Creating Great Photos and Videos for Social Media Marketing

According to Hootsuite, 88% of Americans use social media on a daily basis, making social media marketing one of the most effective ways to reach your target audience. 

While a simple text-based post boosted to the appropriate audience can bring significant results, studies show that a post with a visual media aspect is more likely to grab the attention of social media users and increase engagement.  Studies show that user engagement on Facebook increases 37% when you use a visual element like photos or videos in your posts!

When you’re creating visual content in a social media post, the quality of the image or video matters significantly.  Visual content needs to stand out. Otherwise, audience attention will go to more engaging, better quality photos and videos.  Higher quality photos also indicate professionalism and trustworthiness, something every business in Huntsville, Decatur or North Alabama can benefit from.

It’s all about lighting

Lighting is one of the most critical elements of photography. Ideal lighting for the average project is natural and even, so the subject is clearly visible. Make sure to avoid harsh shadows and backlighting, which is where the subject stands in front of the light source. 

One of the most useful tools on an iPhone is the AE/AF lock. This allows you to adjust exposure while taking the photo rather than editing once the photo has been taken. To use this feature, open the camera app and hold down the area you want to focus on. Slide up and down to adjust the exposure.

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For more tips on how to use the photography tools on an iPhone, check out Apple’s how-to guide. 

Angles are everything

Angles are another important element when taking the perfect photo. The angle of a photo changes the perspective and should accurately reflect how the object appears in person. It’s also important to consider where the object is in the photo. Using gridlines in the camera app allows you to precisely map out where the subject of the photo is. 

To use the gridlines, go to “Settings” on your iPhone, then “Camera” and turn “Grid” on. The gridlines will now show up on the camera, allowing you to line up the subject.

Tip: Keep the subject on one of the 2/3 lines to create a balanced photo.

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Choose your background wisely

Make sure you take the photos in a clean and organized setting. It’s also useful to utilize negative space, or empty space around the object, to make the subject stand out. 

Think of users viewing your social media posts as a first impression. When a user visits your company’s profile on social media, they take the visual content into account and form an opinion of your brand. It’s important that photos reflect a clean, neat workspace that looks professional. 

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The tips above are just a few ways to improve the quality of photos for do-it-yourself social media posts.  However, it’s sometimes better to hire a professional photographer or videographer for certain projects.  Ongoing campaigns, for example, require a higher level of creative direction and attention to visual detail.  Optimizing photos and images for each social media platform can also be challenging, so hiring help can lead to a stronger return on investment for your Huntsville, Decatur or North Alabama business.

At Red Sage, our team specializes in unique video and photo content, as well as social media marketing, that illustrates your brand’s authentic story.  Visit our website today to see what we can do for your company or organization!