videography | Top Rope Media

How To Take Good Photos and Use Them to Grow Your Business

Meredith — Sun, 01 Nov 2026 15:00:17 +0000

How To Take Good Photos and Use Them To Grow Your Business

Are you wondering how to take good photos and how to use photography and videography to better market your business? Great photography and video do more than make your business look good. They tell your brand’s story, showcase what makes your products and services unique, and give customers a reason to connect. Whether you’re looking to improve your photography, create professional video content, or build a visual marketing strategy, the right imagery can help you stand out, reach your audience, and turn attention into action.

In this guide, we’ll explore how to take good photos, where to use them, and how to make photography and video a more effective part of your marketing strategy.

In this blog, you will learn:

Why Learning How to Take Good Photos Matters for Your Business
5 Ways to Use Photos and Videos to Promote Your Business
How Good Photography Builds Trust and Brand Awareness
How to Take Good Photos That Improve Your Website SEO
How to Get More Marketing Value From Your Photos and Videos
Where to Learn How to Take Good Photos
When to Hire a Professional Photographer or Videographer
Photographers and Videographers We Work With
Final Thoughts on How to Make Great Photography and Videography Part of Your Marketing Strategy

Why is learning how to take good photos and incorporating them into your marketing so powerful? It’s simple: we’re visual creatures. Images can communicate ideas, emotions, and information much faster than words alone. Think about the last time you visited a website or scrolled through social media. What caught your attention? Chances are, it was an interesting photograph or video.

In a crowded digital marketplace, compelling visual content helps your business stand out. It gives potential customers a reason to stop, look, learn more, and ultimately connect with your brand. But creating great imagery is only half the equation. Knowing where and how to use those photos and videos is what turns good content into an effective marketing tool.

If you want to learn how our team works with photographers and videographers, and how we might be able to work together, our Photo and Video Production page gives you detailed examples.

How to take good photos? Work with a professional. Photographer Wil Matthews has supported Top Rope Media with beautiful images for major bike brands, professional athletes, and cycling apparel.

5 Ways to Use Photographs and Videos to Create Brand Awareness and Generate Revenue

Before we dive into how to take good photos and improve your photography skills, let’s look at where those images can make the biggest impact. Here are our top 5 ways to use photos and video for your business:

1- Product Photography for Your Website

High-quality product photography can draw more attention to your products and help turn website visitors into potential customers. From clean, thoughtfully styled flat lays to detailed product shots and lifestyle imagery, great product photography helps bring your website to life.

Customers get a closer look at the highlights, features, and details that set your products apart. Great product photography also helps them imagine how those products fit into their own lives. Consistent, high-quality imagery also builds brand credibility, creates a more polished shopping experience, and gives visitors more confidence to make a purchase.

2- Social Media

Whether you’re posting to Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or TikTok, compelling photography and video are essential to creating an engaging social media presence. People scroll quickly. Strong visuals help capture attention, communicate your message, and encourage people to stop and interact with your content.

Think beyond product shots. Behind-the-scenes photography, team pictures, customer experiences, and lifestyle images can all help tell your brand’s story.

Need more help with social? Check out our Social Media Best Practices!

3- YouTube and Video Marketing

Every day, people around the world watch more than a billion hours of video on YouTube, making it one of the most powerful platforms for businesses looking to reach new audiences. From product demonstrations and behind-the-scenes footage to customer stories and brand videos, YouTube gives businesses an opportunity to showcase what they do, build credibility, and connect with potential customers.

Video is especially useful when you need to demonstrate how a product works, explain a service, or show your audience something that a photograph alone cannot communicate.

4- Email Marketing

Email remains one of the most effective ways to reach and engage your audience, with 93% of people checking their inbox daily. But with so many messages competing for attention, making yours stand out matters. Learning to take good photos and incorporating those images into your email newsletters can give subscribers a reason to click, explore your content, and learn more about your brand.

Think about using strong product photography, lifestyle imagery, or an engaging video thumbnail to introduce a new product, promote a seasonal campaign, or share your latest company news. Here are more tips on how to make those holiday email campaigns sparkle!

The right visuals don’t just make your emails look better; they can help turn a quick glance into meaningful engagement.

