Influencers & Content Creators: Brands Still Want PHOTOS
As short-form video content gains popularity, marketing strategies must also evolve in order to reach new eyes. It can be discouraging to see a drop in views when posting a photo on social media, especially when video content seems to quickly gain more traction.
But evolution doesn’t mean abandonment. Brands still and always will want your photos! For my influencers and content creators, remember that your photos are valuable. Here’s why:
Email Marketing
Social media may reach new audiences, but email marketing targets those who are actually interested in buying a certain product. In order to create a smooth experience to dedicated customers, brands don’t want a slow loading email.
Have you ever seen a gif or video in an email that looks pixelated? Video files are huge and by reducing the file size, the quality is also affected. With photos, you can still maintain quality and speed without overshadowing key information.
Product Photos
User generated content is important for creating brand authenticity. You are getting a more realistic approach to how someone else uses a product instead of seeing it as a flat lay or on a professional model.
This is especially important for clothing! Brands are starting to upload photos created by influencers and customers on their product pages instead of just professional model photos. These photos are used as style references for everyday wear or as a link to their social media account.
Physical Materials
Printed materials like postcards or look books are used to continue brand recognition offline. Anytime you have received a package, most likely there is also an insert with a photo that includes a discount code or other promotions.
For anyone in the influencer and content creating space, your photos are valuable to brands! In the end, your content is being used for marketing to generate sales. Don’t undermine your work and get paid for your efforts.