Content is King

Apart from photographing lean and muscular individuals in a gym space with the intention of creating a series of images to document their current physique, I also offer commercial shoots. Commercial shoots are aimed at anyone who owns a fitness brand, or provides a fitness related service, such as personal trainers, physios, online coaches, clothing brands etc.

The commercial packages I offer are geared towards high impact visual marketing; creating a wide selection of images which promote what you do and what your brand is all about, in a way that works with your brand and gets the attention of potential clients and customers. In this month’s blog, I’m going to be explaining what visual marketing is, why it’s important, and why you really need high impact images if you’re serious about getting the attention of the people you want to work with.

So, what is visual marketing?

Simply put, it’s images (Be those photos, graphics, videos, etc.) that relate to what you’re saying and add impact to it. In the social media age that we’re living in, a vast majority of consumers are spending more and more time online, particularly on social media, and more and more businesses are relying on social media marketing to acquire clients. Visual marketing communicates in a way that a block of text simply can’t. It’s nonverbal communication which conveys ideas and concepts that would be lost in text. It gives the viewer an actual visual of what you’re talking about and helps them to connect with it.

Why it’s important

As I said in the previous paragraph, people are spending more and more time online, particularly scrolling. It’s been proven time and time again, text accompanied by an image, as appose to just text, is more likely to get the scrollers attention, meaning they’ll be more likely to read what the post has to say.
And when you have the scrollers attention, they’re far more likely to engage with the post - I’m sure by now you know that the more engagement content receives, the more likely it will be favoured by the algorithm, meaning it will be put in front of more and more people. In the algorithm’s eyes, if a post is being engaged with, it must be interesting, which means more people would like to see it.

It’s also been shown that images make it easier for us to retain information better, so next time you’re posting about something you’d like potential clients to remember, make sure you’re using an image that will stick in their mind and relates to the subject matter.

Now let’s compare the impact difference between professionally shot images, and phone snaps. A higher quality image will catch our attention and have us take the content more seriously. Think about it, if you see an instagram profile or website full of phone photos, you’re going to assume that individual isn’t a professional. However, if their grid has a bunch of professionally shot images, you’re going to naturally assume they are a trustworthy business, because subconsciously we’re being told that they believe in their product or service enough to invest in high quality images to show that off, which nicely brings me on to my next point….

Why you need professional images if you’re serious about your business

As I stated in the previous paragraph, professional photos convey a professional message.

From a human standpoint, the occasional casual snap is great. It brings you onto a relatable level with your clients (Especially if you’re a service provider, such as a PT). Usually this type of content is best reserved for stories, since they’re often a spur of the moment type of content with a more intimate feel, like when you’re talking to the camera and letting your followers know about what’s going on day to day.

But when it comes to your informative content, or what you’re putting across on your website, the more serious side of your business where you’re aiming to convey an air of professionalism, then you need to be investing in high quality images.

By high quality images, I’m referring to images shot by a professional photographer, that have been totally thought out, posed in just the right manner, well lit, with the final product being an image that frames you or your product as you want it, without distracting backgrounds, that’s pin sharp where it needs to be, and is a the high standard of work that you’d expect from someone who does this day in, day out.

If you’re advertising your product or service in the online space, you’ll have a stupendous amount of competition, so you’ll need to have a watertight marketing plan, as well as the ability to execute that plan in the right way, and part of the execution will be the visuals - if you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know what I’m talking about by visuals, say it with me now: HIGH QUALITY PHOTOS!

When you’re aiming to convert clicks to clients, you need to instil to them that you are a trustworthy, reputable business who’s worth them spending their money with.

Phone photos tell them that you can’t be bothered to invest in your business and don’t take it seriously, they also make you look less like a genuine business - even if you’re totally genuine and fantastic at what you do, they don’t know that!

Make your online storefront look the best it possibly can, give it a fresh lick of paint, clean the windows, make sure whatever’s visible through the window is looking up to scratch (Even if you’re only on a shoestring budget trying to work up to the dizzy heights of where your ambition is taking you!).

Unfortunately we’re extremely visual creatures, and even though we try not to be judgemental, we’ll subconsciously make judgements on a persons status simply by the way they present themselves. This is the very reason why I make sure to turn up to shoots looking smart and professional, even though when I’m behind the scenes in the office I look like a gremlin who actively avoids participation in modern society. I want to convey the right message to the person who’s hired me, reminding them that they’ve made the right choice.

I sincerely hope this has helped you rethink how you want to market yourself in the online space, and that you’ll be looking to level up your content, either with me, or with another photographer. If you’re serious about reaching the clients you want to work with, you will have taken this all on board, because even though you know your services or products are absolutely fantastic, your potential client doesn’t!

Stay strong,

Emma