Every business can benefit from professional photography because strong visual content directly impacts how customers perceive a brand and influences their decision-making. Here’s a breakdown of why professional photography is essential for businesses.
Do I really need professional images vs using my iPhone?
First Impressions Matter
Nearly everything we do, now days, starts off online. Potential customers often judge the credibility and quality of a business within seconds, based on the visuals they are presented with, when browsing your website. If you are large corporate business, then clients will think in seconds from visuals they're presented with as to whether you are professional, approachable, you convey expertise and capability, as well as trust and scale of you business. So, images such as sleek clean office shots, executives in their environment, the teams - all of this professionalism, capability can be conveyed in imagery.
Using your smart phone can yield great results, if you know what you're doing. But if you don't know how lighting, composition, editing etc is key to crafting a great image, and how to use these to your advantage, then you're just someone else who thinks they can get the results needed for free……….
I am a small cafe owner / business. Why does images matter?
Locals want to know what kind of environment they're walking into. Is it clean? Do the staff look presentable, clean and approachable. Does the food and menu's look appealing? Is this a place they want to come and spend their time and money with? A lot of customers find cafes / restaurants on Google, Instagram, or Yelp. How do we convey to a potential client the uniqueness, the ambience, warmth, the emotional connection? Visuals! These, and reviews are everything.
Visual Content is more engaging than text alone
Websites, ads, and social media posts with high quality images get more clicks, shares and ultimately sales. We live in that world, now, that media is everything and when we are saturated with so much content, our eyes naturally gravitate towards striking and professional images.
Other qualities to great images
Gives a competitive edge
Credibility and professionalism
Showcasing your people
Showcasing your environment
Reinforcing brand authority
Assets for not only web and social media, but also print.
Key Differences for small owner led business compared to corporate
Corporate:
Reinforcing authority and trust
Showcasing your profession, teams, environment and organisation
Conveying trust and scale
SME and owner led:
Connection and warmth
Welcoming team and environment
Showcasing you and your team, and products
Standing out from crowd to attract more footfall and new clients