The right image is essential for achieving your goals on Facebook
Pictures drive engagement, recognition and revenue in social media. Statistics show that posts with pictures receive 40% more attention than posts without images. So how do you know if you are using the right picture? Charlotte Da Silva of the Swedish communication agency, Salgado, gives her best advice and presents a customer case.
Charlotte Da Silva, CEO of Salgado
Hello, Charlotte! We heard about a customer case in which Salgado helped Riksbyggen (one of Sweden's largest housing companies) with their communication efforts on Facebook. Can you tell us about it?
"We have a long-term assignment for Riksbyggen where we work on their approach to social media, mainly Facebook. This first project was to solicit clients to a new area featuring newly built condominiums. In order to even get started, the customer needed to conduct a number of interest surveys. We had seven months, but it took only half the time to sell out, thanks to our campaign on Facebook."
Success! So how did you go about it?

"We set clear objectives, targets and measurement points to convert engagement into business. We segmented our target group based on gender and age into eight subcategories. It is very important to divide the audience into segments, because Facebook provides good opportunities for micro-targeting, which allows you to tailor your messages to the right segment. We had six different images with different motifs and feelings and various text that we put together in countless combinations to appeal to the different segments. Another important part was that we custom tailored messages and images originally developed for print media for use in social media."
What should we consider when customizing messages and images for social media?
"Social media is all about two-way communication, not one-way, it's good to always remember that fact. In printed media, Riksbyggen's advertising agency developed the text 'New apartment? Get yourself 41 adult points', which we converted to 'Do you have a friend that needs adult points?' and so had them tag friends in the comment field. It became a fun thing that was widely shared."

"As for images, they must be adapted so that they are strong enough to catch the attention when someone quickly scrolls through a feed."
What happened when you put out the campaign on Facebook?

"We noticed early on that one of the images generated many more conversions than the other five pictures. It is extremely important to make ongoing optimizations so as not to waste money on ads that do not provide satisfactory results. In this case, the terrace picture clearly was the most successful. Then we could shut down the other ads with the "wrong" images, and focus even more on the one that hit just right."
Why do you think the picture on the terrace (above) was so successful?

"I think it's because the image conveys much more than what it actually is. The image evokes positive emotions and makes you dream of how it would be to live in one of the apartments."
Charlotte Da Silva's best advice for a successful image mindset on Facebook
• Test different images
It is not always the images you think will work best, but a subject that tends to be successful are images with people. Try different images so that you find what works for your target market and the goal you have set. The right image can increase conversion rates enormously.

In an assignment that Salgado did for Läkarmissionen (hospital aid agency), the worst picture got 641 actions (i.e. shares, comments or clicks showing that users enlarged the image for viewing) while the best picture enjoyed three times better results with 2,036 actions.

• Use mobile friendly images
Keep in mind that 70% of users visit Facebook from a mobile device so clear, colorful images work best. At the same time, the image must be striking enough to catch the user's eye as they scroll through their feed.
• Package the images correctly
In social media images often work best if they feel authentic and not so commercial. Package the product in an unexpected way for best success. Consider, for example, designer furniture set in a forest instead of in a luxurious indoor environment. Contrasts and the unexpected works well.


• Do not automatically use images that are designed for printed media
Consider whether the picture is a good fit for Facebook based on your goals and if the image can attract the attention on a Facebook feed.
Avoid the most common mistakes on Facebook according to Charlotte Da Silva
• Don't start out trying to sell, first you need to build trust, i.e. through storytelling.

• Not setting clear goals, targets and analyzing continuously so that you can optimize. Google Analytics and Facebook Insights helps you analyze the impact and objectives.

• "Publish it out on Facebook too" is not smart thinking. Do not forget what's unique about Facebook! Customize your message so that it is not a one-way communication, but two-way communication.

• Do not forget to give the audience a clear "Call to Action" if you want a viral spread. What should the receivers do when they have finished reading? Create incentives to share using questions, prompts and thoughts.

THE TIP
INSPIRATION Get to know our photographers
Have you seen our newsletters in which we present the photographers we work with? We now gather our newsletters and the image selections on the web so that you can easily browse through them when you are in need of inspiration! Welcome!
SEMIOTICS SCHOOL Two images signaled completely different values
Do you remember? In the April newsletter, we finished our feature on semiotics with a diagnostic test. The challenge was to find two or more "wrongs". In other words, images that signaled values that went counter to the other.
And the correct answer is:
The two images that are contrary to the other are the two images at the bottom right: the child and the hands with flowers.

The child and flowers convey both a natural and organic disorder. The vibrant, optimistic nature is present through sprawling trees, authentic natural light (reinforced by lens flare), bushy flower petals and a variety of natural colors. The skin tone is warm, the images are open and accessible to the viewer.

The other images convey controlled coolness and distancing in terms of few and soft colors, well-structured and arranged compositions, introversion and clinical purity - a form of perfection.
Var god vänta...