Trusting your social experts is the key to success (if you’ve hired the right team, that is); but, how do you know that they’re right and not just opining blindly? Here is a simple guide to help you understand which content type is right for the topic or idea that’s been selected.

INFOGRAPHICS OR “IGs”

I love a good infographic. While ‘good’ might be subjective in most artistic areas, infographics can intuitively and logically be categorized as ‘good’ or not good at all.

Here are some empirical clues that it’s not working:

• It is asymmetrical, either because objects are not on an invisible grid, or the balance is off. This can be fixed by pre-screening IGs with Feng Gui, and by using grid lines to align text and objects to invisible columns. Trust me, if your text is even two pixels off its target, I’m going to notice and hate it. As you can see in the below IG, the designer did not use grids, so a post-design review shows that many separate grid lines are created accidentally where one would do (the red dots show which item is attached to which invisible line).

http://tumblr.davecurry.net/post/335386201/videogame-statistics-infographic-ugly-yet-informative

• There’s no visualized data. If there’s no info to make graphic, please refrain from infographics. If you have a great topic and research that does not lend itself to visualizations (like statistics or facts would), then do a different type of content. Otherwise, you might just be creating a pretty article in a lightbox.

http://www.prmarketing.com/blog/why-are-infographics-so-popular/attachment/bad-example/

• If the colors are unrelated to the topic or client and induce seizures, you’re doing something wrong. Also, if you’re using pink on something neither bridal nor for Laura Ashley, you’re also failing your audience. Use the right colors for the theme and client’s style, or you’re confusing the reader.

http://theflavor.com/2009/07/20/hilariously-bad-infographic/

• It doesn’t make sense. No matter how many times you read it, it’s not going to make sense, either. Even one incorrect “fact” or typo in a pie chart can make an entire infographic seem incredible.

http://www.vizworld.com/tag/bad/page/3/

Here are some intuitive clues that an IG is sub-par:

• If the IG leaves you pondering how it relates to the client, or the site where it’s hosted, then there’s an issue. The bait could hook criticism and seem suspicious and inorganic to social users.
• If at the end of the infographic you’re left wondering “So what?” then the IG is failing. There needs to be a story, interesting findings, or something gained by committing even ten seconds to the infographic.

When one or more of these issues is present in your content, it might be time to consider a different form for your content. If you don’t have the statistics to visualize, go for a text-based piece like an article. If you and your client are having issues with branding and colors, then it might be easier to use blogs for social promotion.

Lastly, here are some pragmatic reasons to choose infographics:

• They are visually stunning. Even if the topic is boring, a gorgeous infographic can make it seem engaging. For example, check out this customer service IG that’s somehow wonderful.
• IGs build brand awareness quickly, as they can ‘wear’ logos and brand styles, such as colors and fonts.
• Infographics are very trendy. Some people consider them a status symbol, and want them regardless of their function.

Do what makes sense, instead of forcing an idea into the wrong box, and you’ll do better.

LINKBAIT ARTICLES

Listicles and other linkbait articles are a lot of fun to read when they’re well researched and executed with the intent to inform or entertain. However, if the writer is clearly just plodding through, that’s evident in every sentence.

Make sure that your source for these pieces is talented, socially aware, and invested in your success (like a long-term internet marketing company would be, opposed to an anonymous writer from a content farm).

Topic selection for linkbait articles is crucial for success, because everything has been done ten times or more. You must consider the writer’s strengths—whether comedy or research—and order something he or she can produce better than anyone else, ever. Or, move on; choose something easier to produce, like a blog post. Linkbait is not for the disinterested writer.

When you have a talented writer and an original topic, here are some empirical things to keep in mind:

• If there are many statistics, then the article might make for a better infographic, or might need the collaboration of a graphic designer who can create visuals of pie charts and bar graphs rather than using stock photos.

• If the topic has been done 100 times or more, then your writer needs something new—either an angle or a new fact—to break apart from the crowd. Don’t expect a great writer to out-write 100 people who have already ranked for the same topic: provide some magic beans, or move to more fertile ground (like a less processed topic).

• Like Playboy, people come for the great writing; right? People click your links just to read the text, regardless of the imagery? Well, you might want to consider a monthly subscription to a stock photo site, because that isn’t really true.

Even if the content is great and the topic sells itself, you still need great imagery to break up the sections and add another sense to the piece (try using all five senses if possible). Crisp, relevant pictures aren’t enough—try to incorporate unexpected and clever images that keep the reader entertained on several levels of awareness.

