“Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language.”

Walt Disney Company

Here is the audio version of this post. Thank you so much for listening. Enjoy.

As the year comes to a close, I reflect on all the opportunities there are for small businesses when it comes to branding, storytelling, and marketing both online and off. One of the biggest areas I continue to see is how we present our images on social platforms.

Image matters. Both online and off. Cut off logos, blurry pictures, cut off pictures, etc are not helping our image. But there is a solution. Finding a designer that can help size your images can make a big difference in how your brand is seen in the eyes of the customer.

While there are always exceptions and variables and the platforms seem to be changing almost by the day, these templates are a great place to start.

Facebook Profile Art (and almost every other social platform profile pic)
If you are using Facebook for business, your logo goes here. Not a promotion or fancy image. Save that for the Cover Image or a post.

Facebook Cover Art
This is an awesome place to show your business, your work, a feature program or promotion. Make the space count and change it up just like you change-up your marketing calendar. When creating this image, be sure to leave space for the Profile pic in the lower left hand side.

Facebook Event Art
If you are big on posting events such as fundraisers, girls nights, grand openings, etc, this can be a highly engaging part of your Facebook biz page.

Facebook Post Art (also Instagram)
When creating art for Facebook and Instagram posts, this is a good template to follow. When you post images taken from your phone or tablet, Facebook and Instagram almost always “re-size” it for you when uploading.

YouTube Channel Art
If you have not noticed, YouTube changed their channel layout, and thus, the need for creating new art. It’s a tricky one, but important none the less if you have a presence on YouTube.

Pinterest Pin Art
Image is everything on Pinterest. Be sure to invest the time, money and energy to present compelling and powerful images if Pinterest is part of your social strategy.

When in doubt, always go to the HELP section of any social platform. There is almost always help available on sizing, dimensions, etc. Are there any platforms you would like to see a cheat sheet for? Share your thoughts in the comments below or reach out directly to me, I’m listening.

As 2013 comes to a close and plans are being made for 2014, it may be a good idea to add a review of all your social pages. Do they reflect your image, message and brand? Are all the links updated and working? Is your About section current and relevant. Those are just some of the questions to ask yourself as you do your year end review.

(shared with LOVE from Nina)