Your business needs a website. It’s the best way to get your name out there – for little to no cost – on a long term basis. It’s one of the first things you should put together after registering a business name, alongside a marketing campaign and a customer service process. And guess what? Your website will make up a good portion of both of these! 

But in your rush to put a ‘good’ website together, you can forget about a few crucial things. That’s why you should check out the three items below and double check if they should be incorporated into your online portal. 

Is the Site Readable on Mobile?

Do you know the current value of people shopping through their phones? According to Statista, it’s around $2.2 trillion. And that number is only expected to rise over the next five years. Get in on the ground level while you still can – make sure your website is optimised for mobile screens and usage.

It’s very easy to ensure this these days, thanks to how common it is for phones to be the first device a person will go to to look something up. Whether you’re using a popular web builder or not, you can very quickly check a box to allow your site’s pages to be converted into a mobile format. Make sure you tick this before you close up work for the day! 

Do You Have SEO Oriented Pages?

Writing for seo purposes is the best method for online content. Thankfully, it’s not all that difficult to incorporate this – as long as you create useful, relevant copy for your website, your site should stand in good stead on a search results page. 

But it’s not just about your content. You should dig deeper into the technical side of things as well. Your HTML, URL, title tags, and meta description should be refined for seo as well. Consider this when you’re crafting new content for your website; you’ll want to optimise your established pages first for a better backlog. 

Are You Linking Back to Social Media?

You’re going to want your entire online presence to receive as much traffic as possible. To do this, link your website to social media and vice versa. For example, if you’ve got a new blog post, announce it on your Instagram, X, and Facebook profiles. Or if you want your social media to get more attention, have a live feed of it present on your homepage. 

You can use either platform to boost the other, and give the content you publish and the products you’re selling a much fairer chance in the online sphere. Without these links, your website content and copy could very well exist in a bubble – that’s no good for small business success, even if your analytics seem positive right now. 

If you’ve found that your website is missing these three things in its layout, add them as soon as possible. They make online business easier! 

Social media marketing is an ideal way for businesses to reach out to more potential customers. The visual content in these is fundamental and your photos should be a focus in your social media campaign. Fortunately, most smartphones will take great photos and you don’t necessarily need to have advanced photography skills. With a few tips and tricks, you can create amazing images that will really appeal to your audience. Here are ten tips for taking marketing photos for social media.

Invest in a tripod

Whether you’re using a camera or a smartphone to take your marketing photos a tripod or support will help keep it steady. You can then make the most of other functions such as the timer, and even get in the photos yourself. Here are some of the best iPhone tripods and supports on the market at the moment.

Create balance and symmetry

A simple trick in photography is to create balance and symmetry by using the rule of thirds. You can achieve this by enabling grid lines on your smartphone. These will help you highlight the focal point of your images and create a balanced background around it. The focal point should ideally be placed at the intersections. You can turn on the grid lines in your camera app settings. 

Take test shots

Take plenty of test shots to try out different angles and see which work best. Don’t worry if your smartphone gets clogged up with extra photos, you can use an app to learn how to delete duplicate photos on iphone. The more test shots you take, the more practice you’ll get and you’ll improve your photography skills as you go along.

Be consistent with your brand image

You should upgrade your website with the images you use on social media. Try to keep a theme for your brand as consistency is vital in creating trust and recognition. Your photos on social media should mirror the branding on your website and this includes any other graphics. It’s a good idea to brainstorm a persona for your brand that aligns with the lifestyle and interests of your target audience. You need to aim to represent this in all your photos.

Use natural frames

Another great tip for amateur photography is to use natural frames. Look out for creative ways you can frame the subject of your photos. For example, use windows and reflections, or bridges and arches. Architectural features make ideal natural frames. You could also experiment with trees and nature. Find a frame that matches your image. It’s a good idea to explore outside for natural frames and try to see them in everyday settings. Being able to spot natural frames is a useful skill to develop. 

Consider professional photography

If you want the best shots, you could consider working with a professional photographer. This might be a worthwhile investment if you’re not confident in your own photography skills. A professional photographer will be able to provide you with many new insights and ideas. They’ll also have access to better equipment and editing tools. Social media campaigns are very visual so it’s worth spending more money on getting your images right. A professional photographer will be able to edit your photo to look as though it was taken for social media, and ensure it looks as real and appealing as possible.

Try out different perspectives and angles

Whether you work with a professional or not, it’s a good idea to try out different camera angles and perspectives. Aim to come up with a new perspective that will draw the attention of your audience by making your photos stand out. Look for patterns in everyday objects and backgrounds and test your subject from different angles to see which is the most interesting. 

Add a human element

According to statistics, 32% of businesses rely on visual images as the most important content of their marketing strategy. Photos that have a human element are particularly effective. Audiences are more able to relate to your images if they include people as well as objects and backgrounds. This is especially true on social media. You could even include candid looking shots for a natural and human appeal. This is a classic technique in social media marketing campaigns, as it creates trust and empathy in the audience.

Show your company values

Often businesses also use social media for humanitarian campaigns. This will help show the values of your business. Consumers are more and more ethically-conscious nowadays and this will make your brand more appealing. The approach you take should align with your products or services. Perhaps you would like to convey your business’s “green” efforts if you use ethically-sourced sustainable materials. You could also affiliate yourself with a charity and volunteer or organize an event. Another option is to help out in the local community and appeal to your audience’s emotions this way. Whichever works best for you, it’s important to try and get your business’s story across.

Think outside the box

Another way to make your pictures stand out is with abstract photography. Your followers on social media will be bombarded by images all day long, so you want them to be able to remember yours. Abstract photography is a fun skill to develop as it gives the freedom to tap into your own creativity and break the rules of traditional photography. It will also trigger the imagination of your audience. Try experimenting with less traditional angles and composition, but keep it simple at the same time. This will make your photos more intriguing and eye-catching.

Your marketing photos need to grab people’s attention on social media. This is challenging to achieve as social media is so visual and they will be mixed in with many other pictures. Once you get the hang of it, with a few photography tips for beginners, you’ll be able to create compelling images. You’ll be able to optimize your social media campaign with photos that will help you truly engage with your audience.