Here are some intuitive clues your linkbait is lame:

• You don’t want to finish reading it. Why would you want to make others read it?
• The images are blurry or irrelevant, which degrades the entire piece.
• The writing seems fluffy, or insincere, like a person quickly wrote without considering the topic or researching it.

Lastly, here are some pragmatic reasons you might produce linkbait articles:

• They are less expensive than infographics.
• They require fewer people to be involved in production.
• They require fewer revisions.
• Because they require fewer revisions and people’s involvement, they take much less time to produce.
• When done right, nothing is funnier than a listicle.

TL;DR

Often, content type can boil down to things that should be non-issues, like branding or price. If you have a strict budget, you may be forced to do linkbait where infographics would perform better. If your branding is very restrictive, you may also be forced into articles. However, if you have the ability to choose your content type based on the topic, there are ways to forecast which content types are best for each idea. Choose wisely, and you’ll likely succeed socially.

Being resourceful is critical to getting the job done. As web designers and graphic designers we are constantly looking at the latest tools and tips on how to push our craft and better our workflow.

This list is some of the tools and resources that I have been incorporating into my processes, whether it is something that is inspirational by way of geeky interviews that talk shop about hard/software used like The Setup or a website like Designers MX and Stereomood that fuel my creativity by stimulating my ears with fresh music. Dive in and please feel free to let me know what tools or resources help you and how by posting a comment!

Lorempixum

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. What? If you are a graphic artist or web designer and have to use dummy text or filler (or meat and filler) on a daily basis- you know. Lorempixum is that but with images and photos; a genius idea that allows you to specify what type of subject and size you want your filler image to be and it will generate an image for you to use. They even have a bunch of preset settings to choose from.

Little Big Details

User interface, the space where interaction between humans and machines occur, is everywhere. The Internet makes us, as users, appreciate the beautiful- intuitive- simplicity of a great interface, or leaves us feeling deeply annoyed and lost. I am always inspired by creative design in this area and Little Big Details is a Tumblr that shows off amazing examples to learn from and be inspired by. Definitely worth a follow.

The Web Font Combinator

The Web Font Combinator is a cool name for a site that lets you preview web font combinations and sizes instantly. Simple, helpful and to the point (or should I say pixel). Currently this tool only uses fonts supplied by the Google Font Directory, as well as a handful of common system fonts.

The Setup

Get your geek on at The Setup and read cool interviews with industry creatives and vanguards from all walks of life. They talk shop and get asked all the right questions from ‘setup’ of hard/software to inspiration. I love this: “Despite appearances, the site is not actually sponsored by Apple – people just seem to like using their tools. We’re a fan, too.”

Designers MX

Music is on almost 70% of my day when I am pushing pixels on the computer. It drives me when I need that boost and it puts me in that zone where I seem to loose track of time and look up at the clock and see that I have just spent the last 2 hours in Photoshop and forgot to blink. Designers love to make mixes of music. Designers MX asks creative leaders what music fuels their creativity. I love this concept and it is a great way to discover new music/ideas!

Stereomood

Piggybacking on Designers MX, here is another way to get inspired by music. The genius idea behind Stereomood is that you can pick a playlist to listen to based on your mood or emotion. Feeling happy, they have that. Feeling sexy… yep, that too.

What Web tools or online resources inspire you or make you more productive ‘on the reg’? I would love to hear!

If your camera phone is dry, it can be the ultimate survival tool. Let’s take a look at some really simple ways to utilize the full potential of our cameras! OK, some of these tips are super obvious but worth restating.

Have you ever been in total darkness and had nothing on you but your phone or camera? I have.

I was in my building’s elevator yesterday and the light went out. After I realized I wasn’t about to plummet 5 flights, I stopped screaming and I took out my phone and turned it on to give me enough light to hit the next floor button and get out!

Sometimes the fine print is way too fine or there is this amazingly detailed insect you want to view a bit closer. Snap a pic of it!

Your camera’s zoom is a great tool and can bring those little details that much closer to your eye.

Well not exactly a periscope… Have you ever lost something under your couch or it rolled under your stove and you have no idea whereabouts it is?

Snapping a pic under the appliance can pinpoint exactly where the item is and make your job of retrieval that much easier.

This happened to me last week. My girlfriend has a rolling luggage bag with one of those self retracting handles. However, one of the tiny screws in the handle kept loosening up and therefore the handle wouldn’t close.

