Social Media Design For Dummies

Social Media Design For Dummies

Released June 2014
Publisher(s): For Dummies
ISBN: 9781118707814

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Book description

Learn to design professional and effective social media profiles!

Whether you're trying to attract a new employer or get new fans to notice your brand, your social media profiles need to distinguish you from the masses. Packed with the secrets behind the hottest Facebook timelines, Twitter backgrounds, and LinkedIn profiles, this fun-but-straightforward guide shows you how to create eye-catching social media profiles with a professional, cohesive design.

  • Includes online resources and downloadable templates that allow you to make your own profiles quick and easy

  • Reveals techniques for making a memorable and unique Twitter background, Facebook profile and page, LinkedIn profile, Google+ profile, and more

  • Details ways in which to use Pinterest boards and cover photos to showcase your brand

  • Shows you how to make the most of Rebelmouse and YouTube.

    • Social Media Design For Dummies is a must-have introductory guide to creating a professional, effective, and cohesive design that will better communicate your brand's story to future partners, employers, and customers.

    Table of contents

      1. Introduction
        1. About This Book
        2. Icons Used in This Book
        3. Beyond the Book
        4. Where to Go from Here
      2. Part I: Getting Started with Social Media Design
        1. Chapter 1: Creating a Consistent Design for All Your Social Sites
          1. Choosing the Best Social Media Sites
            1. Facebook
            2. LinkedIn
            3. Twitter
            4. Google+
            5. Pinterest
            6. YouTube
          2. Spreading the Love with Social Media Share Buttons
          3. Using Social Bookmarking Sites
          4. Gathering Ideas for Your Social Media Designs
        2. Chapter 2: Checking Out Design Tools
          1. Finding the Social Media Design That Fits
          2. Finding the Right Design Tool
            1. Photo-editing software
            2. Drawing programs
          3. Creating and Optimizing Web Graphics
            1. Resizing graphics and photos
            2. Choosing the best image format
            3. Saving images for the web: The basics
            4. Optimizing JPEG images for the web
            5. Optimizing images in GIF and PNG formats
            6. How small is small enough?
          4. Working with Easy Drawing Tools
        3. Chapter 3: Advanced Design Concepts
          1. Using Free Photo-Editing Software
          2. Extracting a Subject from a Photo
            1. Using the Magic Wand tool to extract a subject
            2. Using the Eraser tool to extract a subject
            3. Working with the Quick Selection and Refine Edge tools
          3. Combining Images to Create Collages
      3. Part II: Creating Designs on the Top Social Sites
        1. Chapter 4: Fashioning a Fantastic Facebook Profile
          1. Looking Good on Facebook
            1. Comparing Timeline, cover, and Profile images
            2. Sizing images for your Facebook design
          2. Admiring Inspiring Facebook Designs
          3. Following Facebook Design Rules
          4. Creating Your Own Profile Design
            1. Using an image editor to design a Profile
            2. Creating a cover image in Photoshop
            3. Adding a Profile picture
            4. Optimizing the cover image with the Save for Web dialog box
            5. Getting your Profile photo the right size
            6. Uploading your images to Facebook
        2. Chapter 5: Polishing Your Look on a Facebook Page
          1. Getting Professional with Pages
          2. Inspiring Business Designs on Facebook
          3. Adding a Facebook Tab
            1. Creating Facebook tabs with apps
            2. Adding a custom Facebook tab
          4. Keeping Branding Consistent with Pages
        3. Chapter 6: Tweaking Your Twitter Profile
          1. Comparing Twitter Image Options
          2. Uploading Profile Photos
          3. Adding a Header Image to the Top of Your Twitter Profile
            1. Choosing a great header image
            2. Uploading a header image to Twitter
          4. Adding Background Images
            1. Positioning background images
            2. Inserting background images
          5. Changing Twitter Profile Photos
            1. Making more frequent profile changes
            2. Taking profile photos with a mobile phone
        4. Chapter 7: Channeling Your Look on YouTube
          1. Launching Your Own YouTube Channel
