How to Optimize Your Twitter Background

Due to Twitter's popularity, it can be difficult to establish a significant presence on the social media giant. To succeed, you have to grab a user's attention immediately when they visit your page. Having an dynamic background image will help improve your chances of landing a new Twitter follower. Here's how you do it!

Work around Twitter Image Limitations
The most reliable image size on Twitter is 1600x1200 at 2 MB. If you attempt to upload an image larger than this Twitter will automatically resize it to fit a lower resolution. The most common screen resolution used on Twitter is 1366x768. Therefore, if you want your image to be seen in full on the right and left side of the page, then you should constrain it to 1366x768.

If you plan on placing text on either side, then set the margin another 20px away from your border so that users will be able to read any calls to action you may include. The Twitter feed itself is 870px which leaves you 228px on each side for any graphics you want to be seen.

One way to prevent a Twitter user that's viewing your feed with a higher resolution screen from seeing a low resolution pixelated image is to use a solid color as the background image. You can also tie the background image together with your borders by selecting the same color so that your images will blend seamlessly together.

Image Placement
Your best image and any calls to action should be placed on the left side of your page because users scroll their eyes from left to right just like they read. There are plenty of examples of how this layout can have a keen sense of design, such as @ToshibaUSA, @TacoBell, @Yankees.

Selecting the Right Image
With your dimensions and margins determined, you will now want to select an image that accurately represents your business. There are big companies like @Walmart or @adidasUS that have opted to use a simple design for their background. Other companies like @Nike have gone with a single color. Of course, you can let your creativity show and choose whatever image you want; a picture of yourself, your company logo, or a shot of your product. Whatever image you go with, it works best if it's compelling.

Before you settle on your Twitter background image, design, and layout, it's a good idea to visit your favorite Twitter pages and take notes about what you like best about each one. You will then want to incorporate these elements into your page, and be sure to get feedback on your design from others before publishing it.

With the right eye-catching design, your Twitter feed will set itself apart from the rabid pack of competitors lurking around every digital corner. It's easy to improve your company's social media presence by creating and optimizing a custom graphic that blows a user's expectations out of the water! For more tips on how to take advantage of social media for your business, call Directive at 607.433.2200.