So instead of rolling the thing down to the hardware store, I snapped a picture of the weird looking screw and showed it to the guy at the store and he knew exactly what type of screwdriver I needed.

We have all done it, I’m sure.

Spinach salad, enough said.

Classic Seinfeld episode. Never get lost in ‘parking lot purgatory’ again. Snap a pic of the space number and you are saved.

Buying/renting a place to live is a tough process and it can be an arduous task to remember all the places you have visited. By taking photos or videos of the places you can easily see and compare places (without the commission fee).

Another use is to record ads you see on buildings or realtor windows, it is much easier for me to sort through my cameras photo album for a picture with a number and all the appropriate information in it than a small piece of scrap paper.

I snap pictures of recipes off my computer screen and walk them into the kitchen with my camera phone.

So much easier than printing them out or loading them up in a browser on my phone.

So you took that guy’s parking spot, or so he claims, and he has that look like he just might snap and do something crazy to you or your car- snap back by taking a shot of his license plate- just in case.

Do you have any cool and useful ways that you use your camera(phone) as a tool?

Pick Featured Likes

This was the most obvious fix to the page: we weren’t sharing the love! Liking other Pages gives exposure to a company’s other brands, partners, or spokespersons. Only pages that are “Liked” by a page can be tagged in posts. Additionally, five pages can be selected to always appear as Featured Likes. This is a great way for parent companies to highlight their product pages.

Featured Likes should make sense and add visual interest. From L to R: Amazon, Dell, Miami Heat

1. In the Page settings, click the “Featured” menu.

2. Click Edit Featured Likes.

3.  Select which five pages  to feature.

Fix the Thumbnail

The thumbnail version of the profile picture identifies the page everywhere it goes: both within the page, such as next to posts, and around other parts of Facebook, such as in fans’ news feeds. A good thumbnail is recognizable and relevant to the brand.

Because the thumbnail image is a square, the profile picture should be square or contain a square area that can be selected as the thumbnail. For Blueglass’s makeover, I cropped the photo to make it more square, then increased the size so it better aligns with the photo strip.

1.  In the page settings, click on the Profile Picture menu.

2.  Edit Thumbnail.

3. Drag the photo to select the portion of the profile image you want as the thumbnail or select “scale to fit” to use the entire image.

Gap regularly changes its profile picture to feature new products, yet the thumbnail remains consistent.

By putting the iconic logo somewhere in every profile picture, it can always be selected as the thumbnail. The most this has deviated from the standard logo was during the holidays when they used a red logo.

Gap's current and past profile pictures contain the logo used as the thumbnail

Cull the Tabs

The Tab Navigation section reveals 6 tabs – not including the Wall and Info – before the cut. Many pages usually have a handful of Tabs which either no longer work or provide no value to fans. This can be frustrating for fans who have come to a page to find specific information.

This was the easiest part of the makeover, since I simply removed some of our tabs and put them in a different order.

1. To edit the Tabs, click on the “More” option and then Edit.

2. X out any Tabs you want to remove. This will not delete the tabs and their content. Tabs can be restored through the apps menu in the page settings.

3. Rearrange Tabs by dragging into the desired order.

To really make the Tab Navigation branded, custom icons can be added to Tabs made with third party apps. Either a logo or simple stock icons relating to a Tab’s content can be uploaded to appear next to Tab descriptions.

From L to R: State Farm, Walt Disney World, Chick Fil A

Did your Page need any of these updates? Have you noticed any recent Facebook changes most Pages haven’t implemented yet?

– — – — – — – –

Become a fan of BlueGlass on Facebook here.

How it Works

By default, the most recent five photos uploaded to a page – either as wall photos or in a photo album – are displayed in the photo strip. Although only 5 images will show at one time, an unlimited number of photos can be set to appear in the photo strip. New images uploaded to the wall or photo albums can be hidden from appearing in the photo strip by clicking on the X in the top right corner of the image. Hiding all but a select 5 photos enables page administrators to control which photos appear in the photo strip.

Clicking the X in the corner of an image hides it from the photo strip.



Unlike with personal profiles, the images on a page’s photo strip appear in random order. Every time the page is refreshed, the photo order is shuffled. Presumably, Facebook did this to keep brands from using this as static advertising space. Many pages get around this challenge by embracing the randomness and using images that work regardless of order.

The Tropical Northern Queensland tourism board's photo strip has Nemo move each time the page is refreshed.

