Graphic Design 101: Week 13 - Graphic Design in Social Media
A brief intro to the world of Graphic Design with your Instructor Shannon McNamara!
Your Digital Presence
What makes a great digital presence?
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We are all guilty of doomscrolling social media, so how do we stop our users from scrolling right past our social media content?
We need to keep our viewers engaged!
Let’s talk about that this week!
Table of Contents:
Keeping Viewers Engaged
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Designing Instagram Posts
The Creatopy article “Instagram Story Size: Best Practices To Know in 2025” provides comprehensive guidelines for creating effective Instagram Stories. Here's a summary of the key points:(Creatopy)
📐 Recommended Dimensions
Optimal Size: 1080 x 1920 pixels (aspect ratio 9:16).
Minimum Width: 500 pixels.
Accepted Image Formats: JPG and PNG (max size: 30MB).
Accepted Video Formats: MP4 and MOV (max size: 4GB).
Video Length: Up to 60 seconds per Story.
Alternative Resolutions: 720 x 1280, 1440 x 2560, and 2160 x 3840 pixels, maintaining the 9:16 aspect ratio. (Creatopy, Creatopy)
🛡️ Safe Zone Considerations
Instagram overlays elements like profile icons and navigation buttons on Stories. To ensure critical content isn't obscured:(Creatopy)
Avoid placing essential elements near the top and bottom edges.
Use Instagram's grid lines to center content and stay within safe zones. (Creatopy)
🎯 Importance for Brands
With over 600 million daily users engaging with Stories, they offer brands a prime opportunity to:
Boost visibility and reach.
Enhance engagement through interactive content.
Drive conversions with features like swipe-up links (for accounts with over 10k followers). (Creatopy, Creatopy)
✅ Best Practices
Design for Mobile: Ensure text and visuals are legible on smaller screens.
Maintain Brand Consistency: Use consistent colors, fonts, and logos.
Incorporate Interactivity: Utilize polls, questions, and stickers to engage viewers.
Optimize Timing: Post when your audience is most active, typically in the evenings. (Creatopy)
📌 Key Takeaways
Adhere to Recommended Sizes: 1080 x 1920 pixels with a 9:16 aspect ratio.
Stay Within Safe Zones: Keep vital content away from edges to avoid overlap with Instagram's UI elements.
Engage Your Audience: Leverage interactive features to foster engagement.
Consistency is Key: Maintain a cohesive brand image across all Stories.(Creatopy, Creatopy)
For a more in-depth understanding, you can read a full article here: (Creatopy).
Did you know that Adobe has TONS of Social Media templates?
Adobe Express offers a wide array of free Instagram templates designed to help businesses and individuals create eye-catching posts, stories, and videos with ease. With thousands of customizable templates available, users can quickly craft professional-looking content that aligns with their brand's identity. The platform provides access to a vast library of design assets, including royalty-free images and fonts, allowing for personalized and engaging Instagram content. Additionally, Adobe Express features tools like the one-click Resize function and a built-in Content Scheduler, enabling users to efficiently manage and adapt their social media campaigns across various platforms.
Designing Facebook Posts/Pages
Facebook provides multiple resources for how to set up your Facebook page for success.
Setting up a Facebook Page for your business is a smart and simple way to build your brand online and connect with your audience where they already hang out. To get started, head to Facebook, click on “Pages,” and select “Create New Page.” From there, you’ll fill in your business name, category, and a short bio to let people know what you’re about. Add a clear profile picture (like your logo) and an eye-catching cover photo that reflects your brand’s vibe. Once your page is live, you can start posting updates, photos, videos, and events — and even link it to your Instagram for extra reach. Having a Facebook Page not only makes your business look legit and easy to find but also gives you access to tools like Facebook Insights and Ads to track your growth and reach the right people. Whether you're running a student side hustle, a small local shop, or a growing brand, it’s a must-have for spreading the word and staying connected.
