When it comes to your initial website build and branding process for your business, there are a lot of things to consider when putting together the overall budget. Between graphic design, website copy, media, e-commerce solutions etc. it can be hard to gauge the level of importance of each of these categories and what will benefit your business the most.
Wait. What Do You Mean By “Media Professional”?
When it comes time to build your first website or update your website, or a complete re-brand, inevitably a huge part of the process is going to come down to content. Content can be defined as website copy, photos, images, and perhaps an e-commerce store, contact forms, and other points of conversion. When it comes to photos and videos, quite frankly, no one is going to do a better job capturing that media than a professional photographer or videographer. Yet, for some reason, such a massive amount of the web design industry and the web at large rely on ‘stock photos’. Stock Photos, by definition, are a supply of photos (can also be videos) that are licensed for a specific use.
So what really does this mean? It means that a large volume of the photos and videos that you see on websites around the web is not really the work or content of the companies website you are viewing. You even see stock photos and videos on the news! It’s everywhere. But you know where you won’t see stock photography used? Companies that are brand-savvy and know better.
I’ll lay out a few examples on the practical and technical side, as to why it’s so incredibly important to hire a media professional instead of relying on stock photography and videography for your companies website.
Your Website Is the Backbone Of Your Brand
It’s true. Your website is the backbone of your brand. While the majority of your website leads might come from Google, a Yelp Profile, Instagram, or Facebook, and so on, all signs point to your website. Your website is where you then show all of the corresponding web presence from your business or brand, in return.
So for example, if someone finds you on Instagram, and follows that back to your website, your website will then expose them to all of your other content. Your reviews, for example, and your services page, and of course, finally, your preferred method of conversion. Conversion means, converting the user or website viewer from reading about your website to interacting and making contact with you. So again, your website is where all of your information is connected. It also has your best method in attracting your ideal clientele, and that is, your website copy.
Unique Content Is King
“Content is King” is a term that has been around for quite some time. It originates from Google and how search engines index websites to favor content that is unique, and essentially, not plagiarized from another website or author. Even “rewriting” content is something that is very hard to get past the advanced algorithm of Google search. Furthermore, original photography and videography is ALSO something that Google takes into consideration when ranking a website. If Google can tell that a website is an authority in the sense of unique and original content, instead of a website that is just rewriting blog posts and web pages and using stock photography, it will be rewarded in the way of search engine visibility.
Your Business Will Seem Larger Than Life
Excuse the cliche “larger than life” and hear me out. Have you ever looked at wedding photos and thought “wow, they look like a couple right out of a magazine!”. Well, that’s the power of a truly talented photographer or videographer. When it comes to headshots for your team members and employees, to examples of your work, product photos for your web store, and even complete commercial videos shot and edited by a professional videographer, your business and the service or product it provides is going to look without a doubt, more professional, and more customized, and generally taken more seriously if the content you produce is of the highest possible quality.
And further down the rabbit hole, there are even styles and the artistic side of media professionals to consider. Photojournalism? Realism? From light and airy to natural light, photography and videography have a bit of a magic trick under their sleeve and that is it can make the viewer feel an emotion. The vibe of the media can be a part of the brand itself and how the content and “feeling” of what you do are conveyed to the website viewer (a.k.a. potential clientele).
A Simple Breakdown of Professional Media You Can Use Now On Your Website
Website Photography
When you have professional quality photography of your employees, examples of your work, your office building, the products and/or services you offer, you are going to have a better appeal to your audience, as well as perform better in web search engines.
Headshots
When the headshot and “employee” photos on your website are of the highest quality and truly capture not only what they look like, but their personality, you are going to build trust with the viewer which could lead to a better rate of conversion.
Video Commercials & Content
When the videos on your website ranging from product examples to even video blog content and explanations of services are done with the highest quality production possible, you will gain better trust with your viewer and raise the bar in professionalism. Since video content has truly taken over by rate of conversions, you are also going to yield better overall results in acquiring new leads.
Images on this page by Lauren Scotti and Let’s Frolic Together
