The instant success and popularity of Social Media companies such as Pinterest and Instagram are no accident. Those are two big examples of where not only Social Media is headed, but advertising and marketing as well.
People love pictures and videos. Doing a quick search online you will find hundreds of studies proving how pictures trigger a mental response from the brain faster and with more impact than text. If you have paid close attention you probably have noticed a few examples such as Taco Bell’s recent commercial of posting customers’ Instagram pictures on TV, dinner menus including more pictures of the food, and your favorite companies filling up your Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram feeds with images. Companies are realizing the benefits of being more visual rather than posting articles and texts and are shifting their online marketing efforts to follow this trend. Also to be fully blunt, people don’t read anymore! Ok, maybe some of us still do read, but you get the point.
1. Lights, Camera, Action!
If you are a business, this is your time to show off. Use pictures as a chance to display your great products, new releases, features, and the beauty of the items. You should not think of this as creating a product catalogue, but instead just an opportunity to share with your followers your excitement and enthusiasm. If you are not a product business, but instead a service business or if you are just marketing your personal brand take live action/lifestyle shots instead. These are very personable and gives your followers an inside look into your business and brand.
2. When In Doubt, Make It Big!
Many times people take pictures from far away or the main object is not the focus of the picture. This is usually a mistake. On most Social Media sites pictures are generally displayed as thumbnails. As a result, you should make sure the object of your picture is clearly displayed, even often times taking up a majority of the frame. If people cannot clearly see or understand your picture in the thumbnail they are less likely to click on it. By making it big you won’t have that problem.
3. Put a Face to Your Brand
Similar to the first point, take pictures of yourself, your staff or your customers. People can relate to other people. By posting pictures of the people behind the business your customer will feel more connected to it. When they come into your store or they see you in person they will have a better idea of who you are and what you stand for based on the personal pictures you posted. The best way to develop and keep long lasting customers is to create relationships with them, and what better way than through pictures?
4. Make It Pop!
There is no point of posting lots of pictures if none of them are interesting. I know what you are thinking: “If I’m not a professional photographer, how do I take great pictures?” There are so many easy-to-use photo editing tools available that pretty much anyone can take a good picture. Try playing with different filters on Instagram or other photo editing tools to find one that helps enhance your picture. Additionally, following general photo taking tips such as making sure there is good lighting, focusing on your object, filling in the space of the picture…etc. These will all help in making a more dynamic shot that people will love to share.
5. If All Else Fails, Call In the Pros
If you are taking lots of pictures and you just can’t make them look as nice as you want or are not getting the right feedback from your followers when you post them, it might be a good time to hire some professionals. These professionals don’t have to be from the fancy boutique downtown, but instead it could be a good friend, a friend of a friend or just a college kid posting an ad on Craigslist. Pretty much anyone with a good camera who has some experience. You are really just looking for some quality looking pictures that will show off your products, yourself and be dynamic enough to have people want to share them.
How often do you share pictures on Social Media? What are some of your best photography tips? Share some below!
Authored by:
Saman Kouretchian
Saman Kouretchian is an online marketing consultant, blogger, project manager and social media addict involved in the tech industry. Interests include fashion, sports, entertainment, tech industry & business. Part time data geek mixed with a creative and strategic mindset he strives to stay on top of the latest industry trends.