January 2014 - Going Social

Creating custom graphics for your Twitter profile is not an easy task if you do not know the proper image sizes and dimensions. That’s why we have created a Twitter cheat sheet with the most recent image sizes and dimensions you’ll need to produce a stellar profile.

Your PROFILE PICTURE will be displayed at 73 x 73 pixels on your profile page. It is recommended to upload as 500 x 500 pixels as this is the image size displayed when a user clicks on your profile picture. Your profile picture will automatically be resized to fit 73 x 73 pixels.

Within your tweets, your profile picture will be scaled down to fit 48 x 48 pixels.

The HEADER IMAGE is found behind your profile picture and measures 520 x 260 pixels. Twitter recommends you upload as 1252 x 626 pixels for a higher quality resolution.

Tip: Your header image will be obstructed by your profile picture, company name, and biography (160 characters max) so keep your header image simple.

The BACKGROUND IMAGE is the most challenging graphic to create for your Twitter profile. In order to create an ideal background image, you must take into account users screen resolution. It is important to note that the Twitter feed is approximately 870 pixels wide. The standard laptop screen resolution is 1366 pixels wide; however, many individuals still use desktops with larger monitors. Taking into account a larger monitor, we recommend starting with an image size of 1600 wide x 1200 pixels high.

If you plan your image to fit the standard 1366 px screen, you will be left with 248 px on each side of your Twitter feed. (1366 px – 870 px (Twitter feed) = 496 px total divided by 2 sides = 248 pixels.)

You will also need to factor in the margin dimensions. We recommend leaving about 22 px for the margin on each side of the background image. When the margins are factored in, you now have 226 px to work with on each side (248 px – 22px = 226px).

Tip: Place your primary design on the left hand side since this is where users will naturally be drawn to view any call to actions or branded logos.

Stats: 90% of users will see at least 78 pixels of the left side of your background image; 67% will see at least 204 pixels; 43% will see at least 247 pixels; but only 21% will see 284 pixels.

Your RECENT IMAGES, the images you’ve most recently shared with users will be visible under your user interface. They measure 90 x 90 pixels.

A SHARED IMAGE on your timeline will display as 435 x 375 px MAX as the displayed size depends on the original image size. The image will automatically be scaled down proportionally.

A SHARED VIDEO on your timeline will measure 435 x 244 pixels. The first 160 characters of your video description will be visible to users.

Now that you know the proper Twitter graphic sizes & dimensions, it’s time to get started creating your custom Twitter graphics. Make sure you save this cheat sheet on your computer and you’ll never have to Google “Twitter Image Dimensions” again!

The key to social media success is to understand the platforms that best sync with your business. You must first be aware of the different platforms available, the benefits of each, and how you can leverage these benefits to promote your business online.

With more than 70 million users around the world (Semiocast), Pinterest is one such platform that can help boost your business in more ways than one. So, why exactly should you market your business on Pinterest? Here are five great reasons –

1. Build Trust & Loyalty: Every online business owner understands the value of gaining trust on the Internet. It would mean quicker conversions, better brand recognition and even positive referrals. When you upload pictures on your website or blog and ask people to ‘pin’ your photographs, you are instantly connecting with the online world. Showcasing your business offerings will help potential buyers to develop a better understanding of what you’re selling. By pinning relevant and helpful resources, you will attract followers, increase your authority, and build the trust of your followers, which can lead to increased customer loyalty and positive referrals.

2. Increase Brand Visibility & Website Traffic: More than 80% of pins are repins (source: RJMetrics) which means it is very likely that your potential customer will pin your product images to their wall, resulting in increased brand visibility. According to a Pinterest study, 69% of Pinterest users have found at least one item that they bought or were interested in buying.

3. Promote Your Products/Services: Pinterest allows you to include a text description with every pin you post. You can leverage that space to promote your product and/or service offerings or explain to users how that given pin can relate to a person’s personal interest. By doing so, the likelihood of a user repining your pin on their own board will increase.

You can use your Pinterest board as an advertising canvas for a promotional offer, a brand message or even a product launch. Utilising this feature could be vital for the growth of your business.

4. Leverage Third Party Tools to Increase Your Pinterest ROI (Return on Investment): There are many third party Pinterest tools that can help you enhance your social media marketing experience. These resources could help you in many ways, from understanding live trends to even editing tools. An example of a few Pinterest tools include:

– Piquora: a powerful marketing and analytical suite that monitors how your pins and boards are performing.

– Pin Alerts: is a real-time Pinterest monitoring system that will send you automatic notifications every time someone pins something from your website.

– Pinstamatic: allows you to create custom pin-able links for your Pinterest board. This tool can turn locations, music, quotes, calendar dates, Twitter profile links, sticky notes and websites into pinnable links for others to share.

5. Reach Targeted Audiences: Pinterest allows people with shared interests to connect and share content with one another. You can leverage this activity by targeting niche audiences who can relate to your products and/or services. Use images that you know your target audience would “like”, share, or comment on. At the same time make sure you use relevant keywords. By using the correct keywords for your business, it is likely you’ll receive more shares by bloggers, a vital aspect for your company website.

Want to learn how to drive leads and web site traffic using Pinterest?

Do you want to learn the most strategic way to build followers on Pinterest and expand your marketing reach?

Social Influence Academy brings you a 6 part video series that will provide you with how-to demos for Pinterest business marketing success. These online video training programs will walk you through setting up your own company Pinterest page and you’ll learn techniques for profile success strategies along the way. After completing the training programs, you will understand exactly how Pinterest works and why having a Pinterest business page will benefit your company. Register today to learn how to become a Pinterest marketing expert!

For more information and to sign up today visit:

http://socialinfluenceacademy.com/online-video-training-programs/