Want Social Success? Get Visual.
Posted on Tue, Jul 31, 2012
By: Rachel
Social channels have always been about sharing content and engaging with users, but the most prominent content is quickly shifting to be image-based. Jennifer Maclean, a strategic development director at Virtue, recently explained how social sites based on visual content explained how social sites based on visual content, like Pinterest and Instagram, have seen explosive user growth. Other platforms are upping the focus on images, like Facebook’s new timeline layout.
Here’s a quick snapshot of the changing visual, social power:
Pinterest – Pinterest’s success stems from its strong community. The digital pin board is completely image and video-based, but content is separated by consumer interest points, making for a simple user interface. Pinterest grew its 10 million monthly unique visitor base faster than any other website.
Instagram – Instagram already boasts more than 30 million users, and this will grow with the new Android app. The app, nothing more than basic photo editing and a stream of social, shared photos, is enticing to users. Check out our feed for photos of Boston, our travels and fun outings: metiscomm.
Google+ – The search giant designed brand pages to emphasize and showcase brand imagery, from the prominent profile photo to the images included in posts. Against the uncluttered layout and white background, these are prominently displayed.
Twitter – Twitter’s brand pages provide a full-screen, customizable background photo. The most recent profile layout features a photo gallery of recent images from users’ tweets.
Facebook – The recent timeline update places a greater emphasis on visual content, and it’s for good reason. Says Facebook’s head of global SMB marketing, Chris Luo, photos offer the highest engagement, so Facebook consciously decided to put image-based content front and center on brand pages. With the timeline update, brands see a 65 percent increase in engagement with photos and videos.
All of these additions to brand pages aim to humanize brands. This aim needs to be kept top of mind when posting to social media. Images and content should drive consumer value – posts don’t need to (and shouldn’t) be overly promotional. Instead, post images or videos related to your company’s persona, team members’ interests, or company activities. Get creative with the content, and have fun.
How are you engaging users with visual content?