Here’s where it gets tricky: the image that appears in the photo strip is actually a thumbnail cropped from a section of the uploaded image. Even more tricky: the cropped area used in the thumbnail cannot be chosen (unlike with a profile picture). Instead, Facebook automatically crops an off-center part of the image as the thumbnail. Figuring out exactly which part of the photo is cropped is difficult, but properly formatting images is crucial since some photos appear unrecognizable when resized as thumbnails.

Dairy Queen's Photo Strip: When Bad Cropping Happens to Good Pages

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Alternatively, making photos the same dimensions as the thumbnail (98 x 68 pixels) prevents them from being cropped. The downside to this method is the image appears very tiny in the photo viewer.

Kool-Aid uses images already sized as thumbnails to prevent cropping

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After much weeding through Facebook pages, I’ve found some brilliant ways brands are using the photo strip…

1. Incorporate the Profile Picture

It takes a great concept and well-designed photos to pull this off, but the results are awesome.

Secret’s creative use of inner tubes melds the profile picture into the photo strip in this celebration of reaching a million fans.

Lysol’s banner tying in the profile picture is on-point with their “Mission for Health” initiative that promotes weaving healthy habits into communities.

2. Product Placement

This one’s obvious: feature products in the photo strip! Another no-brainer: including a description and link to the product in the photo caption. However, making the product photos too promotional may turn off fans. Focus should be on adding aesthetic value to the page and clarifying what the brand is about.

A white background and consistently sized images make Nikon’s cameras pop across the top of their page.

Chevrolet uses the same color cars and labels each model in these attractive, brand-focused photos.

3. Show Gratitude

When reaching a milestone, such as X number of fans or overwhelming participation in a contest, the photo strip space can be used as a thank you.

Dove said thank you in different languages when they reached a million fans. This is also an example of selecting more than 5 photos to use in the strip, since this design can be used to spell out “thank you” in many languages.

Nutella also used the space as a thank you when they reached 10 million fans.

4. Highlight New Stuff

Placing upcoming products or services in the photo strip builds buzz and awareness around a new product launch.

Chicken McNuggets swimming in sauce isn’t the most appetizing visual, but these colorful, consistent images are still a nice plug for McDonald’s new dipping sauces.

In a more indirect approach, Panda Express advertised their new extended hours with a night sky.

5. Be Useful

Since this is the first thing fans notice on the wall, why not make it a quick reference tool?

Redbox’s photo strip allows fans to check the page each week for new releases.

Dole Bananas features photos of recipes made with bananas. The photos’ captions are links to the recipe on Dole’s site.

6. Say it with Words

Using words instead of pictures can effectively showcase brand messaging, services and products, or compel fans to take action.

Involver uses compelling words to promote their Social Markup Language.

These simple words entice to fans looking for discounts and coupons.

7. Play with Color

Creatively using colors can really make the photo strip pop.

UNICEF USA uses splashes of their signature cyan color to pull together these photos of children from around the world.

Crystal Light’s same photo in different colors has a powerful effect.

8. Sequential Randomness

In contrast to playing up randomness, using images that belong in sequential order is a playful way to get fans refreshing the page continuously to put the photos in the correct order.

Seattle’s Best Coffee is not only nicely using product placement, but their numbered levels of coffee make for a great out-of-order set of pictures. I may have spent a few minutes trying to put these in order (unsuccessfully).

9. Do It All

Why use the photo strip to promote one thing when you can promote everything?

Kraft Macaroni & Cheese uses the photo strip as a cross-promotional tool for their site’s recipes, new products, other social profiles, and a Facebook app. This manages to not feel overly promotional since it is so well-designed and subtle.

Have you seen any amazing uses of the Facebook photo strip? Be sure to share links to great pages in the comments.

Let’s face it, the iPhone has some seriously cool apps when it comes to design and photography. I shoot more photos on my iPhone than I do on any other camera that I own… for real.

It is easy to do (I always have my phone on me), super easy to share with anyone through email or posting to Facebook, the quality can be very high and it is cheap- besides that, the pictures are sometimes amazing and some of the best images I have taken (disclaimer: I take A LOT of pics, a lot of them do outright suck).

Hipstamatic

Hipstamatic is the King of iPhone photography IMO. The options and the interface are amazingly simple and not just fluff. Enough said.

You can even get wonderfully tactile real analog prints of your best images at the HipstaMart.

Nike HipstaPak now available for Hipstamatic. Use the in-app store to download.

Check out Hipstamatic’s Facebook page where they show off some of their newest lenses and films like the free SXSW FreePak.

