Nikon Live Rocks, But Needs an Encore

Posted By Joe Pulizzi on January 10, 2009

Yes, it’s 2009, but Nikon Live 2008 still rocks.

Nikon, the camera of choice for Richard Aaron (Frampton Comes Alive cover) and Lynn Goldsmith (Sting and Bruce Springsteen covers for Rolling Stone), created Nikon Live last year as a site dedicated to rock photography.

According to Sposto Interactive, the web design firm who created the site, Nikon partnered with Live Nation for exclusive venue access for photos, ATO records for artist profiles, and American Photo for featurette creation to help develop the content for the site.

During the site’s peak promotion in August, the site saw 25,000 unique visitors (according to compete.com), but has since trailed off (although much of the imagery is also found on a Live Nation sub-domain).

The site does a lot of things well.

Visions of Rock features pictures taken by ten bands with their Nikon D60’s. The tour imagery is, frankly, breathtaking in the Sound Check and Rock Picture Show sections of the site. If I’m a photographer interested in the music scene, I’d camp out on this site. Nikon was smart to partner with first-rate acts that makes this site worth the visit.

But the site could be much better.  Here are a few suggestions.

• I understand that it’s about the photography, but the story could be told in greater detail with a combination of video and, possibly, blogging/reporting about the concerts – all from the photographer’s perspective. Conversation could revolve around positions, specific photos, key opportunities, challenges, etc.
• In looking at the traffic, the site needs more reasons for photographers to come back to the site. Simple solution – up-to-date columns, features, stories, galleries, etc.
• How about some “how-to’s”? I’m sure Nikon would like to add to its database. This could be a good opportunity for short ebooks or downloadable content packages on “getting the best concert shot” or “5 camera configerations that make the difference” (note that I’m NOT a photographer).

Long story short…great example of music content marketing that needs just a bit more to hit a home run. Check it out for yourself.