Graphic Design for Social Media

🚫 I know this post won’t be popular. But it needs to be said. You’ve probably seen dynamic Hormozi-style captions. Those fast-moving, flashy, high-energy subtitles influencers swear by. They’re everywhere. And yes, they drive views. But what gets attention isn’t always what serves the audience. Here’s the problem. They're not accessible. Let's break it down: - Non-standard colors make text hard to read and cause eye strain. - One or two words at a time are too fast for many viewers. - Motion effects like seesawing cause nausea and distraction. - Karaoke-style pacing forces viewers to follow a rhythm they didn’t choose. - Emphasized words in different colors dilute the message. - ALL hurt readability. Isn’t the message the most important thing? Let the video and its content be the star. If creators want pizzazz, they can add flashy text outside the captions. That’s why I advocate for closed captions. The kind that lets viewers control their captioning preferences. Captioning best practices are simple: * Plain sans-serif font. * Off-white text on off-black background. * Sentence case. * No motion. I know it’s hard to convince creators to change. Influencers are showing them the money. But accessibility isn’t optional. It’s essential. I’ve seen how inaccessible captions can shut people out of the conversation. That's not okay. I’ve worked with creators and audiences who rely on captions. This isn’t theoretical. It’s real. I made a short video to show the difference. Watch it and tell me: Are we prioritizing style over substance? What do you think? Can accessibility and engagement coexist? Reach out if you want help making your content more inclusive. I consult with creators, marketers, and teams who care about accessibility and impact. 🔔 Tap profile bell (You may need to do it again. LinkedIn reset it.) 👉 Follow #MerylMots for past posts #UX #Communication Video description: Identical side-by-side talking head videos of Meryl. Left has boring captions. Right has different dynamic caption styles.

If you are a brand or creator planning to grow your own community, save this post for your next brand strategy session – Follower counts are overrated. What truly matters for your brand is a community that talks back. In the last 5+ years of building my personal brand along with Like Mind Tribe, I’ve learned this the hard (and beautiful) way. We often chase vanity metrics, namely likes, views, followers. But the brands that actually grow focus on: + trust + conversations + creating spaces that people want to return to My top 3 learnings about community building that most people ignore are👇 1/ Stop broadcasting. Start involving. Don’t just talk to your audience, co-create with them. Ask for their input. Let them choose the next product, workshop, or event theme. Your content should feel like a conversation, not a monologue. 2/ Trust builds in silence. Show up even when it’s quiet. The real connection begins when no one’s clapping. Be consistent with your presence. Show your progress, not just your polished wins. 3/ Give them a space beyond social media. DMs, Zoom rooms, meetups, or even a close friend's story list; These micro-interactions are where loyalty is built. If you want retention, give them a room where they feel seen. ———— I’ve met: → strangers who are now collaborators → community members who became accountability partners → even businesses that were born from casual coffee chats at our meetups That’s what happens when you value: Impact >>>>> Followers Whether you're building a brand or just starting out as a creator – Don’t just aim for attention. Create belonging. What’s the biggest challenge you face in building your community? Let’s tackle it together! #drishtiispeaks #community #branding #strategy #growth #socialmedia #content

💎 Accessibility For Designers Checklist (PDF: https://lnkd.in/e9Z2G2kF), a practical set of cards on WCAG accessibility guidelines, from accessible color, typography, animations, media, layout and development — to kick-off accessibility conversations early on. Kindly put together by Geri Reid. WCAG for Designers Checklist, by Geri Reid Article: https://lnkd.in/ef8-Yy9E PDF: https://lnkd.in/e9Z2G2kF WCAG 2.2 Guidelines: https://lnkd.in/eYmzrNh7 Accessibility isn’t about compliance. It’s not about ticking off checkboxes. And it’s not about plugging in accessibility overlays or AI engines either. It’s about *designing* with a wide range of people in mind — from the very start, independent of their skills and preferences. In my experience, the most impactful way to embed accessibility in your work is to bring a handful of people with different needs early into design process and usability testing. It’s making these test sessions accessible to the entire team, and showing real impact of design and code on real people using a real product. Teams usually don’t get time to work on features which don’t have a clear business case. But no manager really wants to be seen publicly ignoring their prospect customers. Visualize accessibility to everyone on the team and try to make an argument about potential reach and potential income. Don’t ask for big commitments: embed accessibility in your work by default. Account for accessibility needs in your estimates. Create accessibility tickets and flag accessibility issues. Don’t mistake smiling and nodding for support — establish timelines, roles, specifics, objectives. And most importantly: measure the impact of your work by repeatedly conducting accessibility testing with real people. Build a strong before/after case to show the change that the team has enabled and contributed to, and celebrate small and big accessibility wins. It might not sound like much, but it can start changing the culture faster than you think. Useful resources: Giving A Damn About Accessibility, by Sheri Byrne-Haber (disabled) https://lnkd.in/eCeFutuJ Accessibility For Designers: Where Do I Start?, by Stéphanie Walter https://lnkd.in/ecG5qASY Web Accessibility In Plain Language (Free Book), by Charlie Triplett https://lnkd.in/e2AMAwyt Building Accessibility Research Practices, by Maya Alvarado https://lnkd.in/eq_3zSPJ How To Build A Strong Case For Accessibility, ↳ https://lnkd.in/ehGivAdY, by 🦞 Todd Libby ↳ https://lnkd.in/eC4jehMX, by Yichan Wang #ux #accessibility

