WHY YOU SHOULD INVEST IN BRAND PHOTOGRAPHY
Think about a company whose branding you love. What is it about their branding that stands out? The logo? Colors? Tagline?
What about the photos they use?
Contrary to popular belief, branding is more than just a logo, colors and fonts. A company’s visual identity is actually made up of lots of different elements, including brand photography.
When we say “brand photography,” we’re not talking about your formal LinkedIn headshot or anything that feels corporate. This type of photography focuses on storytelling, and it communicates more about the human side of your brand: who you are, what you do, and how it feels to work with you. Think photos taken in your home office, favorite café,, studio space, or other locations engaging in any number of activities that tell your audience a bit more about you and your team.
What is about this kind of photography that makes such a difference?
Brand photography makes your brand more relatable. It adds a human element to your company. In this digital age, people increasingly want to connect with other people. They want to relate to others and see the face behind the company. In fact, 82% of consumers trust a company more - and 77% are more likely to buy from a company - if the founder uses social media.
Brand photography builds trust. When you show yourself and your team, it offers a little more transparency to potential customers and clients. They can see who they’re booking with, get a sneak peek at the process, and picture themselves having that experience. It also keeps your image consistent, which clients appreciate. Brands that are consistently presented are 3 to 4 times more likely to experience brand visibility, and 90% of consumers expect their experience to be consistent across all channels and devices used to interact with brands.
Brand photography makes a great first impression and captures people’s attention. Did you know? It takes someone 10 seconds to make up their mind about your brand. That gives you 10 seconds to get their attention and keep it. And the quickest and most effective way to do this is through great brand photos!
Brand photography helps you stand out. In fact, eye-tracking experts report that, when it comes to mobile use, internet readers pay closer attention to information with images. These studies also report that users take preference of certain images over others. For example, one study showed that viewers spent 10% more time viewing portrait photos of real people connected to a brand vs. stock imagery. What’s more, generic stock images tend to be ignored by viewers and seen as filler.
When is it time to invest in brand photography?
No matter what stage you’re at in your business - whether you’re just starting or you’ve been in business for a while and looking for a refresh - professional brand photos can help level up your marketing and communications.
Consider investing in brand photography when:
Launching a website
Rebranding or repositioning
Launching a new product, service, or course
New press and publicity opportunities arise
You’ve experienced a significant physical change
Adding new members to the team
Note: Brand photography is an investment. So it’s best to wait until you’re clear on your messaging. You want to have a solid brand story, along with a concrete business plan and marketing strategy. Once you have that in place, move forward with brand photos that will be the visuals that tie everything together!
Once you get your photos done, the sky’s the limit! You can use these photos on social media, your website, in blog posts, in paid ads, in email signatures and newsletter sign-offs, on your business card, for a client thank you note, as part of your media kit, as podcast artwork… and the list goes on and on.
Remember - a picture is worth 1,000 words!