Check out my personal Tumblr projects for Dogs Are Cool People and Bag’s In Trees, most of these are shot with Hipstamatic.

And yes, that is Charlie to the left!

Everyday

There is no real instant gratification here, this is something you logg everyday and it pays off (hopefully) in the end (whenever that is?). Take a picture of yourself. Every day. Set reminders. Get into the habit. The more pictures you have, the better your Everyday app will be.

I started to take a few pictures everyday since May- I set reminders for 10am, 6pm and 11pm and so far it is starting to get interesting… but nothing like the artist, and co-creator of the app., Noah Kalina’s everyday picture video that he took over 6 years.

360 Panorama

360 Panorama is pretty easy to use, if you have a steady hand. I have talked about it in the past and I still am a fan of the way it can seamlessly build in realtime as every incoming frame is processed.

Slit-Scan Camera

Slit-Scan is a technique much better shown than said, but… it captures an image one chunk at a time from a moving horizontal position- kinda like dragging your hand across a photocopier. I haven’t tried this one yet-but I just downloaded it!

Interlacer

Interlacer combines alternating lines from multiple images and colors to make a new image. The end result can vary from a multiple exposure to a color tinted photo to a very abstract creation.

PS Express

[Android friendly!] Photoshop express is simple and easy to use- I have only really ever used the crop feature, but it takes about 3 touches and I have a cropped photo. Bam!

There are a bunch of iPhoneography apps that I haven’t jumped on getting yet or I have checked out and they just lacked in some way- either the interface was real bad or the idea was good but the execution wasn’t there.

Any iPhoneographers out there that can recommend some that I haven’t seen? I would love to hear about or see what you have taken with em’. We can try to feature them in part deux!

Now as I looked to red for this posts inspiration I found so many great examples. Red can flood a composition and completely overpower any other color or element. Conversely, red can be added as a splash or touch and infuse an energy throughout like an old Japanese wood block print and the red seals they would use.

Although our human associations with color are influenced to a degree by cultural and personal associations, some research has found a more common psychological or emotional response to color.  Red stimulation corresponds to the experience of being disrupted, attracted to the outer world, inciting activity, aggression, excitation and emotionally determined action.

Red is power (blood, fire), passion (rose), sexy (Phoebe Cates a la ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High’), speed (sports car), danger (stop sign)… Red is negative (in the red), red is helpful and positive (RedCross). Let’s take a look at some of the ways that red influences what we see in this weeks Color and Inspiration with… RED!

Visual Artists

Shepard Fairey

Shepard Fairey, the rockstar artists behind the ObeyGiant brand, has created a benefit print for Japan. Profits from Dark Wave/Rising Sun will go to the Japanese Red Cross. 18 x 24″ Screen Print.  Signed and numbered Edition of 700.  $60.

Olek

Olek is a Polish-born artist who has chosen to “crochet everything that enters her space.” Olek’s crocheted New York’s Wall Street Bull.

Banksy

British street artist, Banksy, with an international reputation. His use of red in some of the outdoor pieces exemplifies the eye catching and energetic attitude embodied within the color.

Blu

Italian artist, BLU, creates some beautifully intricate murals and posters. Again we see the minimal use of red that sets off and adds energy to the whole piece.

Carolin Reichert

Some refreshingly red photocollage work by Carolin Reichert.

Jean-Michel Basquiat & Andy Warhol’s “Third Eye”

Diann Bauer

Diann Bauer continues exploring the overlapping ideological elements of extreme politics, and I like her use of red.

David Bowie

David Bowie, Yes, THE David Bowie. Of “Space Oddity” and Ch-ch-changes fame. created this edition to benefit Housing Works’ Get a Room program, which provides housing to people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Products

Board Shorts

Nothing says summer quite like a pair of red board shorts… Aloha Mr. Hand!

Brave Star Blanket



Nothing says red like the good old Red, White and Blue. This blankets contemporary interpretation of the American flag is a celebration of the patriotism of Native Americans.

Ferrari Test Rossa 250

Do red colored cars get pulled over more often for speeding? Even if you aren’t an auto nut I believe that we can all appreciate a nice car. This is a real nice car. Musee des Arts Decoratifs museum in Paris is presenting “L’art de l’Automobile” exhibition, the first ever auto show presented in Europe of American fashion designer Ralph Lauren’s private collection of historical sports cars.

Incase iPhone Case

Incase has committed to raising $10,000 for the Artists Help Japan Movement through Mercy Corps. If you make a donation they’ll send you an iPhone case so you can also visually show your support.

