Whatever your output online, the experts all agree – it should be accompanied by a visual image of some sort.

The most engaging of social media accounts are those with a good mix of content being shared, whether it’s pictures of family and friends, pets or food, or business accounts sharing industry insights and offers with an accompanying graphic.

Particularly for businesses, how those insights and offers are packaged can make all the difference between a successful campaign and an ineffectual one. While the information will be relevant or interesting, an eye catching image will help do just that – catch the eye as a timeline whizzes past. You have 1.7 seconds to catch those eyeballs, according to the latest sources. That’s how long the public’s online attention span is these days, in a hugely crowded space. Here’s another cute dog picture just, y’know, in case …

I may not have the time to create as much imagery as I’d like, but when I do need a visual of some sort, these are my favourite creation tools. They’re all very simple, and, for those on a budget, they’re also free!  

Pixabay: The free stock image photo site, with easily searchable content. Just check the right hand side to confirm that the image you choose has a creative commons licence.

Canva: I’ve mentioned Canva before – upload your own photos or create graphics from their stock. While you can use it for free, you can also buy from their image stock – just $1 a pop. Add texts, change colours, fonts and backgrounds – the fun is endless yet powerfully practical.

PicMonkey:  If you use Google Drive, as I do, PicMonkey is the default tool for basic editing of your images. The Royale plan lets you do even more.

Typorama: An app I was introduced to recently, leading me to post this tweet while mobile within minutes of finding it. Go on, have a play.

Instantly created using @typoramaapp #typorama #justtesting #shesdigital #wekent pic.twitter.com/DIpxzmXaV5

— Rochester LitFest (@RochLitFest) March 2, 2016

And 2 more I’m definitely going to have a play with …

Powtoon: I’m sure you’ll have seen these animations around – I’ve had a quick look and will be heading back there shortly.

QuotesCover:  Another new find, both elements of a great graphic in one place.

Final tip: Make sure to explore the camera options on your smart phone – you can generally do basic edits in both photo and film, as well as load directly to YouTube to create a video or slideshow.

Those are my favourites but there are a whole load more – check these out.

Happy playing!