For local service businesses, visibility alone is rarely the challenge. The real problem is being discovered at the exact moment intent forms, especially when purchasing decisions are tied to physical locations.
For Jonathan Schüßler, a solo luxury wedding photographer and videographer based in Germany, this challenge surfaced in a very practical way. Constant weekend travel, unpredictable inquiries, and limited control over where demand came from made it difficult to build a sustainable business as a one-person operation.
Rather than chasing broader awareness, Jonathan took a more focused approach.
He built a content strategy around specific wedding venues, using repurposed video across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok to influence demand before couples were even ready to book. The result was not just reach but a shift in how couples and venues engaged with his work.
Owning Venue Demand Was More Valuable Than Chasing General Visibility
Jonathan Schüßler operates as a one-man team offering photography and videography for luxury weddings across Germany and Europe. His work is designed for couples who care deeply about aesthetics, storytelling, and the overall feeling of their wedding day.
The campaign focused on women between 25 and 35 who were either newly engaged or in long-term relationships and actively imagining how they wanted their wedding to look and feel. Instead of marketing his services broadly, Jonathan anchored his content to specific wedding venues in his surrounding area.
That decision fundamentally reframed his marketing. Venues became the entry point, not the service itself.
Rather than asking couples to discover him, Jonathan placed his work where couples were already researching. In doing so, he positioned himself at the moment inspiration and decision-making began.
Designing for Fewer, Better Inquiries Required a Strategic Shift
The strategy was driven by two priorities.
- Jonathan wanted more inquiries so he could choose his clients
- He wanted to reduce the constant travel that came with taking weddings across a wide geographic area.
As he explained:
Several constraints shaped how the campaign took form. Summer wedding season meant packed schedules for both Jonathan and the venues he wanted to work with. At the same time, venues were initially hesitant to trust an external creator’s vision. Jonathan further expands on this pain point:
Operating as a solo creator, Jonathan needed a system that could scale without adding operational complexity. Instead of promoting himself directly, he shifted his role to become the visual reference point for the venues couples were already considering.
Repurposing Was the Strategy, Not a Distribution Afterthought
Each social media platform played a distinct role, but all content originated from a single production workflow.
YouTube was the starting point. Jonathan intentionally used long-form video to appear in branded searches for specific venues, which often lacked strong photo and video assets on their own websites. As he explains:
Instagram followed as a collaboration and credibility layer. Through collab posts with venues and a luxury DJ partner, the content appeared inside existing venue marketing channels.
TikTok, however, delivered the biggest surprise.
This success was enabled by design. Each 2 to 3-minute YouTube video was filmed in 4K horizontal format and intentionally structured to be broken into three short-form clips. Hooks, pacing, and narrative beats were planned so the long-form video could translate seamlessly into TikTok without losing emotional continuity.
Repurposing was not something applied after publishing. It shaped how the content was produced from the beginning.
Leading Viewers Through the Day Increased Retention and Trust
One creative change had a noticeable impact on performance.
Instead of simply presenting venues, Jonathan began leading viewers through the wedding day. This subtle shift helped couples imagine themselves experiencing the space rather than observing it from the outside.
As Jonathan noted:
This narrative framing encouraged viewers to stay engaged and follow a story rather than scroll past a static showcase.
Over time, this approach reduced skepticism and repositioned him as a creative partner rather than an external vendor.
Organic Distribution Revealed Which Platforms Actually Drove Intent
All distribution was organic. Content was reposted on TikTok yearly, allowing videos to resurface as new couples entered the planning phase.
Results varied by platform.
One TikTok video reached 400k views, with several others crossing the 100k mark.
@jonathan_schuessler Diese besondere Hochzeitslocation in Baden-Württemberg solltest du nicht verpassen! Das ganze Video findest du auf YouTube in meiner Bio. Dein Tag startet im Schloss mit dem Getting Ready: Hier gibt es genug Platz, sodass du & deine Liebsten sich fertig machen können. Außerdem hast du von hier eine perfekte Sicht auf das ganze Gelände und kannst sehen, wie die Orangerie für eure Feier erstrahlt. Da kommt Vorfreude auf! Danach geht’s in den Schlosspark zur freien Trauung & am Nachmittag findet ihr euch zum Sektempfang wieder zwischen Schloss und Orangerie ein. Mit etwas Glück überraschen euch 3 Pfauen, die hier auf dem Gelände leben und die magische Stimmung dieser Location abrunden. Ihr sucht noch authentische Foto- und Videobegleitung? Dann schaut gerne bei mir vorbei: www.jonathanschuessler.com Ich freu mich, von euch zu hören! Mehr Infos zum Schlossgut Lautenbach findet ihr auf ihrer Website www.schlossgut-lautenbach.de oder hier 📸 Kamera: @stolz.weddings 📍 Location: @schlossgut_lautenbach
Instagram peaked around 10k views, while YouTube consistently delivered around 2k views per video.
Rather than focusing on raw reach, Jonathan paid attention to how each platform influenced behavior:
- TikTok drove discovery and aspiration
- Instagram reinforced credibility through collaboration
- YouTube captured high-intent research tied to specific venues
Each platform played a role, even if the numbers looked very different.
The Content Shifted Jonathan From Vendor to Decision Shortcut
The most meaningful outcomes were not numerical.
Couples began comparing venues directly on Jonathan’s channels and forming preferences before entering the booking phase. In some cases, the decision was already made before a formal engagement.
What started as a way to gain visibility evolved into a feedback loop where venues actively amplified Jonathan’s work on his behalf. His content became part of how couples evaluated both venues and vendors.
What Marketers Can Learn: From Designing Content for Repurposing
This story shows how repurposed video can shape demand, not just scale output.
- Designing content for repurposing from the start creates leverage, especially for small teams.
- Location based content can dominate intent when it fills gaps that existing stakeholders have not addressed.
- Short-form platforms can surface demand patterns even when they are not part of the original plan.
Most importantly, turning ecosystem partners into distribution allies can shift when and how a brand enters the decision-making process.
For Jonathan Schüßler, repurposing was not about efficiency. It was about owning the moment when choices begin.
