The Internet is a world of visual content. 

Just pull up any social site and you’ll see what I mean. The world is dominated by photos, visuals, and video storytelling. 

And if your business isn’t taking advantage of that, you’re really missing out. 

So in this post, I want to talk about how you can up your visual game on your website and social media. I have three options to share with you, so let’s dive in. 

Option #1: Crowdsource

Crowdsourcing is when you go to your audience for images, content, and inspiration. You may be familiar with Kickstarter — which is a platform built on crowdsourcing. Content providers pitch their project, and backers can choose to engage and invest. With enough investment, the project can be completed. 

We’re not asking for money though. We’re asking for photos! 

You’ll be asking the people most engaged in your brand to take photos around your store and post them online. 

Of course, you’ll likely need to incentivize your customers, which is where things can get a bit tricky. But it’s actually easier than you might think. 

The process is fairly simple to break down. Start by brainstorming what a quality crowdsourced image is worth to you. Some good “compensation” ideas include:

• A free wash or dry
• A gift card to your store
• A free laundry bag
• A reward to another local business

Once you decide what you’re willing to give your customers, start spreading the word. 

Create a post on Facebook or Instagram that tells customers how to submit a photo (usually with a hashtag and by tagging your brand in the post). You can also post signs in your store advertising your crowdsourcing push. 

Once you receive submissions, find the images you think are worthy of your brand and send your reward to your customer. If you’re using social media, you can send a message directly to them letting them know they’ve won. 

It takes a bit of time, but crowdsourcing images can be a viable way to get better photos of your laundromat. You’ll be surprised at the creativity of your customers!

Option #2: Go With a Pro

It might seem like a copout to say go with a pro for better visuals, but you can’t argue I’m not right!

There are some tangible benefits of working with a professional to up your imagery:

• The photos will be high quality
• You can stage the photos to your liking
• All the finished images will have a unified brand “feel” post-edit 
• You will own the images outright (no incentivized transactions)
• You’ll have a contact for future imagery updates

So going with a pro is a good idea if you have the budget. It’s a simple, effective, and high-quality option. 

Option #3: DIY It

It may seem daunting to DIY your own photos and videos, but it’s much easier today than ever before. 

Why is that?

Smartphones. 

We carry these high-quality cameras in our pockets all the time now — and if you have one yourself, you can use it for your company. 

Let’s look at the iPhone 8 as an example. It can shoot high-definition photos and 4k video, and it’s the entry-level smartphone on the market these days. The resulting photos can be beautiful:

(Image Source)

So it might take some practice, but learning to take better photos can be good for your brand. 

And it doesn’t take a lot of effort or practice to immediately take better photos. In fact, I want to share some tips from the experts at Kodak:

• Move in close to your photo subject
• Move the focus from the middle of the picture
• Watch how light interacts with your photo’s subject
• Don’t be afraid to direct how people pose
• Take both horizontal and vertical images

All of those are fairly easy to experiment with — and I highly recommend trying it out. Take a few minutes when your store isn’t too busy and snap some quick photos. You can be surprised at the results. 

Images Are Only Part of the Picture

The photos on your website and social media are only part of your digital marketing. 

If you don’t have a plan that addresses your website, social media, and other aspects of your brand, you may not be winning as many customers as you could. 

So while sourcing good images is a great start, we always recommend taking things a step further. Talk to us about how you can up all of your marketing today!