Making your social media visual with pinterest, instagram, and tumblr

making your social media visual
 with pinterest, instagram, and
             tumblr

                         Metropolitan	
  Regional	
  Arts	
  Council	
  
                                   April	
  30,	
  2014	
  
	
  
       Holly	
  Harrison	
  —	
  Planned	
  Parenthood	
  Minnesota	
  +	
  Paper	
  Darts	
  
                  Courtney	
  Algeo	
  —	
  Minneapolis	
  Ins4tute	
  of	
  Arts	
  

itinerary

Why	
  visuals	
  
Tumblr	
  
Pinterest	
  
Instagram	
  
Wrap	
  up	
  +	
  exercise	
  

why

“Whoever controls the media—the images—controls the
culture."
          —Allen Ginsberg

why

      Image source: National Geographic, photograph courtesy Pedro Saura via Science/AAAS

why

                You	
  are	
  going	
  to	
  have	
  a	
  
                great	
  4me	
  at	
  the	
  MIA’s	
  
                Third	
  Thursday	
  event.	
  You	
  
                might	
  dance	
  under	
  mood	
  
                ligh4ng	
  in	
  a	
  way	
  that	
  you	
  
      vs.	
  
                typically	
  might	
  not	
  on	
  a	
  
                Thursday,	
  or	
  you	
  might	
  
                relax	
  with	
  a	
  drink	
  and	
  
                watch	
  others	
  dance	
  under	
  
                mood	
  ligh4ng	
  on	
  what	
  
                otherwise	
  would	
  be	
  a	
  
                regular	
  Thursday.	
  	
  

images get more engagement

On	
  Facebook,	
  images	
  get	
  more	
  
engagement	
  than	
  other	
  posts—53%	
  
more	
  likes,	
  104%	
  more	
  comments.	
  

                                                  vs.	
  

images get more engagement

On	
  TwiIer,	
  tweets	
  with	
  images	
  get	
  
18%	
  more	
  clicks,	
  89%	
  more	
  
favorites,	
  150%	
  more	
  retweets.	
  

                                                       vs.	
  

check: is this true for you?

                           facebook	
  insights	
  

check: is this true for you?

                               twiGer	
  analyHcs	
  

what to post

what types of images to post

    Hmely	
  

what types of images to post

     useful	
  

what types of images to post

                          funny	
  

what types of images to post

    teasers	
  

what types of images to post

                  people	
  

what types of images to post

original	
  content	
  

design

         or	
  

how to beef up images

• Phone	
  apps	
  for	
  photo	
  manipulaHon:	
  	
  
  VSCOcam,	
  Camera	
  Plus3*,	
  Google	
  Lens	
  
  Blur	
  
• Photo	
  ediHng	
  web	
  apps:	
  Pixlr,	
  Sumo	
  
  paint,	
  Pic	
  Monkey	
  
• PuLng	
  text	
  on	
  images:	
  Over,	
  AddText,	
  
  PicFont	
  
• Text	
  apps:	
  Notegraphy	
  
• Infographics:	
  Visual.ly,	
  Piktochart,	
  
  Venngage	
  
• All-­‐in-­‐one:	
  Studio	
  

a whole new world

              vs.	
  

hot tip

a whole new world

              &	
  

size matters

                                                      1500×50
                                     400×400	
  
                                                      0	
  

               	
  Jon	
  Loomer:	
  All	
  Facebook	
  
                   Image	
  Dimensions	
  
                   Infographic	
  

size matters

                                                         From	
  Unwrapping	
  Tumblr	
  

   Author	
  Media:	
  Pinterest	
  Cheat	
  Sheet	
  

clicks vs. engagement

take action

	
  

take action

	
  

considerations, part 1

considerations, part 2

underdog power

• Visual	
  storytelling	
  is	
  more	
  
  prevalent	
  than	
  ever,	
  and	
  
  Pinterest,	
  Tumblr,	
  and	
  Instagram	
  
  are	
  either	
  rooted	
  in	
  or	
  en4rely	
  
  dedicated	
  to	
  showing,	
  not	
  
  telling.	
  
• There’s	
  no	
  ‘wrong	
  way’	
  to	
  use	
  
  these	
  plaWorms,	
  but	
  the	
  best	
  
  prac4ces	
  you	
  know	
  from	
  TwiIer	
  
  and	
  Facebook	
  apply	
  here	
  too.	
  

underdog power

• You	
  don’t	
  have	
  to	
  be	
  on	
  every	
  network.	
  
• Star4ng	
  a	
  new	
  social	
  media	
  profile	
  is	
  an	
  opportunity	
  to	
  
  approach	
  it	
  from	
  a	
  new	
  angle.	
  
