10 Ways to Help Your Brand Stand Out On Social Media
Joli Aslan is a COO consultant and we did her branding session at Venture X in Richmond, VA
Kim Brundage Photography 2022
Every branding photo shoot I do has one main goal; to get my clients the content they need so they can share their brand online. Having content that communicates what you do as well as who you are is more important than ever in the crowded social media space. You want to stand out and get noticed, and branded photos are the key to that.
Last week I wrote a post about the 9 Types of Branded Photos Every Entrepreneur Needs and I shared the basics of the types of photos you’ll want to have in your portfolio.
This week, I thought I’d take it a step further and invite you to step outside the box a bit by considering 10 more specific ideas for what to share online or add to your blog or website.
1. Your Company Values
What drives you as an entrepreneur? What’s important to you? Those are your company values. Your brand is more than just the products and services you offer. Sharing the causes and initiatives that align with your beliefs and passions is a great way to share more than just what you’re selling online, and will help you stand out.
I ask all of my clients what are the 3-5 words you want to convey with your images. This is the foundation for all of our work together.
Yedda and Stacey are opening a new boutique at Libbie Mill in Richmond, VA, Blu Hazel. They will sell Moroccan merchandise along with self-help books. Yedda and Stacey say a lot in this image - their fun, playful way, the self-help books, and their love of wine.
Kim Brundage Photography 2022
2. Client Testimonials
There’s nothing like word of mouth to convince someone of the value of what you offer, and happy clients are the best way to do that. Ask your clients to get creative with their words of praise. They can share photos of themselves using your product, or even record a video testimonial that you can share online and use on your website.
“Kim and her team leave no detail to chance. They are prepared with wardrobe advice and hair and make-up options. Kim has the ability to capture the strength and grace of her subjects in a photograph and I am so grateful I had the opportunity to work with her. Kim also has an amazing heart and donates her time to an organization that is close to my heart called GRIT which introduces middle and high school girls to careers in technology. Her sessions with them about Body Image and Branding leave a lasting impression on every young girl she touches...and often the volunteers as well. Run, don’t walk to book a session with Kim. You will be happy you did.”
— Wanda Castelvecchi
3. Get Candid
Have you noticed all of the celebrities sharing “no makeup selfies” online lately? It’s popular because we live in an online world where everyone feels the need to look their best (or even alter their looks with filters). Depending upon your brand, it may be a big brand booster to share some candid photos of yourself living your life, unretouched and totally natural.
I typically post pictures of my hubby and I biking and exploring. Here we are in Boulder, Colorodo, after biking Lefthand Canyon. We were celebrating Jeff’s 60th Birthday.
4. Admit When You’re Wrong
As with number three above, authenticity when it comes to your products and services can also build credibility with your audience. It’s easy to talk about how awesome your products work, but what about highlighting and addressing those times when they didn’t? This gives you the chance to be open and honest and let potential clients know that you are not only real but will take responsibility and work to make things right when things don’t go perfectly.
I almost gave this company $300 for this fake award I received. I quick Google search revealed this was a SCAM. I shared this on my social media feeds, so others didn’t make an almost similar mistake.
5. Highlight Your Uniqueness
Your brand makes you unique in and of itself, but you’ll also want to highlight exactly what distinguishes your program, services, or product from your competitors. Why should I choose you instead of them? You can use branding photos to set yourself apart and highlight your uniqueness, whether that’s the materials you use, your unique methods, the people working behind the scenes with you, or the resources that are unique to your company.
This is my current profile image because I want to show everyone their beauty. I believe we all have our unique beauty, and I want to show you that, so you believe that.
Kim Brundage Photography 2022
6. Draw Back the Curtain
I talked about this in my article on the essential photos all brands need, but I thought it bore repeating here. People love to see you at work, whether that’s your storefront or home office. They love to see action shots of you actually working (on a laptop, phone, or physically doing something) and these shots are great for building credibility and drawing your audience in (because they’re interesting and often unique from the standard selfies everyone else is posting).
7. Spotlight Your Support Partners
John Donne said, “No man is an island,” and I’m betting you don’t make the magic in your business happen all on your own. It’s great to highlight support staff, whether in person or virtual. You can even give a shout-out to software or tool that you couldn’t live without in your business. Many companies even have affiliate links for just such mentions, so if someone reads your post or blog and ends up checking out the software themselves, you get a small commission (so win-win).
Megan Wilson, Sweettalk Strategy supports me through wardrobe consultation and viewing the branding sessions through her marketing eye. Megan is brilliant on so many levels.
Kim Brundage Photography 2019
8. Answer Questions
People want to get to know you and your products or services better, and one of the best ways to allow them to do that is to open yourself up to questions. You could post an invitation for questions or even invite them to a live Q&A session where you answer their questions and interact with them.
9. Seeing is Believing
You can talk all you want about how well your product works, but nothing convinces someone of its effectiveness better than seeing for themselves. If your product can be shown in action, take some action photos or videos of you (or your customers) using it.
O’My Gelato is delicious dairy-free ice cream headquartered in Richmond, VA.
Kim Brundage Photography 2019
10. Make it a Family Affair
I live in an RV with my husband and share a weekly email newsletter about our life and adventures (subscribe here if you’re not on it yet). It helps them feel more like they know me personally, which is definitely a selling point when it's time for them to hire a photographer! If it’s appropriate, allow your audience to see inside your personal life and family. It makes you relatable and will build your “know, like, and trust” factor faster than anything else you can share.
My husband, Jeff and me at Slick Rock near Moab, Utah.
Self-portrait - Kim Brundage Photography 2022