Looking at the landscape of advertising now, small businesses have so many options that are relatively inexpensive. However, a majority of small businesses are very inexperienced at how to utilize these platforms and even more inexperienced to know what works with audiences on different platforms. It’s true, what you put on the radio or TV, will not work on social media. What’s more, is that what used to work on social media, probably doesn’t work as well as it used to.

This is the case with photos. With the rise of Instagram, an audience’s expectation of photos has evolved pretty drastically. What moves the needle has evolved even more. If you plan of using photos in any campaign there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Hopefully, any marketing company that you currently employ already knows this, but if they don’t, of course, we are more than happy to talk you through this. 🙂 If you are using photos in any advertising you are currently doing, do your self a favor and quickly as your self the following questions.

• Does your photo tell a story?
• What does a photo say to you?

Photos have different layers to them. The standard posed shot only works now for LinkedIn and profile pictures. It’s a quick statement that gives you an idea about an individual or business. This way of thinking can also be challenged. What does your social profile picture say about you? Any photo that you use in advertising has to tell a story, otherwise, you should be using an alternate method to get your message across.

Making Connections

Does your photo create an emotional connection? What audiences want more than anything is to feel connected to a brand. That is why consumers will now interface with brands on social before making a call or any purchasing decisions. Customers will research you and see what you are about, then if they feel confident they will take an action. What do the photos that you have posted on your social accounts, Yelp, etc say about you and the services you provide, and can an audience connect with that? The photos that ALWAYS work the best connect in an emotional way. What community service events are you participating in? What charities are you a part of? Where are those instances in your business where emotional reactions exist and how do you currently capture those? My guess is that you don’t have a plan for that. This isn’t bad, it’s just a missed opportunity.

In most cases, we are in favor of using content that is more dynamic and moves. These tend to capture an audience’s attention more quickly. What causes customers to pick up the phone is a perceived value they are getting from that content. In all cases, positioning and value are everything. That is one of the reasons we create and provide content, we want to make sure the content provides value to you…whether you are a client of ours or not.

So the question remains, are photos still enough in today’s fast-paced environment? To be honest, that depends on the photo.

The Rocking Star are experts in local grassroots marketing, community outreach, lead programs, driving consideration and providing brand relevance that increases sales and market share.

Contact us to learn more!

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