SCROLL STOPPERS, when social selling matters. Globally, social commerce is expected to reach $1 trillion by 2028. But, It’s often said that the human attention span averages just 8 seconds, but the real challenge isn’t brevity → it’s intense competition for attention. In today’s crowded digital arenas, beauty brands fight to cut through the clutter and prove their value with clarity and boldness. Selective attention problem? >> THE EVOLVED DIGITAL CONSUMER << Gen Z may have pioneered the shift, but consumers of all ages are now adopting their habits. The rules have changed → attention must be earned through visual closeness and uncompromising authenticity. Be were you consumer hangs! MOBILE-first. +70% of beauty consumers browse and shop directly on their phones. SOCIAL-first. +60% discover or purchase beauty products they first encountered on social media. ONLINE-first. +Nearly 50% start their beauty shopping journey online., via search, influencers, or social discovery. >> LET THEM SEE EVERYTHING << Shoppers want to see and feel your product, even through a screen.+84% of beauty shoppers discover new products via social channels. . +Show products in use, applied close-up. +Let texture tell the story: richness, density, glow, smoothness. +Elevate luxury through fine, microscopic detail. +Keep the product as the central star of every shot. +Visual proof of efficacy builds instant credibility. >> RAW, HONEST & RELATABLE << Polish is out. Authenticity is in. Today’s audiences crave honesty above perfection.+62% of Gen Z beauty shoppers purchased a product after discovering it on social media. +Skip overproduced, hyper-branded visuals. +Highlight creams, serums, and pastes bursting naturally from packaging. +Real people (customers, employees) connect more than polished models. +Behind-the-scenes and process moments create trust. +Show personality → audiences want to meet the humans behind the brand. >> EMBRACE IMPERFECTION << Make it sensory. Make it human. Make it real. +Use hands, faces, and bodies to build intimacy and scale. +Hands convey expression and instantly communicate texture. +Playful, generous, even “messy” application sparks curiosity. +Texture-focused close-ups provide the satisfaction of testing in real life. >> THE TAKEAWAY << Global social commerce now accounts for over 50% of beauty sales. Get closer than feels comfortable. In fast-scrolling feeds, visual intimacy is more valuable than ever. Showcasing your product’s details, raw qualities, and human stories builds trust, connection and ultimately, sales. Here’s a curated selection of brands already excelling at this approach. Let them inspire your next campaign. Featured Brands: Boy Smells Cica JVN Kit Kylie Skin Medipel Milk shake Osea P. Louise Rhode Salt & Stone THE WHITE ROOM V34 Wipped #beautybusiness #beautyprofessionals #marquetingprofessionals #digitalcommunication #genZ

