Content is king – few phrases sound triter. But consistently delivering content (content creation) that engages users is a master discipline that few companies can master. But where should the content come from in the first place – and as creatively and cost-effectively as possible?
Every 60 seconds, 3.67 million videos are watched on YouTube, 66,000 photos and videos are shared on Instagram, or 46,000 searches are made on Pinterest (see graphic). In e-commerce, for example, visual content is used in social media, newsletters, or product photos in the shop. Good pictures that show the products in all their facets make it possible for customers to buy, and even more: they are not disappointed because the online impression is identical to when the goods arrive. Declining return rates are a pleasant consequence of professional content creation.
Question Of All Questions: Where Should All The Content Come From?
High-quality content – especially visual content – is, therefore, more important than ever. However, most companies (especially smaller ones) have a headache about where they should get all the content for Instagram & Co. To solve this challenge, it is not uncommon for a complex shooting to be organized independently around a product launch, from which only 10 to 15 usable pictures emerge for cost reasons. Although this provides input for a certain period, the company has set itself the goal of posting one Instagram post weekly. Following the example above, the pipeline will run out after 15 weeks, and silence will be announced on the social web.
That’s a deadly sin because social media and the underlying algorithms don’t reward rest. Instead, they aim for the frequency of content creation to be high to be noticed. Why photo shoots do not consistently achieve the best possible result when creating content can usually be determined by the following factors:
- The costs are too high: the available budget did not allow us to shoot more motifs.
- It takes far too long: suitable photographers must be found and briefed, and locations and models must be booked.
- Not being able to let go: companies often want to control the entire process too much. This is usually at the expense of the creativity of the booked artists.
When The Content Pipeline Is Empty
If creating images seems too time-consuming and expensive, you are more than welcome to use stock material from the relevant image databases. Who doesn’t know the pictures of laughing people looking at tablets or the robotic hand on the keyboard when it comes to the topic of digitization? Admittedly, using well-known stock images is an even greater sin than pausing content creation for a few weeks because the pipeline has run dry. Reason: Everyone uses the same stock images, which makes you interchangeable as a brand. Differentiation is different.
Content Creation: Get Out Of Trouble With Branded Stock
So-called branded stock photography combines individual content production with the stock photo business model and provides a remedy for misery. Branded stock is particularly suitable for consumer brands that offer haptic products that can be quickly shipped. Companies fill out a briefing form for the required content online in just a few steps, and the platform takes care of the rest.
Clients look for suitable content creators for the job and provide funding. The creators receive the customers’ products in the mail and then take photos and videos independently. Depending on your wishes, in your studio or outdoor location, with or without models. The results, for example, several hundred images, are then uploaded to a library. Customers only pay for what they like and buy.
The Branded Stock Concept Supports Content Creation
In the future, the need for content and, thus, for content creation will continue to increase – especially for visual ones. New brands are coming onto the market; others are disappearing. How else can you differentiate yourself? Ordinary stock images make you unrecognizable. Traditional shootings are usually too expensive, and once you do them, the content pipeline often runs empty after a short time. On the other hand, the branded stock provides the best opportunity to regularly address users with high-quality content at affordable prices.
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