It's gratifying when someone links to one of your social profiles. It's free advertising - and what's better than that? You may not have a large marketing budget. A single free link can lead to thousands of dollars in sales. But...
What does the link that appears say about you and your company? If it looks generic, it may not say much. The solution is to include a great image, meaningful text and a call to action when someone links to your website or social profiles. In other words, it's time to create social cards. Let's talk about what they are, what they can do for your business and how to create them.
All about Social Cards
What the hell is a social card? It sounds like a throwback to the Jane Austen era, something you leave on a silver platter in the entryway of a home. In a way, social cards are the business cards of the digital age. Just as a printed business card can say something about the owner's personality, a social card is your opportunity to show your business at its best (and most compelling). Basically, it's a visual "card" that appears whenever someone links to your website or social media profile. It usually consists of an image, some text and a call to action. The special thing about social cards is that the image is clickable. At the bottom you have space for a URL (this is your call to action), but clicking on the image has the same effect. Another way to look at social cards is to think of them as amplified hyperlinks.
What social cards can do for you
What can social cards do for your website and social profiles? The answer is: quite a lot. They offer the combined benefits of a backlink and an advert, and you can create them for free! Here are some of the specific things social cards can do for you.
You show your company in the best light
Social cards show your company at its best. If you don't create social cards, you run the risk of being fobbed off with a boring picture from the dark corners of your website. Imagine the difference between choosing the perfect outfit for a date and randomly selecting clothes from your wardrobe. No one would choose the latter option if the former was available.
They make sharing links easy
Without a social card, you have to select an image every time you share a link - or be satisfied with the selection that Facebook or Google make for you. On Twitter, you won't get an image at all if you don't provide one! Social Cards use images throughout and remove the need for you to upload or select an image. Every time you choose to share your link, your Social Card will be displayed.
You give people a reason to be interested in your company
Perhaps the most important thing social cards can do for your business is give people a reason to care about your company - and click on your link instead of the next one in their Twitter feed. When you create social cards, you have the opportunity to share the kind of image and text that sets your business apart from the competition.
Quick steps to create social cards for your most important links
It's very easy to create social cards if you know how to do it. Let's go through the steps you need to follow to get it done.
#No. 1: Get the right tools to help you
The first thing to check is whether your web platform has tools to help you create social cards. WordPress has a great plugin called Yoast SEOwhich, among other things, simplifies the creation of social cards. If you are not working with WordPress, check which tools are available. If not, consider switching to a platform that has such tools. Another tool we like is AnyImagewhich allows you to easily create images with text that you can use as social cards. You can also look at tools like Canva or Photoshop if you prefer.
#No. 2: Select a killer image
What image will you use for your social card? It needs to be a "killer" - something that perfectly represents your business and what it can do for the people in your target audience. You may already have an image in mind. If not, you can use the tools above to create one. Stock images can be a good choice if you choose the image you use carefully. You don't want it to look contrived. Websites like Deposit Photos and Shutterstock are good places to start. Whichever image you choose, you need to make sure it's the right size for the social media sites you want to use it on.
#No. 3: Write a convincing text to accompany your picture
You need two texts that match your image. The first is a title or headline. It should be larger than the accompanying text and make the reader want to pay attention and find out more about your company. A few words are enough - if they are the right words. You also need one or two sentences of supporting text. The goal is to convince the reader to click on your call to action. What will they get if they do? What benefits will they reap? These are the things you should focus on.
#No. 4: Add a call to action
The final step is to add a call to action. If the card you're creating is just to share a link, adding your URL might be enough. However, if you want to promote a service or create a list, you should add a CTA button instead. The button should contain meaningful action words to entice users to click. Use a contrasting colour or a different font to make your CTA button stand out.
Social cards can make your company stand out...
When a potential customer sees your link for the first time, you don't want the first word that comes to mind when they see it to be "generic" or "boring" Creating a social card will help you make the perfect first impression - and get your new customer relationship off to a great start.
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