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Images matter … there’s very little debate about it.

Adding an image to your social post, in most cases, is to your benefit. That’s because it’s hard wired into us -- a Cal State Fullerton study showed that we remember roughly 10% of what we hear, 30% of what we read and 80% of what we see and do.

On the X platform (formerly Twitter), it manifests as tweets that capture 150% more retweets, 89% more favorites and 18% more clicks when featuring an image, according to AdWeek. Same for Facebook, which showed image posts created 114% more impressions and 100% more engagement, as per the International News Media Association.

So what’s stopping you from adding a smart, relevant, engaging image?

At Lately, we hear four common excuses, but the good news is we’ve got an answer for each one of them, thanks to our super sleek new image creation solution, courtesy of Vista Create -- and it’s now available to every, single, solitary Lately user. You can see it in action here:

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But let’s unpack these four roadblocks and see how to resolve them as well as examples of image posts done right. After that, you’ll be ready for Lately’s free 7-day bootcamp that gives you full access to the tools and day-by-day training videos that take your social from ho-hum to high performing (ie. real customer results like 245% more clicks, 200% more leads and 12,000% more engagement).

As far as those excuses, these are the big 4… 

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‍1. I don’t have original photography?

If you don’t have it, you can acquire it. Apart from providing a load of legal advice on image copyrights, the simple, safe answer is to access a library of pre-cleared images. Lately’s built-in image solution offers access to more than 1 million royalty-free photos, videos, and vectors, which are cleared for use and ready to replace your current image creation solution.

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‍2. I don’t have time to create images for every post?

‍We feel you -- that’s why the answer to this is ‘template and tweak’. Once you’ve created an image within Lately’s Vista Create, it’s saved for future use under “My Projects” -- which means with a few quick tweaks you have a new image ready to go in seconds. But if you don’t know where to start, there’s more than 100,000 professional templates ready and waiting that get you 90% there.

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‍3. I don’t know what images to use?‍

Having access to a million photos can be a gift and a curse. But remember, the key is to select an image that is, #1 relevant to your post, and #2 creates a connection with the user. Lately’s neuroscience-driven AI™ knows the best way to connect is by triggering nostalgia, memory or emotion. So use the image search to find photos that push at least one of these hot buttons.

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‍4. I don’t know how to make every image unique?‍

Working with stock photography can be tricky because using an image without customizing it to reflect you or your brand, can come off as stale, robotic or even tone deaf. But there are few easy ways to add your personality to an image.

1. Add color -- inject a splash of color that matches your brand’s or is at least consistently used in your posts. (Add these colors to your Brand Kit in Lately for easy reference.)
2. Add your logo -- these can work to personalize, but they should be kept small so as not to distract from the image or message. (You can also add logos to your Brand Kit in Lately.)‍
3. Add titles -- when promoting an article, video, podcast, book, event, etc -- add the title to the image to connect it directly to your post. (Preset text styles are one click away in Lately -- use them as is, or change the fonts and colors to match your Brand Kit.)‍
4. Add yourself -- quotes are a common way to share your perspective in an impactful, visual fashion. Using comments and calls to action can work here as well.

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In addition to the solutions above, we’ve shared 6 other tips to make your images sing.

1. Be relevant -- this is the most important factor, the image needs to convey what your post is about. It doesn’t have to tell the whole story, just a piece.

(Ex. See White Pine Local’s super clever idea to visualize budgeting.)

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‍2. Use a high-res image -- people skip low-res, low-quality images so use high-res whenever possible. (Lately has, oh about a million of them.)

(Ex. See Triyosoft, the power of a strong high quality image)

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‍3. Choose interesting images -- for social images the unexpected catches the eye -- for example a small person in a huge landscape, a collection with one item that doesn’t fit, or a single image with lots of white space (aka, negative space) or a frame inside a frame inside a frame.

(Ex. See Edelman, although it’s video, this is a perfect example of frame in frame.)

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4. Simple works -- objects with the background dropped out can be a simple, clean way to draw attention. (In Lately, it’s as simple as selecting photo > click “remove background”.)

(Ex. See BBDO, single compelling image + no background)

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5. Scenes + objects -- when it comes to stock photography, scenes and objects are the simplest choices, just be sure it doesn’t include dated elements. An older smartphone or a storefront that’s no longer in business makes you look out of touch.

(Ex. See Zillow, relevant background + eye-catching stat)

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6. Avoid the generic and cliche -- using stock images without customizing is a no-no, see the next tip on how to make them your own.

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There you have it -- these four tips will get you adding images regularly and choosing / making the right kind that’ll drive engagement. Now it’s time to put Lately, and our new image creation tools, to work on your social profiles with a free 7-day bootcamp -- you get access plus day-by-day video tutorials -- it couldn’t be any easier.

No more excuses, there’s nothing stopping you -- let’s make your socials shine.