The importance of quality photos – guest blog by Sophie Callahan

I’m really excited to present my first guest blog, from the ridiculously talented Sophie Callahan. Sophie talks about the importance of quality photos – something I believe is essential for any business. But I’ll let Sophie take it from here…

Hello everyone! My name is Sophie Callahan and I am a specialist equine photographer, blogger, vlogger and Rhea Freeman fan. I’m addicted to everything social media marketing and have spent the last four years growing my online following to help promote my personal brand. 

And today I’d like to chat to you about the importance of photographs. Ok, I know what you’re thinking…  I’m a photographer, so I’m biased… right?

But I think that actually, my job title is the exact reason I am qualified to tell you exactly why photographs are so important for your brand and business. I’ve seen the difference that a good image can make. And I’ve also seen the damage that a bad image can do!

Think of your online presence as your shop front. If you were to walk past a shop with a scruffy front window and a hand written sign, stuck up with sellotape, would you go in and expect to find quality products?

Of course not!

So why would you expect anybody to buy from you online, if you’re using pixelated, amateur photographs to promote your products and services?

Would you expect brands such as Armani, Range Rover or Swarovski to use images that are out of focus and not of the highest standard? And do you think they’d have the reputation they do, if they did? No. Because they understand the value of an image. Hundreds of thousands are spent on photography for each individual advertising campaign, because imagery is king! Don’t forget the old adage, ‘A picture is worth a thousand words.’ With the rise in image-centric social media, this is truer now that it ever has been.

We live in an online world. And first impressions are key. The likes of Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and even blogs and websites, are all about being as visually appealing as possible. 

If I was to stumble upon the Facebook page of a business I might potentially be interested in buying from, but their images were shoddy and uninspiring, I’d assume that their work might also be shoddy and uninspiring. Afterall, if they can’t put any effort into their first impressions, why would I expect their end product to be any different? Humans are visual creatures and if we don’t see quality images, we won’t expect a quality product or service. 

So, my advice? Invest in professional photography as one of the first and most important things you do for your brand. Good images add credibility.

Whether you are a goods or service based business, you can commission a photographer to capture what you do best. Work with them to collect together a batch of ‘stock’ images that you can use throughout your marketing efforts. Create images that can be used in future advertising campaigns, across your social media channels, on your website, and in upcoming blog posts. 

Consider getting in front of the camera to give your business a ‘face’. People like to see who they’re working with and a personalising your brand and evoke trust in your customers.

Hopefully this blog post has gone some way to encourage you to seek out the right photographer for you and give your business a face lift. I promise, you won’t regret it.

Find out more about Sophie by visiting her website, or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Youtube