5 More Ways to Take More Engaging Social Media Shots!
A year ago, we talked about Strong Social Media Images in 5 Simple Steps. Today, we're going even simpler.
Social media is more crowded than it’s ever been, not only with more users in general, but also with the sheer amount of content that’s being posted daily. So how do you stand out and cultivate a relationship with a target audience of people? It could be easier than you think!
Before we go any further, make sure you pin this post so you don’t lose it! And if you want to dig even deeper on this topic, stick around to the end, where I’ll tell you how to get a free photo checklist that will help you make more money in your business!
Tip No. 1: Don’t rely on professional photos.
Wait, what? Did a professional photographer just tell you not to rely on professional brand photography? Let me explain.
You absolutely need professional shots in your business—and more of them then you even realize for a strong content strategy. That’s why I created my signature Subscription Social Photography program!… But you need something else, too.
That’s real-time photo and video. The Moment is Now. The best moments that happen in your business almost always happen without a professional photographer around—so whip out your phone, goshdarnit!
More than ever, people care about authentic moments (just read my Filters versus Presets post to learn how much!), and you have a tool at your disposal that can capture those moments and invite others to share in them with you—your iPhone or Android.
Worried about “messing up” your brand aesthetic? Get the AG Mobile Photography Secrets Bundle for just $19 and you’ll never worry about it again!
Tip No. 2: Share what you’re up to.
Many of my first-time clients stop getting photos after their first-ever studio shoot, a shoot I like to call the Marketing Materials Shoot. (You can learn more about different types of branding photography shoots at the bottom of this post!) Then, after just one shoot, they wonder why they aren’t growing.
The problem is that most people’s first-ever shoot is pretty… basic. Foundational to get started marketing online, for sure, but not enough to keep a relationship going.
What keeps a relationship going is inviting your audience into your actual life—not just staged headshots and the like, but the kinds of real moments you want to share with friends and peers you know in person. Did something exciting arrive in the mail for your business? Show it off! Is the view from your location absolutely stunning today? Snap a photo!
And don’t forget to combine this tip with this next one…
Tip No. 3: Show your face, you introvert.
It’s wayyy too easy to snap a picture from your own point of view—meaning a photo that doesn’t have you in it. And guess what? It’s also boring.
People want to feel like they’re in the room, experiencing something with you—not necessarily like they’re walking in your shoes. And if they were in the room with you, they’d be able to see you, right? Watch you do that curious thing you’re doing, or see the expression on your face. They wouldn’t be seeing through your eyes. They’d be seeing through their own eyes.
So tell the story as though they’re in the room with you—and they’ll feel like they are!
Start simple with this one. Find a spot in your workspace that you can put up a gooseneck or arm camera mount and just leave it—then whenever you want to share an unboxing, and OOTD, or how beautiful the light is in your space in the morning, you can pop your phone in, set the self-timer, back up and get the shot!
Tip No. 4: Snap several pics, post several pics.
A huge oversight I see small businesses making in their social media efforts is posting one photo at a time, instead of posting even just two at a time.
Instagram offers “carousels” to help you boost your social media engagement on a single post—meaning, you can post anywhere from 2 to 10 photos (or a combination of photo and short video) that your audience can swipe through to get a more complete story.
Not only will Instagram share carousels with your audience twice, giving them two chances to engage with a like, comment, save, or share—but your audience will find the post more interesting. We were all raised on storybooks, were we not? It’s our instinct to keep “turning the pages.”
The same can be said on Pinterest and Facebook, too—pin multiple images from the same blog post, and share a few photos at a time on Facebook.
Tip No. 5: Learn how to create stop-motion video and GIFs, or hire them out.
TikTok and Instagram Reels have been going strong for years at this point, and there are still many, many business owners who refuse to dip their toe in the waters because they’re uncomfortable on video.
Enter: Stop-motion video and GIFs! These are video options that are made up of several or many individual photos—no actual videography required. If you’ve ever watched a video that felt a little like a flip-book, it was probably a stop-motion video or GIF—and you can use these in lieu of video if you want the engagement without the on-camera cringe factor.
While there are numerous short tutorials for making stop-motion videos and GIFs on YouTube, you can also hire this out to your professional photographer in many cases—saving you time and a long learning curve. I actually offer this as part of my Digital Media Subscription here at AG!
Love these tips? Then you’ll love my FREE Profitable Photos Guide!
What’s one of the biggest, most expensive ways to go nowhere in your online marketing strategy?
Hire a professional photographer to take photos that won’t be profitable in your business!
Unbeknownst to many, there are actually different kinds of brand photography, all used for different purposes in your business. It can really help to plan your shoots according to specific materials you need, because it will affect where you shoot, how your photographer directs you, the focal length and orientation of your images, and more.
I share all the details in my FREE download, Brand Photos that GROW Your Business. Pop in your best email below and receive…
A guide to understanding the 5 different types of brand shoots (& how to use each to GROW your business!)
An invitation to the Pinterest board that shows you every photo you need
Printable shot lists to bring with you to your next shoot (with all the details your photographer needs to know)
The secret to SAVING MONEY and EXPANDING YOUR REACH on social media at the same time (for real!)
HELLO! MY NAME IS ALEXIS.
Coffee lover, day dreamer, foodie, and creative. I believe in doing what you can with what you have where you are. I blog to help you do more with what you have. I hope you love it here!
