Last week I blogged some data which showed how pictures worked out best on public sector Facebook pages.
Images, especially those with people, outperformed everything and were more than 30 times more effective than toolkit content with artwork or in-house designed artwork. Video is close behind.
Social media, it seems, works better when it is social and not trying to replicate a busy GP’s waiting room noticeboard. You can read the original post with the survey findings here.
But what does good picture content look like?
I thought I’d gather 10 examples.
They’re a mix of police, council, NHS and fire and rescue and show how images with people can cut through and get people to react, comment and share. These actions are a tried and tested way of seeing how well content performs.
Content like this also is good for the health of the page as it leads to a greater reach, more followers and a greater pool of people to recieve that all-important message that’s just around the corner.
As a former journo, I know the value of people pictures. I’m just pleasantly surprised that the numbers also show the value on Facebook. Back when I worked on newspapers it was to generate sales from people buying extra copies as well as looking visually engaging. Now people lead to clicks and engagement. Why? Because they have Facebook accounts and their own networks who will connect with it.
There has been more change in the past 12-months with social media than the last 12 years. Adapting what you do is mission critical.
Celebrating cute
Oh, all right, then. This isn’t a person at all. It’s a cute dog.
I’ve often found police comms people as being quite open about their deployment of dogs and horses on Facebook.
People like them so there’s more chance of reaching them when there’s a missing person report or something vital.
Celebrating people for a campaign
In this South Wales Police Special Constable recruitment campaign real officers put a human face on the force.
Celebrating people in an emergency
Toddbrook Reservoir in Derbyshire almost collapsed flooding hundreds of homes below. That it didn’t was because of police, fire and rescue, RAF, mountain rescue, ambulance and council staff.
Praisimg staff, and here a member of staff shortsted for an award, shows the human face.
Celebrating the people who use the service
Dartmoor National Park is a beautiful wilderness that is a balance between residents, business, the environment and visitors.
Here a travel writer raising money is celebrated.
Celebrating everyday staff
The #BlackCountryHealth247 initative saw NHS in the Black Country celebrate frontline staff. This is one of several from Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust.
Celebrating cute
Look at baby Rupert. Tell me you can’t like that.
This is from a page run by Mersey and West Lancashire NHS Trust.
Celebrating people from years gone by
People love old pictures. In Walsall, the leather industry has employed people for 250 years and the heritage is part of the town. Here’s people from the past.
Celebrating the extra mile
I love these shots from NHS Highland which show the extremes people had to go to to provide a service.
Celebrating users’ happy faces
The joy on the faces of the children taking part in the event show the worth of Belfast Cioty Council running it.
I run SOCIAL MEDIA REVIEWS for organisations and train people to create more effective content on ESSENTIAL COMMS SKILLS BOOSTER training courses.