
The custom graphics are capable of setting oneself apart and capitalizing in the modern day where visual content is of prime importance. Apart from TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, other platforms are embracing images and videos too as it promotes reach. According to the available data, referred posts with visuals received almost 94% more views than posts without. For the businesses, influencers and content creators, custom graphics are now a must-have component to have a chance of business survival.
This article will help the readers understand how and why graphics are crucial to social media, how it boosts your online identity and how to prepare or use such graphics.
Also Read: Graphic Designers for E-commerce Websites in Pakistan
Why Custom Graphics Matter
Custom graphics are images that are made to specifically cater to your brand which includes your logo, cover images and profile pictures. These images are not free photos from the internet as they are striking in appearance and match your slogan. Here’s why they are a necessity:
Cross Media Brand Awareness
All the platforms require one to be consistent in order to capture the attention of the audience. Whether it is on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, everyone should have the same style. This is because repetition makes it easier to learn. It has been found out that consistent presentation of a brand increases its recognition by up to 80 percent.
Increased levels of engagement
Users are often quick to dismiss social media content that doesn’t engage them immediately. Customized images which meet the needs of your specific audience will, by contrast, be more engaging. One study finds that the addition of images could increase engagement rates with a post by as much as 37 percent.
Trust and competence
Professional appearance is enhanced by unique and refined images which make one’s profile or brand more appealing. Conversely, poorly made or standard visuals can keep users or consumers from following a brand.
Compatible to different social media platforms
Images have different sizes and specifications depending on the social media. With customized graphics, you can propagate content on all platforms whether a square picture for Instagram, a rectangle header for Facebook, or a portrait story for Snapchat.
Why Having Custom Graphics for Your Social Media
Custom graphics will enhance the visuals of social media accounts and help in achieving tangible results.
- Improve Leads Generation: The proper graphics can convey what a website, newsletter subscription, or purchase is trying to achieve.
- Improve Audience Retention: Amazing graphics may create posts that are unforgettable and therefore will ensure that the consumers are frequenting the content.
- Enhance Virality: Interested users who are scrolling and searching through a news feed will actively share posts that catch their interests thus expanding the reach of your content.
For example, infographics get three times more shares than any other content on social media. A professionally designed custom infographic can dramatically condense dense information for an audience, making it easy for them to understand and disseminate.
Things To Keep In Mind When Creating Custom Graphics
I would argue the expectations and requirements behind using custom graphics is the understanding of custom graphics as a design. And so below I have what one should look for:
Know Your Target Market
You have to know your target market through your graphics. Think about what they are into, their ethos and the type of things they consume. For instance, if it’s a younger target market, they might prefer the loud type of designs. Or maybe it’s the corporate audience that prefers a more subtle and sleek touch.
Pay Attention To Branding
- Brand Colors: Brand aesthetics should be followed and hence so should the brand colors.
- Fonts: Fonts that are easy to read should be used as those go along with the tone of the brand image as well.
- Logo: Promote your logo but do it in a way that the graphics don’t drown the logo, instead compliments it.
Don’t Fall Into Quantity Over Quality Trap
In our day this is a popular notion. But in reality, high bar designs are what keeps the public credibility. Graphics that advertise text are gross and such designs tend to steer the audience into confusion, so making the design minimalistic and straightforward would do the opposite as well as give off a professional appearance.
Always Use The Right Software
There are numerous software available to create custom graphics, some of them include:
- Canva: Great place to start as it is simple and easy to use.
- Photoshop/Illustrator: Great for professional use as it comes with a different level of features.
- Figma: Good for design projects where there is a requirement to work as a team.
Where to Find Graphics That You Would Like To Make
Another possibility would be to hire professional graphic designers or make use of graphics marketplaces if getting custom images is not possible within your team.
Freelance Graphic Designers
There are various platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr where one can find freelance graphic designers. Going through portfolio and client reviews may be advisable to avoid hiring someone who is not worth your time.
Design Agencies
They will offer you a full range of services. These include making social media graphics, a logo for you and your business, and marketing materials. This is a good option if you want everything done in an orderly fashion under one contractor. However, this option is a bit more expensive than hiring freelancers.
Subscription Services
For one flat monthly fee, certain businesses, like Design Pickle, can do as many graphic designs as you want. This approach is ideal for companies or businesses that require consistent and constant graphic creation.
Custom templates
If you would rather do the work yourself, then purchasing custom templates may be an affordable way to go about it. On Envato and Creative Market ,for example, there are many such templates that you can adjust to your needs.
Assessing the Effect of Custom Graphics
To avoid wasting resources in making custom graphics ensure that you track the likes of the following performance parameters:
- Engagement Rates: The statistics about interactions including likes, shares, and comments.
- Click-Through Rates (CTR): The users who have clicked your links.
- Follower Growth: Determines the change in the people who follow you, after the addition of the new images.
- Conversion Rates: It tracks how many times people purchased, signed up, etc., as a result of your posts.
Employ social media platforms insights such as Instagram Insights, Facebook Analytics or other social media platforms such as Hootsuite. Change your design strategy informed by what most appeals to your target audience.
Conclusion
Custom graphics are one of the key elements of how to be recognizable on social media and interact with your followers. They help in building a strong brand, gaining customers’ credibility and maximizing the reach of their content.
Regardless of whether you want to design the graphics with freelancers or hire a professional agency, custom graphics should be made a major investment by all serious players in the digital space. By doing so, you will have the ability to change your social media into a visual portfolio that stands out from the crowd. Custom graphics elevate your social media, ensuring impact and lasting impressions.