The Age of “The Visual” in Social Media

When it comes to social media, it is the age of The Visual. Whether it’s images or video, people respond better to a visual medium. For example, on Facebook posts with images get shared two times more than just text (HootSuite, 2013).

One thing to note is that despite the “sharing” nature of the Internet these days, you can’t just grab anyone’s photo and claim it as your own. Copyright rules still apply. So how do you get images for sharing on social media? Here are three ideas for you:

1. Take and use your own photos. When you’re out and about, consider using your smart phone to snap a shot of an amazing sunset or street scene. You can post these as is or you can use it as a base beneath a quote you like. (Tools like www.fotor.com are great for this!). Just look at the types of images people are sharing – the sky’s the limit! If you have a visual business, take pictures of your products, location, customers or activities to share.
2. Use public domain images. “Public domain” refers to images that are available without copyright infringement. Sites such as www.pixabay.com and www.everystockphoto.com are free to use to find such pictures.
3. Stock graphic subscriptions. If you aren’t able to find high quality public domain images to represent your subject, you can buy subscriptions to stock image sites. Here photographers submit a wide variety of high quality images that you are allowed to use for your business (be sure to read the license agreement!) I personally like Graphic Stock and Big Stock Photo.

So get creative with images to increase your engagement on your social media sites. Be sure to “pin” them to your Pinterest boards and share them on Twitter as well.