Never judge a book by its cover… It's a cliché everyone knows. And yet we all do it, consciously or not. You often need just a few seconds to decide whether you'll keep reading a social media post. But what triggers that decision? Is it the first line, an emoji, the clever hashtags? However important all those elements are, the image decides whether you stick around — or scroll on.
A photo grabs attention. A good photo holds it. And that, of course, is exactly what you want as a business. But how do you take a good photo for social media? Do you zoom in? From which angle do you shoot? Here are the do's and don'ts for the perfect social media photo.
Make it personal
Faces make a photo more personal. It helps your audience get to know your business. By using 'a face' you build a bond and sometimes even a relationship of trust with your potential customers. Which is precisely the point.
Do: take clear photos of the faces of motivated employees or happy customers.
Don't: avoid photos of people whose faces aren't visible. It stops you looking like you have something to hide.
Time to highlight
What is your post about? What exactly do you want in the spotlight? Make sure you set a clear focus and remove distractions. Unless you're deliberately creating a mood shot, that nice little plant really doesn't need to be in frame. Pay attention to every detail.
Do: take a photo with one clear main focus, without other objects lying around.
Don't: don't add unnecessary 'decoration' around the thing you want to put in the picture.
Hello, sunshine
It's obvious, but so important: natural light. There's a reason the best photos are taken outside. Too dark anyway? You can still add light, or better still — use the exposure function on your smartphone by gently tapping the screen while your camera is pointed at the subject.
Do: shoot in the spot with the most natural light. Make sure the shadows aren't distracting.
Don't: never post a dark or badly lit photo.
Sharp or blurry?
Sharp. Always sharp. Nothing looks as unprofessional as a blurry photo. That's why it matters to shoot with a decent device. Can it be a smartphone? Absolutely — the cameras on good smartphones are excellent these days.
Do: hold your device as still as possible. Photographing people? Ask them to pose nice and still.
Don't: shooting a moving object, or moving yourself while shooting, is not a good idea.
Landscape over portrait
Not sure how to hold the camera? Most photos look better in landscape, so horizontal. A vertical photo almost never fits a smartphone screen, which forces people to scroll to see the full image.
Do: post photos in landscape on your social media platforms for the best result.
Don't: take as few portrait photos as possible, unless there's no other option.
Be one of a kind
Want your business to stand out? Then you have to be original. The content of your photo plays a big part, but you can also play with composition. Centring everything is definitely not a must — quite the opposite. Got an iPhone? You can add a grid: a set of guide lines on your smartphone. It's a handy tool for keeping your photo straight, and for following composition rules such as the rule of thirds.
Do: play with composition. Try placing your main focus off to the side and check how it looks.
Don't: don't overdo it. The subject of your photo still has to be clearly visible and emphasised.
Think outside the box
Step out of your comfort zone. You don't have to shoot every photo from the same perspective. Play with angles. Maybe it works to shoot from above? But think it through: what feeling do you want the photo to evoke?
Do: experiment with perspectives.
Don't: don't pick an angle at random — think about the whole picture. A low angle makes something look strong and powerful, while a high angle makes your subject come across as open and vulnerable.
Picture perfect
Now you're all set to take the perfect social media photo. Put your new knowledge to work straight away and shoot a stunning photo for your next post on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn — one that grabs every follower's attention. We're curious about the result, so be sure to tag us.
Short on inspiration? Pinterest is a great platform to get ideas from — just stay original.
