It's official - we're hooked! A 2023 social media study by Sensis found that eight in ten Aussies are actively using social media, and more than half check their socials more than five times each day.
So why - when nearly 80% of Australians are hanging out, searching and scrolling - are only 47% of small to medium businesses active on social media?
Denying that social media is a worthwhile marketing tool is like denying me coffee before 8 am. We deliver a serious kick, and neither of us is going anywhere in a hurry! The study also revealed that a whopping 64% of social media users are more likely to trust a brand (read: feel comfortable enough to give them credit card details and a home delivery address) if that brand interacts positively on social media.
So how do you transform something that has many business owners tearing their hair out, and instead file it under 'W' for 'WINNING' in your personal compendium of marketing wizardry?
The answer lies in scroll-stopping visual content. If you want to get your mitts on a slice of the social media market, here's a nuts and bolts breakdown of how to go about it.
Equipment
Equipment is an essential part of creating great photographs.
But don't start dropping cash on top of the line gear at this stage of the game when there's something perfectly suited to the job in your back pocket right now. Yup, your phone. Most new-release smartphones have fantastic shooting capacity, not to mention the enormous range of available apps to make your images pop.
Light, glorious light
Finding the right light is paramount to setting your photographic content apart. Light that is natural and abundant, while also soft and angled (I'm not too fussy, am I?) will create gentle shadows and natural depth.
Whatever you do, avoid shooting in full sun. You'll lose details in your shadow areas, your highlights will blow out, and your images will appear flat and amateurish. I'm betting that ain't your style, right?
Editing
Good images might come straight from the camera, but great ones are often the result of a bit of buffing and polishing. If you want to crop images, enhance evening skies, create eye-catching text overlays or add music over video, then try a couple of my faves - SnapSeed, Adobe Lightroom for mobile, and Wordswag.
With updates and new apps becoming available every day, there's an app for just about everything. The only way to decide what works best for you and your style of imagery is to take it for a test drive!
Styling
Give yourself permission to be creative when you're styling your products.
Let your natural flair shine through and don't be rigid with placement. Stick to a simple colour palette that you adore and be consistent in your editing style - this will give your social media feed a cohesive look and feel. While it pays to keep colour combinations restrained, interesting textures and backdrops will create depth and a sense of movement in your images.
Bonus Pro Tip
It's worth investing in a small tripod to avoid blur when you're capturing video or time-lapse images on your phone. You're welcome!
Now, before you strip down to your underwear and dive on in, it's important to take a long hard look in the mirror and answer some big questions (with clothes on and finish your coffee first, please):
Who are you?
What's your story?
What makes your brand, product or service unique?
If your brand was a person, what kind of colour palette would they favour, what logo would they sport, and what textural elements or font styles would sum them up?
Push past the basics of products and services and delve into what makes you, you. Getting clear about who you are - before you start - is vital in creating beautiful content that sets a strong, consistent voice for your unique brand. And one that everyone within your online reach will be keen to converse with.
Words by:
Photographer,
