The 3 Keys to ensuring a successful Content Shoot!

Content Shoots are always a very very exciting time, but in all of the hustle and bustle to get things happening often business owners overlook a few crucial steps in ensuring the successfulness of the content shoot. 

1. What are we focusing on? The first step, although simple, is the cornerstone of success for your next content shoot! What are you looking to highlight, promote, focus with this content! It’s crucial to identify what the content will be used for prior to creating it to guarantee you’re able to execute the marketing plan properly! Capturing whatever you feel like on the day is a 1 way ticket to missing out on what’s really necessary!  For example, I am a coffee shop owner looking to sell more takeaway coffee. The content required to showcase this across our social media is to capture the simplicity of our takeaway ordering system, showcasing our extensive range of take away beverages and really hammering on the convenience aspects! We cannot achieve this if we spend 80% of the shoot showcasing the new dine in lunch menu! I know this might seem simple but often can be overlooked. Take some time to think carefully about what you want to promote and design content that will best achieve those goals! 
   

2. How do you want it to look? Now we’ve got an understanding on what we’re focusing on, it's important to work out how that is actually going to look! Obviously you’ve hired a content creator that aligns with the style and overall look you want for you business, but prior to the shoot is the best opportunity to provide your input (as once things are shot is much harder to adjust the overall direction of the content) This can be as simple as sourcing some inspo snaps on pinterest and collating them into a board or finding other businesses that have your desired look and utilising that as a source of inspiration (not blatantly copying) for what you’re looking to achieve! In this stage it is also beneficial to write a list of descriptive words that match what you’re trying to achieve, bright, dark, moody, clean, chaotic and so on that your content creator can utilise to help guide their approach!
   

3. Whats required to ensure that we can get results Nos the final step in ensuring things run as smoothly as possible! What and who is required to make the above possible! It may sound simple but as a content creator who’s worked across over 1000 projects this is the step where the wheels come off the wagon! This list should cover all props, backdrops, dishes, products and any other relevant items that are required in creating the vision listed above! This list should also include the relevant people required in making the vision happen too! For example, for a cocktail shoot  it may be all the elements required to make the cocktail, a clean workstation and a bartender (Use specific person's name) that can completely concentrate on the content creation for 60 minutes. This ensures not only that all the props and items are ready but the specific bartender also knows they are required to help with the project! 

Bonus Tip: Putting all of this information into a concise document that all parties can access throughout the process will help simplify things and ensure that the content creator you have invested in can accurately deliver on what's required for the businesses marketing direction! 

I hope that these simple tips help you with your next content shoot! Just remember the key to ensuring success is planning before creating!

Tom

The Candid Clubhouse