Logos

Jumpman

The “Jumpman” logo is used by Nike to promote its Michael Jordan-related merchandise, including the famous and successful Air Jordan brand of basketball shoes. The Jumpman logo is a silhouette of a studio photograph of Jordan performing a ballet move, not an actual dunk as many believe.

Websites

What comes to your mind when you think of the color red? Have I missed something (of course I did), or something noteworthy?

Any color you would like to see featured in our Inspirational Color editions? By the way, Happy Friday the 13th!!!

Follow BlueGlass on Twitter here…

If you want to learn to write text that will have readers frantic to respond, then employ these psychologically-driven messages. Here are the second five of the 40 secrets to create powerful prose, which are applied by content czars, divas, diplomats, and vendors, alike. Over the next six weeks, I’ll be giving away the remaining 30 secrets to improve your content creation game.

SYMBIOSIS

If an acquaintance gives you a gift—even something you hate and resent—you are twice as likely to reciprocate, or support that person. Thus, if Trump sends his Trump Steaks to vegan friends, even though they would hate the gift, they would be twice as likely to vote Trump for President, 2012.

Give your audience something, whether it’s a secret, widget, or valuable link, and they’re twice as likely to ‘like’ and buy from you. Even though an audience would prefer to be given a valuable tip or application, giving them anything creates that vacuum of reciprocation that makes people feel guilty, and prompts a positive response. Think: how much more likely are you to get the kids a small toy immediately after they’ve drawn you a picture. To learn more about the value of widgets, check out Overlooked Linkbait: The Value of Widgets by Jordan Kasteler.

Create a symbiotic support cycle:

• Give the audience a valuable link, insight, or widget
• After giving something away, subtly request reciprocation in the form of a well-placed ‘like’ button, a comment box to be filled-in, or a sales pitch
• Keep in mind how awful it feels when someone expects a present from you on Christmas: similarly, you do not want to create a situation where readers feel expected to respond, or they may resent the freebie you presented

PRESUMPTIVE GIFTING

Taking the previous section into consideration, would you presume an audience would be more or less likely to reciprocate positively if you imply they absolutely will reciprocate? Studies have found that suggesting a link between their reciprocation and a freebie will not affect a readership’s behavior, whereas an implicit assumption about their reciprocation actually increases the likelihood of positive response by more than 40%. If you’re convinced this is a good idea, check out Patrick Winfield’s resource in his post, Ultimate How-To: Buttons, Tools, and Badges

Sound complicated? All you need to do is suggest that a freebie is given in advance as a small ‘thank you’ for the audience’s feedback. Adding guilt to the situation in the form of an ‘if you/then I’ scenario results in no increase in feedback or ‘like’ count.

Create a symbiotic support presupposition:

• Before posting the free advice, widget, or tip, write a thank you to the readers, telling them the gift is a signifier of appreciation for commenting—the gift given as an implicit, advanced sign of trust that they will comment makes the readers feel good about themselves

RESPONSIVITY

Engaging readers is not enough when the average reader has 93 articles pending at any given time on Google Reader. Although the last post suggested thoughtlessness, or leaving a reader without a decision, was a best bet for responsivity, there is another approach.

Asking an open-ended question that has a positive spin on the topic will substantiate the reader’s belief of his rightness, making him more committed to his answer. If you want a reader to vote, then asking a questions such as, “Why do you believe voting is important?” will lead the reader to substantiate the importance of it in his mind. People asked this question before voting day were 25.2% more likely to follow through and vote.

Create a symbiotic support cycle:

• Place a presupposition, like the importance of voting, into a question
• By merely asking himself the question, the reader complies with the presupposition and ignores it, focusing instead on the reasons why he agrees, rather than if he agrees

CONTRACTUAL READING

Though having someone sign up for RSS feed is pretty neat, it might result in just another ignored feed, and an even less responsive audience (as they are no longer required to seek you out, it’s easy for them to take posts for granted). How can you keep your readership involved?

Having a reader sign up for RSS feed by typing a request and clicking ‘send,’ makes a reader feel contractually obligated to read it. Because there is an assumption that someone, a real person, must read their request and input their information, readers feel obliged to follow-through with the contract by reading the feed; in fact, interaction is 32% higher!

