The 3 Most Important Design Elements of Social Media Graphics

They say a picture says a thousand words, but you probably still rely on actual text to convey your brand’s message. Using text on social media graphics is encouraged, but you need to know how much to use and what kind of typographical design will work best for each piece. The number-one rule for graphic typography is “keep it brief.” Some text helps viewers contextualize your ad, but too much might deter them. 

Once you figure out which words will accompany your graphic, you’ll want to pay attention to their design. Font plays a major role in conveying your brand’s voice. Choose the wrong one, and your message might be read in a different tone than you intended! It’s smart to build a branding kit with a few “brand-appropriate” fonts that are both true to voice and easy to read.

Keep things simple by only using one or two fonts or typefaces in the graphic and make sure there’s enough contrast between the text and background, so it’s easy to read.

The colors you choose for your social media graphics are important for multiple reasons. First, you want to choose colors that align with your overall branding, so your social feeds display a unified brand image. Second, individual colors can influence the tone and message of your graphic and actually change how your audience perceives the post.

A graphic featuring different shades of gray and black will have a very different tone than one boasting sunshine yellow. When designing your graphics, you’ll need to find a balance between your brand’s color palette and the right colors for the message you’re sending. Don’t be afraid to play around with shades, either. Sticking to all pastels or bold and bright colors can help unify your social media presence while giving you more creative freedom.

When you have the major pieces of your graphic ready—the text, color scheme, icons and overall message—you’ll need to piece them together in a way that’s visually appealing and that makes sense. Visual hierarchy will be key here. This refers to the way you structure the graphic’s elements to emphasize some things more than others.

The visual hierarchy of every graphic will be slightly different. It’s up to you to determine what the most important elements are. What do you want viewers to take away after looking at your graphic? Play around with size and placement—larger elements toward the top or center of the post will draw the most attention.

There’s no “right” or “wrong” way to create social media graphics. However, by paying attention to these three design elements, you’ll be able to create ads and social posts that convey your message faster and hold the viewer’s attention for longer.

If your brand needs help implementing a social advertising strategy with graphics, GIFs, videos and more, say hello to the team at Spin Creative.

Spin Creative is a video production company and creative agency helping marketers create winning video and creative strategies that engage, inspire and activate targeted audiences. Spin is headquartered in Seattle with offices in San Francisco and London, serving brands around the globe.