As a solopreneur, I am constantly looking for ways to grow my business. In addition to supplying articles and blogs, for instance, I’ve learned how to craft compelling marketing emails and eye-catching press releases.
This expansion enables me to increase my revenues with my current clients by offering them even more services. It also increases my appeal to new clients who want a writer who can supply content for a number of different marketing mediums.
But growing your business isn’t just about learning new skills. It also requires knowing which tools can help you achieve this goal. One that has caught my attention recently is the platform Stringr.
What Is Stringr?
Stringr is an online platform where videographers can sell both recorded videos and live streaming of certain events. Its name is a play on the word ‘stringer,’ which is a term used to refer to a freelance journalist, photographer, or videographer who covers events and/or topics for news organizations.
Founded in 2014, this site was recently awarded Best Video Platform by Digiday Media Awards for its ability to enable “seamless production workflows” while also identifying “best-in-class videographers.”
Stringr caught my attention because content is more than just words. It’s also images and videos, the latter of which is more relevant today than ever before, according to one of the company’s founders.
Video’s Increasing Appeal
“What we’re seeing is that video is becoming a standard part of communication,” says Stringr co-founder Lindsay Stewart, who also earned a slot among the 2020 Top Women in Media. “It used to be text. Now everybody wants video. COVID perhaps underlined that even more.”
Stewart goes on to explain that, while Stringr helps videographers quickly get their videos to the news outlets that need them—which is important because speed is a major factor when it comes to reporting the news—it also serves a valuable purpose for marketing professionals too.
“Companies are looking for a way to create a flywheel for video,” says Stewart. “We now have a product that can really serve video needs.” That’s because, with Stringr, marketing professionals can not only find video footage to use in their campaigns, but this platform has the capability to edit and share media as well. This gives marketers a place to design their videos from start to finish without having to learn and integrate a bunch of different software.
“There’s competitors in every single tool,” says Stewart, “but none have put them all together.” Stringr aims to change that by providing a one-stop shop for marketing professionals who want to create media without hiring a high-cost agency to shoot and edit the footage.
Stringr Offers Income Potential for All Levels of Videographers
While Stringr can be used by any business professional with video-related needs, this platform is still perhaps most beneficial to individuals who want to earn income from the videos they shoot, whether as a side gig or on a full-time basis. And it is available to all levels of videographers, assigning each user to one of three tiers: crowd, select, or pro.
Videos are rated according to many quality metrics, some of which include steadiness and timeliness. As a contributor, you establish a score based on these metrics. Those with higher scores can advance from a crowd member to a select or pro member. Selects and pros are not only paid higher rates for their videos but they can also be assigned projects, which means guaranteed payment.
But, Is Stringr All That It Claims?
I’m a skeptic by nature. This probably goes back to my pre-writing career in law enforcement. So, my first thought when I see a new platform is whether it really does what it says. According to one user, the answer is a resounding “yes”.
“Before Stringr, I was a guy with an idea and a smartphone camera,” says Shane Jeffers, owner of Bold City Photographers. “I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to photograph or record but I knew from a few run-ins with the local fire department I had a knack for catching the action and was pretty good at it.”
Jeffers goes on to say, “I come from a truck driving background with no formal photography education. Stringr opened up my ability and gave me a place to showcase my footage and get paid in the process! To sum it up, I was a complete noob when it came to photography and videography. With Stringr, I’m now considered a professional which wouldn’t have been possible without them.”
Though videography started as a hobby for Jeffers, it has now become a career. “Because of Stringr, 100% of my income is now media-based,” Jeffers says, “with Stringr being the company I work for the most!”
Not only does Jeffers prefer the convenience that this platform offers, along with removing “the guesswork that comes with being a freelance videographer,” but it also offers its users 24/7/365 support via text, email, and phone. “It’s nice to feel like you have an entire team dedicated to YOU,” Jeffers adds.
I have to admit that my interest is piqued and I might just have to check this one out. Who knows, maybe I’ll become a one-stop shop for my clients, supplying all of their word and imagery needs. I kind of like the sound of that! I wonder if they would too?
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