5- Digital Advertising: Google Display Ads and Social Media Campaigns

Whether you’re running Google Display campaigns, social media ads, or video advertising, compelling photography and video can make your ads more effective. Strong visuals capture attention, communicate your message quickly, and help potential customers connect with your brand. The right creative can make the difference between an ad that gets scrolled past and one that inspires someone to learn more.

But simply adding pictures and video to your marketing efforts won’t automatically bring customers to your door. Quality, messaging, and strategy all matter. Professional photography and videography, paired with thoughtful copywriting and a well-managed campaign, can help you get more from your advertising investment.

DROP US A LINE

Whether booking an appointment online, waiting in the shop, or checking out after a haircut, we wanted to create opportunities to capture customers’ attention and drive additional sales for Mister Brown’s Barbershop. Through a strategically planned photoshoot featuring their products, accessories, and apparel, we created a library of versatile images for in-store displays and social media campaigns, helping showcase products and encourage add-on purchases at every stage of the customer experience.

How Good Photography Builds Trust and Brand Awareness

Now that we’ve covered where to use photography and video, let’s look at why investing in good visual content can have such a lasting impact on your business.

A Picture (and Video) Is Worth A Thousand Words

You’re probably familiar with this proverb, but it still holds true. Anyone who has ever read a set of IKEA instructions understands that pictures can be better than words at expressing complex topics. Don’t get me started on how long it took to put that bookcase together!

Don’t just tell your customers about the products you sell. Show them. Static photos of your products are great, but what about a video demonstration showing your product in action? Or an athlete, ambassador, or customer actually using it?

Photography and video give your audience a better understanding of what you offer and how it fits into their lives.

Show the Real People and Products Behind Your Brand

It’s incredibly easy to find great-looking stock photography that costs little or nothing to use. We use resources like Adobe Stock and Canva ourselves when appropriate. However, stock photos have their limitations. If your website and social media feeds are filled with the same generic images your competitors are using, what makes your brand stand out?

Original photography showcases your actual products, customers, team, and experiences. It helps communicate what makes your business unique and gives potential customers a more authentic connection to your brand.

If you want customers to trust your business, show them the real people and products behind it. Learning how to take good photos or working with a professional photographer can make all the difference.

Top Rope Media clients Jeff Huckleberry and Craig Gaulzetti of Summer Cycles in California during a photoshoot we set up to capture their new shop, the high-end bicycles they would carry, and the services they would be offering.

How Professional Photographer Helps You Make a Good Impression

Yes, we hear you. Professional photography can be expensive! And with today’s smartphones capable of taking impressive pictures, you might wonder whether hiring a professional photographer is really necessary.

While smartphones are great tools for everyday photography, there’s more to creating a compelling image than having a good camera. Lighting, composition, timing, experience, and the ability to tell a story all play a role. At Top Rope Media, we’ve built relationships with professional photographers who understand our clients’ products, brands, and audiences. Those relationships make a difference when we’re developing campaigns and planning shoots.

For example, when we work with athletes, having a professional photographer on-site helps capture authentic moments while creating opportunities to strengthen the relationship between the athlete and the outdoor brand we’re representing.

Here’s what professional racer Kelly Catale had to say about working with photographer Wil Matthews during our Seven Cycles photoshoot in Monterey, California:

“Wil is a remarkable photographer, and working with him during the Seven Cycles KellCat photo shoot was an absolute blast! He brought such a great vision to the shoot, which paired well with his positive energy and ability to put me at ease in front of the camera. What’s most striking about Wil is his passion for capturing candid, genuine moments on camera, and this passion shines through in his final products. If ever given the chance, I’d work with him again in a heartbeat!”

— KELLY CATALE, PROFESSIONAL XC AND CX RACER

Pro rider Kelly Catale during our Seven Cycles photoshoot at the Sea Otter Classic with photographer Wil Matthews and Jake Orness.

How To Take Good Photos That Improve Your Website SEO

Great photography doesn’t just make your website look better. Properly optimized images can also support your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. If you want people to find your products and services, you need to make your website easy for search engines like Google, and even ChatGPT and Claude, to understand.

