You know that the digital age loves photos, videos, and all the sights and sounds. So you throw a few camera phone photos in with your company email campaigns. Maybe you know how to search Google for photos labeled “available for reuse”, so now you have some stock images on your website.
You have photos.
Which is a great start. But if this is all your company has… you aren’t really getting the full benefit of using photos and media in your content.
Quality images do have a cost… whether you hire a professional photographer, graphic designer, or decide to create your own media, creating quality images takes time and money. This keeps many companies from going ahead and taking the leap… towards enhancing their branding with beautiful photographs and images.
In this article, we’ll go beyond the stereotypical, drool-worthy “food photography” type photos… This means you can have images that may not cost so much to get and will also connect with your audience in a way those food photos can’t.
But… please, if you sell a food product, get photos of it! Quality food photography has a bit of a cult following, so don’t neglect showcasing your product with all of it’s tantalizing power.
So are those images worth the cost?
Here are 4 reasons images are integral to your branding.
Images are THE headlines to your branding
Headlines, or titles, are what everyone reads first when looking at articles, blogs, news, etc. They are what either pulls the reader in, or keeps the reader’s eyes darting to other headlines, in hopes of finding more relevant content.
Images are like headlines in that they give your reader an idea of what your brand and content is all about… in one quick glance. Images of monoculture agriculture fields are going to lead the permaculture-minded browser to click away. Images of lush flowers intermixed with peppers, tomatoes and strawberries are going to cause the same reader to go straight to their happy place and try to inhale everything on the webpage.
The problem with stock photos is that they rarely give depth to your branding. They don’t connect with your audience because they are never personal.
Stock photos will not help you stand out.
Don’t just use food photography
Laird Superfood does a great job of using original photographs on their blog to give a better sense of what their company is all about. By focusing on photos that reflect their company culture and mission, instead of just product and food photos, they allow their audience to have a more personal experience.
Like this picture showing an open sky, a van that looks like it’s also functioning as a nomadic home, and free-roaming bison.
This photo tells a lot. And it is going to immediately connect with Laird Superfood’s target audience.
But what about all the other potential customers that don’t identify with #vanlife and roaming bison?? Wouldn’t it be better to stick with generic food photography?
While product photos are great, these photos do what food photos can’t…
They create a strong connection with a specific niche, increasing the chance that your target audience is going to really connect with your brand. This is one part of how you build brand loyalty with your customers.
Being a generalist does not help your brand. It just makes your brand bland.
Stand out. Have strong images that say something about your company’s culture, values, and mission. Put some heart and soul into your company’s photo collection, and in return, you’ll begin to gain a loyal audience that connects with your company’s culture, value, and mission.
Photos provide a backstage pass to your company
People like to buy from friends and family. Humans have a need for connection. But it’s simply not possible to know every one of your customers and potential customers (that would be insane).
That’s where photos (and videos!) come in. Photos allow a backstage pass for anyone interested… and this backstage pass creates a little bit of a connection between your brand and your audience. The more your audience gets this VIP experience, the more they connect with your company and products.
So what does a backstage pass look like?
It looks like your team laughing together during a quick break. It looks like a sunrise photo of you hard at work, dedicating your time to create a quality product. It looks like a video tour of your farm or facilities.
What seems like a simple task to you may be completely novel to your audience. Be sure to capture some of those mundane moments that give your audience a feel for what really goes on behind the scenes.
Your customers want to feel like they know your family! Take those family portraits. Let your customers know who they are supporting.
Your company may not have any lush fields or cute animals to show, but take time to showcase your work, production space, employees, or products in a fun way.
And always try to include some portraits. You may not feel comfortable showcasing your toddler or your family portrait. That’s fine. There are other ways to show your audience the faces behind the company – whether that’s your family, employees, or even happy customers.
Photos influence how your audience perceives your product… and what they’re willing to pay for it
Have you ever tried to enjoy a decadent dessert while catching pungent whiffs of, say, garlic or onions?
Similar to how smelling garlic while eating cake results in a less than desirable experience, seeing distorted, low quality images makes for a less than desirable browsing experience. Even if you’re selling the most decedent cake, the low quality photos will make your cake seem undesirable.
On the flip side, if you filled a Gucci store with off-brand, cheaper products, any passerby would still assume that the clothing was expensive because of how the store was laid out. Clothes displayed in a very spacious setting, with great lighting, a plush sofa and large mirrors, in a spotless setting, gives a sense of high quality clothing.
The experience your audience has in a store (physical or online) influences how they perceive your company’s products. You always want to give your audience the highest quality experience possible.
Having an online store means you have to rely on things like your photos to give your audience a sense of the quality of your products. This is where you are going to want to rely on great product and food photography (congrats, you’ve already learned how to go beyond product photography! Now back to the basics…).
You probably don’t need a Gucci-level display, but don’t settle for low quality photos when you can give your audience an experience that leaves them wanting more.
Give your site a bit of ambience with photos that evoke a certain mood or feeling, all the while also telling your audience that your product is just as quality as their experience on your website.
Take a look at this photo on the homepage of Camber Coffee’s website. It screams quality, with this image of lofty mountain view photos and elegant calligraphy-style typography.
Are you ready?
Are you ready to upgrade your company’s images? Are you ready to invest in quality product or food photography? Or maybe you’ll start with creating more personal images of your employees and workplace?
It may not seem worth it at first, but remember that your company will be able to use the same high quality photos and images for a long time. And over that long period, people will continually be drawn to your company because of these photos.
So give your audience an experience they can connect with and savor. Get gorgeous food photography if you can. But also give your audience a personal experience with the images you share.
Want to upgrade your company’s blog content with quality images and copy? Send a note to see if RV Content could be a good fit for your company’s content and image creation.
