Why you should use a personal Twitter background image

Customization of social networks has many advantages including personalization of your profile, theme, and content. Twitter, the social network micro-blog site where users can “tweet” status updates up to 140 characters, allows users to not only create a small bio area and profile picture, but also allows users to upload a custom background image. One significant reason why you should use a personal Twitter background image is because it is one of the few customizations available that can greatly affect how you or your brand is perceived. A personal Twitter background captures attention and generates an interest in the Tweets.

While Twitter offers a dozen default backgrounds and themes, creating a personal background image will have more of an impact and reinforce your page. Customizing text and link colors, sidebar and border colors also allow for a seamless integration and maintain visual consistency; however the main focus is the page background. Use the background image to create areas in Twitter that aren’t already available. A header can be created easily by incorporating a graphic into the image to create a separate logo. Since most people on Twitter are not that creative or not that concerned, there are only about 25% of Twitter users who fully optimize the page to their advantage.

Creative genius is not required to customize a background image. Simple graphic editors may be used as well as several of the sites now offering customized Twitter backgrounds, both free and paid. The background image start position is always the top left corner of the page but the prime location of the background image is on the left side of the screen as it is visible no matter what the user’s monitor size or screen resolution is set to. Here you will generally find a picture of the person or business, short bio, website URL, social network links and often a few key points about the user. A well designed background image can direct the audience to wherever you choose as you are able to present anything you wish in that image. A personal background image shows you care about what your users see; that you are all about consistency. How will you utilize your background image to optimize your page?

Business tweeters may find essential that their Twitter page be an extension of their site; it’s the connection between you, your website or brand, and your Twitter account. The exposure you receive from your Twitter page is one of the best forms of free advertising imaginable and while the screen name may link you to your brand, it is the background image that will visually define your account. The background image is the first impression users see when they come to a Twitter page, everyone knows what the basic Twitter feed will look like, but no one can expect what the background will be. The background image is your billboard – your business card – it sets the tone and image for you and your company, this is prime real estate for marketing! Include your company logo, link to website, contact information as well as any other information necessary to increase traffic to your site.

Common users may find that a personal Twitter background image is detrimental for letting others know who the Twitterer is. Personal pictures, links to blogs, and self-images are a great way to let people see who you are. Many users include contact information such as email and social network links. Users also may wish to use a picture that relates to the profile picture. A personal background image may simply be a user’s form of self expression.