Professional Business Images & Pictures, Original  Photography Marketing Strategy 

Looking to improve your digital marketing strategy with original photography online? 

It could be for a website, social media page, or business listing on Google. 

Rather than going for stock images, stock photos, or stock videos, original photos will set you apart from your competition! They gain trust, relay an authentic message, and increase engagement. 

This is a proven strategy to increase business traffic conversion rate for websites, e-commerce sites, online marketing, social media marketing, and business listings! This article will tell you how to get the best return on your investment. 

Consider your options carefully and the value a little extra time and money will lend to your bottom line. Just think about it: While looking for a new dentist do you want to see a generic image, or do you want to see an image of your dentist and actual pictures of the office? 

Using real photography makes your business authentic and unique. It offers an opportunity to connect with prospective customers and gain their trust. Don’t miss an opportunity to brand your image and gain the business of prospective customers at the first possible moment. 

When considering original photography for your business there are a few important factors to consider which go a long way for the best results…

First, the professional images from a photographer are a bit different from the pictures you snap with your smart phone. Even the most high tech photography equipment doesn’t produce a final product. 

All professional photography is touched up and enhanced. Furthermore, the professional photographer will know how to set the picture, what angles to shoot, and what kind of lighting is needed. 

When looking to hire a professional photographer a bit of planning and know how will go a long way. The last thing you will want is for your investment to be waisted on images which do not fit your needs. 

With just a bit of time investment and planning you too will be able to get the end result you are looking for!

Here is what to consider:

PLAN AHEAD - This is a valuable step to save you time and money. Know what images you will need.

Ask yourself… What message will they convey? Where and how will they be used?

Take the time to sketch out your website and advertising layouts.

Have back up ideas and additional use ideas such as social media posts, online advertising, business listing uses like Google, Apple, Bing, Yahoo, etc.

If you already have your photography and want to know how to best display it more here on optimizing photos with Google, Facebook, & Apple…

Google Local Business Photos 

Facebook Page Photo Help

Apple Maps Connect Help  (Tip: photos for Apple Maps Connect are imported from Yelp.com > Update your images in Yelp)

SCOUT - Make sure to convey your company’s brand with the personality you want to convey. Look for photographers with experience in the style of photography you are looking for. Find examples & be prepared with your questions.

Once you know what you are looking for scout out three to five professional photographers.

You can find them using internet searches, craigslist, social media, and referrals from people you trust.

Not every photographer will fit your needs. You will want to source photographers who specialize in your industry type. For example, a wedding photographer might not be the best choice for a photo shoot of food.

Ask to see examples of the kind of work you are looking for. [Convey specific information of what you are wanting. ]

Once you have communicated what you are looking for and narrowed down your choices make sure to ask the right questions involving costs.

Know all the costs involved and what exactly you will receive as an end product.

Make sure you know how many processed pictures you will receive, and how long will they spend on your photo shoot.

Along with knowing what you will receive and how much it will cost be sure to also ask how payment is expected to be made.

It will cause you undue stress if you are planning to pay with credit card and the photographer only accepts cash or check. Knowing this in advance will keep the process as seamless and stress free as possible.

DOCUMENT - Next are the legal considerations.

Besides a service agreement or contract you will need two important written documents signed by everyone involved.

First is a written copyright agreement.

You will need to have in writing the photographers permission to use the photographs and make sure to read and understand it carefully.

Some photographers will grant permission for the photos to be used only for specific purposes. Make sure you will not be receiving just a license agreement, rather full copyright.

You will also need a Model Release for any person’s image who’s face is clearly recognizable in the photograph. This includes friends, family, any employee, business partner, or paid model.

The last thing you want is to deal with removing images from your website and advertising which portray a disgruntled employee who wants nothing more than to cause you a headache by having to remove their image.

PROCESSING - Next are the logistics of getting your final product.

Be sure to ask the photographer upfront who will be selecting the best images.

On any given photo shoot a photographer may take dozens or even hundreds of pictures. Will you be the one picking which will go into final production?

In most cases the photographer will go through the images and pick out the best of the bunch and then the final selection will be chosen by the client.

The photographer will then process the pictures and retouch them.

This might take the photographer a bit of time after the photoshoot to be able to produce the final product.

Know up front the turn around time for processing and how the images will be delivered.

Will you receive a CD, thumb drive, or hyperlink to download the images yourself? What file type and size will be delivered?

Again, the last thing you will want is to end up with images which will not be optimal for your purposes.

The benefits to using a professional photographer will far outweigh the investment in original photography.

Now you know and understand the process! You will be able to execute a professional photography session like a pro! Stand apart and increase your traffic conversion rate. Share with us your experience and feel free to send us your questions. We are here to help you succeed!  

Here are some more helpful tips for utilizing your photos on Google My Business:

Google Business Listings Best practices for photos

Your photos will look best on Google if they meet the following standards:

• Format: JPG or PNG
• Size: Between 10KB and 5MB
• Minimum resolution: 720px tall, 720px wide
• Quality: The photo should be in focus and well lit, and have no photoshop alterations or excessive use of filters. The image should represent reality.

If the process seems too daunting consider an all in one digital marketing company.

Our expert marketing team predetermines exactly how to deliver a final product which will build your unique brand, while also maintaining quality and personality of your brand. Coming soon… Persona Driven Marketing! Learn how to cultivate your professional image and get better results with increased traffic through the latest in branding techniques!

Remember we put every penny to best use making your investment pay off with the biggest return.