The bar for photography is high, so how do you increase you chances of better brand photo success.
Hootsuite have highlighted that to maximize the performance of your social media team, their output, and your brand’s overall chance at success, there are several major roles you’ll want to consider hiring for.
Social media manager
Content creator
Community manager
Paid social media specialist
Social data analyst
Graphic designer
Influencer marketer
Altrincham HQ work with a lot of small businesses and it’s not financially viable for a small business to hire 8 different roles.
But if you want to maximise your social media marketing efforts at the very least you should hire a content creator (photographer / videographer) alongside hiring a graphic designer.
A social media manager or yourself will be able to DIY some of this – but to get the best results hire a pro in these areas.
Equally don’t expect the content creator to be the best person to manage your social media – social media management is skill set in itself.
In our latest blog we look at 5 Factors to Consider for Better Brand Photo Success.
“Most business owners know that they need imagery for their marketing but unfortunately, many people don’t think beyond that simple fact. They labour under the belief that if they post any old photo it will work for them.
Well, maybe back in the early 2000s that was true, but people are so much more saavy these days, and there’s so much great content already out there that if you post poor imagery, it can impact negatively on your brand.
Think of it this way. Would you send out a quote chock full of errors? No. Or hand out business cards with a typo or the wrong contact number? Of course not. Your approach to photography should be just as meticulous. It’s a vital part of your brand and marketing plans, and needs to be treated seriously.” Martin Hambleton
SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY AND BRAND PHOTO SUCCESS
Social Media Strategy is a full topic in itself – but use our 1-page social media strategy below and fill in the blanks.
My ideal customers are
They spend time on
Their pain points are
I will produce content around these 4 areas
In 3 months, I expect to achieve
I will measure this by checking / tracking
The areas I expect I will struggle with will be
And to help with these areas I will contact
How do your new photos fit into the overarching strategy?
Is there a content plan?
“When I’m having a brainstorm with new clients, one of my questions would be where they get most of their leads, this is a crucial part of tailoring an effective visual and narrative strategy. The insight into lead sources can guide the direction of your content and imagery and be an excellent way to begin the brainstorming!” Meg Kerr Photography
COPYWRITING AND BRAND PHOTO SUCCESS
Copywriting is the elevation of good to great.
Working in social media marketing for 14 years i’ve seen that the bar has been raised for photography. Whilst at the same time copywriting, wouldn’t even pass the 11+ never mind GCSEs.
On the majority of social media platforms there are 3 key elements of success.
Image – to stop people on the scroll
Caption – to attract a response
Hashtags – to extend reach of your posts
You might have heard of the Golden Hour on Social Media.
Comments on your post within the 1st hour of your post dictates how far the algorithm pushes your post in the feed.
Without great copy you’ll attract likes, but you won’t attract comments.
“Copywriting gives you the opportunity to engage with your audience on a much more meaningful level than a double tap. As a photographer, I want your ideal clients to interact with you on all of your marketing platforms. When capturing your brand from a visual perspective, take into consideration that the image will go hand-in-hand with your copywriting. We want to produce an all-round impactful and engaging post that your ideal client can relate with.” Victoria Haydn
AUDIENCE SIZE AND BRAND PHOTO SUCCESS
You can have the best photos in the world, but if nobody is going to see them what is the point.
Photography is an important investment in your business, but you need a plan for growth and visibility.
“Content marketing can be ineffective if you competitors can produce more content than you and if your social media outlets have no audience have no audience.” is a quote we use when talking about content marketing and it’s relevant here.
A competitor of yours with and audience of thousands and 7/10 content produced on a Iphone … will outperform your 10/10 content by a professional photographer because your audience size is in the hundreds.
TIP: Do an audit of your social media audience size (Company profiles + personal profiles) and set targets for 3 months of growth alongside your brand photo.
WEBSITE AND BRAND PHOTO SUCCESS
What are you looking to achieve with your brand-new photos.
Does it look at a little like this?
Increased engagement > Increased Website Visits > Increased Sales
Now what happens if your social media is popping and then they land on a website that looks like it’s a 2004 throwback.
You’d be surprised how often business have great social media let down by a poor website.
Great marketing looks at the bigger picture and the whole sales process.
“Websites are the first port of call when people want to check out a business & if the photos are poor quality & unprofessional, then that’s the first impression potential clients get of a company. DIY photos, even with the latest phone camera technology, just don’t hit the mark when you have less than two seconds to impress before they scroll on. Professional photography is such a worthwhile investment.” Nicki Cameron
FREQUENCY AND BRAND PHOTO SUCCESS
A photoshoot is not something you do once every 4 years.
If you consider that active on social media is considered 4-7 posts per week you’re going to need a bank of content to use.
In an ideal world you’ll have a photographer on a monthly retainer or bring them in once every 3 months to produce new content.
Intersperse that with content from your employees / yourself and you have a strong content library to work from.
When was the last time you diarised a photo shoot?
“I’ve come across so many people who have out-of-date pics of themselves on their headshots & websites. Different hair style/colour, 10 years younger, different weight, old vibe. Clients want to see the real person behind the business – not stale, dated photos. Google also loves updated & fresh content. Regular photoshoots keep clients interested & provide exciting, new material for social media. And they’re great fun too!” Nicki Cameron
NEED HELP WITH SOCIAL MEDIA TRAINING FOR YOUR BUSINESS
If you’d like to find out more about Social Media for Bookkeepers or simply chat to us about Social Media Marketing for YOUR organisation , so we can better understand YOU and what will grow your organisation
Remember we can only find out what is unique to your business by chatting with you
Look at our Social Media Training and Social Media Management services
We offer Social Media Training on
- TikTok
- Blogging
We can do this
- 121
- Corporate Workshops
- Group Workshops
- Face to Face or Via Zoom / Skype
Please call Alex on 07806774279 or email alex@altrinchamhq.co.uk
