We all make mistakes. It would be completely unrealistic to assume that you can go through an entire working day without making the odd typo or spelling mistake. It’s human nature to make the odd error, and it’s also entirely understandable. That said, some mistakes are not quite as easy to understand. One of these is, in fact, a bit of a bug-bear of mine! I can’t stand it when I see people choosing images for social media, blogs and other online purposes that are completely unsuitable and/or inappropriate.

Every image you use communicates something about you and your brand – consciously or not. The right visual grabs attention, sparks curiosity, and reinforces your message. The wrong one? It can confuse, put people off, or even damage your credibility.

Let’s make sure your images are working for you, not against you.

Common Mistakes In Choosing Images

Where an occasional typo says you made a little mistake, the wrong image can say you don’t know how to post properly on social, or worse still, you don’t care about the content you’ve published. Here are five mistakes I see regularly that can be easily avoided…

1. Pixelated images – Without getting overly technical, digital images are made up of tiny ‘blobs’ (for want of a better word) called pixels that work together to produce the final picture. As a rule of thumb, the more of these there are, the sharper the picture. Typically, you cannot see them all individually, but increasing the picture size doesn’t magically produce more pixels; instead, they get bigger, and that’s when you start to see them. The image becomes blurry or seems to ‘break up’ into squares.





2. Unrelated imagery – Pictures that are unrelated to the content of the post. (This is a bizarre thing to do when you think about it!) The purpose of an image is to tempt people to read your post and share or react to your content, or to reinforce a point you are making. If you choose the wrong image to represent your content, you create the wrong perception. When your reader looks at your content, they’ll just be disappointed. It’s the visual equivalent of clickbait! If your post is about productivity tips, don’t use a picture of a random sunset. The image should match your message, not confuse it.





3. Uninteresting images – The images you use should make people want to consume and engage in your content. When a social media user scrolls through their feed, they’re unlikely to stop for something that hasn’t grabbed their attention. Avoid dull or overcomplicated images. Choose something that sparks curiosity or emotion.





4. Badly shot pictures – I encourage you to post your own images. They are more personal, creating familiarity and making you more approachable, which allows your audience to start bonding with you! However, you still need to make sure they are good enough to be seen. You don’t need to be a professional photographer (in fact, part of what makes this type of content work best is that it is not over-produced), but you do need a clear, suitable image. Check your lighting, focus, and background. (Yes, people will zoom in on what’s written on the whiteboard behind you!)





5. Watermarks and copyrights – Please, please, please only use images that you have the right to use. It is surprising just how often you see a photograph on a post with a ‘Shutterstock’ watermark across it. Those images are not free to use. They scream unprofessional and could land you with a fine. Use images you know you have the right to share.

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How can I avoid mistakes and choose the right images for social media?

The good news is that there are more resources than ever for free, high-quality, commercially safe visuals that will help you avoid the mistakes I’ve listed above. Here are some of the answers we give to the questions we’re asked most often when it comes to social media imagery. The answers include both the options we use here at Green Umbrella and the ones we might suggest you use in your business based on what you are trying to create and how tech-savvy you are!

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