Why professional photography is important for businesses
The truth is, people really do judge books by their covers...I know I do. And it’s the same when it comes to businesses, services, and experts that they’re considering. We live in a visual society and have less time than ever, so we often rely on images rather than written messages to get us the information we need and make decisions, like “Do I want to use/buy/follow this?”
Even if you already realized that you need photographs to launch, expand and maintain your business, it’s important to recognize that you need the right kind of photography. Part of building an empire, or side hustle or heartfelt hobby, is having the right expertise and support. We might want to do everything on our own, but a successful entrepreneur knows they can’t. Their job is to surround themselves with people who can. And a professional photographer is absolutely someone you want in your corner!
Let’s look at five reasons why photography...professional photography...is so important for businesses, from hotels to influencers!
1) It makes our brains happy
It’s scientifically proven that images are the preferred language of the human brain. In other words, our minds like pictures. More than words, high-quality images get attention, relay information, and improve a company’s visibility. Studies have proven that it takes less than a second for people to form an opinion about a web page they visit. If they’re in need of a product, service, or information they may stick around, but within a second they’ve already formed an unconscious opinion about what they like and don’t like. This isn’t said to terrify you but to inspire you to make your visual online presence as authentic and powerful as possible when it comes to who you are and what you’re promoting! What people see when they first land on your website or social media is critical, and it drives their choices. For example, experts say that hotel images sway potential clients more than reviews or ratings, combined!
2) It establishes your brand
Professional photos help establish your brand ⎼ the authentic identity and unique story of you and your business. It’s how customers come to recognize you and what you’re offering, often achieved through specific colors, content choices, and lighting. But the right photographs not only establish a consistent, recognizable identity, they also convey emotions that help your customers connect with you. They don’t just see a picture of a hotel lobby, someone posing in Paris, or a display of fashionable sunglasses. The photograph helps them feel what it’s like to be in that hotel, to visit Paris, and to wear those sunglasses. Customers are never just buying a product, they’re buying an experience, and your brand helps relay what that experience is. Original and professional photography will enhance your brand’s authenticity and give you a competitive edge. Why? Because customers are savvy. Even unconsciously, their eyes can distinguish the difference between stock imagery and unique photos, as well as a pic snapped with an iPhone versus a professional photograph. We’ll get to why this is so important in a moment but for now, start to consider how photographers are experts in their own business. Their experience and professionalism will elevate your business and give you an edge in so many ways. Because successfully establishing your brand, in turn, establishes your community. And when you have a community of loyal customers and followers, the professional photography you invest in pays off exponentially through organically created advertising. That good old “word of mouth” that we call today, “user-generated content”.
Photo by: Cam in Atlanta
3) It puts a face to your business
We mean this literally and figuratively. Literally, you are able to show off your own face and that of your team’s with professional headshots, lifestyle photos, or action shots, depending on what's right for your business. People connect with people, and customers like to know who’s behind the counter, the email, and the amazing service you’re offering. If your business requires your customers to trust you, this is the first step in building that crucial relationship. Think about those Instagram influencers who never actually appear in their photos, or just show a cleverly placed hand or arm. At first it’s charming and mysterious, but then it gets frustrating. You want to know who they are! As for figuratively, when people first hear about a company, service, or influencer that interests them, they head straight to their associated website, Instagram page, or Facebook Profile. Whatever they see first creates their first impressions of your identity. Your visual online presence is essentially the “face” of your business and you want it to look good!
4) It highlights your products
The bottom line is photography generates income because it shows customers what you're selling and helps them find what they want. In order for this to happen, they need imagery to understand exactly what you're offering and why it’s different from your competitors. These images highlight your uniqueness and products and speak louder than words. By using a professional photographer you have the marketing edge on competitors relying on fancy iPhones or self-done photography. Because when it comes down to it, DSLR, mirrorless and medium format cameras will always show off your products better than our commercial devices. As great as our iPhones are, they just can’t compete. But you also need a professional who can maximize the capabilities of these great cameras and technology to best show off your brand and business. When you hire a pro you don’t need to buy the equipment yourself or figure out how to use it. You invest in a partner who takes the worry out of it, delivers professional photographs, and gives you the return you’re after ⎼ exposure and customers!
Photo by: Cam in Atlanta
5) It adds value to your customers
Photographs on your website and social media should ultimately add value to your target audience and customers. They should authentically and stylishly convey your business’s mission and yield results, like customer conversion. This means customers finding what they need and your business prospering so it can continue to offer those products/services/insights. The goal then becomes to help customers realize that when they’ve found you, they’ve found the solution to their needs. How? Again, get your photographs done by a professional so when potential customers arrive on your site, they see high-quality images that demonstrate clearly 1) what you’re offering, 2) the story behind who you and your business are, and 3) that you care about them. People are looking at so much more information today and have less time to accomplish things. They rely on the information they can glean from a single photograph rather than taking the time to read through descriptions. A picture is literally worth a thousand words, these days, and often thousands of dollars, as well. Finally, optimizing photographs for search engines will help new customers get to you and your brand. This is an important part to remember!
If you’re ready to invest in your business with a photography partner you can count on, get in touch with us!