Brand Sponsored Content: Take Photos That Brands and Readers Will Love
How does one take photos for sponsored posts brands will love? It comes down to what brands are looking for—promotion!
What promotes better than photos or video? Nothing. Even if no one reads your sponsored posts, you want them to skim through the post to see the photographs. Your photos are the heart of a sponsored post, and will hopefully drive people to read your post. With all the digital options available online, there is no reason why your images can’t be amazing and stand out above the crowd!
Do you know the brand you are writing for? What type of company are they? How does the brand image fit with your blog image? You need to combine your image with the brand image to make a perfect match.
I start almost all my sponsored posts out with a photo that has nothing to do with the brand but relates to the subject I was hired to post about. No one wants to be “sold” right off the bat. Rope in your readers, so they voluntarily read your entire post.
I create a real-life story about a situation where I would be in need of whatever it is the brand hired me to post about. Readers should see the photo, then read the text and find the story relatable enough to continue reading. For example, if I am reviewing dog waste bags, I may have a photo of me walking my dogs. I will then write a paragraph about the problems of finding a good poop bag to take along on walks.
Photos are important for introducing the brand to your audience. Make sure you have a nice clear photo of the logo. Brands don’t want their logo to appear as a blurry image.
I include the logo in a small paragraph with the disclosure. If your sponsored post is about an item that came in a box with the company logo, get a photo of the box, perhaps with your pet doing something fun or funny with the box, or simply sitting next to it. Take care to have a warm uncluttered background for the photos so the brand image will stand out.
Try to have at least one photo with both the brand and product. It works great to have the product front and center, and the brand slightly blurred out in the background too.
Include your pet if that is something you normally do. It’s important to show the brand and packaging, so people will know what to look for if they are going to purchase the product online or in the store.
Once you have the packaging photos completed, take some great photos of the product in use. If it is a toy, snap action shots of your pet playing with the toy.
Be sure to use the correct camera settings for motion. No one likes blurry photos. Show your pets eating food or treats. Get a shot of the product alongside of something like the pets paw for a size comparison. Your photos need to tell as much as possible about the product without using words.
A sponsored post should be a story about the subject you are being paid to promote. The photos should be warm and friendly, and flow into the text of your post. Brands love original photos, so think outside of the box.
What photos will stick in the minds of your readers and impress the brand with originality? Try different locations for your photo shoot, or have your pet doing something impressive with or for the product.
When planning for your photo shoot, remember to take shots that you can use for the different social media venues. Brands expect you to promote sponsored posts on your social media, and they expect quality images. There are so many great photo editing programs available, for people of all editing levels these days, there is no excuse to not edit and create perfect images for social media. Many of the editing programs are even free.
Creating sponsored posts brands will love is truly a simple and fun process!
Joy Schneider is a pet parent to GBGV’s, Emma, Bailie, Madison, and two cats, Bert and Sophie. She is passionate about health and fitness for herself and her pets. Joy’s hobbies include photography, writing, running, as well as nose work, tracking, barn hunt, and agility with her hounds. She is the human behind the humorous and informative blog, MyGBGVLife.com, which is written from the viewpoint of Emma the GBGV. To earn a living and keep herself and fur kids in the lifestyle they have come to expect, Joy runs her own Real Estate Transaction Coordinator business.
