7 Things to Consider When Choosing Video and Photo Packages On a Budget

Navigating the complex world of video and photo packages on a budget can be daunting. This article distills expert advice to guide readers through making informed choices without breaking the bank. Learn essential tips on securing the right equipment, versatile content, and impactful visuals that align with business goals.

• Ensure Proper Equipment and Insurance

• Prioritize Versatile Evergreen Content

• Focus on High-Quality Versatile Assets

• Align Visuals with Business Needs

• Invest in High-Impact Professional Visuals

• Opt for Short High-Quality Videos

• Secure Rights for Flexible Content Use

Ensure Proper Equipment and Insurance

If you are a small business looking to book a video or photography package, here are my suggestions to make the project run as seamlessly as possible. Great value is key, but it's also important to ensure that the person you hire has the right equipment and insurance in place. Feel free to ask for a copy of their liability insurance and their terms and conditions.

I would also recommend asking to see examples of relevant work they have created in the past. If they have not worked with a small business like yours before, that's not necessarily a problem—you just want to make sure your brief and expectations are fully aligned.

Finally, to keep costs down, the more organized you can be, the better. Agree on a shot list and timetable in advance for both the shoot day and the delivery of the images or video afterward. You'd be surprised how long it can take to "style" images, so discussing this upfront will benefit both you and the photographer or videographer.

Nina Mace, Photographer, Trainer & Mentor, Nina Mace Photography

Prioritize Versatile Evergreen Content

For small businesses, high-quality visuals can make or break an online presence. But with limited budgets, selecting the right video and photo package is crucial. The key? Prioritize versatile, evergreen content that can be used across multiple platforms.

Instead of paying for one-time-use visuals, invest in a package that provides:

• Short-form and long-form video - A main brand video for your website, plus shorter clips for social media.

• High-quality photos - Professional images of your product, service, or team that can be repurposed for ads, social posts, and marketing materials.

Why Versatility Matters

• Maximizes ROI - Reusing content across platforms saves money while maintaining consistency.

• Ensures Longevity - A well-planned shoot creates evergreen content that remains relevant.

• Boosts Engagement - Quality visuals increase credibility and audience interaction.

The Smart Investment Approach

• Plan ahead - Outline what you need before the shoot to avoid extra costs.

• Keep it brand-focused - Ensure visuals align with your identity for a cohesive look.

• Ask for edits and formats - Get different aspect ratios for social media, web, and ads to avoid reshooting.

Small businesses don't need a massive budget to create an impactful online presence—just a strategic approach. By choosing a package that delivers high-quality, multi-use content, you'll stretch your investment further and keep your brand looking professional across all platforms.

Ryan Schimmel, Videographer, Ryan Schimmel

Focus on High-Quality Versatile Assets

As the owner of an explainer video company, I always advise small businesses to focus on versatility when selecting a video and photo package. 

A well-curated package should include assets that can be repurposed across multiple platforms—website, social media, ads, and email marketing—maximizing impact with minimal investment. 

Look for a provider that offers high-quality, professionally edited visuals with a strong brand identity, ensuring consistency and engagement. Prioritizing evergreen content over trend-driven styles also helps extend the value of your investment.

Andre Oentoro, CEO and Founder, Breadnbeyond

Align Visuals with Business Needs

Small businesses should consider their needs and how they plan to use the photos and videos. Do they need a single video for their website or do they need an entire video campaign for social media ads? Do they need staff headshots, product shots, branding shots, or all of the above? Sometimes small businesses know that they need help making these decisions but don't know where to find it. They don't know what to do with photos and videos once they have them. 

Most of the small businesses that I work with don't have a marketing company to advise them, so I try to help my clients with this and walk them through the process. Small businesses should also prepare with their marketing company and their photographer/videographer before the shoot. This will give the business the opportunity to convey their needs so that nobody is spending extra time, effort, and budget space on visuals that aren't needed.

Bob Mackowski, Owner/Photographer, Open Aperture Photography

Invest in High-Impact Professional Visuals

Small businesses should prioritize quality over quantity when selecting a video and photo package. Investing in a few high-impact visuals tailored to brand identity ensures consistency across platforms. In addition, choosing a package that includes professional editing enhances content appeal without extra costs. This approach maximizes engagement while keeping budgets lean. A focused, strategic selection ensures businesses create a compelling online presence without overspending on unnecessary assets.

Brenton Thomas, Founder, Twibi

Opt for Short High-Quality Videos

Depending on the budget, I'd suggest going for a series of short videos. Pay attention to brand building from the start and maintain the same design language throughout all the videos. As your business grows, you'll want to expand on these videos and cover different aspects of your product, so having a branding set from the beginning will help establish your online signature.

From our experience creating videos for small businesses, we've seen that when a startup invests fully in one high-quality video, it generates better engagement and a higher virality factor than producing, say, ten average or below-average quality videos.

Lately, AI-generated videos have been gaining traction, but so far they're doing more harm than good. While they promise speed and cost-effectiveness, the quality isn't there yet. AI videos often come with noticeable defects and unnatural movements or off-putting voiceovers that immediately give them away.

Alex Safavinia, CEO & Creative Director, Kasra Design®

Secure Rights for Flexible Content Use

One key factor is making sure you have the rights to repurpose the footage in multiple ways. You want a package that's flexible enough to be clipped for social media, used on your website, or included in ads. 

We often do a quick license check beforehand so we won't get surprised by extra fees later. This approach maximizes each piece of content's impact without driving up costs.

Victor Hsi, Founder & Community Manager, UGC Content Bank