The new larger format for Facebook photos has uncovered an amazing viral tool. I introduce you to the Facebook Viral Photo…

If you are on Facebook, you’ve probably already done it and didn’t even realize you were part of marketing gold. If you’ve ever clicked on that “Share” link on a Facebook photo because you thought it was funny, moving or just dumb, then you are part of this growing trend.

The reason that nonprofits want to capitalize on this trend is to reach new followers. With a good viral photo you can leverage your current Facebook fan base to reach their friends and family. One good viral photo can reach far beyond your current base and bring in new followers.

The three key ingredients to making anything go viral are humor, information or help. If it makes someone laugh, if it makes someone’s life easier, or if it helps another person it has a good likelihood of going viral. Luckily, nonprofits can capitalize on the helping people piece. But keep in mind that smiles are contagious.

The secrets to making your photo sharable on Facebook are simple:

1. Make It Horizontal – The new Facebook layout is favoring landscape (aka horizontal) images. Once the Timelines turn on, square formats will be king
2. Keep It Simple – One image, one message, one call to action. Don’t muddy it with lots of stuff. Think WWII propaganda posters
3. Show It Off In PUBLIC – This isn’t a problem for images uploaded on Facebook pages, but if you are uploading to a profile make sure the globe icon is selected on your update privacy level
4. Captions Are Key – The caption will travel with the photo across Facebook. Use that space to include links and other important information about your nonprofit
5. Experiment – You never know what messages and images will take off. Try a couple of different things. Don’t give up!
6. Tech Specs – 800 x 600 pixel sized images work well. You can download Photoshop Elements for around $100 and turn your photo in viral magic. Also, watermark or add your logo to the image just in case someone downloads it to repost

Now that you know the basics, it’s really all about content. In the visual medium of social media, really think about what your images are saying about your nonprofit. Try mixing up your messages with some photos that emphasize mission. Maybe try thanking your volunteers and see how far that goes. Here are some content ideas to make your photos spread (Hint: Click on the photos to see the original Facebook post):

Meaningful Messages – Write a quick call to action or a moving fact about your nonprofit on a sticky and take a picture.

Fundraise – I always love Greg Ng’s Movember fundraising push and this Facebook Viral Photo is out of this world. Yes, you can ask for money with your photos! Having a short URL and a snappy caption are key.

Write It – Using all text or typography on these images has impact. Skip the cute kids and use all words to tell your story. You can do this all in Photoshop Elements with a little time and experimentation.

Call Out Your Fans – Create an image that people will want to share to show their solidarity. Adding an arrow pointing to the Facebook fan is a great way to get people to take a stand on your issue.

Humor Always Works – Anything funny, weird or wacky will go viral. Nuff said. This one breaks the horizontal rule, but those Share and Like totals shows good content has no rules. (These are super good BTW and way fun to make!)

What is your favorite Facebook Viral Photo? There are tons out there and we can learn from them all. Post them below!

PS – THANK YOU  to all my Facebook friends for sharing these photos with me!