Image optimization is one part of that process. Here are a few things to consider:

Use descriptive file names: Instead of uploading an image called IMG_1234.jpg, give it a meaningful name that describes what’s in the photo.
Write useful alt text: Alternative text helps search engines and people using screen readers understand what an image depicts.
Optimize image sizes: Large image files can slow down your website. Compress images appropriately while maintaining good visual quality.
Use relevant imagery: Images should support the content on your page and help visitors understand your products or services.

Learning how to take good photos and properly optimize them can improve the overall quality of your website experience while supporting your SEO strategy.

How to Get More Marketing Value From Your Photos and Videos

You’ve invested time and money in creating great photography and video. Now what? One of the biggest mistakes businesses make is treating a photoshoot as a one-time project rather than an opportunity to build a library of marketing content.

Professional photography can be used across multiple marketing channels, including:

Website banners and landing pages
Product pages and online stores
Social media posts and paid advertising
Email newsletters and promotional campaigns
Media kits, brochures, and trade show materials
Blog posts and press releases

At Top Rope Media, we’ve created dozens of media kits for brands and athletes, including one for skier, surfer, and mountain biker Jeremy P. McGhee. A well-planned photoshoot can give you a collection of evergreen images that you can use throughout the year, across multiple campaigns and marketing channels. Check out some of our projects here, and if you need a media kit for the next Outdoor Retailer or Eurobike show, we’d be happy to help!

TOP ROPE MEDIA PROJECTS

Where to Learn How to Take Good Photos

Now we know you didn’t come here for just a good read. You want to take action! If you’re interested in learning how to take good photos yourself, there are plenty of resources available, whether you’re just getting started or looking to improve your photography skills. Here are a few places to begin:

Here are more recommendations from NY Magazine on online photography and photo editing classes that will make you a better photographer.

My brother picked up a camera in 2025, and hasn’t been the same since. He now shares his content on Refresh Garage, and even brought his camera to visit us in Italy and captured Lucy in her element.

When To Hire a Professional Photographer or Videographer

Of course, not everyone has the time or interest to become a professional photographer. And that’s okay! If your time is better spent running your business, hiring a professional photographer or videographer may be the right investment.

A professional can help you develop a creative direction, plan your shots, manage lighting and production, and deliver high-quality images and video that align with your marketing goals. But how do you find the right person for your project?

What To Look For When Hiring a Photographer or Videographer

Unless you’ve worked with a professional photographer or videographer before, your search will probably start online or with a recommendation from your network. But how do you know if the person you’re considering is right for your brand?

Here are three things to look for:

1- They Take Photos and Videos You Like

Every professional photographer should have a portfolio of previous work. Take a look at their images and video projects. Do you like their style? Does their work align with the look and vision for your brand? If you don’t like what you see, move on to the next photographer.

2- Their References Check Out

Just because an individual is accomplished artistically, it doesn’t mean that he or she is right for your brand. Just as with any other professional you might hire, you should always check their references before you commit to the project. Ask about their communication, ability to meet deadlines, reliability, and overall experience working with them.

3- The Chemistry Is There

You’ll need to work closely with your photographer or video crew to get your project done. In addition, you have to communicate your expectations clearly. Therefore, it’s important to have a photographer or videographer you work well with. One that understands the overall goal of the project.

Friend and action sports photographer Erin Hogue shot this image of pro snowboarder Charles Reid that won her the X Games ZOOM photo contest!

How Much Does a Professional Photographer Cost?

Budgeting for a photography class to learn how to take good photos, or hiring a professional, is something you need to consider as part of your annual marketing budget. The cost of a photoshoot will depend on many factors, including:

Location of your photo or video shoot, studio or venue rental
Number of images or length of video required
Shot list and production schedule
Number of models, athletes, or talent needed
Style and complexity of the shoot
Props, equipment, and gear rental needed
Post-production: photo editing and video final cuts
Licensing agreements and photography rights

After exchanging an email or two with the photographers or videographers you are considering, pick up the phone. Discuss the project in detail. Review your goal and objectives. Then, shut up and listen to their recommendations.

Remember, these are the professionals. Your photographer or videographer may have a better idea of how to get the shots you are looking for.

As a starting point, expect to pay anywhere from $850 – $1,500 to cover the day rate of your photographer or videographer. However, professional rates vary considerably depending on experience, location, crew size, equipment, and production requirements. Be sure to request a detailed estimate for your specific project.

