Should you invest in professional photos?
What’s your brand story?
Do you need photos for your business for social media? Website? Advertising? The obvious answer is YES, but it goes way beyond snapping a few shots and posting them. There needs to be a strategy and plan behind your photos to make them count.
Why? Great question, I’m so glad you asked.
Random photos posted with no plan or intent behind them will not help to convert your followers to customers. As much as we enjoy the vanity metrics of follower count and likes, that doesn’t equal money in our pocket or orders on your books. It is true that strategy and planning require up front time, but it will ultimately give you more time in the long run.
Sure customers want to see what you make - but that doesn’t give them the full picture. Truth is there are lots of places for people to buy their cakes, cookies, pies, etc from - what they are looking for is connection with their goodies.
We all want to support the small businesses, up and coming entrepreneurs, and creative makers in our community and in order to do that they want to read your reviews, see your processes, learn your way, and feel like they are a part of what you are building.
Snapping photos here and there just to have something to post will leave you thinking that every photo you take needs to be up, but the fact of the matter is that there are probably lots of photos on your feed not helping to sell your product. Either they do not make sense, they are too close up, or maybe it’s only showing a small part of what you offer your customers.
Sure phone cameras have come a long way, I am not denying that. My first phone when I was 20 didn’t even have a phone (yep, I’m that old). The the reality is that having professional photos taken of your product with a plan and strategy behind them will help to create a cohesive brand, confidence in your business, and help to highlight what you can do for your customers. It will also help to make the photos you take with your phone be more on brand and cohesive. A well thought out and intentionally styled photo shoot, will help your customers see themselves in the scene and imagine enjoying your food or product.
Let’s back this up with some statistics:
90% of consumers say that photo quality is a top factor when they are purchasing online. (meero.com)
According to a consumer study by big commerce - 78% of online shoppers want products brought to life in photos. (bigcommerce.com)
93% of online shoppers would rather shop small and local retailers (justuno.com)
People remember about 10% of info they read or hear - but when you pair that info with a relevant photo - that percentage jumps to a whopping 65%!! (hubspot.com)
Sure there are statistics to back up my story, but even without those you’ve got the age old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words. It provides a visual representation of your brand and a first impression to your customers. Do you remember that game - show & tell from way back in elementary school - showing your item was always the most fun. Sure you talked it up, but the moment you took that item from your backpack your fellow students were already getting excited about the story you were going to tell.
High quality professional photos are an asset to your business and they provide a wealth of versatility. You can use them on your website, online shop, printed flyers, banners, social media, magazine articles, printed marketing, etc. They help your brand stand out from the crowd. And isn’t that what we are all trying to do for our business?
Make the things, get the repeat customers, sell your stuff, build a life you love? Part of that is investing in your business and helping it grow. Are you ready to be a social stand out? It all starts with fine tuning your message with crafted photos and strategy just for you. Maybe you aren’t a big brand, but that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a brand glow up to feel confident in your business and convey your story to your customers.
Want help to plan a better year ahead? Let’s do this - click the link below to get started.