Social Media tutorials , infographics and blog from Andrew Macarthy, author of Amazon Bestseller, 500 Social Media Marketing Tips.
The roll out of the ability to upload multiple images per tweet on Twitter makes the site's growing emphasis on videos even greater. For brands that think creatively, Twitter's multiple image uploads, and the way the pics display, opens up a new avenue for social media marketing opportunities. Here are 5 Ways to Use Multiple Twitter Images for Social Media Marketing...
Read MoreLooking for a Photoshop PSD template for the new Twitter header image? You've come to the right place!
In April 2014, Twitter changed its desktop layout for the second time in a matter of months, this time significantly. As part of the update, gone are the small profile and header, replaced by images that are much bigger and wider.
The recommended sizes for the Twitter header image and profile photo are 1500 x 500 pixels and 400 x 400 pixels respectively. However, Twitter automatically crops the header image upon upload, so the portion of it that is visible - and the position of the profile photo - differs depending on the screen resolution at which it is being viewed.
Therefore, in designing your Twitter header, you should aim to make sure that as many people can see the image as intended, whatever resolution they are viewing it at.
According to the most recent global statistics (updated April 2014) the most popular screen resolution for viewing the web on desktops is 1366 x 768 pixels (around 28% of the total) followed by 1024 x 768 (around 8%). From these numbers (and those for less common sizes), we can estimate that the vast majority of people viewing your Twitter profile will be able to appreciate a cover design optimised for a 1366 x 768 pixel resolution.
Above is a snapshot of my Photoshop PSD template for the new Twitter layout's header and profile image. The full area of the image is Twitter's recommended 1500 x 500 pixels. Each of the coloured blocks represents the portion of the cover image visible at some of the most popular screen resolutions, e.g. yellow block = area visible at 1920 x 1200, red block = area visible at 1024 x 768.
The grey boxes represent the position of the Twitter profile photo at the same variety of resolutions.
As the statistics tell us that most people will be able to appreciate a header image designed for 1366 x 768 resolutions, the best idea would be to add your art work to cover the whole space, but keep the most important elements (logo, offers, contact info, etc.) in the area of the header visible to the most amount of people, i.e. the orange 1366 x 768 block.
Once your design is complete, hide all of the template layers and upload it to Twitter via the Edit Profile button on your profile.
This Twitter template (and many others for all the biggest social networks - expertly measured, simple to use, and up-to-date) is available instantly as a downloadable zip file via the purchase link above. For more information on all my social media templates, click here.
Note: Payment is fast and secure via PayPal, but you do not need a PayPal account to buy and download.
Andrew Macarthy is the author of the #1 Amazon Web Marketing Bestseller, 500 Social Media Marketing Tips, available for Kindle and in paperback.
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Looking for a background template for the new Twitter design for April 2014? You've come to the right place.
before we get started, it's worth knowing that the Twitter profile background image no longer appears on the main profile page of a user - the new large header image can now be used for that. However, background designs do show when a user clicks on a tweet to view it (and the conversation attached to it) in isolation.
Here is an example of the new Twitter layout. Notice that the new header takes up much of the "above the fold" space, where the old background design used to be. Below it, however far you scroll through the tweet feed, is an uneditable grey background.
The above image shows what a user sees when they click on an individual tweet. Here, the background design you upload will display. In this case, it's a plain textured image but you can use the space for whatever you like: contact info, logos, offers, etc.
Twitter profile backgrounds are a a prime piece of real estate for brands, but creating one that is optimised to be seen as intended by as many users of the site as possible can be tricky due to the wide variety of screen resolutions that the site is browsed at on desktops. Problems include:
If you've ever had any of these problems, my free Twitter background template will help. But, before we get to it, let's take a look at the relationship between Twitter, screen resolutions, and Twitter background designs so that you can use the template as effectively as possible.
No matter what the resolution of a user's desktop display, the Twitter tweet feed will always sit in the centre of the page. That leaves an equal amount of space either side of it for the visible background design (the rest being hidden behind the tweet feed itself). How much of the design is visible by a user, then, depends on the resolution of their display.