Lastly, want to shoot in a remote location or a gorgeous destination? Well, as with the Amalfi Coast featured in our cover photograph by Kat Reynolds, be prepared to cover transportation and accommodations, and a per diem for your camera crew!

Shooting on location in Positano, Italy with lifestyle and adventure photographer Kat Reynolds.

Action Sports, Lifestyle, and Commercial Photographers And Videographers We’ve Worked With

While I, Meredith Caccese McConvill, shoot almost all the photo and video for Top Rope Media’s Instagram and YouTube channel, we’ve had the opportunity to work with incredibly talented photographers and videographers across the outdoor, action sports, and lifestyle industries. Below are a few photographers we’ve worked with and the disciplines they cover. There are literally hundreds of talented photographers out there, so do your homework. And remember, think of this as the start of a long-term relationship!

Wil Matthews– commercial and editorial photography with a cycling focus
Kat Reynolds– lifestyle, surfing, and adventure
Jack Delulio– commercial videographer
Celia Miller– action sports photography
Richard Caccese– auto, lifestyle (while not a professional yet, he’s got talent.)

Final thoughts on how to take good photos and make photography part of your marketing strategy

No matter what industry you’re in, learning how to take good photos can be an extremely valuable tool for your business. Photography and video help communicate ideas, showcase your products, tell your story, and connect with customers in ways that text alone simply cannot.

Taking a photography class or hiring a professional photographer may seem like an unnecessary expense. But when you consider how many ways you can use those images across your website, social media, email marketing, and advertising campaigns, the investment can have a lasting impact.

Hopefully, this guide has given you some new ideas for your next photo or video project! At Top Rope Media, we help brands develop photography and video content that does more than look good. We create visual assets with a purpose, designed to support your marketing goals across digital platforms, advertising campaigns, and beyond.

Until next time, enjoy the beautiful images and give thanks for the people behind the lens.

– Meredith Caccese McConvill, Top Rope Media

The post How To Take Good Photos and Use Them to Grow Your Business appeared first on Top Rope Media.

How to Create Videos for YouTube + Social Media

Meredith — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 01:38:40 +0000

How to Create Videos for YouTube, Social Media, Your Website, and More!

Are you wondering how to create great videos for social media? Or for your website or YouTube channel? And more importantly, how you can create those eye-catching videos that people just can’t seem to stop watching?

Well, we’ve helped over a dozen clients with video production! So in this blog, we’ve pulled together our tips on how to do it yourself!

This is a follow-up to our How to Take Better Photos blog, and today we will teach you how to develop those video skills! You will learn:

7 Steps to Create Great Video Content
Video Production for Smaller brands, B2B companies, and Startups
How to Work with Content Creators, Videographers, or Video Editors

Why It’s Important to Include Video Creation in Your Marketing Strategy

With video representing 82% of all internet traffic, it is king when it comes to marketing for B2C and B2B companies. Fun, shareable and educational videos are all powerful tools to connect with your audience, reach new customers, and generate brand awareness!

Accordingly to Hubspot, 93% of brands say they acquired a new customer because of a video on social media channels like YouTube, Instagram, or Tiktok. And with so many content distribution channels to share your videos, this gives you the opportunity to tell your brand stories and promote your products or services in new, interesting ways.

And, in addition to social posts, videos can also enhance email marketing, blog posts, and websites!

A full video production can set you back $$$. And not just for the videographer. Often you are paying for a space rental, lighting, microphones, talent, and a set director. Then you need someone to edit the raw video files!

How Small Brands, B2B Startups, and Non-Profits Can Approach Creating Videos

Large outdoor and lifestyle brands often have larger budgets, and greater access to talent, videographers, etc. They can afford to pay athletes or models and a crew to travel to remote spots, shoot onsite for a few days, and bring all the footage back to a video editor that pieces everything together.

However, small adventure brands, B2B startups, and non-profits may need to DIY their videos to save money. And it’s more feasible than you might think!

Why? Well, smartphones and GoPros have made creating videos relatively inexpensive and accessible. In addition, smaller brands, non-profits, and B2B startups can shoot videos right from their homes, offices, or backyards. This saves on venue rentals, lighting, voiceovers, etc.

Furthermore, Adobe Stock and Envato have millions of stock videos that you can piece into your video recording to give it more polish. A fully-styled shoot is fantastic if you have the budget, however, you can create these videos yourself with a small budget!

