Photography 101 for Image-based Marketing

Eye-catching images are crucial for creating a successful marketing campaign. Whether you are designing advertisements or social media posts, having high-quality images will take your content to the next level. How, then, can you get these quality images? Not everyone is a professional photographer, but with a couple of tips and tricks from RedMoxy, you can take your image-based marketing strategy to the next level.

Image-based Marketing: The Basics

When approaching your image-based marketing strategy, you first need to go back to your audience analysis and goals for each platform. In doing so, you will have a clear idea of what images will both speak to your target publics and communicate the message you intend.

Choose the Right Images

Once you are comfortable with your goals and who you are targeting, then you can start working on your visuals. When first starting out, stock images can be an easy option to get your feet under you. There is a wide variety of stock images that can suit your needs. The downside of using stock images is that many photos look staged, are not the highest quality and are overused. This is why being able to take your own pictures and edit them is a huge advantage in the industry.

When publishing visual and written content, usually the images pull people in and the written copy keeps them there. This is why choosing the right type of images is crucial in image-based marketing. You want to grab hold of your audience’s attention without being misleading. Just because you have a high-quality photo does not mean it is the right choice. Besides quality, you also need to consider what message the image is communicating.

Complement the Copy

Your images should complement your copy, not take away from it. When deciding which type of visual to use, think about what overall message you aim to communicate with the image and words. You may want to include a graphic that outlines your company’s different service options or maybe you want a picture of your product being used. Whatever that main message is, you need to make sure both parts of your content reflect it–the image and the words.

Image-based Marketing: Photography 101

While almost everyone has the ability to take pictures, not everyone is a professional photographer. Below are a few tips and tricks to taking professional pictures without any photography experience.

Take Pictures with Your Phone

Having a high-tech camera is great. However, with a couple of adjustments, you can take quality and professional pictures with just your cell phone.

In Lindsay Kolowich Cox’s article, “Phone Photography 101: How to Take Good Pictures With Your Mobile Device,” at HubSpot she discusses 25 phone photography tips that will upgrade your images. She recommends using grid lines and setting your camera’s focus to create a balanced and clear picture. Also, avoid zooming in on your subject to avoid a blurry image as you can easily move closer or crop the picture later.

Cox also discusses how being creative and detail-oriented with your photography can set your photos apart from the rest. She says that finding patterns, leading lines, or different angles can improve your images. Doing simple things like cleaning your camera lens and taking advantage of natural light are a couple more ways to boost the quality of your pictures, says Cox.

Edit Your Images

Cox also recommends editing your pictures. This process tends to scare people away, especially if they are unfamiliar with editing software. Photoshop is the tried and true editing software, but there are also other editing apps out there that you can use.

Editing your images creates a professional feel as you can highlight the image’s focus or remove any blemishes on the photo. While editing photos can seem scary at first, with time and practice, you will be able to effectively edit your images and up your image-based marketing strategy.

Check out HubSpot’s, “The Marketer’s Guide to Photoshop,” for more editing tips and tutorials.

Image-based marketing continues to grow in the marketing industry. By understanding how to select and take quality images, you will be able to take your content to the next level. While photography can be intimidating, with these tips and tricks, you will be equipped to improve your skills and strategy overall.

Want to learn more about image-based marketing? RedMoxy has your covered! Contact us here to get in touch and learn more.