As someone who manages my fair share of corporate Facebook pages, there is a certain truth that I have noticed about Facebook photos. They get noticed! The wild success of memes (those cute or witty photos with sayings or jokes) is proof of this.
In my experience, I have found that posts with photos generally reach over 30% more users than posts without photos.
When considering your own Facebook behaviour, what posts are you most likely to click on? A video which may take a few minutes of your time, a link to another website, some text or a photo? Most of you will answer photo.
People click on photos to make them bigger. From there they may like it, comment on it, share it or tag it.
When you take action on a Facebook post, your friends see it. The post itself reaches more viewers. And advertising dollars are stretched. While there is no doubt that Facebook photos are powerful, there are a few things that you should take into consideration.
Know the Rules
Along with the launch of Facebook Timeline last year, Facebook rolled out a set of rules governing Cover Page photos. According to the new guidelines, Facebook cover photos should not be simple advertisements. They should not contain price or purchase information nor should they reference Facebook functions such as "like" or "share" this page.
There are still many great ways to make an effective cover page without violating these rules. Cover pages can be simple photos of people or events relevant to your organization, they can be intriguing graphics or even a collage.
If you're not comfortable selecting or creating a cover page photo yourself, an advertising agency can help you create one that is effective and follows Facebook guidelines.
Size Matters
When uploading photos to your timeline be aware of sizing – especially if the photo or image contains a message. In timeline photos, you only have a certain amount of space before your photo will get "cropped" by Facebook. Of course, the entire photo will appear if you click on it – but you want your audience to be able to see the whole thing before they click on it.
So before posting, take the time to crop your photos.
Use photos when posting links
This technique takes a little extra time, but the results are worth it. When you want to use Facebook to drive traffic to your website, post a photo at the same time you post a link. Start by uploading your photo into your status and then write your message including your link. Doing this will give you an edge over many other companies on Facebook – remember that posts with photos get over 30% more reach!
