No matter what type of services you offer as a freelancer, having an arsenal of photo and video tools that can help you create high-quality graphics, images, and media is always a good idea.
Even if you might not need them for client work, you can use these tools for your own marketing and business needs.
Photo and video editing software have come a long way since Picnik and MS Paint. And these days, you can completely bypass terrible stock photos and opt for quality, stunning images thanks to photography-sharing communities.
What if I’m not visually creative?
It’s safe to say that most freelancers don’t have a ton of cash to burn at the start of their freelance career (even if they do, we tend to be a frugal bunch where we can).
But when your client wants to see image concepts for a new retargeting campaign, or even if you need to refresh your logo, what do you do?
Can’t I just hire someone to create this stuff for me?
Well, yes, you certainly can.
But if you’re in a pinch with a limited budget and need to create graphics that don’t look like a five-year-old stitched them together or a stellar video for a new Instagram campaign, you’ll want to bookmark these sites.
Here are a few things you can do with photo and video tools:
- Create quality, visually engaging graphics, videos, and other media on a budget.
- Add value to your services without a ton of expense on your end (e.g., offering to create images for your client’s next social media campaign).
- Build a cohesive brand for yourself without breaking the bank.
Photo and video tools for freelancers
Even if you’re not a designer or creatively inclined in that way at all, you can still make beautiful visuals to share with the world. Content creators, designers, and Jack and Janes of All Trades, this one is for you.
Canva
There is simply no other way to put it: Canva is one of the best online photo editing and graphics tools out there. Whether you need to create an eye-catching Instagram image for an ad or are putting together your first proposal for a client, Canva is a tool you want to keep bookmarked.
Canva gives you the ability to create beautiful visuals regardless of your eye for design or experience. From marketing materials like logos and business cards to social media graphics, invoices, reports, and infographics, Canva’s intuitive design-builder lets you create the materials you need to keep things running — and your clients happy.
Did we mention that you can do this all for free?
You can upgrade to Canva for Work if you want to unlock even more features like access to over 400,000 free photos and templates, the ability to upload your own fonts, and so much more. But the free version is certainly something to write home about.
Of course, Canva doesn’t compare to that of Photoshop or Lightroom, but for a free tool, it’s pretty powerful.
Who should use Canva?
Freelancers who want to create stunning visuals on a budget, whether it be for a client or for their own business.
Pricing
- Canva – Free
- Canva for Work – $12.95/month
For a detailed look at Canva’s pricing and features, check out their website.
Unsplash
There’s no question that photography and imagery are a significant part of content creation. In fact, a report from Social Media Examiner says that 32% of marketers feel that visual images are a major component when creating content for their business.
However, pairing a cheesy stock photo with the killer email copy you wrote or with the sleek new website you designed seems, well, criminal. Therefore, having a few quality, *non-cheesy* stock photo sites in your toolbox is always a smart idea.
Unsplash is one such site.
Unsplash is a completely free photo site with over 550,000 stunning, high-quality images. You can browse their daily roundup of just-added photos to find the right photo, or you can use their search bar to find the perfect image. Or, you can peruse photos categorized by collection and photographer if you’re looking for a certain aesthetic.
What makes Unsplash unique is not only its “do-whatever-you-want-with-these-photos policy, but that it acts more like a community where photographers can share their work and gain exposure. After you download a photo, a popup with the photographer’s name and an optional credit badge make it easy to give thanks if you wish.
Unsplash is an excellent tool that takes the guesswork and stress out of finding quality, high-resolution photos that fit with your content. It may end the reign of lame stock photos once and for all.
Who should use Unsplash?
Freelancers of all specialties, niches, and experience levels.
Pricing
- Free
Vimeo
You work hard to create engaging content that yields results. After hours of editing, splicing, and maybe muttering a few choice words under your breath from time to time, you need a video hosting site that works for you.
With Vimeo, you can upload your videos to their ad-free platform, customize your HTML5 video player to match your brand, track your video’s performance, and more. Vimeo doesn’t skimp on quality either; upload your videos with confidence knowing that your videos will look the best, can be embedded just about anywhere, and are secure.
You can take your videos a step further by adding in customized CTA screens and email captures. Vimeo makes it easy to share your videos on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn native posts. Tracking engagement, capturing leads, and making your videos work harder for you is a cinch with Vimeo.
For users who select the Pro, Business, or Premium plan have access to additional features like live streaming, review and approval tools, customizable albums, Google Analytics integration, and more.
Who should use Vimeo?
Freelancers of all specialties, niches, and experience levels who need a reliable, quality video hosting platform.
Pricing
- Plus – $7/month
- Pro – $20/month
- Business – $50/month
- Premium – $75/month
To get the full breakdown of Vimeo’s pricing, check out their website.
Animoto
Need to create engaging videos on the cheap without sacrificing quality? There is a tool for that.
Animoto is a video creation tool that helps you create captivating videos in minutes. Animoto is different from Vimeo in that you can edit and create videos right within the platform, making it easy to save and share your work.
With Animoto, you can choose from a variety of video templates and storyboards, add music tracks, use stock images from Getty Images, and add slides for CTAs, titles, and more. You can adjust colors, fonts, and the time set to each screen or clip. Animoto also makes resizing your video’s aspect ratio for Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube a no-brainer.
Creating well-designed, quality videos — whether it be for a client or your own marketing purposes — is simple with this easy-to-use video builder.
Who should use Animoto?
Freelancers of all specialties, niches, and experience levels. This is great for freelancers who may not have a ton of video editing experience or who don’t want to spend tons of money on video editing software.
Pricing
- Personal – $5/month
- Professional – $33/month
- Business – $49/month
For more details on Animoto’s pricing breakdown, visit their website.
Wrap up
No matter your experience level, budget, or need, having a few reliable photo and video tools on hand that can help you create beautiful things is always smart. Incorporating visuals into your content, whether it’s a homepage design for a client or proposal deck for your new line on services, can be done easily with these tools.
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