Picture Perfect: Editing Photos For Social Media

Updating social media with fresh content can be a difficult task. Followers and friends get easily bored with the same old social media post in their timelines and newsfeeds. Adding photos to your social media posts are a great way to add an extra boost to your content. It helps to draw users in, and then keep their interest longer. If you decided to add images to your content, you need to be sure that they are high quality and pleasing to the eye. Oftentimes, that means utilizing image editing software. 

Photo editing is often something left to graphic designers, but there isn't always a professional image editor near by. It's essential as PR professionals that we be able to do a little bit of everything. While you may not have the time to teach yourself all of the essentials of Photoshop, there are still image editing programs you can easily use to make your pictures pop. Here are a few free online image editors every PR pro and social media fanatic should be familiar with:

1. Pic Resize: Nothing is worse than trying to post an image to Facebook or Twitter only to be told it's too large to upload. Pic Resize is a cloud program, so it can be used on either Mac or Windows systems. It's free of charge, and fairly easy to master.

2. Pixlr: This image editing software is available for Android, iOS, and the web. It allows you to add filters to images to give them an easy boost, or play around with other settings for more advanced editing.

3. Sumopaint: This easy to use image editor also gives the option to start with a blank canvas and create your own social media ready graphics. It's available mobile for iOS and on the web, and has an interface similar to photoshop. 

4. Quick Picture Tools: This desktop editing suite combines 12 online imaging programs. It's very easy to use, and is best for quick projects rather than extensive projects. It's a great way to add or enhance any image without a ton of photography knowledge. 

Have you ever used an image-editing program, or found yourself in a situation where you wish you had one? Be sure to give these a try and let us know how they worked!