TikTok is cool but have you ever had a dope brand video?

As I have gone back through the old issues of this newsletter, I realized that there is a heavy amount of writing about short-form videos for TikTok and Reels. I talk a lot about social media content, but that is not the only type of content you need.

So if I was making you anxious about needing TikTok, take a deep breath in, relax, and grab a drink to sip on because I will quickly take you through the basics of what you need.

A brand videoBrand photos

We are going to break down what a brand video and photos are and how you can go about creating them.

Start from the inside, then work outwards

When it comes to marketing, you want to start from your core and work your way out. Social media is great, but it is on the outside. Your social media could be exceptional, but if the person gets to the website and the website sucks, they won't buy anything from you.

In the same way, you could have funny TikToks that bring you traffic, but people might not buy if you don't have great content on your website.

So I want to take you back to the basics.

You need a simple brand video and a few excellent brand photos.

These creative assets will act as your anchor for the story you tell and how you will attract people visually. These core assets show off the aesthetics and style of your brand with the story.

You will base the rest of your content on these core assets.

Here I was talking about TikTok all the time that I didn't ask if you had these assets to start!

I have recently seen many brands jump right into social media without having significant brand assets to set the tone for their website.

Now let's break down how you could create those for yourself if you don't have any of the core brand assets.

How to make brand photos and videos

1. What is the story you want to tell

You would be shocked how many people don't know their key selling points or the story they want to tell.

If you are one of them - you are not alone. Before you hit record, you need to solidify the story you want to tell. This video and photos are setting the tone for a while and living on your website. They won't disappear in 24 hours, so it is vital to know your story.

Building a Storybrand by Donald Miller is a must-read if you are stuck at this level.

Essentially, you need to figure out what problem does the customer has that your product solves.

2. What is the style you want?

Once you have your story, you need to figure out your visual brand. If you have worked with a graphic designer to develop your colors and logos, you can think about what inspired you to get that branding.

Then you want to think about how the photos and videos will look. Do you want the content shot in a studio or lifestyle with models? If you want lifestyle content, what do you want the models to do or where they interact with your product?

You want to take the written story and start to build the visuals that complement and tell that story.

If you are stuck, look at what other brands are doing! What do you like about their content and style?