Create a written contract:

• Even if your feed subscription is automatic, including a text box for special notes, or requesting a reason why a reader is subscribing, leads to much higher participation rates
• Similarly, readers believe that their comments are being read and considered. If they do not receive responses, they often feel the contract has been broken on the writer’s end, leading to resentment and disengagement from the writer’s feed

SUMMER FLIP-FLOP

This favorite tactic is very useful with stubborn readers, and is often used on talk shows to allow celebrities to backtrack without looking foolish. No one wants to be perceived as a flip-flopper, making decisions on whimsy and changing viewpoints like knickers. How can you relive that sense of guilt a reader may feel if she realizes a previously-held belief is inaccurate?

Creating a conditional exception allows a reader to believe that a previously-held conviction was accurate, whereas now she would be wise to update her belief to suit the new circumstances. This is easier than it would seem.

For example, a reader thought (at first blush) that Mr. Frump would be an excellent president, but then news broke that he had exaggerated claims on the record; suggesting to the reader Mr. Frump was no longer an excellent candidate would give the reader an out. She could choose to believe that this one incident was the determining factor, which rendered Mr. Frump inadequate. Once people have opened this door to changed beliefs, they can easily be encouraged to re-think their entire position on a topic.

Create a conditional situation, which makes exceptions acceptable:

• Understand the reasons your audience has a previously-held belief
• Find a new condition for the situation that is a game changer—it could be something negative about a past belief, or something positive about a belief you want to move the audience towards
• Using the ‘game changer’ as an excuse to change beliefs, suggest that the new circumstance results in a new best option

TL; DR

Psychologically-driven messages increase sales and responsivity. Employ these five content creation tips with subtly, and with due respect for your audience: manipulating readers to respond in a certain way can backfire, if you attempt to manipulate them into doing something they don’t want to do. What does that mean? Like hypnosis, only a willing participant will be responsive to writerly suggestions.

The first post in this series was Create Content More Alluring Than Mata Hari. Next week the third of eight posts will be published, Create Content More Antagonizing Than Trump.

When Gap unveiled it’s newest logo design last October, people hated it. “This is the worst idea Gap has ever had”, one Facebook fan wrote. Gap reverted back to it’s old logo after just one week.

Major brands have had some work done over the years, some having had major reconstructive surgery whereas others only a simple facelift.

These changes have left some brand advocates up in arms while the weaker committed consumer couldn’t care less, learn about the psychology behind brand redesigns.

In a paper published in the Journal of Consumer Marketing, a study found that when angular logos were changed to rounded ones they were more appealing in countries like China and India. This was the case with the recent revision to remove the text in the Starbucks logo, it has gone all round and soft and feminine, losing the words Starbucks Coffee around the outside. The company stated that it “allows for more flexibility overall”. This effort can be described as making the logo “acultural”.

Logos are recognized rather than read. Brands in foreign countries need to be recognized on color, symbol and overall shape instead of relying on the actual letters used. For example, Nike can just use it’s swoosh and we know exactly what it is and what it refers to. That power of recognition is what every global brand is aiming to attain.

Let’s take a look at some key points of a few major brands attempts, and failures, to make themselves friendlier, more globally appealing and more graphic.

GAP

The Gap went through 3 major changes of it’s brand since 1972. However, one of those changes, the one that happened last October lasted only one week!

Nike

The swoosh of Nike is one of the most recognizable symbols for a brand. The name used to be an integral part of the logo, but since the swoosh became so strong as a mark in all of it’s ads that the name is hardly ever used anymore.

Walmart

Walmart has gone for a more friendlier approach from decades of a stronger look. They adopted a lighter blue and added a yellow sunburst that suggests optimism. They went away from the dominating all caps look and now have a softer, less imposing feel.

AT&T

Three-dimensionality has become one of the biggest logo trends. AT&T swapped the iconic bell they had been using for a globe symbol alongside the lowercase (text-friendly) name.

Starbucks

Starbucks has changed it’s logo four times over its forty years and coffee drinkers might not have noticed or paid much attention to any of these changes. The 16th century Norse siren has slowly morphed into the queen of coffee. The logo has also reached a saturation point where it is recognizable as a mark, without text.

Do you like this kinder, gentler logo design trend?  Have you noticed any other significant trends of the last year?

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Sometimes, this is compounded by a company’s style guide, time restrictions, and gaps in credible, timely sources. In spite of the obstacles one faces, a designer’s end result must be a “Wow,” or the infographic will likely never surface in social media, let alone on Google.