Example #1: We worked with former pro surfer Rochelle Ballard to help her build a library of content for her startup online surfing course! To save on production, Rochelle helped to create the outlines, together we built a script, and then we organized each topic into lessons. The videos to go with each lesson were then shot in Kauai by a professional surf photographer, edited by an experienced video editor, and then we uploaded each into LearnDash, an e-learning platform!

Read more about the project or head over to Rochelle Ballard’s Flow to check out the course!

Rochelle Ballard’s online surfing course took over a year to develop, from video production to editing to pulling together the final courses.

Working with Content Creators, Freelancers, and Stock Footage to Create Videos

If hiring a full video production team isn’t part of your budget, do not worry. You may want to consider recording the video yourself, and then using stock video or hiring someone to help you piece it all together!

Here are a few examples of where you might look for help:

A freelance video editor can take your raw video content and transform it into a short, catchy video with music, motion graphics, and text overlaid
A content creator who specializes in YouTube, or who knows the ins and outs of Instagram Reels and TikTok, can create fun videos in short periods of time!
Adobe Stock Videos– you can buy a monthly subscription starting at $29/mo or simply credits to gather video content relevant to your product or service
Envato Elements– another subscription service at just $16.50/mo!

When searching for the right fit, look for pieces that match your brand’s style and come across as authentic. If you’ll be working with a videographer or video editor, discuss your goals and most importantly your budget. Our last blog on working with photographers and videographers can help you further outline some of these items.

Pro rider Kelly Catale during our Seven Cycles photo shoot at the Sea Otter Classic with photographers Wil Matthews and Jake Orness.

7 Steps to Create Great Videos: The DIY Method

Do you feel like you can take the reins on video production for your business? Here are seven tips for being your own video content creator:

1. Invest in Video Recording Tools

In addition to your iPhone or Android, you may want to purchase a GoPro, and even go as far as buying and learning how to pilot a drone! Why? Well, a GoPro will make it easier to capture active adventures like surfing, skiing, or rock climbing. Additionally, adding a drone to your video-capturing arsenal will help you get beautiful footage from the air!

Here are a few more tools you may want to invest in:

Tripod, Gimbal, and GoPro Mounts

First, you want to avoid those shaky video images. And although you feel that your hand is quite steady, it is not. Therefore, invest in a gimbal, a tripod, and mounts that will work for your GoPro and/or smartphone to capture crisp, steady video content.

A tripod is useful if you will be on camera for longer periods of time and standing in one place. Never heard of a gimbal? It’s a handheld image-stabilizing tool you can easily carry with you to events and on adventures. And those GoPro mounts? Great for wearing your GoPro on a helmet, a chest mount, or attaching it to your surfboard or ski poles!

Lighting

Proper lighting is a crucial element in creating high-quality YouTube video content. Good lighting can significantly enhance the overall visual appeal of your videos, and ultimately improve the viewer’s experience. Meaning they will be more likely to like the video and subscribe to your YouTube channel!

Well-lit videos can give you a more professional and polished look. In addition, you can control the mood and atmosphere of your video with proper lighting. Whatever mood you decide to set for your videos, establish a consistent setup for a cohesive brand image!

Lightbox

A light box can help you shoot clean, crisp product images or videos in a flat-lay style on a white canvas. You can also use a lightbox to help you create those stop-motion videos where it looks like an item is being folded, a box is being unpacked, or your product is moving all on its own!

Microphone

Want to capture sound better? There are several microphone attachments you can purchase to capture great sound quality from your iPhone or Android!

Wireless Remote

Lastly, a wireless remote or camera shutter remote control can help you start and stop your recording with ease if you are in front of the camera.

Tip: An Apple watch can help you with the remote control shutter if you’re an iPhone user!

Capturing that content on the go? Pick up a few tools to stabilize the image, improve the sound quality, and keep your hands free!

2. Identify the Hook for Your Video

When it comes to creating B2B explainer videos, YouTube videos, TikToks, or Instagram Reels, capturing the viewer’s attention is key! Therefore, give viewers a reason to keep watching. Here are a few things to try:

Answer a frequently asked question on camera, and have some fun theme music from a game show to go along with it
Share a behind-the-scenes look at your office space, lab, or gear closet
Using trending audio and sound bites, or record your own
Interview your team members or volunteers
Use the tools within apps like Instagram and Tiktok to create captivating visuals. Here’s more on How to Create Instagram Reels.
Incorporate fun things into your video, there’s a reason those pet videos perform so well!

