Want to double the number of comments on your Facebook page? Then use more photos. Photo-related posts attract an astonishing 104% more comments than the average update, according to Hubspot. The marketing software developer studied 8,800 posts on business fan pages in October 2012, and also discovered photos reap 53% more “likes” than the average post. Now, these statistics are just for plain old, every day photos, so imagine what you can achieve with a little bit of planning and effort. I’m aiming for photos that go viral!
What do fans respond to on Facebook?
The cynic in me says puppies, kittens and schmaltzy quotes. So I did some research into photos that have truly gone viral (check out 17 Of The Most Viral Facebook Photos In History on Business Insider) and discovered the most popular subjects are actually a person, a place or a memory. Note the singular… individuality is critical, which means our photos must hone in on one specific thing.
What’s more, the most enticing photos are also united by emotion. They evoke a strong feeling and are always accompanied by a touching story.
Now that’s interesting. A photo does not stand alone… it must be teamed with words.
How to add value with words
Some people say you should only post photos on Facebook that directly relate to your business. I disagree. Yes, your posts do need to link to your business, but this is where words are king — I believe you can take ANY photo and use photo-editing software to add a caption or famous quote to draw attention to your business, either overtly or subtly. For example, the pearly smile and jewel-encrusted ring in my sample images have nothing at all to do with my business Admin Bandit, which is accounting software for volunteer treasurers in community and non-profit groups. However, as you can see, I’ve chosen these because they perfectly represent a couple of inspiring quotes about volunteers, who are my target market. Symbolic images like these are particularly useful if your product is abstract or not particularly beautiful to look at. I’m in this position — as much as I love accounting, people are far more likely to respond to a message about how precious and appreciated volunteers are than a picture of someone entering a pile of receipts into a computer!
Questions are another way to engage your Facebook fans.
For example, I could ask, “What makes you smile?” or “Did you know volunteers contribute $11 billion each year in Australia?” The best questions, however, start with “Anyone remember….?” get people reminiscing. Nostalgia is a powerful thing!
Another, more literal, way to use words is to overlay your business information over a photo. I’ve added my web address, but you could use anything related to your business — a logo, Twitter handle, email address or slogan. After all, there’s no point in your photo going viral if there’s no opportunity for potential customers to find you! Note, though, how quietly I’ve added my business details… I want my photos to emotionally connect with viewers, not scream out “advertising opportunity”.
Where to find photos
The most obvious way is to take them yourself. However, if you’re not a whiz with a camera, there’s a far easier way to get superb images… and it won’t cost you a cent. Tech Raider has an excellent list of 12 image libraries that provide free images, along with tips on how to find what you’re looking for, even if it does sometimes take a bit of searching. The most you’ll have to do is credit the original photographer, as you can see I’ve done with the smile. You can also approach your Facebook friends and contacts… if you like one of their photos, offer a credit and the opportunity to cross-promote their skills or business.
How to get better-looking uploads
Ever had a photo that was stunning on your monitor, but just looked flat and washed out online? This drives so many people nuts, but the solution is so simple. When your photo is ready to upload:
- Convert the profile to sRGB IEC61966-2.1, then
- Save the photo for web
Any decent photo-editing software (I prefer Photoshop) will allow you to do this. Also:
- Edit your photos in TIFF or JPEG format
- Save them to the maximum quality
- Maximise search engine optimisation (SEO) by including your business and the subject in the file name… mine are Admin-Bandit-Volunteer-Smiles.jpg and Admin-Bandit-Volunteer-Priceless-Ring.jpg
- Again for SEO, always tag every upload with your business and personal names
- Tailor the size of your photos to match Facebook’s dimensions… Have a Camera Will Travel’s amazing cheat sheet helps you perfectly size photos for different purposes on Facebook.
