How Franchies Can Attract New Business with Visuals on Social Media
As a social media manager, I thrive on using captivating visuals to not only attract new business for my clients but also to keep their existing customers engaged and foster growth. And when it comes to franchises, this strategy becomes even more critical.
Franchise businesses are in a unique position in the social media realm because often, robust branding guidelines and visual restrictions are already in place before the franchise even opens its doors. There’s no need to figure out logos or brand colors from scratch, most of it is decided for you. This does not, however, mean these limitations should hinder your ability to create and share fantastic, meaningful content that’s both on-brand and visually appealing.
It all starts with good, solid photography.
Well-lit and carefully composed photos can truly make all the difference. While social media has recently embraced a more personal, less “perfect” approach, high-quality photos remain essential.
The best part? Your trusty iPhone is more than sufficient for capturing great photos and video content for social media. As someone with a photography degree, I can vouch for the capabilities of today’s smartphones. There’s no need to rush out and buy the latest DSLR thinking it’s the answer to your needs. Your phone really can do it all.
Here are a few tips to ensure your visuals provide quality content for your audience:
Tip #1: If you’re struggling to get the photos you need, consider hiring a social media manager who also offers content creation services. They’ll know exactly what’s needed to post effectively and can capture all the photos and videos necessary.**
Tip #2: Another option is to hire a professional photographer to shoot a batch of content for you to use over a few months. Just ensure they have experience shooting in locations similar to yours and can handle any specific challenges your business might present.
Tip #3: Learn to capture content on your own. If you’re feeling confident about snapping your own shots (or leading your team to do so), check out this portrait guide I created for one of the businesses I oversee. It’s all about keeping things consistent and visually appealing in their photos. This guide boosted their confidence and gave their staff clear direction on how to get the best shots. Feel free to adapt it to fit your own business.
Recommended iPhone settings:
- For posed/still photos, I typically recommend using portrait mode, which isolates the subject from the background for a polished, professional look. For candid shots, standard photo mode works just fine.
- For video content, I suggest shooting and exporting at 1080p at 60fps. You can adjust this in your camera settings under “record video.” Also, unless storage is a major concern, I recommend using “most compatible” instead of “high efficiency” under the camera capture setting. Also, in Instagram, make sure your media quality setting is clicked on to “upload at highest quality”.
Below is a guide I crafted for a multi-unit education services franchise client of mine. I designed it to be shared with their staff, ensuring uniformity and a clear standard for content capture. The franchise owner provided positive feedback, noting that her staff have embraced it wholeheartedly and we’ve seen significant improvements in their photography skills!
Image Editing Tips for Franchise Businesses
I prefer using CapCut and InShot for video editing and Adobe Lightroom for photo editing. My typical editing process involves brightening, correcting white balance, and sharpening photos, as these subtle adjustments can significantly enhance the final product.
I hope these tips help elevate your content game! If you’re considering handing over your content creation to a seasoned expert, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me, Jess, at Social Craft, a Certified Independent Hay There Social Media Manager.
**This is a service I personally offer to all my local clients, either on a monthly, quarterly, or as-needed basis for special events. For instance, next week, I’ll be attending a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new business I’m managing, where I’ll be capturing photo and video content for use in reels and static posts over the next several months.
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