Social media is a social platform, and that means images matter. For some platforms, such as Instagram, an image is required. They’re optional on other platforms like Facebook or LinkedIn, but using an image with your post can improve your reach (depending on the algorithm) and increase engagement.
For small businesses and small nonprofits though, there’s often a question of how and where to get images, especially for those who provide professional services or may have restrictions around the images they can take of their customers.
Here are some resources for social media images for small businesses and nonprofits.
Photos you took or purchased stock photos
Photos are a great way to add some personality to your social media, whether using photos you took yourself (of people, places, or products) or stock photos you’ve purchased online. If you run a retail business or your nonprofit serves people in some way, photos are a necessity. You need to show what you do to your potential customers or donors!
Keep in mind that you should only use licensed stock photos that you purchase or photos that you have written permission to use, otherwise you may be violating copyright laws. If you’re using photos of other people, make sure you have written permission to use the photo for marketing purposes.
Custom images you create
There is always the option of creating your own images using a design software such as Canva, where you may or may not use a photo as part of the graphic. You can keep it simple with an overlay of your logo on a photo or design a more complex custom image.
As with anything in marketing, you want to aim for a consistent look and feel of your custom images, so consider creating some templates or some design guidelines to follow.
AI-generated images
This is a newer option and can be great for more complex themes that you want to illustrate in an image. Like any AI tool, the product you get out of it depends on the time and effort you put into it. That being said, this may not be a good option for everyone, depending on your budget to purchase a tool and the time you can invest in learning it.
Custom images from a graphic designer
This is the option we use for any clients who invest in our monthly social media with images package. Working directly with a professional graphic designer gives you the opportunity to set the style, colors, and feel of your images without having to stress about doing it yourself. If it’s within your budget to outsource your marketing images, this is a great way to create consistent social media images over time.
Want to enhance your social media with images but aren’t sure where to start or don’t have the time to create images? Reach out to us to talk about social media packages and how we can help.