Best Tools to Create Images for Social Media Posts
Creating strong visual social media content is key — consumers are visual by nature, making it a great way to engage your followers. For example, when you include images in a tweet, it can boost the engagement by 313%. On Facebook, posts with images can pull 130% more engagement. But, you need to make sure the images look great, and unless you have a designer on staff it can be difficult to source compelling images.
This is where image tools come into play. Not only do they help you create visually stunning pictures, but it helps you format them for to the correct size, depending on what social media sites you will be posting them on. When you use proper sizes it gives a much better experience.
We put together a list of the most popular tools to use in order to help you create beautiful professional images to use on social media. Whether you are marketing on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, or YouTube, you need to use images that capture the attention of your audience. Here are some to consider using.
Canva
Canva is one of the most popular tools to help create seamless social media images. They even have a mobile app to make creating images on the go possible. This is the easiest tool to use, you can sign up for free and there are hundreds of pre-loaded templates that you can edit at no cost. “This is the perfect option to get your feet wet with. You can select popular image sizes broken down by the social media platform they are designed for,” says Darryl Howard of Boca Raton Med Spa.
The pre-made image sizes is a great feature, because a lot of times the social media platforms will make changes that alter the size requirements, and Canva is always up to date on changes, so you know that everything you make will be perfectly formatted.
There are premium templates that you can buy on a per-use basis, but in all honesty, you can use the free templates available and never run out of options, as you can edit them by color and layout, giving you endless choices and access to fresh concepts.
Pixlr
This is a great option for general image editing, although it’s not the most user-friendly option available. It’s more of an advanced solution and best used by those who have a strong understanding of how Photoshop works.
“This application is not as user-friendly as the other tools available, but it also provides you with some powerful editing options that other options don’t give you access to,” says Jake Braun of ChopperExchange, a website that helps you determine what your Harley is worth.
Pixlr allows you to work with layers and various effects, similar to Photoshop and more advanced image editing software. So, if you need something for only creating images on social media then it can be very complex. If you are an advanced user this is a great option. If not, Canva is the best bet.
Stencil
Geared towards marketers and bloggers, Stencil is one of the best media image creators that has become available. With the help of its templates, you can create images without much effort.
“This is a great option if you want to spice up your own images, as you can upload them and then add effects and text. This is a good approach if you want more personalized images for your products,” explains Christopher VanDeCar, CEO of Optimally Organic.
Piktochart
If you need to create infographics, then this is a great tool that you can use for free and make infographics from the many templates available. If you need more selection, you can upgrade and use the paid version.
“Infographics are create pieces of visual content to share on social media and drive traffic back to specific posts and pages on your website and this tool lets you create professional looking ones with no effort,” says Luqman Khan of Wireloo, a website that provides reviews on consumer goods including the best non-stick grill pan.