Updated 9/14/22

Let’s face it: video has become one of the main vehicles we use to see the world, whether it’s for work, our personal life or how we choose the products and services that we use. It’s no surprise that over 1.3 billion people use YouTube and 300 hours of content are uploaded every minute. Given that there are 7.7 billion people in the world, that’s a huge percentage! So, as a photographer, how do you create engaging content to promote your brand and sell your services? How do you get going with video marketing as a crucial promotional tool?

There are many ways to incorporate video into your business though, and it doesn’t have to be a client service; it can be a way to attract new customers.

Here are some important things to know about video marketing: [Updated stats as of 2022] According to HubSpot, 86 percent of businesses use it as a marketing tool, up from 63 percent in 2018. People are watching more video online than ever before and even for small businesses, video can be an important tool on social platforms as well as your website.

So how do you create engaging video content? Here are eight key things you need to think about before you start:

1. You don’t need to make a movie. Create video clips that you can combine with your photos, and use an online program like Animoto to help combine them for your video.

2. Use your smartphone if you don’t have a camera handy. There are phones with 4K capabilities that are high quality and cost-effective. Shooting video that way allows you to be more flexible with when and where you create your content.

3. Make sure your video will immediately captivate. Vanessa Joy, an international wedding photographer, well-known educator and a WPPI instructor, recommends that you keep it short. If your video is under a minute, put it up on Instagram and Facebook. The shorter the better! She also suggests that you use text as well as audio—80 percent of viewers watch videos on their phones without sound. 

4. Don’t place stagnant content in the middle of the screen. Eye movement will keep people more engaged. Arrange the content so that it’s moving from corners to center and back to corners and you won’t lose your audience. People’s attention spans are pretty short these days! 

5. Create regularly. Video is essential to your marketing strategy and that means creating something every day, if possible—whether it’s an actual video, an Instagram Story about a wedding you just photographed, or a quick tip about lighting.

6. Live videos are also becoming more popular. If you’re at an event or doing a studio shoot, live-streaming what you’re doing will definitely catch people’s attention. According to Vimeo, viewers spend up to eight times longer watching live videos than with video on demand.

7. Promote your content. Whether it’s on YouTube, Facebook or Instagram, it needs to be seen. Don’t forget to use the proper tags and hashtags because they will attract more viewers.

8. Use video on your website. WPPI speaker Jordan Bunch, a videographer and photographer from Austin, Texas, feels that photographers are missing out if they don’t have engaging video content on their website to show potential clients who they are. He references photographers who claim people work with them because of their great personality and passion, but how is your website communicating that? Bunch feels you can easily create that connection with a video by using some behind-the-scenes footage from an event you’ve photographed, recent images, interviews with past clients and a few words from you.

The Bottom Line

The photography space is getting more crowded and competitive. We all need a way to separate ourselves and stand out. You’re proud of the work you create and want to make sure that the world knows that, so start working on creating engaging video content now and use it to get people on board with you and your brand. It will be worth the effort! And don’t forget to sign up forrelated classes at WPPI 2023. Head to wppiexpo.com now! 

Arlene Evans is the content director for WPPI. Previously, she was head of the photography channel at CreativeLive, and before that, the director of WPPI. Email her your feedback at arlene.evans@emeraldx.com.

Related: Video Marketing Tips to Drive Traffic Through Instagram Stories and IGTV

How Wedding Photographers Get Followers and Clients on Instagram in 2019

Being a One-Person Superstar Film Team at a Wedding