If you are a photographer and only have a website, you’re losing out on one of the most valuable tools online: a blog.
Think of your website as your brochure, and your blog as your marketing plan.
Your website is a static tool where you put together information, and it remains the same and unchanged for months or even years.
But your blog is a tool that can grow and change every day. You can talk about:
- Your newest client
- Your latest engagement session
- Your latest wedding
- Your latest portrait
- Your latest commercial shoot
- A new change with studio policies
- A new partnership you have formed
- Market the expo you just signed up for
- Share pictures of your booth at the expo
- A dinner with a bunch of photographer friends
- Traveling to a seminar
- Your vacation – complete with photos
The great thing about photographs is they tell a story, and everyone finds interest in your photos if they are good. I’ve gone to many sites and become completely engrossed in their story, simply by clicking around and viewing their photos. Imagine how your clients will feel.
Start With A Blog
There are free blogs like Blogger. Or you can create and host a blog yourself using a tool like WordPress.org. Which one is better for your business? From my perspective, you should always spend the extra to create and customize your own blog. Have it branded to showcase who you are and what you do.
Just Do It
Getting your blog up and running may seem like the hard part. But from my experience, the hardest part is starting to write. What should that first post be about? Do you really have anything to say? If you get stuck on the “what”, you could end up sitting there for months without a single post (I see it happen all the time). Don’t worry so much about the “what” when you start. Just pick something that happened today and start writing. Maybe you head out to lunch with a photographer friend. Take a picture of the two of you, and your meals, and the restaurant, and write about your relationship. It doesn’t have to be a novel, or a thought that will bring in hundreds of clients. There is time for that later. The most important thing is to just do it.
Make It A Habit
The hardest thing with blogging is to do it day after day, week after week. No, one post a month want cut it in the online marketing world. You have to post every single week. The more frequent you post, the more impact you’ll create. Add it to your day – put it into your calendar if you have to – and make sure you get something out there.
Impact
I attended a blogging conference a few months ago. One of the biggest names in the blogging world gave a keynote presentation I’ll never forget. He stated that when he first started blogging, he wrote every day knowing only two people were reading it – his mom and his dog. In other words, he knew he was only writing for himself in the beginning. It took over six months for anyone to comment on his posts. It took over a year for him to notice any increase in his page ranking. But he kept writing because he knew it would eventually hit. And I guess it finally did because of his current status!
I’ve been in the same situation myself. I started blogging on Virtual almost five years ago. I wrote and wrote without thinking about results (in the beginning). Now we have an Alexa ranking below 300,000 and are moving every day. We have hundreds of readers on our site every day, and love the comments we get from photographers all over the world.
They won’t read if you have one post. They won’t stay if you haven’t posted anything new in months. The only way to make it work is to keep at it. Day. After day. After day.
Terrific post on blogging. It is a marathon…not a sprint! Producing good content will bring eyes over time and so will consistency. Our photography business is driven off of our viral marketing efforts…blogging being a major one: http://blog.emilieinc.net/ It takes time, but is well worth it in the end!
It’s nice to have one’s eyes opened to what should be so clearly in front of oneself! This is one online article that will modify my behaviour. Thanks.
Thanks, you’ve convinced to get get on with that darn blog!
Brilliant stuff-
I write for Will Crockett’s ShootSmarter.com on the subject Thinking outside of the box as it relates to photography. I have been espousing what you are saying on your blog for over a year. I like what and how you are saying it.
Far too many photog’s can’t get out of the rut that they shoot weddings and bar-mitzvahs.
There is world far greater than that. I also operate the Ambassador Group (www.Ambassadorgroup.net) that shoots Corporate and Non-Profit events, mainly political fund raising events.
Love to talk to you some day. I am based in Detroit, the unemployment capital of the country but shoot nationwide.
I will be at Will Crockett’s seminar in Pittsburgh on aug 2, if you are near there.
Thanks,
Fred
J Sandifer, I loved your statement “It is a marathon…not a sprint!” How true. Andrew and I were just talking about this, and how so many people are sucked into the “2 hour belief” – where all your problems can be solved in 2 hours, thanks to watching tv shows and movies. Business is a long term plan – a marathon – and planning for it will keep your business healthy and growing over long periods of time.
Thanks everyone – love to hear your comments. Fred, glad to hear you’re shooting nation wide. A definite plus, especially when your home area is hit hard.
Good luck!
Lori
Great article on promoting your photography business.
Thanks for this post, I got to it by clicking through another link. At any rate, I needed some inspiration to keep up with my blogging… and this totally helps!