Building a media library is to marketing what building a foundation is to a house. Nearly every marketing piece in your repertoire will utilize some asset from your media library. From your social media posts to your brochures and collateral, illustrations, icons, photos and video are at the core of your business, so having a media library is essential.
It can feel like a daunting process to build your media library, but it doesn’t have to be. Take small steps and make sure to stay organized, and you’ll be on your way in no time. Below are a few suggestions to get your media library up and running, whether you’re a large firm or a small company.
- Take photos at events, product demonstrations, trade shows and any other events – start keeping these in folders with the date and name of the event to stay organized.
- Hire a photographer or videographer – even small businesses should be able to fit a professional photographer in the budget, as long as you stay organized and know what you want. If you plan the shoot yourself, including making a shot list, organizing talent, and setting a timeline, you can hire the photographer for a half day and get a huge return. If you hire a person or agency that offers both still photography and video, even better. You can capture some b-roll to add to your library for future use.
- Use stock photography – stock photography can be inexpensive, but still beautiful, so be sure to do some research and find photos that are unique. Before you purchase, keep an eye on competitor and industry websites to be sure you are not pulling from the same stock photo collections as your competition.
- Find someone on your staff who is passionate about photography and see if they would be willing to take on the media library project, provided their work schedule allows for it. Use your resources when available! There are many hobby photographers who would love to break up their work day a bit with some photo sessions. Just make sure their new assignment isn’t cutting into their productivity.
We have helped many companies, large and small, develop their media libraries. Get in touch for help with building yours!
