Tag: images

#EverythingIsSearchable – Naming the Images You Use in Social Media

There’s no doubt about it: creating great content is hard work, so it’s pretty rewarding when your content gets found. It’s human nature to want our hard work to pay off whether that work involves creating text or images. It doesn’t do much good to spend a lot of time and resources on creating beautiful pictures if no one is going to see them.

So how can you increase the odds that the finely crafted images you post to social media will get seen through organic search? By making sure that you optimize your images for search engines.

One of the first and most important things you should consider when optimizing images for search is how you name your files. It’s always tempting to fall back on the default file name since it saves time and effort, but that’s the worst thing you can do. You should name your images carefully and thoughtfully.

Depending on where you get your images the file name will likely be some combination of characters and letters. Take, for example, what the photographs you take yourself are named. Generally, it will be something like IMG530319.jpg. That sure isn’t very descriptive.

If that image is of a product, say for example a greeting card, you might consider something that is brief but descriptive – maybe something like funny-birthday-card.jpg. You get the idea. The goal is to name your files in a way that it will help search engines find them.

There are other things you can do to give your SEO a boost. Paying attention to alt tags also helps. Google, in particular, has admitted that it considers alt information in its algorithm.

While it may not be specific to SEO, you should comply with the image requirements that are specific to each social media platform. Each platform has it’s own preferences when it comes to size and shape.

The amount of text you include on your image can also be significant. Brush up on what each platform recommends so that you increase the chance that you’ll be scored favorably by the algorithm.

No doubt, having to worry about how you handle your social media images to help your SEO is one of many things you need to add to your to-do list. Luckily, there are experts out there who can help. Take the Social Media Advisor, for example. You can purchase a cost-effective package of services that can help you build or revamp your social media efforts, which will increase your odds of getting found. Why not give it a try?

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Hollie Clere of The Social Media Advisor is a “#BeAwesome” Developer, Social Media, Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedInFacebookTwitterBlogGoogle+YouTubePinterestInstagram, and the tools to manage them.

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#AwesomeBios – Picking Images For Your Bios

When inputting your bio information on the various social media platforms that you want to associate with your business, it can be tempting to rush through the process in order to get started. I implore you to avoid this urge, and set aside time to really flesh out the bio areas of each site to optimize your profiles. Why? Because it will make it easier for your target audience to find you.

Once they have found you, however, you need to grab their attention if you want to convert them to followers or leads. You will only have seconds to do it. What is the best practice for extending the amount of time that a passer-by lingers on your profile? Using the right images.

Visual Content

We are a visual people. In fact, over 65% of people are visual learners, mainly due to the fact that 90% of all data processed by the brain is visual in nature. Before live video came along, photos were the most engaging type of content on Facebook with an overwhelming 87% interaction rate with viewers. Facebook data is so convincing that the social media giant adapted its algorithm so that text only updates weren’t given as much priority – and then implemented a method to the color the background of text only posts in order improve their reach.

The Right Images

Understanding that you need to use images in your bios and profiles is just the first step. It’s even more important to recognize what makes a great visual! Just grabbing something off-hand is not ideal. The image needs to be clear, crisp and engaging. It should also match your branding.

This means understanding resolution. The detail that a photo or image holds is its resolution. The higher the resolution, the better detail which makes the image look better. It’s measured in various ways but the key is to understand that you always want to use an original, or high resolution, version of an image in your marketing. Find out more about resolution at this website.

Ask around. Gather your brand advocates, your fans, and your cheerleaders, to make sure that the images you’ve selected are not only visually appealing but they make sense for what you are trying to accomplish. A confused lead is a prospect that moves on and finds something that makes more sense for them.

Copyright

The other error we see way too many small businesses doing is using images they do not own. The temptation to grab a stunning graphic off the internet and use it for your purposes should be avoided at all costs! What you don’t know about copyrights, trademarks and licenses can hurt you.

The best practices to engage in are to:

1. Purchase stock photography from reputable sites like Shutterstock, iStock, Dreamstime or Deposit Photos.

2. Download FREE stock photography from sites that offer images with no copyright or license concerns. (Always read the details on each image to be sure!) Our favorite sites are Pixabay, Pexels and Unsplash.

3. Take your own photos! Or enlist the help of a photographer that you know that will take photos that belong 100% to you and your brand.

If you have already uploaded profile pictures, cover photos or other bio images that don’t meet these standards, don’t fret. Just go find better images and get them uploaded as soon as you can. Your images are the perfect complement to your expanded, detailed bios. The bios will ensure that your ideal clients find you and the images will make certain that they stick around to find out why you are the perfect fit.

Just another way The Social Media Advisor team is encouraging you to #BeAwesome with your online presence and social media!

Be sure to Follow us and Let’s Engage!
Hollie Clere of The Social Media Advisor is a “#BeAwesome” Developer, Social Media, Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedInFacebookTwitterBlogGoogle+,YouTubePinterestInstagram and the tools to manage them.


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