How to Develop Effective Creative for Small Business Growth
In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, development of compelling and scroll stopping visual content is essential for small businesses aiming to grow their brands and creating winning ads across various digital platforms like Meta, Pinterest, Google, LinkedIn, and others. After years of working in internal marketing teams, agencies, and on the creative production side of advertising, I’ve learned a few things about elements that, when considered, increase the success rate in development of winning creatives to be used in digital ad placements and beyond. I'll guide you through the process of developing effective photography and video assets that resonate with your audience and drive results.
UNDERSTAND YOUR AUDIENCE
Before you start creating any visual content, it's crucial to understand your target audience. Conduct thorough research to identify their preferences, pain points, and what resonates with them. Use tools like Google Analytics, social media insights, and customer surveys to gather this information. Knowing your audience will help you tailor your visuals to their interests and behaviors and effectively communicate to your customers.
CRAFT A STRONG VISUAL IDENTITY
Consistency is key in building a recognizable brand. Ensure that your photography and video content align with your brand's visual identity, including your color scheme, typography, and overall aesthetic. This creates a cohesive experience for your audience across all platforms. Consider creating brand guidelines in which all visual elements that you develop follow.
Example: If your brand focuses on eco-friendly products, use natural lighting, earthy tones, and outdoor settings in your visuals to reinforce your brand's commitment to sustainability.
TIPS ON EFFECTIVE PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO
If you plan on creating your own assets, it’s important that you apply these tools to ensure you’re creating the best possible content for your business.
LIGHTING
Present your business in the best light. Natural light is your best friend. It’s free and you can get started right away without require extra time learning the technicalities of controlled lighting. Shoot during the golden hours—early morning or late afternoon—for the best results. If you’re shooting indoors and are using lighting equipment, invest in a light modifiers like softboxes and ring lights to mimic natural light and reduce harsh, artificial looking shadows.
COMPOSITION
Composition and lighting is more important than having good equipment as smartphone quality continues to advance. Below are some techniques to ensure your creatives look their best:
1. RULE OF THIRDS
The rule of thirds is one of the most fundamental composition techniques. It involves dividing your frame into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines. The main elements of your image or video should be placed along these lines or at their intersections.
How to Use It:
Photography: If you're photographing a product, place the product along one of the vertical lines and any other important elements (like a logo or slogan) along the horizontal lines.
Video: In interviews or talking-head videos, position the subject's eyes along the top horizontal line, slightly off-center to create a more dynamic composition.
2. LEADING LINES
Leading lines are natural lines within an image or video that lead the viewer's eye toward the main subject. These can be anything from roads, fences, or even shadows.
How to Use It:
Photography: Use visual elements like roads, pathways, or product arrangements that direct attention and lead the eye towards your product.
Video: Incorporate elements like hallways, furniture, or even the way people are positioned and moving through a frame to guide viewers towards the focal point of your scene.
3. SYMMETRY
Symmetry can create a sense of harmony and balance in your visuals. Symmetrical compositions are aesthetically pleasing and can be very effective in drawing attention.
How to Use It:
Photography: Capture symmetrical elements in your environment, such as reflections in water, buildings, or product arrangements. Keeping your product centered in the frame is another way to achieve this clean look.
Video: Use symmetrical framing for scenes where you want to create a sense of order and stability, such as in promotional videos highlighting the professionalism and reliability of your service.
4. FRAMES
Making use of frames when framing your images involves using elements within a scene to create a 'frame' around your subject, drawing attention to it and isolating it from the rest of the scene.
How to Use It:
Photography: Use doorways, windows, or even natural elements like trees to frame your product.
Video: Create frames within your video scenes using architectural elements or other props to highlight the main subject or action.
4. DEPTH OF FIELD
Playing with depth of field can help you emphasize your subject while blurring out the background, isolating your subject from the background and distracting elements that may be in the environment.
How to Use It:
Photography: Use a wide aperture (small f-number) to create a shallow depth of field, making your product stand out against a blurred background.
Video: Apply the same technique in video to highlight the subject in interviews or product showcases, keeping the viewer’s focus on the important elements.
5. NEGATIVE SPACE
Negative space refers to the empty space around your subject. Utilizing negative space can make your subject stand out and create a minimalist and clean look. This is a great way to create space for text callouts.
How to Use It:
Photography: Position your product against a plain background with ample space around it to make it the focal point.
Video: Use negative space in your shots to emphasize the main subject or action, creating a clean and uncluttered look.
6. COLOR AND CONTRAST
Color and contrast play a significant role in composition. Using contrasting colors can draw attention to specific elements, while harmonious colors can create a pleasing and unified look.
How to Use It:
Photography: Choose backgrounds and props that contrast with your product to make it pop, or use complementary colors to create a cohesive look.
Video: Apply color grading to enhance the mood and feel of your video, ensuring that the main subjects stand out through contrast.
EXAMPLE IMPLEMENTATION FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
Example 1: Boutique Clothing Store
Photography: Use the rule of thirds by placing a model wearing your latest fashion line along one of the vertical lines, with a colorful street scene in the background. Utilize leading lines from the street to draw attention to the model.
Video: Create a short fashion show video with models walking towards the camera through a symmetrical hallway, using natural light to create depth and highlight the clothing.