• Ask	
  yourself:	
  Who	
  is	
  your	
  audience?	
  What	
  is	
  your	
  focus?	
  
  What	
  are	
  your	
  strengths	
  and	
  weaknesses?	
  Are	
  you	
  
  dedicated	
  to	
  making	
  this	
  profile	
  work?	
  

pinterest, by definition

• Pinterest	
  is	
  a	
  virtual	
  pinboard,	
  
  which	
  allows	
  you	
  to	
  organize	
  
  and	
  share	
  all	
  the	
  beau4ful	
  
  things	
  you	
  find	
  on	
  the	
  web.	
  	
  
• You	
  can	
  browse	
  pinboards	
  
  created	
  by	
  other	
  people	
  to	
  
  discover	
  new	
  things	
  and	
  get	
  
  inspira4on	
  from	
  people	
  who	
  
  share	
  your	
  interests.	
  
• In	
  about	
  4	
  years,	
  Pinterest	
  has	
  
  aIracted	
  70	
  million	
  users.	
  

pinterest: the basics

• You	
  can	
  use	
  the	
  Pin	
  It	
  browser	
  extension	
  to	
  collect	
  images	
  
  found	
  on	
  the	
  internet,	
  or	
  you	
  can	
  upload	
  your	
  own	
  
  pictures.	
  
• These	
  images	
  are	
  sorted	
  onto	
  topic	
  specific-­‐boards.	
  

pinterest: the basics

• Expanding,	
  and	
  clicking	
  on	
  
  the	
  image	
  brings	
  users	
  to	
  the	
  
  site	
  it	
  was	
  originally	
  pinned	
  
  from.	
  
• Users	
  can	
  like,	
  repin,	
  and	
  
  comment	
  on	
  your	
  pins.	
  
• Pinterest’s	
  feed	
  updates	
  in	
  
  real-­‐4me	
  and	
  profiles	
  for	
  
  individuals	
  and	
  organiza4ons	
  
  are	
  mostly	
  the	
  same.	
  

pinterest: how orgs use it

Do	
  you	
  have	
  a	
  compelling	
  story	
  to	
  tell	
  with	
  images?	
  

pinterest: how orgs use it

•   Projects	
  and	
  products	
  
•   Events	
  and	
  field	
  trips	
  
•   Volunteers	
  and	
  donors	
  
•   Partner	
  spotlights	
  
•   Your	
  org’s	
  history	
  
•   Facts	
  and	
  stats	
  
•   In	
  the	
  news	
  
•   Favorite	
  resources	
  

pinterest:how everyone else
uses it

• Of	
  Pinterest’s	
  70	
  million	
  
  users,	
  80%	
  are	
  women	
  
  between	
  the	
  ages	
  of	
  25and	
  
  50.	
  
• Most	
  of	
  the	
  pinning	
  
  happening	
  right	
  now	
  
  revolves	
  around	
  art,	
  home	
  
  décor,	
  fashion,	
  health,	
  
  recipes,	
  DIY,	
  kid	
  stuff,	
  
  wedding	
  stuff,	
  etc.	
  

pinterest: how you fit in

• Some	
  organiza4ons	
  and	
  ins4tu4ons	
  
  have	
  a	
  crazy	
  pinning	
  advantage.	
  
• If	
  you	
  have	
  an	
  eye	
  for	
  content,	
  you	
  can	
  
  make	
  Pinterest	
  work	
  for	
  your	
  
  organiza4on.	
  
• The	
  key	
  is	
  mee4ng	
  Pinterest’s	
  user	
  base	
  
  in	
  the	
  middle.	
  

pinterest: how you fit in

pinterest: how you fit in

pinterest: how you fit in

pinterest: how you fit in

pinterest: optimize

• Keep	
  an	
  SEO	
  mindset	
  when:	
  
   – naming	
  your	
  files,	
  
   – naming	
  your	
  boards,	
  
   – and	
  cap4oning	
  your	
  images	
  
• Repin	
  your	
  own	
  pins.	
  
• Go	
  verHcal.	
  
• Op4mum	
  descrip4on	
  length:	
  
  100–200	
  characters.	
  
• Best	
  Hme	
  to	
  post:	
  2–4	
  p.m.	
  
  and	
  8	
  p.m.–1	
  a.m. (Peak	
  Hme:	
  
  Saturday	
  mornings.)	
  

pinterest: optimize

                            secret	
  boards	
  

     shared	
  boards	
  

pinterest: optimize

• AnalyHcs:	
  Convert	
  your	
  
  Pinterest	
  account	
  to	
  a	
  
  business	
  account,	
  and	
  
  Pinterest	
  will	
  give	
  you	
  access	
  
  to	
  on-­‐site	
  analy4cs.	
  
