When you’re running a business, photo and video content may be the last thing on your mind. These days, content is a key factor in promoting your business.
According to Sprout Social, the average social media user spends 18 hours and 36 minutes per week online, or 2.5 hours a day. That’s a lot of time to get your business in front of prospective customers!
So how do you catch their attention? According to Meltwater, 95 million posts are made on Instagram each day. That’s a lot of competition! And even when the “almighty algorithm” does show your content, how do you get people to “stop the scroll?”
Here’s an acronym to remember when creating content: SOAR: Scroll-Stopping, On-Brand, Authentic, and Relatable.
Scroll-Stopping: Hooks and Eye-Catching Imagery
Think bold colors, strong hooks, and current events.
High-contrast photos are great for catching attention. Use complementary color combinations (red and green, yellow and purple, or orange and blue) to make your image stand out.
Viewers make a judgment within the first three seconds about whether they’ll continue watching. Fast-paced clips, a rhetorical question, or bright colors in those seconds will capture attention and, hopefully, keep viewers watching longer.
What’s happening right now that you can capitalize on? If people are already thinking about a topic, they’ll be more likely to stop on a post about that topic. Holidays, sports games, and pop culture events are great starting points for creating content.
This is also a great thing to use AI for! Use this prompt: “What can I post on my company’s social media channels in relation to the Super Bowl?”
On-Brand: Putting Your Company at the Forefront
This doesn’t mean slapping your logo in the corner of everything you post – your viewers will make a split-second judgment and move on. It’s more about subtly incorporating your brand into your content so your audience can tell it’s yours almost immediately.
When you’re taking a photo or video for your business, think about the background. Is there an area of your office space with your company’s colors or logo? Is the front of your building something your audience would recognize?
Authentic: Feels Effortless, Even If It Took Time
Think about what happens in normal, day-to-day operations at your business. How can you capture moments that will mean something to your audience? Here are a few examples.
Heather is celebrating her 10th work anniversary with a team lunch. Take a few moments to get a photo of Heather with the people she works closest with. Snap a photo of the food spread and the room full of people.
You’re showing your audience you care about your staff and that the company offers career longevity. Job seekers take notice, and it makes your brand more human. Bonus points if you tag Heather so her network sees it, too.
Mark is installing a new system for a client in their brand-new home. Ask him to grab a quick photo of the space before and after installation.
You’re showing your audience that your team knows what they’re doing. That builds trust.
An alarm equipment manufacturer is running a training session on the panel upgrade they just released at your office. Grab a few photos of your team listening to the training and a group photo after the session. Tag the presenters in your post!
You’re showing your audience you stay up to date on the latest tech. It builds industry connections, too.
Your audience wants to see you doing real things with real people.
Relatable: Your Audience and Their Interests
Think of some activities and interests your ideal clients enjoy. How can you relate these things to your business?
Here are a few topics you may want to consider: sports, cars, hiking and outdoor activities, music, movies, and other media. Showing your audience that you’re interested in those things, too, builds connection. Ultimately, when someone decides to purchase a product or service, they’ll remember how you made them feel.
Let’s Get Technical
TL;DR – Your phone takes great photos if you use it well, but if you’re looking to take your content up a notch and can spring for a camera, we’ve got a couple of recommendations.
Chances are, your phone is capable of taking high-quality, brand-worthy photos if you know how to use it.
If your phone has multiple lenses, utilizing them instantly upgrades your content.
The newest iPhones, Samsung Galaxies, and Google Pixels all have multiple lenses and some form of Portrait Mode.
When you’re taking a photo of a group, take a few extra steps back and switch to the “2x” lens on your phone’s camera. You’ll notice a blurrier background, which separates your subject nicely from the background. With just a couple of extra seconds, you’ve taken your content to the next level.
While professional mirrorless cameras remain the gold standard, Google Pixel phones are capable of delivering remarkably high-quality photos straight from your pocket.
If you’re looking for a cost-effective upgrade, here are three beginner-friendly cameras that will take your content to the next level for $1,000 or less. All three cameras listed below shoot 4K video (twice the resolution of typical 1080p, the standard on social media) and offer interchangeable lenses, so you can grow as you go. Plus, they pair easily with your smartphone for quick downloading and sharing.
- Sony a6100 Mirrorless Camera
- Nikon Z50 Mirrorless Camera
- Canon EOS R100 Mirrorless Camera
You may be asking yourself, “If my phone takes great photos, why should I splurge on a mirrorless camera?”
Camera sensors capture a wider range of colors, resulting in more vibrant, high-contrast photos. They also have physical lenses with multiple layers of glass, whereas phones primarily use digital processing and much smaller lenses. These larger lenses create a shallower depth of field, resulting in blurrier backgrounds and greater emphasis on the subject.
Finally, cameras allow for full manual control over your images. Once you get a good handle on using the camera, you can control all aspects of an image: shutter speed, aperture, and ISO.
Whether you’re just dipping your toe into the content waters or you’ve been creating for years, there’s always room to grow. Focus on creating quality content rather than posting just for the sake of posting. Take advantage of day-to-day moments to build trust, connections, and brand awareness.
