LOCAL BUSINESS LAUNCHPAD PART 4 – HOW TO MAKE QUALITY CONTENT

Text:Kim Dale, Founder of Unbridled Marketing

Good content can change everything for a business.

The way your brand looks online, the quality of your photos, the feel of your videos. These are often the first touchpoints someone has with your business, and they shape how your brand is perceived long before a purchase is made. Especially in a world run by increasingly picture and video based social media.

When done well, content builds trust. It elevates your brand. It can quite literally move your business to the next level.

This is why professional photographers, videographers and content creators are so valuable, and why they can charge what they do. But the reality is, not every business has the budget to invest in that from day one.

The good news is that you do not have to wait. The better news is that I am going to show you how you can take better content all on your own.

Most of us are walking around with (very) smart phones in our hands. And with a few small adjustments, and some simple tools, your phone is more than enough to start creating content that looks good, feels authentic, and actually works for your business.

What content are we leaving behind

Let’s start with what we are not doing anymore.

No more AI-generated images. Regardless of how impressive it looks, AI is just not authentic, and your audience feels that. Audiences want to see content made by people and to trust that there is a real person behind the business.

Next, no more photos with text slapped on top straight from your phone gallery.

And please, no more Comic Sans.

Time is valuable, and most business owners are busy. That has always been true. But what has changed is the tools available to us. It is now just as quick and easy to produce good content as it is to produce bad content.

With the right apps, a few small tweaks, and a bit of awareness, there is no reason for your brand to look outdated, rushed or confusing.

Small tweaks that instantly improve your content

Before you even hit the big red button, a few simple settings can make a big difference.

Maximise your video quality:If your phone allows it, set your video to 4K at 60fps. This gives you sharper footage and smoother movement, which makes even simple clips feel more polished.

Turn on grid lines and levels:Most phones allow you to add a grid overlay to your camera. This helps you line up your subject and keep things balanced. It is a small change, but it makes your shots look far more intentional. You can also turn on a level which will help you keep your camera straight while recording or taking pictures.

Taking better photos and videos on your phone

You do not need to become a photographer overnight, but a few small habits go a long way.

1. Light is everything:Natural light will do more for your content than any filter ever will. Shoot with the light in front of you, not behind your subject. Early morning and late afternoon are ideal.

2. Orientation:Before taking photos or videos, consider what they are being used for. If it’s for a web page header, you’ll likely want to take a landscape photo. But for anything social media, I recommend shooting in portrait. This allows you to fill the space you’re given without having those horrible black bars on the top and bottom.

3. Clean up the background :Before you hit record, take two seconds to look around. Remove clutter and dirt, and make sure your background makes sense for the picture. If you are taking a photo of a riding helmet, you wouldn’t position it next to a swimming pool would you? Extreme example but you get my point.

4. Keep it steady and simple:You do not need complicated camera movements. Hold your phone steady or prop it up against something solid. Let the subject do the work. If you need to move a lot, investing in an affordable gimbal can really help avoid the jerky motion created by footsteps.

5. Think in short clips:Film a few short clips instead of one long video. A rider mounting, a horse being tacked up, a quick exercise. These are much easier to work with later.

A quick word on aperture

If your phone has portrait mode or allows you to adjust depth of field, you have already worked with aperture, even if you did not realise it.

Aperture controls how much of your image is in focus.

A wider aperture creates that soft, blurred background effect where your subject stands out clearly. This is great for product shots or close-ups of tack, branding or a horse’s head.

A narrower aperture keeps more of the image in focus. This works better for yard scenes, group shots or anything where you want to show context.

You do not need to overthink it. Just use it to guide the viewer’s eye to what matters most.

Simple tools that do heavy lifting

You do not need complicated software to turn raw clips into something usable.

CanvaPerfect for static posts, simple graphics and carousels. It helps you keep things visually consistent without needing design skills. This is something I would advise spending money on. The pro subscription is not expensive and gives you access to some great stock images and features.

This all being said, there are some rules to using Canva:

● Watch the people around you and your competitors; there are so many stock photos and design templates already in use. Take note of that and be different.

● Don’t over design. You don’t need complicated design templates. Keep it simple!

● Take the time to apply your brand look and feel to your design. Use the same font, the right colours etc. Make it recognisably part of your brand.

CapCut:One of the easiest video editing tools out there. You can trim clips, add text and keep everything clean and watchable. Possibly its most useful feature for those of us less videographically gifted is the ‘autocut’ function. Simply select the videos and images you want to use, and it will spit out a number of pre-cut and edited combinations. Pick your favourite and make any adjustments you like. Easy! Again, I would recommend the paid version, as it allows you to remove the CapCut logo and download the videos in the best possible quality.

Artificial Intelligence:Note how I’m using its government name? That’s because I want you to be very careful when leaning on AI. We’ve already spoken about the images it churns out, but the real problem is authenticity.Remember that word; it’s possibly the most important element to any brand.

If your audience doesn’t buy your content, why would you expect them to buy your products or services?

Incorrectly used, AI churns out generic copy that is now so easy to spot that data shows social media users preferring content with mistakes just because they know it’s real. An influencer fumbles their words, or the cat is doing something embarrassing in the background of the photo – that’s what’s letting people know they are viewing something real.

Do not ruin your content at the final step

You can shoot the best video, get the lighting right, nail the angles, and then completely undo all of that in one step.

Sending it over WhatsApp.

WhatsApp compresses your photos and videos heavily. That crisp footage you just shot will lose quality very quickly. What lands on the other side is a softer, lower-quality version that immediately looks less professional.

If you are working with a social media manager, designer, or even just a friend helping you edit, how you send your content matters.

Use AirDrop if you are on Apple devices. It is quick and keeps the original quality. Use Google Drive or Dropbox if you are sharing folders or larger batches of content. Use WeTransfer if you are sending files quickly without needing long-term storage.

Keep it consistent, not complicated

You do not need to post every day. You do not need to go viral. You just need to show up consistently with content that reflects what you actually do in an authenticyet clean and professional way.

Clear. Authentic. Impactful.

Useful resources

I was not born with this knowledge; I learnt it through research and following some pros. Here are some resources that can help you perfect using your phone to make content:

How to Take Small Business Images Using Your iPhone or Android Smartphone — Your Ultimate Guide

@ihannahwilsonis the undisputed queen of phone content and produces loads of videos showing you how to capture great pictures and videos on iPhones.

@jebbwesthas some great tips and tricks you need for taking product (in his case food) photos with your phone.