What are social networks and why is it important to exist in them? – a question you’re unlikely to hear in the context of business marketing. Social networks have undoubtedly conquered the world of advertising, and marketing specialists and content creators are discovering new, unheard-of slogans and messages that engage consumers from various points of view. Social networks themselves offer increasingly more marketing tools, strategies, and variations of advertising content, but representatives of some companies still underestimate the visual importance of such communication.
Why did this happen and what’s wrong with it?
Almost every modern brand, company, or institution has a more or less active Facebook, Linkedin, or Instagram account where they share useful information or events from the company’s life with followers. Essentially, social networks, especially Facebook, have become excellent relationship marketing tools, helping to create a personal connection with the consumer and foster loyalty.
Depending on the specifics of the company and the peculiarities of internal policies, a formal or simpler, somewhat familiar tone of communication is maintained in this environment. In the latter case, social media posts are often accompanied by visuals of not very good quality or aesthetically appealing, which at first glance often create the impression of an amateur personal account.
But if the company’s tone is familiar, isn’t it good? Not entirely. Often, by casually managing visual communication on social networks, companies lose the effect of its integrity and professionalism. Yes, we can all take a few photos of a new project or team with our smartphones. But will these photos look professional, or will the consumer, seeing another post in the feed, recognise your brand or company, be able to identify the company’s activities and specifics? These are questions that should be answered before addressing the dilemma of social media communication.
Where to start communicating on social networks?
By entrusting your business account to professionals, you ensure not only peace of mind and good sleep but also effective use of the marketing channel. Communication on social networks requires a well-thought-out strategy and plan, like a game of chess or any other serious project. At the Sėkmingi agency, when creating new social media communication projects, we first analyse the specifics of the company and prepare three essential components:
- Post topics, categories;
- Tone, style of textual content;
- Individual post visuals and their overall composition (grid).
A visual communication plan for social networks (grid) is developed to establish certain compositional guidelines, i.e., colour palette, fonts used, logo placement, etc. All these elements help create a cohesive, purposeful, and harmonious brand communication that not only shapes the appropriate image of the company but also ensures recognition and memorability.
Guidelines, boundaries, and rules
Perhaps it may seem enough to just insert the company’s logo into the corner of a photo, and voilà!, everything is immediately understandable and simple… Yes and No. If your content published on social networks is limited to organic engagement, and aesthetic appeal is not of great importance to the content – that’s great. However, if you plan to invest in paid advertising, you’ll have to put in some effort. In many cases, depending on the location of the ad placement, social networks require several different visual format variations of the same ad. Preparing visual or video content that meets these formats will require a considerable amount of time and effort, not to mention content guidelines that restrict the use of certain elements, objects, or visuals in advertising. And that’s not all: colour theory, user attention-grabbing techniques, proper product demonstration – these are just the tip of the iceberg in visual communication.
Nevertheless, your efforts will not be in vain. An attractive visual can significantly improve advertising results – a well-visualised ad will be more impactful, so the user will be more likely to take the desired action, such as purchasing a product or ordering a service. In other words, investments in quality visual communication pay off due to lower budget needs for advertising and/or increased sales.
Beautiful, cool, and effective
So, as we have already found out, visual communication is not limited to aesthetic appeal alone, although beauty is highly important in many market segments. Indeed, visual communication, although sometimes forgotten or underestimated, remains an essential element of an effective marketing strategy. So wherever you would dive in – into the expanses of social networks, the jungles of Google Ads, or the oceans of physical advertising, don’t forget about the influence of that beautiful image.