by PGN Agency | Dec 20, 2017 | Marketing, Photography |
Visual content is critical to online marketing, and a savvy business strategy needs to employ various forms of media. More media isn’t always better, however. When you’re deciding what kind of content to include in a post, an ad, or campaign, make sure you consider how that content will function. Photos and videos have very different benefits. Advantages of Photo Content Photos grab attention and load quickly. They’re an essential addition to written content and enhance the user experience. They may not be as dynamic as videos, but they are far more practical, not to mention easier to find or create. After all, there isn’t nearly as much free video content online as there are public domain photos. A generic video gets boring much faster than a generic photo. A photo also allows you to leave the emphasis on written information. This is important for press releases or informative posts. DIY posts are a great example of posts that benefit from pictures over videos. Complex projects take a lot of time, and users will want to keep instructions close at hand. Video instructions almost always move too quickly for users to follow without frequent pausing. If your audience needs to hear a detail about a previous step, they have to stop and rewind the video. This is an extra layer of frustration they simply do not need. Written instructions, on the other hand, stay in place and offer all the information a user needs without constant pausing and rewinding. Adding photos to demonstrate each step is a helpful way to incorporate visual content without making the process more difficult.... 
by PGN Agency | Oct 18, 2017 | Marketing, Photography |
When building your brand or your business, you will need to use photography in your marketing campaign. Unfortunately, finding the right type of photos to represent your company often proves difficult. However, finding the perfect images to represent you is sure to take your marketing to new heights. This leads us to the question of whether or not you should use stock photos for your marketing, or create your own. What is Stock Photography According to Webopedia, stock photos are professional photographs. They are often photos of common places, landmarks, nature, events or people that are bought and sold on a royalty-free basis. Stock photos can be used and reused for commercial design purposes, which is a common practice for most online businesses. Typically, stock photos are easily identified because of their plain look and white backdrops. What are the Problems with Stock Photos Yes, stock photography is free or close to it, but there are issues with using these types of photos. One of the main problems of stock photography is that they are often clichés; like images that portray everyday thoughts and actions. In certain instances, you might need this type of image. It could also make your company look cheesy. When you want your brand to stand out, using stock photos could prevent that. Because they are free, anyone can use them. It’s likely that your customers will recognize stock images from other websites or blogs. And finally, it’s just not original work. When you want to make a lasting impression on your landing pages, stock photography is not going to cut it. What are the Problems with... 
by PGN Agency | Apr 20, 2017 | Advertising, Marketing, Photography |
Believe it or not, humans now have shorter attention spans than goldfish. Smartphones and the internet are always offering another distraction, whether it’s an amusing video or an interesting article. For online marketers, this is yet another obstacle to reaching your audience. This statistic emphasizes the importance of the first impressions on the internet — if someone is only going to spend eight seconds on your website before deciding to click away or read further, how do you make the most of that time? The visuals of your website will be the very first thing visitors notice. There’s no denying that copy is powerful. Once someone has decided to stay on your website, they’ll learn more about your business from your taglines, sales copy, and informational content than any pictures. But when someone first lands on your site, their eyes will gravitate towards any pictures first. Think of your website as a salesman or ambassador for your business. If your website was a person, the sales copy might be the things they say. But before they even open their mouth, anyone meeting them will form an impression based on their appearance — what they’re wearing, how they’re groomed, etc. Having professional, beautiful photography for your website is like wearing a nice suit, having a great haircut, and being impeccably groomed. Great photography lets people know you mean business and that your organization is truly professional. “Can’t I just do it myself, or pull some stock photos off the internet?” Not all photography is created equal, which is why it’s essential that you use a professional photographer. Stock photos will... 
by PGN Agency | Sep 29, 2014 | Photography, Web Design |
Website photography has become one of the most crucial elements to the success of a website and digital marketing in general. We are a visual society and look for visual elements to pique our interest and move us toward the message being offered. Photography is especially important when selling a physical item like food. Who wants to order a pizza from a website if their pizza doesn’t look appetizing? Just a couple fun facts about the importance of images: Articles with images get 94% more views Photos and Video in a press release increase views by 45% 60% of consumers are more likely to consider a business when images come up in search results Here are some tips that will help take your photography to the next level: Think dynamically and look at the subject dynamically Explore different angles that make the subject more interesting Use perspective and depth of field to emphasize the subject Check out the examples below. Notice how flat the straight on view standing from afar is and how using different angles can take an image from being a bunch of stuff to having a purpose and focus. I made some huge faux pas in the process though while I took these quickly with my phone. You should never use a cell phone to take professional images and never ever rush through it. Be conscious of the lighting so that the detail & clarity of the image isn’t impacted negatively and your images won’t come out “grainy”. Editing your photos is another way to give more life to your photography. Spending the extra time to...