and just buy the license. Stock companies will let you download a watermarked preview, so test various images until you find the one that works.
Less Text, Strong Hierarchy
Like I said before, I like long-form content. I’m getting better at keeping my captions short, but the key to an engaging ad is to have little text on your image. Hierarchy takes precedence in this format, telling viewers what matters in what order. Would be disappointing if the picture you worked so hard to find was covered with a bunch of words repeated in your caption.
Your image needs three pieces of text: header, subhead, call to action. That’s it. One line each, nothing more. I suspect writers are twitching, but this can be troublesome for individuals who have a million things to say in order to describe their service, talent, and personality.
Here’s how to break it down: reduce your concept to five words/phrases. Strip all the excess until you get to the heart of your purpose. Do you want people to apply for a position? What about subscribing to a newsletter? Big ideas are headers, extra notes are subheads, and the end result you desire is the call to action. Mix and match a few options until you find the one pairing that sings.
Readability
If you’ve seen my social media, you’ve probably noticed that I work with sketches and images that have substantial negative space for text. Unless you’re intentional and craft your work in this way, you’ll need to combine text with images that have ranges of colors and styles.
My preferred method is color blocks, either solid or 75% opacity. Other options include strokes, drop shadows, and blurred shapes behind text. These might not sound “creative,” but there are ways to build them out into unique elements. I’ll have a post on creating depth next week and will hopefully get around to showing practical methods for designing text.
Your imagination will be your greatest tool. There are basic guidelines for readability, but how you implement those will be unique to you. Detailed strokes, funky shapes, layering imagery and color. It’s all up to you. Have readability in the back of your mind and create.
Final Thoughts: Client’s Always Right?
I’m working a contract position with a talented designer, and what he mentioned to me is that clients always feel they have to critique a design. Sometimes it looks better, but other times it doesn’t work the same way. You hear that the client is always right, but are they?
Since the client is the one paying you, technically yes. However, I know with my personal accounts I constantly change my designs as I learn more. From every experience, whether you like the final comp or not, you’ll learn something that’ll get you to the final product quicker and perhaps provoke new ideas for yourself. So is the client right? When they’re paying, yes. Design-wise, maybe not. But you’ll gain insight from the experience.
