It’s not news that social media is a heavily image-driven phenomenon. Facebook’s recent reconfiguration made pictures larger and more prominent. Twitter streams now have photos showing up between 140-character commentary. Instagram is exclusively photo driven.

Clearly, people love to take and share pictures. But what are they taking pictures of?

Mostly, it turns out, people are taking pictures of themselves.

Enter the selfie.

The latest incarnation of the self-portrait, selfies are generally taken using a smartphone camera. You can see some classic images (you’ll recognize them from history class!) reimagined as selfies in this ad campaign. Digital Trends magazine reports that selfies are the most popular type of image shared on social media. The TTG crew spends a lot of time on social media as part of our social media management service, and we’d have to say that that report aligns with what we’re seeing every day.

How can you put this trend to work for you in a way that positively promotes your small business? The key is working with your customers’ love for selfies.

Consider your business location.

Are there spots that would make a perfect background for a picture? Talk some of your best customers into taking a selfie in that spot – generally they won’t need much encouragement – and have them post them to their favorite social media platform. Get permission to print out those pictures and display them near the picturesque spot, and underneath the images, put up a sign that says #(Your business name). This subtle suggestion will prompt further customers that they want to be part of the fun – make sure you search for your business regularly online and share the selfies you find. Print out the best ones and add them to the display.

Want to learn more about harnessing the power of social media for your small business? Jennifer Shaheen, the Tech Therapist, just presented a fantastic webinar on this topic yesterday. Go to the link and enter your contact information, and Jennifer will send you a copy of the presentation. This is information you can use to make this holiday season your best ever!