Did you know your creative assets can be repurposed, recycled, and even upcycled? That iPhone video and photos you shot of your newest products get reinvented into endless types of new content. You don’t need to be blessed with the gift of graphic design to create compelling images and videos for ad campaigns. There are a few tips and shortcuts when you don’t have the time or talent to make glossy, studio-produced content that may or may not sell and tell the story to your customers.
I totally understand that anything creative can be intimidating, and I’m not undermining the time and experience it takes to create and fine-tune the gorgeous pieces of content. But when you’re in a pinch or don’t have the budget to invest the time and energy, the following nine ideas could be lifesavers. All you need is the base (such as some owned content or even stock photography), some imagination, and a simple graphic design tool (like Canva or Adobe Spark).
- Copy (or Text) Overlay
Adding a copy overlay (or text overlay) is a quick and effective way to transform your basic and plain photo. Keep the copy brief while also eye-catching. Unique selling points or a promo code are great uses of a copy overlay.
- Animation
Already have a piece of photography that’s stylized? Try adding animated starbursts or hearts to the background, or animate your copy overlay to call more attention. This instantly transforms your static image into a video and gives subtle movement to your content.
- Video Slideshow
If you have a few pieces of static images, you can create a video slideshow. Several social media platforms, including Meta, offer options to upload your files to create a simple video. You can choose the order in which your photos are displayed as well as the transition time between images.
- Quote
A famous quote or even a customer review is a popular way to enhance your base content. More and more customers believe other customers’ reviews are more credible and will read them before making a purchasing decision. Experiment with image transparencies to make the copy pop!
- Adding a Sound Bite
An audio snippet (such as from a podcast or interview) in combination with a visual cue is an emerging type of content enhancement. Because most viewers will engage with sound off, you may want to consider adding captions as an aid to the audio experience.
- One Image Broken into Separate Cards for a Carousel
Most social platforms do not accommodate the dimensions of panoramic photos. However, carousel placements could be an ingenious option to break up the long horizontal photo into 3-4 separate photos.
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- Stop-motion
Along the same theme of video creation, you can quickly produce a stop-motion video. Video doesn’t need audio or dialogue in it. It requires movement even if it is as subtle as the main subject moving around the space.
- Experiment with Filters
Instead of spending a lot of time retouching photos, there are several tools to apply a filter. A different filter creates a new mood and personality.
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- Video Screengrabs
This is a cool way to turn a video into something like a comic strip. Take screengrabs of your video and add copy overlays or captions from the audio. This is a reverse method to turning an image into a video. Deconstructing the video is unexpected and allows your customer to consume your content in a new and inventive way. The content can be a single image or a carousel format.
Chances are you already have some creative assets that can be repurposed into something new. Try a few of these nine tips when you refresh and upcycle your existing static images or videos. For even more content creation inspiration, see our blog post, 11 Visual Ideas For Content To Share On Social Media. I hope that you’ll be inspired to reinvent any piece of existing content you have available now to turn it into something special and memorable for your upcoming ad campaigns.
