Nov 23, 2015

By: Chelsea Haley, DKI Ventures, LLC

Images and video play a key role in building engagement on social media. Know which imagery to share, how to post and the proper size requirements on each platform.

Size Matters

It’s important to resize your photos for them to properly display on different social media platforms. If a photo does not meet the platform’s sizing requirements, it will either alert you with an error notice, or it will post distorted to your timeline and your viewers’ newsfeeds, which may reduce engagement.

For optimal appearance of photos posted to social media, upload images to the following sizes:

Facebook: 1,200 x 630 pixels

Twitter: 440 x 220 pixels

Instagram: 612 x 612 pixels

LinkedIn: 100 MB or smaller

Native or Linked?

When sharing a video to a Facebook post, you can choose to link to YouTube or embed directly on Facebook. Direct Facebook videos automatically play without audio in people’s newsfeeds. The interactive posts are more engaging and attractive to viewers than the average post. According to a report by socialbakers.com earlier this year, embedded Facebook videos receive more than 80 percent of all video interactions. In addition, Facebook videos receive a greater reach than any other type of post. Search Engine Journal’s (SEJ) study reported that on average, posts with native Facebook videos received a greater reach and number of likes, shares and comments than posts with YouTube video links.

Make it News

While photo albums help organize photos on Facebook, album additions are never alerted to your followers and don’t receive as much engagement, if any. By uploading images directly to your status update, they reach more followers and have a better chance for engagement.

What to Share

Countless studies prove that images increase engagement on social media. According to the Visual Teaching Alliance, people process visuals 60,000 times faster in the brain than text.

  • Consider posting photos of your team members or clients. People trust people, and people can help humanize a brand. Your social media audience will likely identify with and gravitate toward a brand that uses images of people.
  • Post photos relevant to your business. Show your followers the excellent work you perform.
  • Be exclusive. Post branded photos, unique to your organization.