Wallpaper Marketing

Awhile back I asked the Magix corporation to create some computer wallpapers for Video Pro X. After all Avid & Apple had them, why not Magix? They made a nice set of wallpapers and sent them to me this week. (Available now at MEP Users) Naturally this launched an idea...

Why not make desktop wallpapers for your company or products? If you are digitally savvy you can make wallpapers and put them on your web site as a free download. How does screen wallpaper help you? Well imagine having your logo and info on a potential customers PC screen every time they boot up!

Creative Wallpaper

The key here is the wallpaper has to be creative and something the end user will want to put on their PC. I doubt they will plaster a huge logo of your company on their PC (unless you are a big corp) but nice artistic or colorful images with your logo in the lower right corner may be attractive to them.

And you don't have to be an artist to make them. The most popular wallpapers are nature and weather scenes. So if you have a digital camera you can take pictures and make wallpaper from them. Space scenes are popular too. Drop by NASA and grab some nice public domain images from space then create your wallpaper from those. You can even have an artist make them for your company.

People love to get something for free and this is a cheap & easy way to give them something. If they love your product they will love wallpapers of them too. Visitors to your site will return to see if you have added more later. You can also set up the free download area so that the visitor has to sign up to get them, this will generate a email list for you to advertise to.

Coolness Factor

Making wallpaper available will also place an image in the minds of potential customers. If the end user thinks the wallpaper is "cool" then by association your company is "cool" and they will express that to others. Several to choose from will generate return visits to your site. They get something free and learn about your company and products/services in the meantime. Offer a few then add more periodically to get return visits.

Size Matters

You should generate several versions of each wallpaper for the different screen sizes and resolutions out there. Google "Wallpaper" and check out the sizes being offered by other sites. 1280 x 1024, 1024 x 768, 1280 x 768, 1600 x 1200 are popular sizes.
You should also keep the file size as low as possible too. Try to make the files under 900k Why? Because wallpaper takes up memory in the end users computer and huge fat files can slow a computer down. Keeping the wallpaper small will be appreciated.

Product Placement

If your company offers a service then abstract or nature wallpaper may fit you best. Put company info in either the upper right or lower right of the screen. Most end users will have their icons on the left of the screen, so having your logo/info on the right is best. This way the info is not covered by their icons. Attractive shots of your products within the wallpaper is a great way to get them noticed. Remember, though it is a advertisement it still needs to look attractive to the end user.

Touch The End User

Wallpaper is like a "collector card" from your business. Many people like to change their wallpaper often and if they like and believe in your products they will want several to switch to. It is also a status symbol for them. "I like this product so I'm showing it off on my PC". At various times I've had wallpaper of my cameras, editor, tripods, motorcycles, abstract images and more on my PC. You probably have too. The wallpaper can become a reflection of you and that you have taken a little piece of something you believe in and claimed it as your own.

People in companies across the world often have nature scenes on their computer because it reminds them of being out of the cubicle. It's like their window to the outside world away from the sterile environment they work in. An attractive scene will be welcome.

Abstract scenes touch the inner feelings of the end user. Beautiful collages or swirl patterns offer comfort. Your logo and services will not be a distraction if the entire scene is enjoyable.

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The wallpaper need not contain a history of your company or product. Keep it simple. A small logo and web address is usually all you need up in a corner. There each time they boot up. A subtle reminder of your services.
Why not make a few and put them on your site as a free download? Track the number of times they are downloaded. Set up your site so if someone Googles "Wallpaper" your site will come up as a place to get some. Feature your business and products or services in a creative way!
Try it and let me know how it works for you.
Make Your Own.
J.