Use ‘Em Or Lose ‘Em - Utilizing your Austin Brand Photos
As an Austin brand photographer for years, I see it all the time.
You book the photoshoot for your brand; you get the pictures; you love the pictures; you get excited about using your fabulous new brand images to connect with clients and get results, and then…
Life happens.
You get busy, and your photos sit in the cloud, unused. Have you seen how long my to-do list is?
Or you don't feel any kind of urgency to use them anyway. Does it really matter?
Or you keep putting it off for tomorrow for fear of judgment from others. Will everyone think I’m self-absorbed?
But when it comes to personal brand photos, the adage is true:
You either use 'em or lose 'em.
Not the awesome brand pictures, of course. They’ll still be there in the cloud, waiting. But what you’ll lose matters far more.
You’ll lose that market advantage you paid so much for, AND you’ll kill the fabulous ROI (return on investment) you could have gotten from strategically using your brand images.
Fear not if this sounds like you, and you’ve left your photos to sit in the cloud. Today is the day to get back on track.
I can tell you this: my clients who habitually use their brand photos everywhere—on their websites, across social media, and in all their marketing materials (newsletters, guides, etc.)—see far better results and ROI than those who don’t.
Brand photos help others instantly recognize your brand, but you have to be using them for recognition to happen. And thus, results.
But, good news: that can still happen for you, too. That’s why I’ve created this handy checklist to help.
If you follow the list below and keep at it over time, your brand photos will build trust, elevate your brand, and, ultimately, impact your bottom line.
Use This Checklist To Ensure You Are Putting Your Brand Images To Work For You
1.Website
Your website is the easiest and most important place to use your brand images. Usually, this is the first impression potential customers will get of your business. The people heading directly to your website are trying and wanting to see you. Others may have discovered your brand on social media, but then guess what they do? They go STRAIGHT to your website to find out what you're all about – and, of course, to judge how legit you are.
For those reasons, it's essential to look professional, demonstrate that you invest in yourself, and showcase your expertise. If you have brand photos on your website that lure visitors in and speak visually to your professionalism, you’ll have answered any questions or shut down any doubts they might have had.
BONUS TIP: Optimize your photos on your website for SEO search terms. That way, when people look up the thing you do, you have a chance of being found in either a Google search or an image search.
2. Branded Marketing Materials
Once your website is top-notch, it’s time to infuse these images into your other branded marketing materials, such as:
email welcome sequence
regular email newsletters
welcome guides
onboarding documents
webinars
training documents
prep guides
support guides
and any other client-facing materials
What a look that will create for your audience! Implementing your images in a way that creates continuity across the user experience furthers the message that you know your brand and are running your business like the seasoned professional you are.
3. Social Media Channels
Next up? Everyone’s favorite: Social media.
I know, I know. It’s a love/hate relationship, but social media is often the easiest and quickest way to get your images in front of the eyes that need to see them. You should use your new personal brand images in your social media strategy across the board (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, etc.)
Show up. Put your face out there. People quality-check you on your website, but they personality-check you on your socials.
Once they verify that you’re legit with your website, they think, "Okay, this person seems like they know what they're doing—but do I want to hire them? Do I like them? Will we vibe with each other? Can I see myself working with them?"
Use your brand images on social media to educate your audience, build brand awareness, and introduce them to the human behind the brand.
4. Blog Posts
Your brand’s blog is another place where brand images can make your work easier. Use your photos in your blog posts to support your content with visuals or give readers an insider's look at you.
Trust me. People prefer seeing your brand pictures over run-of-the-mill stock images any day of the week.
5. Promotional Materials
If you haven’t created updated promotional materials recently, getting new brand images can be the kick in the butt you need.
Brand photos are perfect for biz cards, flyers, or any signage that might benefit from adding your images.
6. Paid Ads, Ad Campaigns, and Sale Offers
Lastly, don’t forget to use your brand photos in your paid ads, ad campaigns, or sales offers!
If taken by an experienced and strategic photographer, your brand images will tell a clear story that excites people enough to stop scrolling, view your ad, learn more, click on your links, and follow any calls to action (CTAs) you give—all steps that will give you the greatest return on your investment.
How Alicia Leigh Photography Can Help Your Brand
When you are trying to elevate or grow your brand and business, aligned brand images should be an integral part of your marketing strategy—not an afterthought. At Alicia Leigh Photography, we work with that belief in mind.
We work with you to craft your brand photos with a personalized strategy so that your images are aligned and add influence to your brand and your marketing.
(Also, it will make your life so much easier! You no longer have to deal with all the aches and pains of figuring out how to get good pictures, edit them, post them, come up with ideas and visuals, etc.)
Here’s what will happen…
You’ll get in touch to get the ball rolling on your Signature Experience.
Then, during our planning call, we’ll discuss your business audience, goals, and areas where you feel you're falling short. We’ll also help you understand how images can support your brand specifically so that you can add value to your services or products.
Through our conversation (and with the research, I’ll have done on your online presence), we'll narrow down to which visual stories we most need to tell to help solve your problems, meet your goals, and resonate with your audience.
The information I gain from our call will influence all my recommendations so that we can make the most of your shoot. I’ll provide guidance on the types of scenes we should capture, the shots I recommend, the props, the location, the wardrobe, etc. You’ll feel supported in all the ways!
You’ll get to pick my brain, receive recommendations, and we’ll bounce ideas off each other until we hang up feeling mutually inspired and up to the task.
If this sounds like the brand photo experience you want from day one and you live in or can travel to the Austin, Texas, area, check out my complete storytelling experience and get in touch.
I can’t wait to meet you and help you build your business and elevate your brand.