𝗜 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝟱𝟬 𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀. Not to copy them. To understand what actually makes people stop, read, and engage. After going through them carefully, a few patterns kept repeating. Not hacks. Structures. Here’s what they all had in common: 𝟭) 𝗔 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴, 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗸, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝘃𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 The first line always created tension or curiosity. “I realized something uncomfortable…” “This changed how I think about X…” You knew instantly there was something worth reading. 👉 Action: Write 5 hook options before finalizing your post. Your first draft hook is almost never your best one. 𝟮) 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 Every high-performing post could be summarized in one sentence. No mixing topics. No scattered thinking. 👉 Action: Before posting, ask: “Can someone summarize this in one line?” If not, simplify. 𝟯) 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 The best posts didn’t sound like tips. They started with: • A conversation • A personal observation • A real situation That’s what made them relatable. 👉 Action: Instead of “5 tips to improve X” Start with “In a meeting this week…” Context pulls people in. 𝟰) 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 No jargon. No over-complication. But the ideas were sharp. 👉 Action: If a sentence feels complex, rewrite it. Clarity > sounding smart. 𝟱) 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 Not just consume. The best posts made you pause and think, “That’s actually true.” 👉 Action: End with a question or a thought that stays with the reader. 𝟲) 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 + 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 (𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗸𝗲𝘆) Pure information doesn’t spread. Pure emotion doesn’t sustain. The viral posts had both. 👉 Action: Ask yourself: “What will the reader feel?” “What will they learn?” You need both. The biggest takeaway from all 50 posts: 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐦, 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 + 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. Most people try to sound impressive. The ones who win make people see something differently. If you’re creating content, don’t chase trends. Study patterns. Then build your own voice on top of them. Which of these do you think you’re missing right now? #LinkedIn #ContentStrategy #PersonalBrand #CreatorEconomy #Writing #ProfessionalGrowth #LinkedInTips

Do you use emojis instead of bullet points? Do you post a photo but forget to describe it? Maybe you love creating images where there is text over a photo... If you're doing any of these things, your communication is not as accessible as you might think. And as today is International Day of People with a Disability, it's a great time to reflect on our own accessible communication practices. The good news is that there are plenty of resources out there to help, like the brilliant Kelly Thibodeau, CUA, CPACC, and Matisse Hamel-Nelis, ADS, CPACC and Lisa Riemers' brand-new, amazingly helpful book, 'Accessible Communication: Create impact, avoid missteps, and build trust.' While you're getting your hands on a copy, here's five of my top tips to get you on the right track, especially if you're communicating through digital channels like social media. 1. Avoid emojis and emoticons. If a person uses a screen reader, these are very annoying! Also, they don't convey the same meaning for everyone. Use them sparingly, and at the end of a sentence if at all. 2. Include alt text and descriptions of your images. It's great for screen readers, great for SEO, and also just helpful for people to better understand the message the image is conveying. 3. Use colours with strong contrast. People with poor vision or visual processing can struggle to decipher text in different colours. Black on white is always a winner. There are great tools and guidelines out there to help assess your colour use. 4. Use short sentences and clear, common words. It's not just for accessibility ... it's just better for everyone! 5. Always include captions and transcripts for video and audio. People consume information in different ways and contexts anyway, and some people need a transcript to give them more time to process the messages. What else would you add to the list? [Image description: pale green tile with black text. The headline reads: Top tips for accessible communication, and lists the five points in this post. The logo for Cuttlefish, Mel's business, is on the right-hand side in black, all-caps text.]

I often see people who misinterpret social media as a community building tool. It can be used as such, but very tough to do. (and most people who think they are doing it right are just building another distribution outlet — which is great, but different from building a community) It requires a slightly different approach than the average social strategy. Social Platforms (like X & LinkedIn) • Open networks • Content dependent • Great because people are usually spending lots of their time there • Tough to stand out since you’re competing against the algorithm, other creators, brands, and everyone else in the feed Community Platforms (like Discord, Slack, Circle) • Usually closed networks • Dependent on user engagement • Great for consolidating your core group of members • Very tough to maintain over time since you need people to come back to your specific group (even tougher if engagement is declining) Ok, so how do you use social platforms top build an online community? 1/ Define your community 2/ Share it on your social accounts, in your bio, etc. 3/ Align your content around this community and what they love 4/ When you create your content, keep this specific community in mind 5/ Share updates publicly just like you would within a Discord channel 6/ Allocate a good chunk of time per day to community management 7/ Nurture your most engaged followers by supporting their content 8/ Make introductions directly in the feed wherever possible 9/ Use your platform to elevate others in your community 10/ Introduce group language that people can use How do you know when you’re doing it right? • People will use your account to discover others with similar interests • People will use your language and phrases in their posts • People will use the comments section of your posts like a forum • People will host meetups or connect with one another IRL at events • People will often tag you in content related to your community In closing, Yes, you can use social platforms like X & LinkedIn to build an online community. But it requires much more effort than just posting content about your brand or the problem you solve. You’ve got to constantly keep the community you’re serving top of mind, put in the time to nurture your members, and be consistent over a long period of time.

