As much as we hate to admit it, appearance is everything. We are visually stimulated and our brains can decipher an image instantly compared with reading text. When it comes to web copy, people rarely read a piece of content word for word. On the other hand, images stick with readers longer and are more likely to give you a greater return on your content investment.

As a small business owner you or your team should be taking pictures regularly and maximizing the value of each image to boost your visual content marketing.

 

Why should you take and use your own pictures in your marketing?

The internet is packed with images and most of the time you can find a picture of exactly what you need, so why should you go through the effort of taking your own? Because chances are that image has been used over and over again and possibly by your competitors. A personal image boosts your trust factor and allows your audience to relate to you and your business faster. If the stock photo you’re using is at all similar to another website that created a negative experience for the visitor, subconsciously, they’re projecting their negative experiences onto your stock photograph, reducing trust & adding friction to the process. In marketing studies, when visitors see real images they are 35% more likely to sign up and make a purchase. Think about it this way: if someone asks to “be your friend” on your personal Facebook account, or requests to follow you on Twitter and the only images they have available are cat pictures, or an image of a celebrity, are you going to accept their request? Chances are most people won’t unless they are pretty sure that they know this person. Otherwise there is no telling who is really on the other side of the computer.If you are dead set on using a stock photo, go to Google Images and drag the photo in the search bar and Google will pull up all the of the exact instances of that photo so you can see who else is using that image.

 

Need some ideas for the types of pictures to take?

• Showcase your facilities
• Show Before and After Images
• Ask your best customers if they would be willing to take a photo with you
• Photograph people in your business enjoying your product
• Capture behind the scenes moments
• Share team photos

 

Where can you use these images in your marketing?

Everywhere! You don’t need to be a professional photographer to create captivating images, and you don’t need a fancy camera. Make sure your phone has at least an 8mp camera and start snapping some photos. As you get comfortable, play with the lighting and angles to help you share your story. Afterall, that’s all marketing is is telling a story and having your audience buy in.

• You can use your images on your website.
• Use your images in your blogs
• Use your images on your social media accounts

Every visual you create should be simple which in turn will make it easier for repurposing. Think about the longevity of your visuals and keep in mind where it could be used after its initial purpose. We’re not saying these images should replace a professional photographer, but if you don’t have a budget yet or your main focus is social media – a camera phone is all you need to get by.

 

How do you maximize the value of each image in your marketing plan?

The great part about images is they are evergreen and will always be useful, even the outdated ones will be great for a #ThrowbackThursday post now and then. Create a folder of images that you can pull from over a period of time. Save them all in a place where you and your team can easily access the photos when you need them, like Google Drive or similar cloud storage location.

To recycle images more than once you can:

1. Add text overlays like your favorite quote or a testimonial
2. Use a filter and share the image again.
3. Create a collage using multiple images
4. Crop the photo for a new angle
5. Turn your visuals into infographics
6. Create a video slideshow with apps on your phone

You’re not going to become a professional photographer overnight. But with more high quality cameras in our phones and editing apps available on the market, it’s easier than ever to take great images of your business. So don’t be afraid to try something new! As you gain new skills, your visual content marketing photos will get better and better. And, no matter what, any images you share of your products and business will be better than no images at all or a stock photo that doesn’t inspire.

 

Wieting Design | Digital Marketing Fairfield County CT

Wieting Design is a full-service, graphic and website design agency based in Fairfield County, CT and serving all of Connecticut (CT). We are committed to sharing our experience and expertise in website design, graphic design, social media marketing, search engine marketing (SEO), and video production to help build powerful tools and campaigns that work for your Connecticut business. Whether your objective is to grow your reputation, create client loyalty, drive traffic to your website or set up a marketing strategy, we will adapt our approach to get you the results you need with the services we provide.