So now you have your page set up and ready to go, but where to start with your posting? If you want to crush it on Facebook in 2025, it’s all about keeping things fresh, fun, and fast! Short videos like Reels and Stories are where it’s at — make them snappy, creative, and don’t forget to jump on those trending audio tracks to get noticed. Keep your profile looking sharp and totally you. Know what your followers vibe with and mix it up with interactive stuff like polls, quizzes, and fun questions. Got a funny meme or cool video from a friend? Share it! User-generated content is pure gold. Pro tip: Use a content calendar to stay organized and make sure you’re posting the good stuff consistently.
But hey, it’s not just about posting — it’s about connecting too. Link your Facebook to your website or blog if you’ve got one, and join groups where people are geeking out about the same things you love. Keep up the energy by replying to comments and DMs quickly — people love a good convo. Track what’s working with Facebook Insights (because who doesn’t love a little data flex?), and try out ads if you want to reach more people. Go live sometimes for that real-time hype, and maybe even team up with a student influencer or club page to spread your message. Keep it fun, stay consistent, and watch your Facebook game glow up!
Adobe Express offers a wide array of free Facebook templates designed to help businesses create eye-catching posts, ads, and banners with ease. With thousands of customizable templates available, users can quickly craft professional-looking content that aligns with their brand's identity. The platform provides access to a vast library of design assets, including royalty-free images and fonts, allowing for personalized and engaging Facebook content. Additionally, Adobe Express features tools like the one-click Resize function and a built-in Content Scheduler, enabling businesses to efficiently manage and adapt their social media campaigns across various platforms. (Adobe, Adobe)
Designing Ads for X or BlueSky
In 2025, platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and BlueSky are becoming go-to spots for businesses to connect with younger, social-savvy audiences — especially students. On X, the key is keeping it quick, witty, and relatable. Businesses can hop on trending hashtags, share memes, or post polls and questions to spark conversations. A little humor goes a long way here. Running giveaways, flash sales, or challenges like “Tag a friend who needs this!” keeps students engaged and eager to interact. Plus, by replying to comments and jumping into viral threads, brands can build a fun, authentic personality that students actually want to follow.
BlueSky, being a newer, decentralized social network, is all about community vibes and authenticity. Businesses can use it to start chill, genuine conversations — think behind-the-scenes posts, student discount announcements, or even hosting casual Q&A sessions. It’s a great space for local businesses, campus clubs, or student-focused brands to build tight-knit online communities. Sharing user-generated content or collaborating with student creators can help businesses feel less like a brand and more like a cool friend students love hearing from. Keep it casual, creative, and community-first, and you’ll have students hyped to spread the word.
Creating Content for TikTok
If you’re a business looking to grab customers’ attention on TikTok, the secret is to keep it fun, fast, and authentic. TikTok isn’t the place for stiff, polished ads — it’s all about showing personality and joining in on the trends. Jump on popular challenges, remix viral sounds, or create funny, relatable skits that tie into your brand. Behind-the-scenes videos, product hacks, or “day in the life” clips give your audience a peek into your world and make your business feel approachable.
Another pro move is to team up with student creators or campus influencers who can help spread the word in a way that feels natural. Don’t be afraid to experiment — TikTok rewards creativity, so try out filters, duets, or funny storytelling styles. Use hashtags that students are following, and always keep your captions casual and fun. The goal is to entertain first and advertise second. When done right, TikTok can turn your business into a campus favorite in no time.
Adobe Express is a great tool for creating TikTok videos because it offers ready-made, customizable templates that make designing eye-catching content super easy. You don’t need to be a pro editor — just pick a template, drop in your clips, add text, and you’re good to go. It also comes with access to free fonts, graphics, and stock videos, so you can keep your content fresh and trendy. Plus, with its one-click resizing feature, you can quickly repurpose your videos for other platforms like Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts.
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Assignment:
Create Social Media Content for your Restaurant
Choose three social media platforms
Create an advertisement or post for each of the three platforms
Use the templates/specific sizes to make them look realistic
Submission:
Please submit your assignment as a .jpg in the Chat for Week 13