How Can You Get The Most Value From Your Brand Shoot Images?

How Can You Get The Most Value Your Brand Shoot Images?

This is the million dollar question…and it’s a super important one.

I say this all the time – branding photography is an investment. An investment in your time, your energy, and yes, your finances! So, if you are going to invest, let there be a pretty robust plan behind it 😊

These are my top 3 suggestions for where you can use your images – these are to get you started and not an exhaustive list!

Let's start with...

Your Website

So many of my clients come to me for a personal branding and content shoot specifically because they are getting a new website built and want some cohesive visuals across their website platform.

Quite often the new website comes from a pivot in their business path, or they have outgrown the previous one and want to update their business brand. I LOVE this work…because it means we can go through your website page by page and create a shot list that gives you oodles of choice for each section, meaning that you can use these band images to update your website not just today, but in 12 months’ time too when you fancy a refresh, because you have images that fit across the website.

Images for your website can include the hero shot – what I also like to call the ‘signature shot’ – think about an image that represents your brand at its best. At time of writing, the first shot you see on my website home page is a smiling photo of me and my beautiful dog Merlin (I’m assuming he’s smiling…or just puffed out from his walk!) – I’m wearing a red jacket (pop out brand colour) and I’m smiling straight at the camera. I’m a smiler and obsessed with dogs, so this is a good representation of me, my brand, and an insight into my personality!

Headshots are great for about pages and also within contact forms…but don’t forget to also have one on your thank you page if people fill out your contact form or buy something from you – photos are all about evoking emotions, and I know that when someone buys something from me or signs up to my email list (it’s right here if you are interested 😉) then I give them a nice big old smile!

Photos of your workspace, products, you performing your role – all great for your services page where you want people to be able to image themselves as your client.

Social Media

Of course! I’m going to give away my age a little here but…I was a teenager of the 90s and we did not have anything faster than dial up internet (anyone younger than 25, google it!) – and social media? Ha, no chance…

But we now live in an age where this is how we connect with each other. We share our stories, our holiday snaps, our businesses…and well, just about everything it would seem! So, as a business owner, we don’t want you to miss out on this huge opportunity to reach your ideal audience.

For your social media, you want your images to tell a story, raise some curiosity, and yes, possibly even be entertaining! No matter which platform you are on, images that jump off the page, that have a pop of colour or use light and texture to be that little bit different and make people take a second look, are always good to use to ‘stop that scroll’.

People buy from people, so lifestyle images and behind the scenes or action shots are also good for starting engagement, and you know what else?

People aren’t perfect, we all have our flaws…and it makes us human, so show it to the people you want to attract, be vulnerable. I always used to try and hide any hint of my double chin in any photo…and then one day, someone took a photo of me where my head is flung back and I’m laughing my head off…3 chins and all…and guess what? That’s me. It looks like me, it feels like me, and it absolutely radiates joy and living in the moment…and it’s become one of my favourite shots 😊

On 2 slightly technical side notes:

1.     for social media shots, it’s always good to have some with negative space – the gaps where you can overlay writing. Whenever I do a brand shoot planning call with my client, we go through a shot list and 9 times out of 10 we decide to have some negative space shots so that the images can be used effectively in social media posts.

2.     Make sure you crop images to suit the platform you are using! You can find guidelines online, and if you shoot with me, I’ll make sure you know them and that we take photos that will look great in different ratios!

Email marketing

If you haven’t already…build your email list! This is the only way to really speak directly to your ideal audience – and of course, if you are an entrepreneur who is looking to ‘glow up’ your online identity and create some incredible images that tell your story and attract your ideal client…then the link to join my email list is right here! Not only will I send you top tips every month on how to stand out with your images, you will also be among the first to hear about any shoot dates…and get first dibs on booking!

But anyway…back to the blog…!

Newsletters – build a connection straight away by using a hero image (explained under website!) at the top of your letter – as soon as someone opens your email, let them know who they are hearing from with your signature shot.

Promotions – Flat lay images of products (like the photo at the top of the blog page), product placements in your shots…images with you looking visibly excited (I know, feels a little cringe to create, but looks AMAZING through the camera lens!) – all can be used to highlight promotions and launches.

Announcements – Eye catching shots and dynamic compositions – all designed to capture attention and ignite curiosity!

There are so many ways to utilise your images…and a good photographer will help you figure out exactly what you need

and work with you to get those shots…while making the whole process fun!

If you would like to know how I plan a branding shoot with my clients, then you can find all the information in this blog:

How Do I Plan A Brand Shoot? - Zoe Samantha Photography