Visual Content Performance

High quality backlinks are the key to success with any online visibility and authority campaign. However - do you know how to spot the good from the bad?

The Importance of Photography

Photography and videography are forms of content that are essential to any campaign or website content and can often be a major pain-point in any in-house marketer’s daily life. Building a library of assets that are unique, on-brand and aligned with the marketing campaign or messaging is essential to the performance of the content – whether that be in social or within owned channels such as your website.

Why focus on visual content?

Using photos on a page significantly boosts engagement, retention, and interaction. Original photos and images with human elements tend to perform better than stock photos and generic images. High-quality visuals are particularly crucial in e-commerce and social media, where they directly influence purchasing decisions and engagement metrics. They are also an essential part of SEO and Images contribute to better SEO. Websites with optimized images (with proper alt text and filenames) rank higher in search engine results, driving more organic traffic (Source: Moz). Additionally, images provide additional traffic via image search, this opportunity is one that is going to further increase during 2024 and beyond and to make steps to capitalise on this forms an essential part of SEO theory and should be strategized on and reviewed regularly. Blog articles with images receive 94% more total views. Including an image or a video in a press release increases views by over 45% (Source: PR Newswire). Visual Appeal: High-quality images grab attention and make a website more visually appealing. They can communicate the site’s message quickly and effectively, often more powerfully than text.

Engagement: Images can increase user engagement. Visitors are more likely to stay longer and interact with the content when it includes compelling visuals.

Branding: Unique, high-quality images help establish and reinforce brand identity. They differentiate the site from competitors who may use generic stock photos.

Storytelling: Photography can tell a story, evoke emotions, and convey complex information quickly. This helps in building a connection with the audience.

SEO Benefits: Properly optimized images can improve search engine rankings, increase visibility, and drive traffic from image searches.

Criteria	Details	Best Question to Ask
File Formats	Standard Formats: Ensure the photographer can provide images in standard formats such as JPEG, PNG, and TIFF, which are widely supported and suitable for web and print use. Raw Files: For maximum flexibility in editing, check if the photographer can supply raw files (e.g., .CR2, .NEF).	Can you provide images in JPEG, PNG, TIFF, and raw formats like .CR2 or .NEF?
Resolution and Dimensions	High Resolution: The images should be high resolution to allow for various uses, including large prints and high-quality web display. Specific Dimensions: Confirm that the photographer can provide images in specific dimensions or aspect ratios as required for your website or marketing materials.	Can you provide high-resolution images and adjust to specific dimensions or aspect ratios as needed?
Color Profiles	Web Use: For web use, ensure the images are in the sRGB color profile. Print Use: For print use, images should be in the CMYK color profile or at least be convertible to it without significant quality loss.	Can you provide images in sRGB for web use and CMYK for print use?
Insurance	Liability Insurance: Ensure the photographer has liability insurance to cover any accidents or damages that may occur during the shoot. Equipment Insurance: Confirm that the photographer’s equipment is insured to avoid complications in case of equipment failure or damage.	Do you have liability and equipment insurance to cover potential accidents or damages?
Unexpected Fees	Travel Expenses: Clarify if there are any additional travel expenses, especially for remote locations. Permits and Licenses: Ensure all necessary permits and licenses are accounted for, and understand who is responsible for these costs. Overtime Charges: Discuss potential overtime charges if the shoot extends beyond the agreed timeframe.	Are there any additional travel expenses, permit fees, or overtime charges we should be aware of?
Delivery Method	Digital Delivery: Check if the photographer offers secure digital delivery methods such as cloud storage (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox) or direct download links. Backup Options: Ask if they provide backup options in case of data loss or corruption.	How will the images be delivered, and do you provide backup options?
File Organization	Structured Organization: Ensure that the images will be organized in a logical manner, with clearly named files and folders, making it easy to locate specific images. Metadata: Verify if the photographer includes relevant metadata (e.g., EXIF data, keywords) which can be helpful for SEO and asset management.	Will the images be organized logically and include relevant metadata?
Editing Services	Basic Adjustments: Confirm if basic adjustments like color correction, cropping, and exposure adjustments are included. Advanced Editing: Check if they offer advanced editing services (e.g., retouching, background removal) and if these come at an additional cost.	Are basic adjustments included, and do you offer advanced editing services?
Licensing Agreements	Usage Rights: Ensure that the photographer provides clear usage rights that match your needs, such as rights for commercial use, modifications, and distribution. Exclusivity: Determine if the images will be exclusive to your brand or if the photographer retains the right to use or resell them.	What are the usage rights for the images, and will they be exclusive to our brand?
Ownership of Photos	Contract Terms: The default ownership of photos typically remains with the photographer unless explicitly transferred in the contract. Ensure the contract clearly states the ownership and usage rights. Buyout Options: If full ownership is required, discuss buyout options to transfer all rights to the client.	What are the terms of ownership for the photos, and are there buyout options for full rights?
References and Reviews	Client Testimonials: Look for reviews or testimonials from previous clients that highlight the photographer’s reliability, professionalism, and ability to meet deadlines. Professional Associations: Membership in professional photography associations (e.g., PPA, NPPA) can be a good indicator of their commitment to industry standards.	Can you provide client testimonials and information on professional associations you belong to?
Technical Skills	Equipment: Ensure the photographer uses professional-grade equipment that can produce high-quality images suitable for digital and print use. Software Proficiency: Verify their proficiency with professional editing software (e.g., Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom) to ensure high-quality post-processing.	What equipment do you use, and are you proficient with editing software like Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom?

Social: the stats on images <> engagement.

In terms of social the stats on images are significant in terms of higher engagement.

· Content with relevant images gets 94% more views than content without relevant images (Source: Skyword).

· Articles with images every 75-100 words receive double the social media shares compared to articles with fewer images (Source: BuzzSumo).

· Social media posts with images produce 650% higher engagement than text-only posts (Source: HubSpot).

· Facebook posts with images see 2.3 times more engagement than those without images (Source: BuzzSumo).

· Infographics and visual content are liked and shared on social media 3 times more than other content (Source: MassPlanner).

Brand Images

Furthermore, when looking at branding, it has been studied in regards to cognitive power of content combined with imagery, this recorded that: People remember 65% of the information when it is paired with an image, compared to only 10% when it is not (Source: Brain Rules by John Medina). This combined with research to indicate that Original photos perform better than stock photos, amass to a fairly compelling case to invest heavily in the creative and production of high-quality imagery. Marketers have found that original photos are more effective than stock photos in engaging audiences (Source: Marketing Experiments).

Photographers and Videographers

Portrait and Product Photographer

Denis Robinson

Based London

Drone, Motion Graphics and Video

Middleton Mann

Based Chesham

Wedding, Product and Lifestyle Images

James Murray Insta – @jampublic

Based Cornwall

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