A picture says a thousand words - Why you should be investing in high quality content

I know, I know. It’s cliche, but it’s true - a picture says a thousand words. So what are your images and content saying?

If you want to see the difference high quality and low quality content can make, have a look at a local cafe or restaurant’s Facebook page, in comparison to someone like Apple or Samsung. This isn’t to say one is better or worse than the other, but the quality of the content produced by both companies are significantly different, and the results reflect that.

One thing that I stress to small businesses is to invest in good quality content. Yes, you can take photos on an iPhone, as long as you know how to take good quality  photos on your iPhone. But there’s just something about photos and imagery taken by professionals that will always perform better than iPhone quality images. You’ll notice when you’re scrolling through Instagram, you can tell who has invested in their content, and who have snapped a photo on their phone between tasks.

Good quality content results in good quality engagement.

Think about the images that you’re posting, the videos that you’re putting together, and the blogs you’re writing. How could they be better? Are you throwing them together because you feel like you have to? Or are you investing time and money into strategy and execution. Your audience knows the difference, I can promise you, but do you?

Here’s some actionable tips you can take on to increase the quality of your content in 2019:

• Invest in a session with a photographer

I’m not saying you have to find the most prestigious photographer in your area (support local businesses, friends!), but finding someone who knows what they are doing is so important when it comes to creating valuable and engaging content. If you ask any branding or social media manager, they will tell you to invest in a photographer.

If and when you do, have a list of shots you need for your business. This requires planning and forward thinking - what shots do you need for your website, your blog, your social media? What can you incorporate that shows who you are and what your business is all about? How do you want your photographer to capture the essence of who you are? Send them a couple of example photos, to show them the type of vibe you like, and then go nuts! By the end of it, if you’ve planned well, you should have a solid 6 months worth of content that you can use and reuse across your online platforms.

• Invest in a copywriter

If you aren’t a writer, that’s SO okay, not everyone is! But there are a bunch of people out there that are pretty damn good at it. Find these people, and bring them on board. There are so many platforms around the interwebs that can help you find people that can write content, social posts, newsletters, articles, and everything in between, so that you don’t have to. Because the reality is, if you hate writing, or you know that you can’t do it, you will produce content that isn’t up to standard - ie. not high quality content. Find people that can produce the high quality content that you know you can’t do yourself.

• Invest in something that makes making high quality content easier

This might not be a viable option for you if you’re just starting out, but if you are someone who would prefer to take your own photos and/or want to be able to create content on the fly, it might be worth investing in technology that makes it easier for you to be able to do that. By upgrade your smartphone, investing in a camera that has good ‘auto’ settings (do your research!), or finding a camera that puts takes high quality videos and a mic, you will be able to snap great photos of your food, record promo videos when and where you like, and post straight to your social media channels without using a middleman ‘expert’. I suggest this with hesitation, because you will still not be able to produce content that is as high of a standard as that made by a professional, however it is an easy way to do it yourself. It can be expensive, and in the long term, it may be a better option to collaborate with other creatives, however at the end of the day, it’s a personal decision that is entirely up to you and where your business is at!

You might have noticed that there’s a reoccuring theme with producing high quality content, and that’s investing. To create something great, you have to invest in it, whether it be content, images, or your business as a whole. This investment might be in the form of investing in your own knowledge (take a class), your resources (buy that camera), or in other people that know more than  you (find other creatives and small businesses, and collaborate!), but whatever it is, it is so worth it.

So, when it comes to your content in 2019, think about how you can plan ahead, and collaborate with some of the great creatives around you to produce some of your best and highest quality content so far!