Example #2: Save the audio of your favorite or trending Instagram Reels or TikToks as this is a great way to have a stack of pre-saved audio ideas for future videos. We tried this for one of our Instagram Reels in Colorado’s Box Cañon and it got lots of love!

We had so much fun creating this quick video together while exploring Ouray, CO. And it took all of 5 minutes to record, edit, and post!

3. Remember to Create Videos in the Right Format

Globally, users are 1.5 times more likely to watch videos and video ads on mobile. Therefore, take videos in the correct orientation or aspect ratio for the platforms they will be viewed and shared on. And consider that viewers might have the sound off so overlay text if needed.

If you are recording for B2B, YouTube, or your website, record your video horizontally or in landscape mode. If it’s something for Instagram Stories, Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts (videos that are less than 60 seconds) or Facebook Reels, hold the phone the way you normally would, vertically. Want to save time and record in both formats at the same time? Set up two phones, each on its own tripod!

4. Write a Script, Sketch Out the Storyline, and Create a Shot List

Writing a video script, building a storyline, and creating a shot list are often things we organize for B2B clients, smaller brands, and non-profits who cannot afford a professional video or photo shoot. Start a Production Outline in Google Docs or Google Sheets and share it with your team to start the creative juices flowing!

Example #3: We developed a compelling video for Brandon Barett, a pro bass fisherman, without ever having met him in person! In order to do this, we wrote a script, outlined what he would record for the voiceover, and then gave him a shot list of short clips to record in the morning while he was getting ready for fishing.

Then, we worked with a video editor to piece together the audio, video clips, text, and overlay music. The end result was something Brandon could use in his Kickstarter campaign!

Having more professional-looking photos and videos can help you inspire potential customers to make a purchase, or simply engage with your brand.

5. Take a Videography or Video Editing Class

If creating videos and editing them is something you want to master, whether for your business or just a personal goal, a videography class can give you more technical skills. And just a one-time investment gives you the confidence you need to start recording and editing videos on your own!

Try a Masterclass with YouTube star MKBHD! In addition to Masterclasses, both Udemy, and Skillshare have videography, film-making, and video editing classes.

6. Use an App to Help with Editing

In addition to a videography class, we’ve listed a few apps below that are helpful for video editing. Keep in mind, you can edit directly within apps like iMovie, TikTok, and Instagram! In addition, this post teaches you how to use Instagram to record videos, overlay music, and text, or create those scenes where people ‘jump’ into different locations, into different outfits, you name it!

Most of the video editing apps below are great for YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram. We are big fans of Canva for all things- creating graphics, photo editing, presentations, logos, and social posts, but did you know their video edit tools are pretty robust? Yes! You can also select from dozens of templates to make a video, along with creating intros, outros, banners, thumbnails, and ads!

Splice
Adobe Premiere Pro
Canva- this is the easiest tool for beginners!
Promeo
iMovie

Learn how to take better adventure photos and videos through Jimmy Chin’s MasterClass!

7. Provide Value with Each Video You Create

It might seem obvious, but make sure your videos are actually providing value to your potential customers. Especially for B2B businesses. You may have a very long sales funnel, and you need to keep your audience engaged and keep your brand name top of mind. Here are a few ways to do this:

Make your viewer feel inspired! Tell your story of how you got started
Make them laugh. Use sarcastic wit or goofy humor; try sharing tips or how-tos with some comic relief
Jump on the bandwagon! Those trending videos and audio are catchy for a reason- use them, but incorporate your brand style
Remember the importance of community. Ask your audience what they want to see. Try re-sharing user-generated content, videos from brand partners, thought leaders in your industry, and non-profits you love.

Final Thoughts on Creating Videos for YouTube, Social Media, and Your Website

Whatever your video creation skill level is, it is a worthy pursuit to keep improving it. We’ve helped so many B2B and B2C clients create great videos for social, their websites, or fundraising campaigns. So don’t be afraid to experiment and have fun—TikTok is a great app to test ideas and see what gains traction!

