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With nearly 66 percent of social media posts containing images and statistics indicating posts with visuals deliver 180 percent greater engagement, creating awesome images prevails as a critical component of a social media strategy.

So, how does one improve their visual content game and create social media images that captivate? Check out our six simple rules of thumb for identifying and generating awesome images.

Establish and Honor the Brand Look and Feel

What’s the brand’s visual identity?

• Do moody and dark vibes express the brand?
• Does bright and colorful tell the story?
• Or, do monochromatic and more serious tendencies define the identity?

Whatever look and feel a brand establishes, honor and consistently apply it in imagery to tell a cohesive and compelling visual story.

If the foundation of visual identity doesn’t yet exist, start on it now; don’t attempt to create another image or graphic without this brand fundamental.

Use a Mix of Visuals

Relying on the same type of visual asset for each application tends to bore.

Instead, mix images up and keep things interesting. We like using a mix of photographs, quotes, graphics, infographics, comics and even screenshots (where applicable) for a dynamic visual narrative.

When using photography, employ a range of photographic images but don’t count solely on stock photography. Stock photography certainly has its place, but overuse appears mundane and unimaginative after too many consecutive uses.

Also, if applying other’s work, be certain you have permission to use or alter that work.

Online Sources for Images

With our warnings heeded, check out a couple of our favorite online sources of high-value, low-cost photo imagery:

• Pixabay
• Pexels
• Creative Commons

Edit Like a Pro: Great Online Tools to Edit Your Images

So you didn’t go to art school, and you aren’t graphic designer. Fortunately, a plethora of easy-to-use tools help you create awesome images and act like a pro.

We recently opined on how to win on Instagram and included some great tool ideas. In addition, here are our recommendations for (mostly) simple image creation and editing:

• Canva: Create cool graphics in multiples sizes.
• Moldiv: Combine and edit multiple photos to make amazing collages.
• VSCO: Filter and edit with both iOS and Android.
• Word Swag: Add swaggy text to photos via an iOS app.
• PicMonkey: Edit photos simply with this powerful but easy tool.
• Photoshop: Create masterpieces with the granddaddy of all photo editing software. But simple, free and quick it is not.

Remember Size Does Matter

Different social networks require different image sizes.

To maximize the impact of a visual, understand the size parameters for each social network. Here are the most common sizes to use when creating awesome images:

• Facebook shared image: 1200 px wide by 630 px tall
• Instagram photo size: 1080 px wide by 1080 px tall
• Twitter in-stream photo: 440 px wide by 220 px tall
• Pinterest board display: 222 px wide by 150 px tall

For more in-depth information, we love Hubspot’s Ultimate Cheat Sheet of Photo & Image Sizes as a handy and complete reference.

Add Your Logo or URL to Custom Images

In the business of creating custom images?

Always add your brand logo to the image or, if the logo looks funky, add your URL. That way, when another party uses the image the brand that created it still retains credit.

Tag It

Finally, whenever you add an image to a blog post, add an alt tag.  A simple bit of HTML code, the alt tag names and describes the image for search engines.

Ready to create awesome images?

We hope you find these quick and easy parameters improve your visual content game.

Please let us know any additions you have to our rules.  And, as always, let us know of any questions.