• Viraltag:	
  Schedule	
  pins,	
  bulk	
  
  upload	
  images,	
  mul4ple	
  
  account	
  management,	
  and	
  
  more.	
  
• PinAlerts:	
  Receive	
  email	
  
  updates	
  when	
  someone	
  pins	
  
  an	
  image	
  from	
  your	
  website.	
  

pinterest: parting words

• Pinterest	
  is	
  awesome	
  for	
  
  contests.	
  
                                                    get	
  custom	
  
• Pinterest	
  provides	
  an	
  
  opportunity	
  to	
  rethink	
  how	
  your	
  
  organizaHon	
  incorporates	
  
  visuals.	
  
• Bookmark. Do	
  a	
  weekly	
  check-­‐in	
  
  on	
  like-­‐minded	
  organiza4ons,	
  
  neighboring	
  businesses,	
  or	
  
  pinners	
  you	
  want	
  to	
  keep	
  on	
  
  your	
  radar.	
  

instagram, by definition

• Instagram	
  is	
  a	
  fast,	
  beau4ful,	
  and	
  
  fun	
  way	
  to	
  share	
  photos	
  and	
  
  short	
  videos	
  with	
  friends	
  and	
  
  family.	
  

instagram: the basics

• 200	
  million	
  monthly	
  users	
  turn	
  to	
  
  Instagram	
  to	
  edit	
  and	
  share	
  
  photos	
  and	
  videos	
  easily.	
  
• Unlike	
  other	
  social	
  media	
  
  plaWorms,	
  Instagram	
  requires	
  a	
  
  smartphone	
  or	
  tablet	
  to	
  post.	
  
• Instagram	
  uses	
  the	
  language	
  and	
  
  look	
  of	
  TwiIer	
  (hashtags,	
  
  @username,	
  etc.)	
  but	
  is	
  owned	
  
  by	
  Facebook.	
  

instagram: how orgs use it

• Arts	
  organiza4ons	
  are	
  
  using	
  Instagram	
  to	
  
  connect	
  with	
  their	
  fans	
  
  and	
  communi4es	
  and	
  
  share	
  their	
  work	
  
  through	
  photos.	
  

instagram: how orgs fit in

• A	
  lot	
  of	
  Instagram’s	
  popularity	
  lies	
  in	
  
  its	
  digital	
  filters,	
  which	
  give	
  a	
  grainy	
  
  cell	
  phone	
  photo	
  a	
  certain	
  je	
  ne	
  sais	
  
  quoi.	
  
• If	
  you	
  take	
  one	
  photo	
  per	
  week	
  in	
  
  your	
  office,	
  an	
  Instagram	
  account	
  
  could	
  be	
  worthwhile	
  simply	
  to	
  
  enhance	
  your	
  photo	
  camera’s	
  
  output.	
  
• If	
  you	
  have	
  a	
  real	
  story	
  to	
  tell	
  
  through	
  photos,	
  Instagram	
  is	
  a	
  no-­‐
  brainer.	
  

instagram: the MIA way

• Engage	
  with	
  all	
  tagged,	
  loca4on-­‐
  tagged,	
  and	
  hashtagged	
  images	
  
• Basically,	
  just	
  be	
  consistent	
  in	
  
  tone,	
  messaging,	
  and	
  interac4on	
  

connect

dory takes over

halloween

contest

crowdsourcing content

 #DogDayMIA	
           #MIASpoGed	
  

instagram: optimize

• Iconosquare	
  (formerly	
  StaHgram):	
  Your	
  go-­‐to	
  for	
  
  Instagram	
  metrics,	
  offering	
  snapshots	
  and	
  rolling	
  analyses	
  
  of	
  your	
  engagement,	
  most	
  popular	
  posts,	
  and	
  best	
  4mes	
  to	
  
  post.	
  

instagram: optimize

instagram: parting tips

• Just	
  because	
  you	
  need	
  to	
  post	
  content	
  with	
  a	
  phone	
  or	
  
  tablet	
  doesn’t	
  mean	
  that’s	
  where	
  the	
  pictures	
  need	
  to	
  
  come	
  from	
  originally.	
  
• PosHng	
  links	
  in	
  the	
  descrip4ons	
  of	
  photos	
  is	
  possible,	
  it	
  just	
  
  might	
  not	
  be	
  the	
  most	
  effec4ve	
  place	
  for	
  them.	
  