          2. Planning Your Channel
            1. Making your YouTube videos pay
            2. Creating a channel trailer
          3. Enjoying Eye-Catching YouTube Channel Designs
          4. Customizing Your YouTube Channel
            1. Creating your channel art
            2. Uploading your channel art
            3. Setting links from your channel to your other sites
          5. Activating Other Account Features
          6. Crafting a Custom Thumbnail for Your Videos
      4. Part III: Extending Your Social Reach
        1. Chapter 8: Upscaling Your LinkedIn Profile
          1. Introducing Yourself on LinkedIn
          2. Creating a LinkedIn Profile
          3. Writing a Great Biography
          4. Putting Your Best Face Forward
            1. Sizing your profile photo
            2. Changing your profile photo
          5. Enhancing Your LinkedIn Profile
            1. Adding examples of your work
            2. Key positions (but not necessarily all)
            3. Accomplishments and awards
            4. Recommendations: References build credibility
        2. Chapter 9: Generating a Google+ Profile
          1. Creating One Design, Multiple Platforms
          2. Managing Your Google+ Circles
          3. Reviewing Google+ Profile Designs
          4. Creating a Great Google+ Profile
            1. Setting your cover photo size
            2. Changing your cover photo
            3. Sizing your profile photo
        3. Chapter 10: Setting Up Pinterest Boards
          1. Inspiring Pinterest Profiles
          2. Creating and Editing Your Pinterest Profile
          3. Creating Pinterest Pins and Boards
            1. Pinning images and videos on Pinterest
            2. Creating Pinterest boards
            3. Editing a Pinterest board
            4. Changing the order of Pinterest boards
        4. Chapter 11: Creating a Flickr Presence
          1. Designing a Flickr Cover Photo
            1. Inspiring cover photos
            2. Using a simple background
            3. Changing a Flickr cover image
          2. Setting Your Flickr Buddy Icon
            1. Adding a buddy icon
            2. Changing buddy icons in Flickr sets
      5. Part IV: Integrating Your Social Networks
        1. Chapter 12: Compiling a Tumblr Page
          1. When Is Tumblr Right for You?
          2. Comparing Inspiring Tumblr Designs
          3. Changing the Background on Tumblr
          4. Making an Animated GIF for Tumblr
        2. Chapter 13: Aggregating Profiles with a RebelMouse Page
          1. Checking Out What You Can Do on RebelMouse
          2. Assembling the Content for Your RebelMouse Page
          3. Customizing Your RebelMouse Page Design
            1. Choosing a page layout
            2. Themes: Fonts and colors
            3. Create your own custom theme
            4. Editing the RebelMouse navigation bar
            5. Creating a custom header image
      6. Part V: The Part of Tens
        1. Chapter 14: Ten Social Media Management Tools
          1. Planning Ahead with HootSuite
          2. Keeping in Touch with Nimble
          3. Managing Social Sites with Sprout Social
          4. Sharing Is Easy with AddThis
          5. Using bitly to Shorten URLs
          6. Using SharedBy for More than Short URLs
          7. Cleaning Up Twitter Followers
          8. Identifying the Fakers on Twitter
          9. Growing Your Audience with Wildfire
          10. Creating Contests, Coupons, and Quizzes with AgoraPulse
        2. Chapter 15: Ten Social Media Analytics Tools
          1. Getting a Global View with Trendsmap
          2. Measuring Your Klout Score
          3. Earning Deals with PeerIndex
          4. Trading Favors at Empire Avenue
          5. Exploring Social Media with Topsy
          6. Studying Metrics with Radian6
          7. Enjoying the View with uberVU
          8. Checking Facebook Engagement
          9. Measuring Social Sentiment
          10. Reporting Results with Viralheat
        3. Chapter 16: Ten Ways to Build Social Media Engagement
          1. Liking, Sharing, Retweeting, and Commenting
          2. Social Media Is Like a Party
          3. Posting Photos
          4. Sharing Videos
          5. Informing with Infographics
          6. Introducing Your Friends
          7. Asking Questions
          8. Being Nice
          9. Being Consistent
          10. Making Relevant Recommendations
      7. About the Author
      8. Cheat Sheet
      9. More Dummies Products

    Product information

    • Title: Social Media Design For Dummies
    • Author(s):
    • Release date: June 2014
    • Publisher(s): For Dummies
    • ISBN: 9781118707814