Blogging tips for photographers
Topic: Business, Website
Time Investment: 5 Minutes
Suggested Product: Website Terms Bundle
I want to blog BUT….
- …I don’t have time!
- …I don’t know what to blog about!
- …I don’t have a blog!
- …no one will read it anyways!
- <insert excuse here>
So you’ve probably said one of these excuses right? Blogging should be a necessity. It helps your web presence, gives clients a tool to talk about you, and adds value to what the client “gets”. Despite marketing of the past, it is rare that a company today does not have some form of blog. Why?
Blogging brings in clients. It is a low-cost, easy-to-do, marketing tool that gives a great return on investment.
You are killing a variety of birds with one stone by blogging. Otherwise, I wouldn’t recommend it – after all – y'all know I’m all about being efficient. With 3 kiddos, 1 on the way and multiple businesses, I can’t waste time on things that don’t work. I NEED a return on what I do.
As I’ve gotten further along in my photography and biz career I have seen that blogging is a “must do” and not a “I wish I had time for”.
Kinda like taxes. You have no choice but to do it. You may not have time but that incentive of avoiding fines definitely makes you do it right? Imagine if the penalty is lack of client flow, reduced search engine optimization, etc. Is that enough incentive? Figured it would be Not blogging or aiming for a web presence will ultimately penalize your business with lack of web placement, and loss of client opportunity to easily share about you by giving them this tool.
So let’s look at each of the excuses and check out these blogging tips for photographers!
…but I don’t have time!
Refer back to the above analogy of taxes. You don’t have time NOT to blog.
There are many efficient tools available to help you blog. And when you face it with a “must have” attitude instead of a “nice to do” you will find the time. Just add another 5 minutes to your workflow. As soon as you’re done processing a gallery – resize and enter into the blog. Majority of blog platforms allow for future scheduling so that it will not publish until after client has chosen their favorites, ordered and paid. Batch processing to resize or programs like Blogstomp allow for a quick resizing of photos for web. You have full control. Just because you blog today doesn’t mean it has to be posted today, BUT it will be there for when it is ready to be shared!
Related: BlogStomp – A Review
…but I don’t know what to blog about!
Oh man! I so know this writers block. Blogging for photographers and for clients sometimes sends me into a tailspin, and that’s saying something considering how much I talk! (Y'all know I’m preaching the truth here.) Photographers running photography businesses catering to photography clients (versus photographers blogging for other photographers- see the diff?) should always be blogging at a minimum, session features. As a bonus you can throw in “extras” blog posts to help your search engine optimization and blog content freshness.
- Session Features – these give each client an added value to their purchase of having an online place that is formatted in a story-telling fashion to share their images. This makes it super easy for them to share with Great-Grandma Sally in Seattle…PLUS it pulls all of their friends and families into your corner of the web. There is greater potential of them viewing other work, investment information and contacting you than just mere sharing of a gallery of social media sneak peek. Remember, you don’t have to be a flourishing writer to blog. You can get the pictures up, say a few words to key in SEO and add some personality. Bam! Done!
- Pinterest Worthy Posts – These can be anything from DIY crafts to a Top 10 to do in your local city and even maybe helping your clients take better photographs of their kiddos at home. Tip: REMEMBER your audience when blogging. If your audience is clients, blog for clients. Not other photographers. I think there is a tendency to blog with other photographers in mind and can distract (and potentially deter) your clients from reading and sharing your blog.
…but I don’t have a blog!
You’re missing out on a vital way to hug your clients. The website is the storefront and the hello. The blog is the personal hello to showcase work, give clients tools to talk about you, and gives some personality to the business name. For blog recommendations and help check out “Setting up and running a legit website for your photography business?“ Blogs come in a variety of platforms. I personally am partial to wordpress due to the customizable features but finding one that is cohesive to your branding, optimal for search engine optimization and seamlessly fits with your current website are a good way to go. Tip: Your website template may not have a blog feature – you can always have an externally hosted blog and link it in the website menu! If you don’t have a blog, you’re missing out. Big. Get one. Now.
…but no one will read it anyways!
How do you know? Let me tell you, making this judgment based on interaction on social media + comments on a blog post is NOT a logical or smart way to determine if your blog is being read. This blog, the one you’re so engrossed in at this very moment, gets a great amount of hits daily – whether I have posted fresh content or not. If I didn’t utilize Google Analytics (or another metric system), then I would have not a clue and probably would’ve given up a year or so ago. Seriously. Having these metrics in place helps me to see what content is read, where people are coming from, and how long they are on the blog. Think about this: You publish a blog post. You hear crickets. You pin it to Pinterest anyways. And move on to the next session. Did you know your pins keep going? People keep pinning. People keep sharing that blog link. Pinterest has jockeyed its way to be pseudo-search engine. Don’t believe me? Watch your metrics. Never know when a client will take to Pinterest and see a pin….a pin that is connected where? your blog! See where I’m going?
Key Tips:
- Don’t forget your Search Engine Optimization Tips and Bounce Rate as you blog!
- Don’t pressure yourself! Make a goal for blogging each session and if you get a separate blog post great, if not, make it a goal for later!
- Always always always share the posts on social media and let client’s know their feature is up!
Is blogging the cure to your internet presence or client woes? No. But it is a critical cornerstone to marketing, customer service, and getting yourself out there!
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