15 Smart Ways to Actually Use Your Branding Photos
You did it. You booked the shoot, smiled your way through it, and got a folder full of amazing branding photos that make you look like you’ve got your act together.
Now what?
If you’re like a lot of small business owners, those photos are sitting in a pretty online gallery somewhere while you “get around to updating your website.” (Spoiler: that was six months ago.)
The truth is, branding photos aren’t meant to just exist. They’re meant to work. So let’s talk about where to put them and how to use them so your investment actually does something for your business.
1. Branding Photos On Your Website
This one’s obvious, but most businesses still underuse it. Replace stock images with your own face, workspace, or team. Use a mix: hero shots on the homepage, behind-the-scenes photos on your About page, and detail shots throughout. You want people to instantly recognize that your site actually belongs to you, not to a generic template.
2. Branding Photos In Your Email Signature
Add a professional headshot to your email signature. It adds personality and trust, especially when you’re emailing potential clients or new contacts. It’s a small detail that says, “Yes, there’s a real human here.”
3. Branding Photos On Social Media Profiles
Swap out that outdated selfie for a current branding image. Then use the rest of your photos to build content. Rotate between behind-the-scenes shots, client interaction photos, and lifestyle images that show who you are when you’re not working.
4. Branding Photos In Social Media Posts
Don’t just post words. Add visuals that support your message. Announcements, new services, or quick marketing tips hit harder when there’s a quality photo next to them. People scroll fast; good visuals make them stop.
5. Branding Photos In Blog Posts
A blog post without images feels like homework. Break up long text with your branding photos like I’m doing in this post. They add personality, improve readability, and remind readers who’s behind the words.
6. Branding Photos In Email Marketing
Whether it’s a newsletter or a promotional blast, branded visuals help people remember you. Photos make your emails feel personal, not spammy. Show your face once in a while; it boosts open and click-through rates.
7. Branding Photos On Business Cards and Print Materials
Stop handing out business cards that look like everyone else’s. A clean, professional headshot or branded image helps people remember who you are long after the networking event ends.
8. Branding Photos In Press Releases and Media Kits
If you pitch yourself for podcasts, speaking engagements, or local media features, you need photos that match your professionalism. Reporters and event planners love having high-quality visuals ready to go. It makes their job easier and makes you look legit.
9. Branding Photos For Speaking Engagements and Workshops
When your name appears on a website or conference brochure, what photo do you want next to it? A blurry selfie from your phone, or a sharp image that captures your personality and credibility? Exactly.
10. Branding Photos In Online Ads
Whether you’re running Facebook, Instagram, or Google ads, your images matter. Use your branding photos to make your ads feel authentic and recognizable, not like stock filler.
11. Branding Photos On Your Google Business Profile
Your Google listing is often the first impression someone has of you. Adding professional photos instantly boosts trust and engagement. It’s simple but powerful marketing real estate that most small businesses forget about.
12. Branding Photos In Digital Courses and Membership Sites
If you teach, coach, or host online programs, branded photos take your materials from “homemade” to “professional.” Use them for your course thumbnails, landing pages, and lesson slides.
13. Branding Photos On Proposals and Presentations
Add your face or branded visuals to client proposals, pitch decks, and presentations. It’s not vanity, it’s strategy. People remember faces, not bullet points.
14. Branding Photos On Holiday or Thank-You Cards
Send thank-you notes with a personal touch. A branded photo on the front helps clients remember you and your business, especially around the holidays.
15. Branding Photos On Office Decor
Don’t let your own photos collect dust in the digital world. Print them. Hang them in your workspace or lobby. It not only shows professionalism but also keeps your brand visible to anyone who walks through the door.
Bonus Tip: Rotate and Refresh
Branding photos aren’t a one-and-done deal. Use them regularly and plan for a refresh every year or so, especially if your look, team, or brand direction changes. The goal is to always show the current, confident, authentic version of your business.
The Bottom Line
You didn’t invest in branding photos just to have something to post on Instagram once. You invested to show your audience who you are, what you do, and why they should care.
The more places you use your branding photos, the more your business looks consistent, trustworthy, and put-together. And the next time someone needs what you offer, they’ll think of you because they’ve seen you everywhere.
So open that gallery, download your favorites, and start using them. Your business deserves to look as good as it really is.
(Robotically written by ChatGPT, lovingly edited by Bob.)
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View Open Aperture Photography’s branding photography portfolio here.