In today’s digital age, we are living in a very visual world. Smartphones are becoming more advanced every day, particularly the quality of Smartphone cameras.
Every two years, Apple continues to top their latest iPhone with an even better one– each time, the camera continues to get sharper and have higher definition. In fact, the company’s most recent release, the iPhone X, is known for having a dual camera lens that produces images with high depth. Options like “Portrait Mode,” even allow people to create sharper images with a bokeh look. It is so easy now for organizations and businesses to be able to quickly snap a “high quality” image and post to social media platforms. It’s convenient- we get it.
But, even as smartphone cameras continue to improve, if you want your business to really excel in digital marketing, you need to hire a professional photographer to capture professional images.
2 (and a half) Places You Must Use Professional Photos
Your Website
A website is your businesses calling card. Your portfolio. Your online billboard. In fact, most people start looking for business information on social media and via Google search. Those channels send people to your website, your content has to convert those viewers to customers.
Print Marketing
Any time you are going to print an image (magazine ads, business cards, flyers) you need the highest quality image. Like we mentioned before, those marketing pieces are tools to convert viewers to clients. They need to showcase your best work. An iPhone photo wont print clear, and will look amateur (because it is).
Social (the half)
We recommend using professional images for social media. But this one is a little more forgiving because there are times, and certain reasons when an iPhone will suffice. Not all budgets have room for professional images. So here is an instance you have to be realistic. But, you need to take time to capture the best phone image possible. Look at competitors images on social and see how they stage or position the items. Take the photo in the brightest space possible and try to be consistent– consistency in social media is key. Instagram stories are a great place to use phone images and videos.
3 Reasons You Need Professional Photos
Too Much Saturation
There are currently over 800 million active users on Instagram, the most visually popular social media platform. We can talk about Instagram all day long though. (Did you see our Future Of Social Post?) 71% of Instagram accounts are businesses. That means that the majority of images that are posted on the platform are taken with a Smartphone. And guess what happens when your business is posting quick smart phone images along with everyone else? It gets lost. iPhone images don’t stand out- and they don’t reach a large demographic.
Professionals Know The Tricks
A professional photographer has the knowledge and experience when it comes to telling an organization’s story. That’s right. Images that are posted on your business’ social media platforms need to tell a story. A professional photographer will know how to creatively capture that story. They will know the certain angles to make that cup of coffee look so heavenly or how to make the kitchen of a house look inviting. And let’s be honest- most people do not like having their photos taken. It’s awkward! A true professional photographer will know the tricks to make you feel comfortable in front of the camera.
Better Images Catch the Eye
Did you know that the average adult’s attention span is only eight seconds long? With people endlessly scrolling through Facebook and Instagram, your business has only eight seconds to stop someone in their scroll. A professional photographer’s images will look drastically different and will hopefully stop someone for more than eight seconds. People love to feel a connection. If they see an image on their feed that is emotive, they are more likely to use your business or buy your product.
You know what they say- a picture is worth a thousand words. Ready to step up your social media game or get those top-quality images for your website? We can help with that. From your team’s head shots to telling your business’ story- South Made Marketing’s professional photographers are on it. Let’s chat and talk photo shoots!