Interactive content has evolved from a novelty to a fundamental strategy for publishers aiming to enhance audience engagement in 2025. As readers increasingly seek immersive experiences, publishers are incorporating gamification elements, such as quizzes, polls, and interactive narratives, to transform passive consumption into active participation. This approach not only captivates audiences but also fosters a deeper connection with the content. Polls, for instance, are a powerhouse tool. Embedded directly into articles, they turn passive readers into active contributors, boosting time spent on-page and uncovering preferences traditional analytics miss. These insights enable publishers to refine their content strategies while fostering a sense of community, a win-win for trust and relevance. Publishers like The New York Times have pioneered this approach for over a decade. Their iconic "How Y’all, Youse, and You Guys Talk" dialect quiz, launched 10 years ago, became the most-read article in the outlet’s history at the time and remains a blueprint for hyperlocal publishers. By leveraging regional dialects, it transformed linguistic curiosity into a nationwide conversation while fostering micro-community connections—proof that localised interactive tools drive sustained engagement. Hyperlocal publishers are now building on this legacy. For example, TribLive’s 2023 “Can You Pass This Pittsburgh Slang Quiz?” became a viral sensation in Western Pennsylvania, testing readers’ knowledge of phrases like “yinz” and “jaggerbush.” This playful interactive piece not only celebrated regional identity but also drove record traffic and social shares, showcasing how dialect-driven content strengthens community ties. Also, incorporating game-like elements taps into readers' intrinsic motivations, such as the desire for achievement and competition. This strategy enhances user satisfaction and encourages repeat visits, thereby increasing engagement and loyalty. Here are the key takeaways for publishers: 1.    Implement Interactive Elements: Integrate features like quizzes and polls to create engaging content formats. 2.    Understand Audience Preferences: Tailor interactive components to align with your readers' interests and behaviors. 3.    Measure and Optimise: Regularly evaluate the performance of interactive content to refine strategies and maximise engagement. Interactive content is shaping the future of digital publishing. By embracing gamification and incorporating tools like polls into editorial strategies, publishers can craft compelling experiences that not only attract but also retain readers. What interactive formats have you found most effective? Share your experiences and examples in the comments below! #DigitalPublishing #InteractiveContent #Gamification #AudienceEngagement #PublishingInnovation

The way colors interact with each other can make or break your brand’s perception. Yet, it’s one of the most overlooked aspects of branding. Many brands fall into the trap of relying on broad, generalized meanings for colors, like red for passion or blue for trust. ↓↓↓ While these are helpful, they aren’t the FULL story. The real power lies in how colors interact with each other within a palette. For instance, vibrant red and green appeal to the holidays, but pair that same red with deeper, muted reds, and you get a luxurious vibe. Hot pink might feel fun or feminine on its own, but combine it with black, and it suddenly exudes confidence and bold energy. The interplay of hues can subtly shift how customers emotionally connect with your brand. But don’t overlook trends either! Take Pantone’s recent Color of the Year, Mocha Mousse. While it might initially seem bland, its ties to sustainability make it a valuable accent for eco-conscious brands. I used it strategically for a high-end chocolate brand, not as the main color, but as an accent. Combined with richer hues, it told a deeper story about sustainable production and high-quality craft, steering away from overused color palettes in the industry. 💡 What’s the key takeaway? Your brand is more than JUST a color. Color is one of the first forms of communication. And how those colors interact, tell a story, and connect emotionally with your audience. Look at how your hues interact across visuals, packaging, and marketing touchpoints. Subtle shifts in contrast or tone can make a big difference in how your audience connects emotionally. Always test your palette as a whole. One approach I love to use when designing brand identities comes from the principles of Joseph Albers, who studied how our brains perceive colors differently depending on their surroundings. For brands, testing how your colors interact with one another is vital. These combinations tell a story about your brand’s tone, energy, and message. Which colors are driving your brand today? Have you considered what story they are telling? #LIpostingdayJune

Worried about making accessibility changes causing pushback? Here’s why: You’re focusing on bare minimum compliance rather than creating true inclusivity. Try this instead: ● Conduct regular accessibility audits to identify barriers ● Collaborate directly with people with disabilities for authentic feedback ● Implement changes that go beyond compliance to enhance usability for all Do this consistently. Become obsessed with the process and applying it. ● Study accessible design principles and stay updated ● Share what you’ve learned with your team and network ● Help other organizations understand how to implement meaningful accessibility practices No matter the industry, the lesson remains the same: accessibility isn’t a box to check; it’s a commitment to making everyone feel valued and included.