Hey Adam,
Social media: it’s the enemy that most businesses loathe, but can’t deny their impact and potential reach.
If you’re not active on social media for your business, I can guarantee your competitors are.
But with such a saturated platform like Instagram, you have got to find ways to stand out.
So today I’m going to share with you a few tips for designing for social media that will help you boost your brand image, and aim for higher engagement.
Tip 1: Less is More
When you’re curating a post for social media, regardless of the platform, you have to go keep one thing in mind: Users are scrolling fast.
If you bombard your post with paragraphs of written content, there is very little chance that they’ll stop to read it.
So in approaching your social post design, remember the KISS method: Keep it Simple, Stupid.
On your graphic, stick to just one, concise statement or sentence at most. Save the description or added copy for the caption — if a user is engaged, they’ll read it.
But you have to first GET them engaged.
Stick to short statements and compelling graphics for the best opportunity at being noticed.
Here’s an example from my agency Instagram — where I include a statistic about websites:
This follows a simplistic design, with a large, eye-catching number standing out at you — pulling you in to want to read more about the context of this number ‘0.05’.
But in general, you see the supporting graphics are simple and minimal — because the statement is the hero.
Tip 2: Be consistent
Now I know I beat the drum on “consistency” nearly every newsletter I write, but when it comes to social media — this is not an area you want to get lazy with it.
Consistency in carrying out your brand is SO dang important on social media. It’s the only way users will begin to recognize you and your brand.
So don’t go and use a new “cute” font in Canva for every new post you make — this isn’t helping your brand!
No matter what you’re posting about, you should always use your same brand fonts and color palette.
Sure, you can slightly mix it up here and there for a particular “theme” or holiday, but 95% of your posts should follow a similar style and design.
Take a look at a sampling of the LA Kings Instagram account:
You’ll notice: same colors, same fonts, same “feel” across all posts.
They don’t utilize the same exact layouts, either — but because of the consistency in the elements used, they all work together harmoniously.
This creates not only a recognizable look, but makes their overall profile look very cohesive and consistent.
Tip 3: Follow Guidelines
So depending on whether you are designing an image for a Facebook post, a cover image, a story graphic in Instagram, or LinkedIn cover, each of these have their own specific rules and dimensions.
Always look up the proper dimensions for the appropriate platform you are designing for.
Here’s a quick cheat sheet that covers them all.
Once you’ve dialed in the dimensions, take a look at those specific graphics in action — ones already published by others.
Many of these graphics have elements that may overlap with your design.
Take an Instagram story for example:
If you look closely, there are several different graphics specific to Instagram stories that can conflict with your design.
AT the top, there’s the profile image and handle, and at the bottom there’s a Reply bar and some additional action buttons.
In this example, you see that the LA Kings designed this graphic to keep the main content right in the middle, away from any and all overlapping elements from Instagram.
This can really make or break your message — so always ensure your text and important graphics are visible and readable.
LinkedIn cover photos are another great example, because your profile picture overlaps it quite a bit.
So whatever it is you’re designing for — get the proper dimensions, then take a look at them in action to ensure you’re not placing the most crucial information behind competing elements.
Thanks for reading!
