Guides
What we know, written down
Pricing, permits, drone rules and marketing playbooks for Detroit businesses. Written by the team that plans, flies, shoots and publishes this work every week.
Drone
Drone Rules in Detroit: What's Legal Where (2026)
Where you can legally fly a drone in Detroit in 2026: FAA rules, downtown and riverfront airspace, stadium limits, Michigan law, park permits and the border.
Read the guide → 8 min readConstruction Progress Drone Photography: What to Expect
How construction progress drone photography works: cadence, matching angles, deliverables, site safety, mapping vs. marketing imagery and 2026 pricing.
Read the guide → 9 min readCan You Fly a Drone Over the Detroit River?
Yes, on the US side. What the Canadian border, Transport Canada, Windsor's control zone, launch permits and open water mean for Detroit River drone shoots.
Read the guide → 8 min readDrone vs. FPV: Which Does Your Project Need?
Camera drone or FPV? How each one flies, what each shoots best, the FAA rules, safety, cost and how to plan an FPV one-take. From a Detroit drone team.
Read the guide → 9 min readHiring a Drone Pilot in Michigan: 8 Things to Check First
What to verify before hiring a drone pilot in Michigan: Part 107 status, recurrent training, insurance, Remote ID, airspace, portfolio, rights and contract.
Read the guide → 7 min readHow to Prepare a Property or Venue for a Drone Shoot
A drone shoot prep checklist for Detroit properties and venues: permissions, permits, flight restrictions, light, shot lists, day-of setup and seasonal notes.
Read the guide → 9 min readGame Day and Your Drone Shoot: Comerica Park, Ford Field and Grand Prix Flight Restrictions
How the FAA's stadium flight restriction grounds drones across downtown Detroit on Tigers, Lions and Grand Prix days, with distances and a planning method.
Read the guide →Pricing
How Much Does Drone Photography and Video Cost in Detroit? (2026)
What drone photography and aerial video cost in Detroit in 2026, from home listings to construction and FPV, what drives the price, and how to compare quotes.
Read the guide → 7 min readHow Much Does a Marketing Agency Cost in Detroit? (2026 Pricing)
What Detroit marketing agencies charge in 2026: retainers, project fees and hourly rates, published local prices, what drives cost, and red flags to avoid.
Read the guide → 7 min readSocial Media Management Pricing in Detroit: What to Budget in 2026
What social media management costs in Detroit in 2026 by tier: posting only, content plus posting, full management and paid social, plus common extras.
Read the guide → 7 min readHow Much Does Video Production Cost in Detroit? (2026 Guide)
What video production costs in Detroit in 2026, from social clips to commercials: crew-day math, editing, talent, music, permits and how to budget.
Read the guide →Video
Short-Form Video for Local Businesses: What Works in 2026
What short-form video works for local businesses in 2026: formats, hooks, captions, length, posting cadence, what to film, batching and how to measure results.
Read the guide → 10 min readHow to Get a Film or Photo Permit in Detroit (2026)
How to get a film or photo permit in Detroit in 2026: the free city permit, RiverWalk and Belle Isle fees, street closures, insurance and a lead-time table.
Read the guide → 9 min readMichigan Film Incentives in 2026: Where Things Stand
Michigan has had no film incentive since 2015. What House Bills 5991 and 5992 would do, where they stand in September 2026, and what that means for shoots.
Read the guide →Photography
Google Business Profile Photos and Video: A Playbook for Detroit Businesses
Google Business Profile photo and video specs, a shot list for Detroit businesses, how often to refresh, and why geotagging photos will not help ranking.
Read the guide → 9 min readRestaurant and Food Photography in Detroit: Cost, Shot List and How to Prep
What restaurant and food photography costs in Detroit, a full shot list, how to prep the kitchen and food, where to use the images and what rights to ask for.
Read the guide →Creator marketing
FTC Rules for Influencer Posts and Online Reviews, in Plain English
What the FTC Endorsement Guides and the fake reviews rule require from businesses and creators: disclosure wording, gifted products, employees and reviews.
Read the guide → 11 min readHow to Hire Detroit Influencers and Creators: A Practical Guide
How to find, vet, pay and brief Detroit influencers and creators, what they typically charge, what belongs in the contract, and how to measure results locally.
Read the guide →Detroit business
How to Market a Restaurant Opening in Detroit: A 12-Week Timeline
A week-by-week plan for marketing a Detroit restaurant opening, from Google profile setup and liquor license timing to previews, reviews and the first month.
Read the guide → 7 min readAgency, Freelancer, In-House or UGC Creator: Who Should Make Your Content?
An honest comparison of agencies, freelancers, in-house hires and UGC creators for Detroit businesses: cost, speed, quality, distribution and drone licensing.
Read the guide → 7 min readDetroit Small Business Marketing: What Actually Works in 2026
Where a Detroit small business should put a limited marketing budget in 2026: Google reviews, short-form video, local creators, an owned list and paid tests.
Read the guide → 7 min readHow We Built a 245,000-Person Detroit Audience (and What Your Business Can Take From It)
How our team grew a Detroit audience from 2015 photo walks to 245,000+ followers, and the five lessons Detroit businesses can apply at any size.
Read the guide →Rather have us
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Social media
How AI Search Picks Local Businesses (and How to Show Up)
How ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Ask Maps, Perplexity and Apple Maps choose local businesses, what signals matter, and a checklist to show up. From a Detroit team.
Read the guide → 10 min readInstagram, Facebook and TikTok in 2026: What Changed for Local Businesses
The Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Meta ads changes from 2025 and 2026 that matter to local businesses, with dates, sources and what to do about each one.
Read the guide →