A topic that has been discussed a lot lately is personal brand photography. If you’d like to learn more about what that is, you can check out our blog (Business Branding Pictures | More Than Just A Headshot) where Matthew interviews Jodi on this topic. If you know all about personal brand photos, read on to see why we think you need personal brand photos for your business.
Often, we see a great business that has spent a lot of money on their website and logo, but their images on the site and/or their social media are just, well, so-so. You’ve spent money on having your logo and website done so that they are professional, so why do you leave the images to stock or cell phone photos? Let’s talk about why a professional branding photographer is just as important as a professional web designer or graphic designer.
You’ve heard the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words”, right? Well, this has never been more true. In a world of Wi-Fi and immediate gratification, people are busy and rarely take the time to read all the words you have carefully crafted. Professional photos are critical for delivering the essence of your brand, communicating professionalism, and giving you a competitive edge. They also demonstrate the personal side of your business. Most potential clients first exposure to your business is likely to be on social media.
Having success on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook is dependent on scroll stopping images because people scroll through so quickly. If you want to drive traffic to your site or generate leads, you need to stop the scroll.
Consistently having high quality pictures on your social media not only builds brand recognition, it adds an unspoken perceived value to your business. If you don’t value your own service or product enough with high quality images, why should potential clients?
When you use lower quality images on your social media platforms and professional images on your website, it creates confusion in the mind of consumers and devalues your brand. A confused mind doesn’t buy and consistency is key.
But stock photography is cheaper. Why can’t I just use them? They are cheaper and the saying “you get what you pay for” applies here. These generic stock images will rarely connect to your brand and are overall, pretty boring. You also run the risk of your competitors using the exact same images to promote their brand. Can you say Awkward? Holy Brand Confusion, Batman.
I have a nice camera/phone. Can’t I just take my own brand images? You’re a small business owner. You have a ton on your plate already. Is this really an effective use of your time? Know when to outsource to the professionals. What takes some people hours or days to produce can be handled by a professional in a minimal amount of time.
So, are you ready to elevate your brand? Give AFH Media a call and let’s see how we can help you do that. Call us at 717-803-8778.