Every second of every day nonprofits around the world are posting status updates, tweets, and messages on social networks attached to avatars with cropped art work and/or unreadable text. Would you ever send out a print or e-mail newsletter, or sign off on a business card with a cropped or visually-defective logo and text so small that it was indecipherable? Absolutely not. However, and unfortunately, the importance of using a visually appealing, perfectly-square avatar consistently on all social networking sites to build a powerful, recognizable online brand has yet to make its way into the communications and fundraising plans of many nonprofits.
Logos, on the other hand, are primarily designed with a horizontal orientation and when uploaded to social networking sites either get cropped to the point of illegibility or shrunk to a size too small to read or make a strong visual impact. This is one of the most obvious mistakes nonprofits (and small businesses) make on the Social Web, and fortunately, one of the easiest to remedy.
That said, a good nonprofit avatar should:
- Be simple in design and use strong, eye-catching colors that match the overall online branding of your nonprofit.
- Not have text that is too small to read.
- Be square.
- Not have obvious visual defects such as copped art work and blurriness from low resolution.
- Be used consistently on all social networks to build a synergistic, recognizable brand across the Social Web.
Related Links:
Free Webinar on June 6: 10 Common Mistakes Nonprofits Make in Social Media
Social Media for Social Good: A How-To Guide for Nonprofits
