Believe it or not an image can help make or break a piece of content, once your visitors reach the page. C.C. Chapman (@cc_chapman) shared sound advice and lots of laughs with his opening session on day one of the New Media Expo with a session entitled “How To Add Photography Into Your Marketing Mix”.
Whether you’re sprinkling your content marketing with imagery or looking to make it a larger part of your strategy, C.C. suggests some best practices for letting your images shine.
#1 – Always Create An Emotional Response
When someone looks at the images that you use to help tell the story of your content, it should illicit a response or reaction. If a follower takes a look at your photo and then stifles a yawn it’s time to go back to the camera lens and find another image that is more suited.
#2 – Start Thinking Visually
It’s time that every business start thinking visually. If you’re a retail website, be more mindful of how your products are displayed. If you have a storefront, take some pictures of it. If you create a lot of text rich content online, amp it up with some killer images.
In his presentation, C.C. shared examples of companies that you wouldn’t think would have a strong visual focus with their online content. Companies like General Electric have taken a very innovative approach to the types of images they share on their Instagram page.
#3 – All Content Needs Photos
There is an opportunity to add visual content to almost all media types. Using a photo on a Facebook post or tweet to your fans is a great way to draw them in with something new and unexpected.
#4 – Size Doesn’t Matter
Don’t let budget stop you from including great photos in your online content. Even if you aren’t able to hire a photographer you can still capture great photos. Take a crack at it yourself and see what happens!
#5 – Look For Moments
Try and keep an eye out for those moments that will create a great photo if captured in time. It could be something as simple as a leaf falling from a tree or a unique perspective on a piece of architecture. If any of you have ever seen Lee Odden’s Instagram feed you know that he loves taking photos on his travels and has a good eye for making the piece of architecture you’ve seen a million times, somehow look different. Find what it is that inspires you and snap it.
#6 – Share When No One Else Can
C.C. provided an example of a trip that he took with two other individuals to a remote part of the world. As there were only two other people with him on this trip, they had access to “content” that no one else ever would. If you find yourself in a unique situation that you’d like to share with others that could not be present, take a few photos that can be used in your content.
#7 – Shoot Like A Kid
Ever heard the expression: “Dance like no one’s looking”? Well, the same notion applies to taking great images. Shoot little things you find interesting, try different angles, and don’t overthink your shots.
4 Quick Tips For Getting Started
- Know Your Gear
- Develop A Workflow
- Observe What Others Are Doing
- Shoot What You Love
Whether you or a business or an individual you have an opportunity to choose how the world sees you. Including images in your online content that appeal to your audience can help influence what they think about you and what actions they take based upon your content.
Keep an eye out for more posts from NMX Las Vegas over the next couple days. Follow the conference hashtag #NMX and check us out on Twitter (@toprank) for even more helpful tips
