One of the first things your climate positive brand should consider is photography, one of the fundamental building blocks of your content marketing. Here are 6 ways you can take your photography to the next level.
Refrain from Using Stock Photography
It’s tempting to turn to stock imagery if you don’t have a bank of high-quality photography you can turn to.
Stock imagery can work for some businesses and in some cases (we often use stock photos on our blog to save time), but for a climate positive brand trying to grow its brand awareness and boost its sales, I wouldn’t recommend using stock photography.
A lot of people can spot stock imagery a mile off, which can affect how people see your brand. It often makes potential customers see you as less authentic and trustworthy.
You also have less control over your brand image as you’ll have to rely on stock imagery that has been shot in different styles, which won’t always match your brand.
Tell a Story Your Customers Can Relate To
It’s important to showcase your brand and tell a story your customers can relate to through your photography.
So how do you do this?
Lifestyle photography is some of the best content you can create if you want to boost your following, engagement, and sales.
Lifestyle photography will showcase your products or services in their natural environments and enable potential customers to visualise themselves working with you or buying your products.
For example, suppose you’re selling plastic-free products for the kitchen. Capturing photography of a parent and child cooking with your products, laughing and having fun, naturally showcases the product and can be inspiring.
Potential customers will see that and think, ‘I want that lifestyle’, influencing whether they choose to buy from you. The more they relate to the story you’re telling, the more likely they will invest in your brand and buy from you.
Have a Plan for Your Photoshoot
If you’re having a photoshoot, it’s vital to plan.
It’s so easy to get swept up in a shoot only to realise further down the line that you didn’t get all the shots you needed for your social media content. This can waste a lot of time and money.
Make a list of key goals and what you want to achieve from your photography.
Are your goals to showcase a new product to boost sales, create content for social media to grow your following or capture photography for your website?
I would also recommend preparing a shot list/schedule that outlines key shots you need to capture. This should include the models that will be in the shot, the products and also the shoot location.
Having clear goals and a shot list will ensure you stay on track during the photoshoot.
When working with a photographer, this is something they should do with you.
Wear on Brand Colours During the Shoot
If you’re capturing lifestyle photography or shots of your team for example, make sure anyone who will be photographed is wearing your brand colours.
Your target audience will pick up on every little detail, so everyone taking part in the shoot should reflect your brand.
If your brand colours are muted, you don’t want a member of your team being shot in a bright neon green t-shirt. They will stand out in the photo for all the wrong reasons and won’t complement the rest of your marketing photography.
Shoot In an On-Brand Location
A carefully thought-out shooting location is a must for your photography.
The location of your shoot can make your break the final shot, so pick somewhere that reflects the brand.
If you’re a brand that’s a little rustic or rough around the edges, shoot in an industrial-themed space or woodland area. If you’re all about clean lines and being super modern, these locations wouldn’t work.
Do your research and always go and see the locations before committing. Walking the space will give you a better idea of whether it will work with your brand and what you’re trying to achieve.
Use Brand Photos as Part of an Overarching Marketing Strategy
Any photography you capture, whether for social media, your website or printed media, should be consistent with your brand guidelines. Every photo should be used as part of your overarching marketing strategy.
If I asked you what channels you will be marketing your business on, which channels would spring to mind? For me, a common one would be Instagram.
Now imagine you didn’t have any photography.
How are you meant to successfully market your climate-positive brand on any of your marketing channels without a bank of high-quality photography?
The answer is you’re not.
Photography should be one of the building blocks of your marketing strategy. Without it, you’re going to be seriously struggling, especially when it comes to content marketing.
