By: Matilda Marshall

In an age defined by breaking news, speed and timeliness, being memorable is critical. Social media rules in this age which makes visual branding even more important. Photos are one of the easiest yet most effective ways to keep your audience engaged and coming back for more. 

Sure, photos can be great for capturing a single moment but they are underappreciated  for their ability to tell a story. Storytelling through photos is a simple, easy and an effective method for establishing a brand. 

To start, follow these six tips

1. Have a theme

This may seem obvious but one of the most important things for creating a cohesive story is to choose a theme. Keep it simple. Find a message that ties in with your brand and think about how you can tell it visually.

2. Establish characters

By characters, that really just means just any human element. People always find other people compelling. If you can include people in your images, viewers will instantly be more drawn in and continue to look through your photo series. They don’t need to be in every shot, but the most striking images tend to focus on your key subjects. For branding purposes, try to focus on photographing your target audience.

3. Don’t underestimate captions

While a picture may speak a thousand words, never underestimate the role that a good caption can play. A caption can simply be a clear, succinct description of the events occurring in the image but it will immensely help in establishing a message, and tying your photos back to your theme.

4. Include break shots

Remember, not every shot needs to be the most profound image. A good photo story includes images that establish a scene or provide a break. Viewers will lose interest if the series is too busy, or too boring, so use your space wisely.

5. Know your audience

As with any story, you need to know your audience. Do you need bold, colorful images or a more muted, understated tone to reel in your viewers? Choose images that will engage your target clientele.

6. Stay focused on the whole story

Every image should play an important role in establishing your theme. You have limited space and your viewers have a limited attention span – don’t waste their time. Even your break images should progress your story a little bit. If an image isn’t serving this purpose, get rid of it. The story doesn’t have to be long, it just has to be well-executed.

How 1893 Brand Studio Can Help

1893 Brand Studio has a skilled team with experience in using visuals for branding on social media. Let us know how our services can help you strengthen your social media marketing. Contact us today.