In the meantime, don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you need suggestions for a videographer or content creator you can work with!

Meredith McConvill, Top Rope Media

The post How to Create Videos for YouTube + Social Media appeared first on Top Rope Media.

Instagram Reels vs. Stories: How to Create and Which is Better

Meredith — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 01:21:35 +0000

What are Instagram Reels?

Instagram Reels are short, 15-30 second videos that function similar to Tiktok videos. And, this is why dozens of Tiktok celebrities have started using Instagram Reels to share their content. So if you want to keep your TikTok channel going, but grow your Instagram followers, Reels are the way to do it!

What kinds of Reels can you create? And which ones will get the most love? We’ll tackle all of that in this blog! First, here’s an example of a Reel we helped to create with our friends at Frank Subaru:

Videos with animals are definitely some of the top watched Reels, and we had a lot of fun putting this together!

What Can You Do with Instagram Reels?

Instagram Reels are more entertainment-focused than Instagram Stories. In Instagram Reels, you can:

Combine several video snippets, editing just the part of the video you want to feature
That pop/snap outfit change? Yup, you can do it with Reels
Overlay a soundtrack, and select the specific section of a song you’d like to feature
Add in text and special effects that fade in and out at certain parts of the video
Make it look as though you are pointing or revealing the text in your video
Publish your Reel directly to your main Instagram feed, or just save it to your Reels section
Generate more views, reach, and engagement than with Instagram Stories!

Taking a step back, if you are just getting started with taking photos or creating videos for your brand’s Instagram feed, read our blog on how to use Photos + Videos to Market Your Business!

Where Can You Find Instagram Reels?

Below is what someone’s account looks like that is using Instagram Reels. On Kendall’s profile page below, look for the blue Follow button. Once you find that, you will see her Highlight Circles – Yoga, Important, etc. Not familiar with how to use the Highlight Circles? More on these in a minute!

Below them, you will see a row of icons, the grid icon, and then the video/play button. This is where to find Reels that a particular account may have. So, from left to right on this profile below you see Posts (the grid icon), Reels, IGTV, and Images that they are tagged in.

Rewind: Creating Instagram Story Highlight Circles

So, if you weren’t yet familiar with Instagram’s Highlight Circles, this is where you can save your Instagram Stories! Instead of them disappearing 24 hours after you’ve uploaded them, Instagram Stories can live on in one of your highlight circles. A nice benefit, and something that’s not easily visible on your Profile Page with Reels.

Below, we’ve created themed highlight circles for our Instagram profile page to showcase some of what we do on the regular: Surfing, Cycling, Digital Tips, Photoshoots, Give Back, etc.

Not sure how to get started with saving your Instagram Stories to a Highlight? Create a few highlight circles based on the different categories or features of your brand or product. Then, create the cover graphic easily in Canva!

Need another example? We just created Highlight Circles for one of our latest clients, the Colorado Mountain School. Now their profile page pops! And, visitors to the page can easily identify what courses they offer. Not even dear Kendall (TikTok and Insta-famous celeb above) has done that.

Back to Instagram Reels and How to Create One

1. Select Your Video or Take a New Video

To get started creating your first Instagram Reel, click the plus sign or Create button in the upper right corner of your Instagram Profile. Select Reel. Now, either record your video by tapping the Play button at the bottom of your screen, similar to recording an Instagram Story.

Or, piece together different videos you already have saved in your Camera Roll. If you’ve ever wondered how people create those Reels where it looks like they ‘pop’ or snap into a new outfit, it’s right here!

Make sure you use a tripod to keep your phone steady, and once finished recording, trim and line up your videos to create a seamless transition when pieced together. And, be patient. Those first Reels may take an hour to record and edit!

Keep in mind, vertical videos will perform best. And, those that are clear and in focus. Other suggestions on videos to create?

A fun how-to video to teach someone how to use your product
Videos that share beautiful scenery, mountain top views, crystal clear lakes, etc.
Exercise videos, but make sure to ramp up the speed to make it more fun! (read below on how to do this)
Anything with your pets!
An outrageous or daring video… Brands like RedBull are geniuses for creating those POV mountain biking videos!

