Variety in social media content is hugely important for any business looking to not only find an audience online, but to keep that audience interested and invested in what you have to say. Using a variety of photography and other visual media can help create a well-rounded and engaging presence on social media, allowing businesses to keep their followers engaged and up-to-date on their product or service offerings.
By incorporating a variety of photography styles, businesses can create content that appeals to multiple audiences and fulfil multiple briefs. For example, a simple professional photography shoot to capture a small portion of your product range can yield content that would be used on the website, in advertisements, brochures and catalogues, email campaigns, website banners and in social media campaigns.
Let’s be blunt; not all products are particularly sexy or have a widespread, mainstream appeal. However, by utilising a varied approach to presenting them to an audience, they can become much more interesting.
In this article we will look through some great content ideas that can be used by brands, with the help of a professional photography shoot.
Staff photography
Not all photography shoots should be around your products and what they are; the age-old saying is that people do not buy from businesses, they buy from people. Show your audience the people behind the brand that they follow by incorporating headshots and PR photography of your staff.
It could be an introduction to the board of directors, or a meet-the-team shoot to capture the frontline staff. Incorporate behind-the-scenes videos from the day of the shoot to really capture the personalities of the people at your organisation.
Our client Archformbyte, an orthodontic laboratory based in Sheffield, invited us to mix product photography with staff photography, as we captured some of their intricate appliances for orthodontic therapies, as well as getting a peek behind the scenes in their purpose-built facility. The smiles of their technicians and staff enable their audience to catch some of the personality behind what might otherwise be perceived as a sterile and sober industry.
New Product Launch Photography
If you have a new product to bring to market then you should always look to capture it in as many different angles as possible, in different locations, and even being used in the way they were designed to be used. This commercial photography will then absolutely be used in your catalogues and on your website. It will be used in PR material to publicise the launch. A great photographer will capture it in front of a white background for consistent visual presentation, and as a new product absolutely deserves something special, they will use creative retouch to add something unique to the visual so that it can look amazing in your social media or print ad campaigns.
Healthy food manufacturer Haywood & Padgett are experts at effective brand and product launch campaigns, having called in Picture Perfect Photography on many occasions, to launch such delightful brands as Halos Doughnuts and NibNibs. We worked with our trusted professional food stylist to work on their food product photos extensively to show their Prut sales off at their best an allow us to work our magic with the lighting and camera. They take their brand visuals very seriously, which is why they work with us.
Catalogue Refresh Photography
Camera technology and photography styles and standards are developing all of the time. Product photographs that were captured in, say 2017, don’t stand up to modern screen sizes and resolutions so well anymore, which means that they may not be quite so easy on the eye as they once were. Customers expect to be able to get up close and personal with the products they see online, so if you’re still using images from a few years back, it could be time to have a refresh of your online catalogue images. The great news is that you can then have creative retouch applied to the images and they become multi-purpose.
A series of products in front of a white background in a pristine photography studio setting for your website, a flash of colour and some CGI can instantly turn them into an eye-catching and engaging social media slideshow.
Sheffield-based Veterinary Instrumentation enlisted the help of Picture Perfect Photography to capture their full range of 4,500 animal-treatment medical instruments for their online and physical product brochure and also in bright and creative ways for use in their different catalogues, marketing and presentations, which was a very fun experience. We even had the involvement of some of canine friends on one photoshoot. The Covetrus Group firm understand the importance of keeping photo and product content fresh and engaging, and their company colours are evident throughout.
Event Photography
Celebrate the anniversaries and milestones of your business whenever you can. Or perhaps you’ve launched a new product or opened a new branch. Invite the local press to attend, make a big deal of the occasion and bring new eyes to your brand and the things you do.
The images that a photographer will capture on the day can be used in official company communications, social media, blogs and articles, and PR material. The beauty of great photography is that it is so versatile in the digital age. An image paints more than a thousand words.
A great example of a business using both staff and corporate event photography to great effect was leading fragrance and flavour designers Mane, who invited Picture Perfect Photography to the reopening of their renovated offices in Derby. They used the photography we captured for them in official global communications, across their website, and in local PR materials.
Video Content
Don’t restrict your content output to simply great photography; video content is proven to be the most engaging and popular form of media on social platforms with audiences of all kinds, so use it to your advantage. Some great ideas of video you could capture are:
- The production process – how amazing would it be for your customers to see the products they use being manufactured from start to finish? Giving them a real insight into how the production process looks will add a whole new dimension to your brand, and provide serious engagement points on social media.
- A tour of the building – Give your audience a look behind the curtain at your office, studio, factory, or warehouse, along with an insight into the people and facilities at your business. Catch conversations and interviews with enthusiastic staff members and members of the board, to show the personality of your brand. It can give your business a human side to your audience, and provide some great value in the eyes of your company partners and potential investors.
We recently took to the Leeds headquarters of Surgical Innovations to capture their production process at their factory. This behind-the-scenes content puts the audience where they wouldn’t usually be, and allows a great look at the people and processes behind the surgical equipment used by human healthcare and medical professionals.
- Animated videos that incorporate photographs and infographics – share your company values or real-life reviews of your products and services in the form of animated infographic videos, maybe even incorporate voiceover? People are more attracted to brands that align with their own personal values than ever before, so sharing what is important to your brand can do a world of good for your appeal to new audiences. Reviews of your products and services are vital social proof, and can help people to understand what it is like to work with you or purchase from you.
- Videos of your products being used – help any and all prospective clients and customers to visualise themselves using your products in a real-life situation, by showing the product being unboxed or used to the best possible effect. If you supply professional equipment to be used in an industrial setting, then capture somebody using that equipment. If it’s surgical or veterinarian equipment, then capture them in as realistic a setting as possible such as a clinic or surgery.
Here at Picture Perfect Photography, we are built to offer a holistic, all-in-one service for our clients. With one off shoots or monthly membership packages, we offer a full suite of services, including detailed creative strategy sessions that align with your marketing objectives. As a regular client, you would be guaranteed fresh, new content ideas every month.
Picture Perfect Photography is a professional studio that specialises in corporate and commercial photography. We have worked with leading brands who have all trusted us to use our expertise to bring their products to life, whether in our studio or on location at their premises.
When you work with Picture Perfect Photography you don’t only receive premium quality images that are optimised for use as content on any social media platform, on your website, and in your promotional marketing materials. You receive a one-stop-shop level of service that incorporates creative strategy sessions, professional photography and video services, and social media expertise to help you to drive your brand forward. With monthly membership plans that offer great savings and exclusive add-on services, you can work with a brand that truly understands the process from start to finish, and is equipped to deliver it all.
With over twenty years of experience in award-nominated photography, our company founder and principal photographer Collette Evans has carved out a highly credible name for herself in commercial and corporate photography. We have gained numerous rave reviews for our attention to detail and ability to either follow a brief to the letter or provide help and creative ideas and advice for getting the most out of a session, whatever you need.
Why not get in touch and book a discovery call with the Picture Perfect team to discuss your official photography requirements? Let us show you the value of truly great professional photography that makes amazing digital content that can be used in countless ways.
