Pictures aren’t really optional on social media these days. Platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest, and Snapchat make pictures the main point, and even on Facebook, posts with images get 2.3 times the engagement of posts that don’t have them.

For home improvement marketing, pictures can drive increased engagement and trust on social platforms. The right images can also be the difference between organic home improvement social media marketing that falls flat and posts that drive conversions and revenue.

Here’s what you need to know about integrating images into your social campaigns:

• Memes work. They’re funny, easy to digest in a moment, and fun to share. But they need to work for your brand, so do your research to choose memes that aren’t connected to political or religious topics—or anything else that’s polarizing or otherwise could cause a hubbub on your social profile.
• Original pictures sell. Consumers prefer original pictures over the same stock photos everyone else is using. They also prefer images that include only part of a person (such as a hand or the feet) rather than the entire person. Gorgeous pictures of your window and door or window covering products, especially when they include aesthetically pleasing environments or color combinations, should also fare well.
• Infographics are helpful. These convey a lot of information quickly, which is what people like to see on social media. Create or share infographics that help people make home improvement buying decisions or understand how to do something, such as installing blinds or curtains.

Pictures may be worth a thousand words, but that doesn’t mean you should leave the text out. Even on image-centric platforms such as Instagram, the caption can do a lot of heavy lifting.

Create text content that adds to the story the picture begins or use the space to include hashtags that make your content more searchable or increase its range on the platform. On Instagram, for example, hashtags ensure your content is seen by users who aren’t already following you.

Spending a little time curating the right images for your social profiles can drive high ROI with home improvement marketing. You don’t even need to be a professional photographer; all it takes is a little creativity and the use of free tools such as Canva.