How long can your video be? You can record or add videos to create an Instagram Reel that is 15 to 30 seconds long. To get started, select the length you would like your video to be on the left-hand side of your screen. If you want specific help creating your own fabulous wardrobe change video, here’s one of our favorite tutorials!

Exercise videos or how-to videos are great for Instagram Reels, just remember to increase the speed so you can fit more in and make the video more fun to watch!

2. Adding Music to Your Instagram Reel

Tap the musical note to add music to your Instagram Reel, or use the original audio that’s in the video. Select by artist, theme, song title, etc. Keep in mind the music will be played throughout all video snippets.

Not finding the music you want? Based on your country of origin or the type of Instagram account you have, there may be some permission issues.

For example, an Instagram Business Account may not have access to as much music as an individual account due to Instagram and Facebook’s licensing agreements.

3. Change the Speed of Your Video

At this step, you can either slow down or speed up your video. Speeding it up to 2x or more may be helpful if you’ve recorded a long how-to video! This will also allow you to add more video snippets to your Reel.

4. Add Text and Effects to Your Reel

Just like with Instagram Stories, you can overlay text and add effects to your Reels. However, to ensure your Reel gets shown to the most users, keep the text to a minimum and avoid covering up the image or video.

In addition, have you ever wondered how people get that text to fade in or pop up so that it looks like they are pointing to it in the video? It’s at this step!

Be patient as it may take a while to add in your text. Click ‘Preview’ to view your video, and then the Text icon to create your text. First, type in your text and style it. Then, select the duration for which you want the text to appear.

Narrowing down the amount of time your text appears on the screen will make the text fade into the shot, and then fade out when you select it to end. Keep doing this for each piece of text you want to use. Creating a video where you’ll be pointing to the text? Make sure you drag the text to the right area so the effect you want is achieved.

Also, keep in mind that if you are going to feature your Reel in your main Instagram feed, make sure you select a good Cover image! And, confirm the graphic overlays and text you’ve added will fit nicely inside the main feed ‘window’ by selecting the crop for your cover image. You can do both of these things right before you post your Reel.

Adding text and music to your Reel can help you better tell your story!

5. Touch Up

The Touch-Up feature allows you to ‘touch up’ content. So, smoothing skin tone or making a landscape appear more attractive. You get the idea. Just don’t get carried away and make your images and videos look fake and inauthentic!

6. Timer

The Timer feature in Instagram Reels allows you to set a timer for 15 or 30 seconds if you will be recording your Instagram Reel right then and there. There’s even a countdown timer that gives you 3 seconds to get prepared to record!

Why Use Instagram Reels vs. Instagram Stories?

Why use Instagram Reels over Instagram Stories in your digital marketing strategy? Why not try both? I boil Reels down to Instagram’s answer to TikTok, and a way of keeping more users on the platform, and for longer periods of time.

So, if creating and editing videos is something you or your team enjoys and has time for, add Reels to your marketing strategy! It could be a great way to have your content viewed by a larger audience! And, keep people more engaged with your brand.

Whether it’s swimming laps in an alpine lake or teaching someone how to make your famous enchiladas. Showcasing an epic descent in the backcountry or teaching someone how to build out their camper van. Whatever you choose, create video content that is fun and enjoyable for your viewers. But, remember to stay true to yourself and to your brand.

The Downside to Instagram Stories and Reels

If you find it stressful to create a video, and even uploading images to Instagram Stories seems overwhelming, this may not be where you want to spend your time. Instead, you may get more bang for your buck on Facebook, or with email newsletters. Blog writing or podcasting.

There are so many options these days when it comes to reaching your target audience. So, pick the digital marketing tools that work best for your business. Got a question about where we recommend you start? Drop us a line!

Summing Up Instagram Reels

All that being said, the more people you reach with Reels, the higher your Instagram follower count and engagement may be. Want to learn more? Hootsuite ran an experiment earlier this year to test out whether or not Instagram Reels significantly increased their follower growth and engagement.

The results? Both follower count and engagement did go up, but not at a rate much higher than before they began posting Reels.

Want to get more digital marketing tips? Browse the rest of our blog posts or sign up for our monthly newsletter! Until next time, happy adventuring in the world of Instagram,

– Meredith McConvill

The post Instagram Reels vs. Stories: How to Create and Which is Better appeared first on Top Rope Media.