Videos are queen on social media. We used to say that about pictures. If we were using math symbols, we’d say videos>multi-photo posts>photos>graphics>posts with no visual

Don’t expect your social media reach or engagement to grow if you aren’t using photos and videos every day. Here’s the thing, we understand that taking photos and videos for social can be intimidating. When you see beautiful photos online and are not trained in photography, you might shy away from trying it yourself. You’re worried you won’t measure up next to someone who has great imagery. Pro tip: ignore everyone else. Go ahead and take the photos and videos. Here’s the good news: you don’t have to be a photo or video expert to post photos and videos for them to be effective on your social media platforms. 

You also don’t need a fancy expensive camera to take good photos. Most smartphones today have great camera lenses on them. Your customers care less about the quality of the photos and videos and more about you sharing relevant photos and videos and providing genuine and authentic content.

Be Yourself

If you normally wear jeans, a t-shirt, and a cowboy hat to work, don’t try to dress up for a video or a photo in slacks and a tie because it won’t look authentic to you. It might even look like you are trying too hard, which you definitely don’t want.

You do you.

Videos

To get the most out of the videos you take for with your phone, keep them under five minutes to keep people engaged. Make sure you include a caption so that people can see what you’re saying if they don’t have their sound on.

You don’t have to do extensive planning or write a script for your videos. Often over-preparing will make you more nervous, which increases your likelihood of messing up. If you cannot create a video in three takes or less, you need to take a break. Walk away from your phone and try again later.

If you want some guidance, you can outline the talking points you want to make in your video and have a small cheat sheet. In a video, if you mess up, simply pause, correct yourself, and move on. Your customers do not expect you to be a movie star, so be authentic, do your best, and create those videos.

Want more advice on creating videos?

If you need help planning content for your social media, schedule a free consultation.