Example 2: Café and Bakery
Photography: Capture the delicious pastries using a shallow depth of field to focus on the texture and detail, with a blurred café setting in the background. Frame the pastries with elements like coffee cups and napkins.
Video: Produce a behind-the-scenes video showing the baking process. Use overhead shots with symmetrical patterns of ingredients and leading lines of baking tools guiding the viewer’s eye to the chef’s hands at work.
Example 3: Fitness Studio
Photography: Photograph trainers demonstrating exercises using the rule of thirds, with gym equipment creating leading lines towards the trainers. Capture the energy and motion with a fast shutter speed.
Video: Record a short workout tutorial with trainers in a well-lit, open space. Use symmetrical compositions for stability and clarity, and add text overlays to highlight key exercise tips.
By mastering these composition techniques, you can create stunning photography and video content that not only captures attention but also effectively communicates your brand's message and values. Consistently applying these principles will help your small business stand out across various digital platforms, driving engagement and conversion rates.
ENGAGING VIDEO CONTENT
Think of the video ad as your elevator pitch. You only have a limited amount of time to grab someone’s attention and help them understand how what you offer can provide value to their life and drive them to take action. Creating a structure or template for approaching videos will ensure all efforts are intentional and lead you to your goals.
1. KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET
Attention spans are short, so keep your videos concise. Aim for 15-30 seconds for social media platforms. Have a strong, scroll stopping hook, get to the point quickly, and ensure your message and call to action is clear.
2. THE SCROLL STOPPER
Add an attention grabbing hook in the first 2-3 seconds to interrupt a user’s pattern of scrolling on social media so that they continue watching. This can be done in a number of ways
A Fascinating Fact:
Engage curiosity with an intriguing fact to capture attention and build credibility.
What If…
Use a hypothetical scenario to spark interest and direct your video in any direction.
Surprise Them
Begin with something unexpected to provoke a reaction and retain viewers.
Start With a Problem & Offer a Solution
Focus on how your product solves a problem to attract the right audience and potential customers.
Open With a Joke
Use humor to break the ice and connect with your audience, making your video more engaging.
Ask a Question
Pose a question to intrigue viewers and keep their attention, especially if combined with problem-solving.
Hint at a Story:
Introduce a story to create suspense and encourage viewers to stay for more details.
2. STORYTELLING
Tell a compelling story that resonates with your audience. Showcase how your product or service can solve their problems or improve their lives. Use customer testimonials, behind-the-scenes footage, demonstrations or your product/service to create engaging narratives. Allow customers to imagine your product or service integrated in their lives.
3. A CALL TO ACTION
Don’t leave someone guessing what to do at the end of your ad. Encourage viewers to take the desired action, whether it's visiting your website to make a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, filling out a lead generation form, or fulfilling any other measurable objective. Ensure the CTA is clear and aligns with the ad's message and narrative. By providing a clear next step, you guide viewers toward conversion.
3. PRODUCTION VALUE
Invest in good audio equipment to ensure people can engage clear sound. Use a tripod to stabilize your shots, and edit your videos to remove any unnecessary parts. There are many affordable video editing tools like Adobe Premiere, iMovie, Final Cut Pro or even mobile apps like Capcut can help you polish your content.
Example: A small fitness studio can create short workout videos demonstrating different exercises. Use upbeat music, clear instructions, and show real clients enjoying the workouts to create an authentic and engaging experience.
PLATFORM SPECIFIC TIPS
META (INSTAGRAM & FACEBOOK):
Instagram Stories and Reels: Use vertical format and include text overlays or stickers to make your content interactive, shooting wider or in both horizontal & vertical will help ensure your assets are optimized for ad creation.
Facebook Ads: Carousel ads are great for showcasing multiple products or features. Use high-quality images and videos to grab attention.
PINTEREST:
Pins: Vertical images work best. Create pins that are visually appealing and include a clear call-to-action. Top down and straight on compositions generally work well, leaving room for text callouts.
Video Pins: Short, looping videos can drive higher engagement. Focus on visually striking content that tells a quick story.
YOUTUBE:
Thumbnails: Create eye-catching thumbnails with bold text and bright colors.
YouTube Shorts: These are great for quick, snackable content. Use trends and popular hashtags to increase visibility.
LINKEDIN:
Professional Tone: Ensure your visuals align with the professional nature of the platform. Use high-quality images and videos that reflect your brand’s credibility.
Case Studies and Testimonials: These can be particularly effective on LinkedIn. Share success stories with visuals that highlight your expertise.
TESTING AND OPTIMIZATION
Once you’ve created your visual assets, it’s important to test and optimize them. Use A/B testing to compare different versions of your ads and see which ones perform better. Pay attention to metrics like click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and engagement rates.
Example: Run two different video ads on Facebook promoting the same product. One could feature a customer testimonial, while the other showcases a product demo. Analyze the results to see which ad resonates more with your audience and refine your strategy accordingly.
CONCLUSION
Developing effective photography and video creative assets is a powerful way to grow your small business brand and achieve success in paid digital marketing. By understanding your audience, maintaining a strong visual identity, and tailoring your content to each platform, you can create compelling visuals that drive engagement and conversions. Remember to test and optimize your assets continually to ensure they deliver the best possible results. Happy marketing!
