A Deep Dive into Content Creation, Video, and Photography with Jared Collins

Welcome to Marketer Interview, where we delve into the minds of innovative marketers shaping the industry.

Today, we chatted with Jared Collins, Co-Owner and Motion Creative Media expert. With a passion for problem-solving and a knack for crafting compelling content, Jared has been instrumental in helping businesses thrive through strategic content creation.

Join us as we explore Jared’s marketing journey, career highlights, and valuable insights into content creation, video, and photography.

How did your journey in marketing begin, and what inspired you to specialize in content creation, video, and photography?

Oddly enough, the camera bug bit me when I was a Junior in High School when I job-shadowed the main photographer for the local newspaper, The Greeneville Sun. This was in 2008, and many things were very different than they are today. I elected to go to college to get a computer science degree, but I never lost my love for photography.

Fast forward to buying my first DSLR and photographing anything from flowers to barbed wire fences. I stumbled upon an opportunity to create a music video for a local artist. That was in 2018, and I continued to work in photo and video part-time until I could go full-time with it in 2021.

As a Co-Owner of Motion Creative Media, can you share some pivotal moments that shaped your career in the content creation industry?

I would say the “COVID Era.” That time frame was difficult for many reasons, but as a business, it forced us to change. Before COVID, our business had been able to make most of its revenue from weddings, but all of those came to a screeching halt like most things in the world.

So, my business partner and I had a choice to make. We could close the doors or pivot and find other ways to use our talents. One void that COVID revealed was that businesses realized that they needed social media content. Once we found our way into that industry, we have been able to stay there and thrive.

What challenges do businesses typically face regarding content creation, and how do you navigate those challenges?

The most common challenges facing businesses and their social media content is lacking either A. the time to create/post content, B. the expertise or ability to create the content, or C. both.

Content creation and social media can be challenging and especially tough if you’re a business owner trying to run a business or a small business that doesn’t have a dedicated social media or marketing team. The owners recognize that they need to use social media in today’s climate, but it’s a daunting task that often falls to the bottom of the totem pole due to the abovementioned challenges.

We can help those businesses by giving them the time associated with creating content or by removing the burden of creating content from their plate.

How do you stay updated on the latest trends and technologies in the dynamic content creation field?

This is a great question. You hit the nail on the head when you described the field as dynamic.

Content creation, or any marketing and advertising, is constantly changing. We’d all agree it’s essential to change with those trends to maximize your return and help grow your business. I’ve always been very analytical, so I enjoy diving into the metrics and insights on the various platforms.

If you know where to look, you can see what’s working and, more importantly, in some cases, what’s not working. Using the metrics and insights as tools to help you create better content is a skill that I’m constantly learning and trying to improve.

Could you highlight a project that you found particularly challenging but ultimately rewarding?

Recently, our team had the opportunity to cover a 3-day event in Nashville, TN, for a group called Strong Mom. Lauren Regula and her team specialize in helping mothers who are struggling postpartum find themselves through community, fitness, and coaching.

I’m a father of 2 daughters, and it was super eye-opening just being at that event and hearing their stories and experiences. Covering the event was difficult due to the long days, but I truly learned a lot and took home a new perspective on motherhood.

As someone who enjoys solving problems, can you share an instance where your determination led to a unique solution for a client?

A local real estate agent needed a 0:15 ad for the jumbotron at Greeneville High School. We had less than 2 weeks to concept, shoot, edit, and deliver the finished piece.

Add to that 0:15 is NOT a lot of time, so we knew we had to use our time wisely. We developed a concept centered around a “SOLD” sticker being slapped on multiple listings. Add in some editing magic and well-timed cuts matching the beat of the song, and we were able to deliver a product that the client and we were happy with.

How do you balance creativity and strategy in your content creation process?

I’d certainly say that both of those play almost equal roles in the content creation process. I always say that your content should be doing 1 of 3 things (Bonus if you can hit more than 1 at a time): Entertaining, Educating, and Engaging with value.

Those items are always top of mind in the strategy, but creativity is where it differs from client to client. I’d say one of the most significant factors determining the level of creativity would have to be the target audience and demographic.

For instance, a company with a service or product that caters to a much older audience probably wouldn’t benefit from the flashy, trendy, and fast-paced transitions you’d see from a company catering to the younger demographic.

Can you share some insights into the role of video and photo content in today’s digital marketing landscape?

Using photo and video content on social media is an excellent opportunity to reach a new audience. The great thing about this is you can reach this audience “while you sleep” if you do it correctly. This audience can be reached while you concentrate on the other business areas that need your attention.

If your photo or video hits at least 1 of those 3 E’s mentioned above, it will be an effective form of marketing for your business.

What tools and software are indispensable for your role, and how do they contribute to the success of Motion Creative Media?

As I mentioned, I love numbers and analytics, so the tools and insights on various platforms are invaluable. If a piece of content didn’t perform or get the engagement expected, you can often go to the insights, and it’ll give you some clues as to why it didn’t work.

Another tool I’ve found invaluable, and I’m going analogous with this one, is pen and paper. I carry a small notebook with me everywhere that I go. Having these with me at all times allows my brain the freedom to spark an idea anywhere or anytime because I can quickly jot it down regardless of where I find myself in life at that very moment.

On the other hand, my camera gear and editing software, Davinci Resolve for video and Photoshop for photos, are invaluable. The analytics and metrics allow us to constantly learn with our clients and pivot when necessary to help create the best content for their business.

The camera gear and the editing software are just tools, but we could not do our jobs without them today.

As a co-owner, how do you foster a collaborative and innovative environment within your team?

I think it’s essential to have people around you who have strengths in areas where you may be weak. I grew up playing sports, and this is always true when you see a successful team.

Look at football, for example; the quarterback probably wouldn’t be very effective on the offensive line as a Center, nor would the Center be the most effective Quarterback for your team.

I like to approach team building within business the same way. If I find that I’m weak in sales, that’s an excellent opportunity to collaborate with someone strong in sales, and that’s exactly what my business partner does. We complement each other very well, and we love collaborating with other creatives to help strengthen areas where we are weak.

We’ve all heard the saying, “Collaboration happens at the top while competition happens at the bottom,” and we’ve found that true in our business.

What advice would you give aspiring marketers specializing in content creation, video, and photography?

I would say never to stop learning because content that’s successful today may not be successful in the future. It’s a very fast-paced environment, and it’s constantly changing. That’s what makes it so fun and fresh every single day.

One of my favorite YouTubers, Matti Haapoja, has a saying that I always keep in my head. He says, “Learn, Make, Repeat.” Three simple words genuinely are a recipe for success.

Learn something, get an idea, then make it. Take the results from that creation, good or bad, and learn from them so the next thing you create is better.

What would you say to a business not benefiting from social media? Should they not use photo and video content at all?

I would say that several industries and businesses genuinely don’t see a great return from social media, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need photo and video content.

If you have a website, you should have at least 2 pieces of video content. The first is a strong branded piece that tells the world who you are, what you do, and why they should care. The 2nd piece of video content you need is a testimonial from a past client.

The power of a well-crafted testimonial video is difficult to quantify. That testimonial is like a giant billboard, advertising and spreading the word about you and your business that never sleeps. I like to use this analogy with clients when we’re discussing testimonials.

Think about the last time you were on Amazon shopping for something, and you had it narrowed down to 2-3 brands. You probably ended up in the review section to reach your final verdict. A good testimonial may be the sole differentiator between you and your competitor.