39 ways to get noticed on Facebook

By Barbara A. Fanson for Sterling Education Centre

When you’re looking at the newsfeed on Facebook, which posts do you notice first? If you’re like most people, you notice the photos first. Photos are the most engaging type of content on Facebook, with a whopping 87% interaction rate from fans!
75% of content is photos. With so many photos, how can you get your image noticed? Here are 39 clever ways to get noticed in a Facebook newsfeed: 

  1. Start with high-quality images (that you created or have permission to use).
  2. Type arranged like the silhouette of a cat, chart, or something.
    Pie Chart Type Silhouette
  3. Close-cropped photo.
    Close cropped photo
  4. An odd shape.
  5. A different-coloured photo.
    Different coloured photo
  6. A recognizable template.
    Recognizable template
  7. Type on the photo.
    Type on Photo
  8. A typographical image.
    Typographical image
  9. A chart, pie graph, or table.Pie Chart 70-20-10
    This exploded, 3D pie chart illustrates the 70%-20%-10% rule:
    70% of your posts could be shared from elsewhere that you think your fans would be interested in;
    20% of your posts should be information that you supply;
    10% of posts should be sales or promotions.
  10. An illustration in black and white or colour.
    Illustration Pen in hand
  11. An infographic.
    Infographic on Canada
  12. A video.
  13. A word search or puzzle.
    Word Search
  14. Text overlay (Type on top of an ordinary background).
    Type on photo
  15. Try a meme (An Internet meme (pronounced meem) is an idea, style or action which spreads from person to person via the Internet. The most recent craze were videso showing someone taking the ALS ice bucket challenge. Recently, women were taking selfies without any make-up and posting them on Facebook.) I used a real camera in a mirror.
    Meme selfie
  16. Comics and cartoons are easy to share and may break through the clutter. Just avoid sexist or racist jokes.
    You Crack Me Up
  17. Impromptu photos from your smartphone and posted on social media.
    Moustache on Tree
  18. Post “Caption this” photos. (Post a humourous photo and ask fans to come up with a caption.)
    Caption this photo of squirrel
  19. Take a “selfie” with a famous person. Laura Fortino was on the Canadian Women’s Hockey Team which won a gold medal at the Olympics.
    Selfie w famous person
  20. Flowcharts
    Flowchart of printing
  21. Tag people in your photo for easy sharing.
    Tagged photo
  22. Share up to 4 photos on your post and create a collage.
    Collage of several images
  23. Photobombs—which include animals or other people who suddenly appear in your photo—are popular and can be staged.
    Photobombed
  24. Visual note-taking is a combination of pictures and text that summarizes and organizes concepts to make information easier to digest and share. You can use it for brainstorming sessions, convey instructions, FAQs, and record live events.
    Visual Note-taking
  25. Slideshows and presentations using programs such as Prezi or Animoto.
  26. Trivia and quizzes increase your FB engagement.
    Question or Trivia
  27. An emoticon or emoji such as a smiley face increases your FB shares and likes.emoticon happy face
  28. Stand out in a crowd by making everyone else black and white, and one person is in colour.
    Colour person in BW
  29. Use a special effect on a photo to make it look like an illustration.
    Illustration
  30. Lighten the rest of the photo so one person or object stands out.
    Person light bkgd
  31. A question or game can engage viewers.
    Question or Game
  32. Spot the differences. Show the same image twice with slight variations and ask viewers to spot 3 differences.
    Spot 3 differences
  33. Use a font that looks like a chalk on a black background to look like a note on a chalkboard. It looks less formal and more personal.
    Chalk on Blackboard
  34. Another informal, more personal method is blue handwriting on a stick-it note. You can actually write a note and photograph it or scan it into your computer, or you can create one in a graphics software program.
    Stick-it Note
  35. If you have access to an old typewriter, you can type a nostalgic note. You can scan it or photograph it, or use a typewriter font.
    Typewritten Note
  36. Handwrite a note on lined paper. Scan it or photograph it. Or, just use a font that resembles handwritten type. Notice how rotating the image adds impact to the note.
    Handwritten Note
  37. Take an aerial photo of your desktop or cup of coffee. A photo taken from a different or unusual angle also gets noticed.
    Aerial image
  38. Rotate a normal photograph because posts on an angle attract attention. This photo, taken 25 years ago, shows my black and white, 9-inch computer screen.
    Angled photo
  39. Add a rippled edge or other special border to your image.
    Rippled Edge

Text and images ©2015 Barbara A. Fanson of Sterling Education Centre.