Therefore, in designing your Twitter background, you should aim to cater to as many people using as many different resolutions as possible, especially if you want to feature branding on both sides of the feed. Which leads us nicely onto...
According to the most recent global statistics (updated April 2014) the most popular screen resolution for viewing the web on desktops is 1366 x 768 pixels (around 28% of the total) followed by 1024 x 768 (around 8%). From these numbers (and those for less common sizes), we can estimate that the vast majority of people viewing your Twitter profile will be able to appreciate a background design optimised for a 1366 x 768 pixel resolution.
The biggest resolution people are likely to view Twitter at is 1920 x 1200 pixels, so the template is offered at this size and I urge you to design with people viewing at this resolution in mind, but optimised for the majority who only see up to 1366 x 768 pixels, i.e. when using the template, put your most important branding elements - logo, products, offers, URLs within the orange box and any non-important info outside it. View the image above for examples of how much of the visible Twitter background will appear for users at different resolutions.
When you open up the Twitter Background template in Photoshop or GIMP, it will look like the image above. Work over and/or hide the layers representing the Twitter news feed and different screen resolutions, then remove them all before saving your design as a PNG and uploading it to Twitter. Remember to work using the whole space, but optimize your design for 1366 x 758 pixel resolutions.
Note: While every effort has been taken to make this template as accurate as possible, prepare yourself for minor tweaking of your background design elements if necessary. Test and tweak is the name of the game!
Twitter backgrounds are left-aligned by default, but this template is designed for optimal viewing on all resolutions when the background is centred, so make sure to switch to this option when you upload, as shown above.
This Twitter template (and many others for all the biggest social networks - expertly measured, simple to use, and up-to-date) is available instantly as a downloadable zip file via the purchase link above. For more information on all my social media templates, click here.
Note: Payment is fast and secure via PayPal, but you do not need a PayPal account to buy and download.
Andrew Macarthy is the author of the #1 Amazon Web Marketing Bestseller, 500 Social Media Marketing Tips, available for Kindle and in paperback.
Buy 500 Social Media Marketing Tips
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007L50HE6
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007L50HE6
Follow Me
http://www.facebook.com/500socialmediatips/
http://www.pinterest.com/andrewmacarthy
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I've been keeping a close eye on Snapchat as a marketing platform for many months now, and every week it seems like another globally recognisable brand jumps on board to experiment with the app's unique engagement opportunities. Let's take a look at five examples of how global brands are using Snapchat video...
Read MoreThe #thingsorganizedneatly hashtag is one of several that have exploded into popular use on Instagram, characterized by a top-down snap of, well, things organized neatly. Tons of brands are already using the idea as an interesting and eye-catching strategy that is central to marketing strategy, but not many go to the lengths of Marco Marco, a Singapore-based restaurant that specialises in paninis and pasta, so let's take a closer look...
The #thingsorganizedneatly trend carries over to Marco Marco's Facebook Page, too:
Marco Marco hasn't been open all that long, so the engagement its photos are getting aren't incredibly high, but I'm sure that will change if the reputation for its impressive visual storytelling continues. All in all, its impressive use of the #thingsorganizedneatly hashtag helps to grab people's attention, as well as conveying the time and passion that the restaurant has for its food - a tactic that is much more likely to lead to future custom via social media than any hard selling would.
Check out more at: http://instagram.com/marcomarcosg
Andrew Macarthy is a social media consultant and the author of the #1 Amazon Web Marketing Bestseller, 500 Social Media Marketing Tips.
Buy 500 Social Media Marketing Tips
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007L50HE6
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007L50HE6
Follow Me:
http://www.facebook.com/500socialmediatips/
http://www.pinterest.com/andrewmacarthy
http://www.twitter.com/andrewmacarthy
http://www.youtube.com/500socialmediatips
Hi there, and welcome to my website. I'm Andrew Macarthy, a social media consultant and author of the #1 Amazon Web Marketing Bestseller, 500 Social Media Marketing TIps. hope you enjoy my blog. If so, please do get in touch to hire me to help you with for your social media marketing needs.
