How to Put Birthday Balloons in a Facebook Comment
By David Nield
Adding birthday balloons to your comments on Facebook is one way of making your message stand out -- if one of your friends is celebrating a birthday then it's likely that his or her Timeline will be inundated with best wishes. The birthday balloon image must be sourced from outside Facebook, but you can easily post this picture to someone's Timeline as well as adding it to an existing comment thread.
Adding an Image
Open up the Timeline of one of your friends -- ideally someone who is celebrating a birthday -- and select the "Photo" option. Click inside the "+" box to add a new picture, at which point you can select the birthday balloons image you'd like to use. Click above the image to enter some text if you'd like to add a caption to the image or extend your birthday greeting. Use the buttons at the bottom of the post box to tag friends, assign a date or add a location to the update.
Adding a Comment
In June 2013 Facebook added the ability to embed images within comments added to an existing update. Click inside any comment box (labelled "Write a comment"), compose the text as required, then select the camera icon to the right to import your picture. A new dialog appears enabling you to choose an image from your hard drive. When you're happy with the image and comment, press "Enter" to publish it. The user who posted the original update, as well as anyone else who has contributed a comment to the thread, receives a notification that your comment has been added.
Choosing an Image
You're free to use any birthday balloon picture you like -- the image search function associated with your favorite search engine can be useful here. Check the copyright notice alongside any images you're considering using to make sure you have permission to share them. Images released under the Creative Commons license, for example, can often be shared without express permission. For an extra personal touch, you might want to take a photo of yourself holding up some birthday balloons or a birthday message for your friend.
Other Tips
Bear in mind the audience for the post you're creating. If you're starting a new thread on a friend's Timeline, your friend controls who is able to view it; if you're adding a comment to an existing thread, the audience is the same as it is for the original post. Consider adding a personal anecdote or a unique greeting (such as a poem you've prepared for the occasion) to make your birthday message even more memorable. You can also tag your friend (begin typing the name then select the correct entry from the list) to draw attention to the post or comment you've created.
References
Writer Bio
An information technology journalist since 2002, David Nield writes about the Web, technology, hardware and software. He is an experienced editor, proofreader and copywriter for online publications such as CNET, TechRadar and Gizmodo. Nield holds a Bachelor of Arts in English literature and lives in Manchester, England.