The job of a viral editor is to disregard all of the complications designers are facing, and look at the infographic (“IG”) for its ability to go viral. Being able to diagnose issues as early on as the wireframe is pivotal in saving time, money, and a lot of yawns on the interwebs. For most IG fails, there are two categories: manic/over-done designs, and depressive/lazy ones.

MANIA

COMMONLY AFFLICTED: N00bs; Color Blind

INDICATIONS: Nausea, vomiting, quick click-aways, bad buzz, or sudden *faceplam*

PROSCRIPTIONS:
• Complex Color Schemes
• More Than 3 Font Faces, Colors, and Sizes
• Inconsistent Images

Click Graphic to Expand

There isn’t an infographic published that was 100% bad or good, especially when personal preference and style are considered. However, in the example of Mania, there are many issues a viral editor would have to address.

Just a few of the issues include spelling, punctuation, color choices, image contrast levels, line spacing, readability, skimmability, the inconsistency of drop shadows, and the inability to discern easily who is in each photo. The list could go on and on, which is surprising, since this is a final draft of an IG.

Once you recognize mania, it’s unmistakable. The best solution is prevention, in this case: an over-done IG is often more time consuming, and more difficult to correct, than to re-design. Learning when to toss the baby out with the bathwater will save everyone involved energy.

DEPRESSION

COMMONLY AFFLICTED: The Overly-Comfortable; Boors

INDICATIONS: Yawns, “So what?” comments, no buzz, or quick click-aways

PROSCRIPTIONS:
• Neutral color palettes, especially taupe
• One, invariable, font
• No images (which may be a cross-indication of “Pretty Article Syndrome”)

Click Graphic to Expand

As you can see, the designer fell asleep before reaching 2011 on his own infographic. Sadly, this graphic has probably been recycled countless times by the same designer, adjusting numbers for ‘new’ infographics. In the example of Depression seen above, there are many issues a viral editor would have to address.

Just a few of the issues include limited information, static colors, inconsistent capitalization in the subheader, incomplete data, and an overall ‘snooze’ effect. This example, too, is from a final draft.

It’s clear to readers that this infographic was uninspired, and contains many errors that would not exist if the designer had shown any interest in the topic. For example, by clicking the light box, you can see that the header image is blurry; an oversight first-year graphic design majors would notice.

The best solution for depression, from a designer’s perspective, is innovation. Trying new things can breathe fresh life into tired schema and too-often used templates. However, for viral analysts and editors, the answer is often to shake a designer out of a comfort zone by implementing additional review stages, overseeing work more closely, and looking for fresh faces. The only type of designer depression that cannot be fixed is the incurable boor.

THE CURE for INFOGRAPHIC BIPOLARITY

As an elementary teacher, I would spend countless hours trying to teach creativity. Unfortunately, it does seem to be an inherent ability; something as deeply rooted as personality traits and bad habits.

When hiring managers see this ability online in graphic designers, the urge to cherry-pick is undeniable. Talented graphic designers will always be in-demand, even as infographics are re-shaped to re-inspire casual internet browsers.

To be a talented designer, and avoid both the mania and depressive sides of infographic bipolarity, a designer needs to embrace the urge to be artistic and abstract, carefully implementing some of the mania that is wonderful in small doses, while also building a framework that is constant, and easy to flow through (a depressed background lets the radical elements stand-out).

In the examples above, the designer chose to ‘over-design’ the backgrounds, making them loud centerpieces in otherwise text-heavy series of infographics. This is a great example of fusion between mania and depression. Although these would be still more successful if the text were pithy, as they are, they make neat thumbnails that people want to click.

In the example below, information is presented in such a straightforward and intuitive manner that readers often believe they already knew this. The combination of depressed, simplistic background design and typography, coupled with the loud color palette, make for a beautiful infographic that could just as easily be used as a menu in cafés. For more information on the use of colors in design, check out Patrick’s blog, Color and Inspiration With …Yellow.

For the final example, I’m going to use one that could have been even better. In spite of the gorgeous layout, the original art, and the charming palette (which observes Patrick’s ‘yellow’ love), this one fails to explain its purpose. Without a conclusion, even a “Wow” can leave viewers feeling cheated.

BOTTOM LINE

Great infographics require planning and careful execution. A great idea can get ignored if its implementation is manic or depressive, rather than cohesive. Conjoining simple elements with loud, original concepts is a recipe for success in most cases.

By keeping a list of designs you love, and one of those you hate, you will avoid pitfalls and develop a knack for designing infographics that wax and wane like novel plots, offering complexities and calm in turn.

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