How to create visual content on a shoestring budget

In 2012, images have emerged as a major source of traffic on the Web, helping fuel the virality of blogs, Facebook campaigns, and more.

Yet people still ignore, or are intimidated by, creating visuals. This is because of the talent required to create quality photos, graphics, or videos, and the assumption that you have to spend a lot of money to get it done right.

Of course, your chances for success can be greater when you have a talented team of in-house designers or an experienced agency at the ready, but what is a smaller company, startup, or nonprofit with limited budget to do?

There are people out there with these skills who are willing to work within your budget. You just need to know where to find them.

From the least to most expensive, here are five ways to get visual content creators on a shoestring.

1. College Students: They will work for free (but pizza helps)

If you are in a city with a college or university, you have a pool of burgeoning talent in your backyard. Most of these students are learning the theory in the classroom, so they’re hungry to cut their teeth with real-world experience.