• If	
  you	
  don’t	
  want	
  to	
  cross-­‐post	
  but	
  do	
  want	
  to	
  reuse	
  the	
  
  image,	
  the	
  filtered	
  Instagram	
  photo	
  will	
  save	
  on	
  your	
  
  phone.	
  

tumblr, by definition

• Tumblr	
  lets	
  you	
  effortlessly	
  
  share	
  anything.	
  	
  
• Post	
  text,	
  photos,	
  quotes,	
  
  links,	
  music,	
  and	
  videos	
  from	
  
  your	
  browser,	
  phone,	
  
  desktop,	
  email,	
  or	
  wherever	
  
  you	
  happen	
  to	
  be.	
  
• You	
  can	
  customize	
  
  everything,	
  from	
  colors	
  to	
  
  your	
  theme’s	
  HTML.	
  

tumblr: the basics

• Tumblr	
  is	
  as	
  much	
  blogging	
  service	
  as	
  it	
  is	
  social	
  network.	
  
• It’s	
  known	
  for	
  topic-­‐based	
  image	
  blogging	
  but	
  is,	
  in	
  reality,	
  
  home	
  to	
  millions	
  of	
  users	
  who	
  have	
  no	
  real	
  desire	
  for	
  “blog	
  
  success.”	
  

tumblr: the basics

• Tumblr	
  can	
  be	
  a	
  home	
  run	
  for	
  your	
  organiza4on	
  for	
  
  content	
  sharing	
  and	
  storytelling,	
  thanks	
  in	
  part	
  to	
  easy	
  
  tagging,	
  image	
  posHng,	
  and	
  video	
  sharing.	
  
• Unlike	
  other	
  blogging	
  plaWorms,	
  short,	
  behind-­‐the-­‐scenes	
  
  style	
  posts	
  are	
  preferred	
  over	
  lengthy	
  editorials.	
  

tumblr: the basics

• In	
  addi4on	
  to	
  pos4ng	
  original	
  
  content,	
  Tumblr	
  encourages	
  
  and	
  makes	
  it	
  easy	
  to	
  reblog	
  and	
  
  like	
  others’	
  content.	
  
• Among	
  the	
  108	
  million	
  blogs	
  on	
  
  Tumblr,	
  only	
  10–15%	
  of	
  content	
  
  is	
  ‘original.’	
  	
  
• (And	
  some4mes,	
  the	
  comments	
  
  become	
  the	
  reason	
  a	
  post	
  gets	
  
  repeatedly	
  shared.)	
  

tumblr: how orgs use it

tumblr: how orgs use it

tumblr:
how everyone else uses it

• Tumblr	
  is	
  the	
  favorite	
  social	
  media	
  
  site	
  of	
  Americans	
  under	
  age	
  25.	
  
• The	
  trick	
  is	
  leveraging	
  Tumblr	
  in	
  a	
  
  way	
  that	
  shows	
  you	
  understand	
  
  the	
  plaWorm’s	
  unique	
  advantages
  —like	
  anonymous	
  asks,	
  
  submissions,	
  and	
  gif	
  support.	
  

tumblr: how you fit in

                   [in]/direct	
  
                  community	
  
                  engagement	
  

tumblr: how you fit in

                  ask	
  box	
  heros	
  

tumblr: how you fit in

             gif	
  makers	
  and	
  shakers	
  

tumblr: optimize

• Missing	
  e:	
  An	
  extension	
  that	
  
  offers	
  tools,	
  tweaks,	
  and	
  
  shortcuts.	
  
• Tumblr	
  Savior:	
  Allows	
  you	
  to	
  
  blacklist	
  (or	
  whitelist)	
  any	
  posts	
  
  with	
  keywords	
  of	
  your	
  choosing.	
  
• Tumblr	
  AnalyHcs:	
  They’ve	
  got	
  
  ‘em	
  

tumblr: optimize

• Make	
  your	
  Tumblr	
  accessible	
  to	
  non-­‐Tumblr	
  users.	
  Create	
  
  naviga4on	
  for	
  other	
  pages.	
  Install	
  Disqus	
  for	
  comments.	
  
• Use	
  tags.	
  Tumblr	
  search	
  depends	
  on	
  it.	
  
• Schedule	
  your	
  posts.	
  Best	
  4mes:	
  between	
  7	
  and	
  10	
  p.m.	
  
• Bigger	
  the	
  beGer.	
  Tumblr	
  is	
  a	
  perfect	
  plaWorm	
  for	
  large,	
  hi-­‐res	
  
  photos.	
  
• RSS	
  compa4ble,	
  for	
  old	
  school	
  cats.	
  
• Track	
  relevant	
  tags.	
  The	
  same	
  hashtags	
  you	
  find	
  on	
  TwiIer,	
  you’ll	
  
  find	
  on	
  Tumblr.	
  

picking one (or two, or three)