Brand assets are logos, fonts, photos and videos that have been created and captured specifically for your brand. They are what make up your brand identity and ensure you are easily recognizable and consistent. Brand photography and videography are crucial to building your brand identity. It’s the next step after you have established the basics. 

The Role of Brand Video

In today’s fast-paced digital world, video content is an invaluable tool for social media. It supports growth across a number of metrics including reach, engagement and profile views. A strong brand video can support storytelling in a way that static images cannot - connecting with audiences in a real, emotional, raw and authentic way.

Benefits of Video:

• The algorithm on Instagram, and increasingly Facebook and other platforms, favours videos over all other content. It’s the best way to reach new audiences on social media due to its ability to reach accounts that are not currently in the follower network.
• Diverse content like video supports search engine optimization (SEO), which is important now that social media has become a primary search engine similar to Google. 
• Video can be used in multiple placements including organic and paid social media, online advertising, YouTube, email marketing and website. 
• Video content is engaging.
• Videos build an emotional connection through storytelling. Calls to action are more impactful.
• Video creates trust and cultivates meaningful and lasting relationships. Seeing real people tell their stories makes the topic more tangible and relatable. 
  

The Numbers Don’t Lie

• Studies as far back as 2016 have found that viewers retain 95% of a message they see in a video vs. 10% when reading it in text.
• 86% of businesses use video as a marketing tool.
• 57% of people who watch a video from a not-for-profit make a donation.
• According to Instagram, 91% of users say they watch videos from brands weekly.
• 190 billion reels are watched every single day.
• Reels generated 38% more reach compared to a campaign not including reels.
• Video has a 16% lower cost per thousand (CPM) compared to standard ads.
• Video results in 54% higher incremental ad recall.
• Video shows 13% higher return on ad spend.
• Video leads to a 29% higher conversion rate.
  

The Role of Brand Photography

While video is an important part of a social media strategy - and overall brand strategy - the role of brand photography cannot be discounted. Like video, having a well-stocked library of brand photography can support storytelling and building relationships, but since videos are used more widely in many cases, there are a few other key benefits. 

• Personalization helps you stand out
• Many organizations utilize stock photography in their marketing assets. Businesses that have their own brand assets stand out with unique visual content that helps them express their own brand identity to the people they support and provide service to. 
• Maintain consistent brand image
• When utilizing stock imagery, organizations are either limited in the assets they can use or there is a lack of consistency in the look and feel of the content. A brand library with photographs from a single photographer allows organizations to capture a consistent look and feel to their photography, helping make them more easily identifiable and distinguished in the large and saturated digital space.
• Positioning as a community 
• A photoshoot that includes the team, customers, products and services helps to position your brand as an authority in your industry. The inclusion of real people demonstrates authenticity and creates connection with and between the various stakeholders and audiences.

Case Study on Branded Content

A not-for-profit ran an end of year campaign with the goal to raise $300,0000 by the end of the year. This campaign used social media as a key vehicle to drive awareness, clicks to the website, and donations to the organization. The campaign launched shortly before Giving Tuesday and ran through the holiday season in both organic and paid social channels. 

The client provided a full asset library of personalized video and photography to support shaping perceptions, building connections, and telling the story about why people should donate. This helped them stand out and made the content easily identifiable as the organization’s brand. It also positioned the organization as authentic, trustworthy, and relatable. The photos and videos that were posted shared stories of real people being supported by the not-for-profit, and that was a crucial piece as to why this campaign reached their goal. 

The results:

• 299,158 accounts reached
• 595,842 impressions
• 5,246 link clicks to the website 
• $300,000 fundraising goal achieved
  

What Are You Waiting For?

If you’re ready to stand out against the competition and book a brand shoot, send us an email to hello@thesmallsocial.com. Our dedicated and experienced team will provide you with a comprehensive production package that includes location scouting, shot lists, creative direction and a content team that will bring your story to life. Get in touch today!