MARKETING POTENTIAL OF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS

Digital marketing represents a practical business philosophy that uses technological advancements to maintain competitiveness in the modern business environment. A positive shift from one-way communication to a more suitable business-to-consumer open dialog has resulted in more valuable and creative content creation set to accomplish predetermined business goals. The selection of the media format to reach the targeted segment depends on the nature of the offer. Multimedia has shown to be the best tool for this task, and it is an indispensable part of quality online content. Among all the elements of multimedia, photography particularly stands out in social networking interactions. As a form of media, it can convey a powerful story and retain the users' attention much better than any other media. It captivates attention and encourages contemplation. It is easier to "digest" than the other media formats, which positively impacts the time spent delivering the message efficiently and, therefore, on user satisfaction with the provided content. Technological advancements and the evolution of social networks affected the shift in the way photography is perceived. The multimedia properties of photography have become an essential tool for marketing experts in the digital environment. Photography is widely available today thanks to advanced cameras, mobile devices, and social networks, which is why digital photography content is generated continuously. These circumstances have also, among other things, created the prerequisites for the occurrence of marketing influencers and various types of content creators. The purpose of this paper is to examine the marketing potential of digital photography. A theoretical overview and preliminary research results on a convenient sample are used to present digital photography's marketing potential on Instagram in more detail. This paper builds upon previous research done with the graduate student who is the owner and content creator on Instagram business profile @jonajour. The study aims to determine the elements essential in assessing future business activities on business Instagram accounts. Also, attitudes and satisfaction levels of content creators in working with brands are included in the overview of the results. The survey helps to conclude what the Croatian influencer marketing scene generally lacks and what should change in the future to be more efficient.