Are you looking to see How to Use Social Media to Grow your Photography Business – through social media strategy for photographers use this road map to help you grow your photography business.
As a photographer.
wait…maybe we should start over….
As an entrepreneur…
Oh wait…lets try that again…
as a marketer
Social Media Strategy for Photographers
YES! That’s how we should start, as a marketer for your photography business or any small business it’s a constant, daily and sometimes minute by minute task. Well it’s a task if you make it a priority and you really should in the day in age we live in. Marketing has always been around…whether it’s word of mouth, billboards, ads in newspapers, ads at the beauty shop, a sign in a yard, a telephone ad, tv ad, mailbox flyer…oh and what about the flyer that gets placed on your car window at the store.
Did you ever think about the ads that are everywhere in stores, cars, t shirts, pens, notepads, bags and well you get my point the list goes on. We could spend every dime we make on marketing and advertising, right? Yep we sure could. Would you see a return, yep you would. Would it be the return you want…I don’t know, that’s a whole different topic for a different post.
BUT.
You first need to know….
WHO
WHAT
WHEN
WHERE
once you can define that your marketing will get even better and more successful.
Again we aren’t really talking today about defining the who, what, when and where. Rather we are talking about avenues on social media that you can capitalize on for your photography business. Let’s break it down and not get too techy, ok?
We all know that there is…
Facebook…
but lets keep listing the most popular social medias.
Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, Vine, Snapchat, Google+ (really not popular but it’s there I guess)…any others I’m missing? No. I think these are the most popular that will be around and not fade like, well the days of Myspace…yeh that’s long gone.
I’m going to highlight the three I think are most beneficial in our industry, not to say the others aren’t beneficial I just don’t find them to benefit the MOST and be the most affective for my time.
How to Use Social Media to Grow your Photography Business
Facebook Business Page
USE it! Here are a few tips and ideas:
- LIVE. Go live and create some hype around when you will show up and be live. Like what time and begin to tell everyone so they know when to catch you. Then become consistent with this.
- Post a lot. Remember that not everyone sees what you post every time you post. So create a schedule and post 5-6 times a day. Some say more, so you could but on a conservative note go 5-6 times.
- Schedule your posts. Save yourself some time and being on your computer all the time. Schedule your Facebook posts
- Don’t just post your work. Post something personal. Everyone likes YOU, not your clients all of the time.
- Post your work, post something inspiring, post about a location, a product, a tip for choosing a venue if you are an event/wedding photographer, post tips on what to wear for the mama’s stressing out about family portraits. Get creative and POST.
- As PixPa says create and maintain your portfolio – so important on all channels of social media!
- Post. Ok don’t be one of those IG users that you see post once in a blue moon, who likes that? No one. They won’t get connected with you.
- Post daily. Really more than that kind of gets old, in my personal opinion. Ok the exception proves the rule but as a scheduled task, daily is plenty.
- Stories. Yes use stories to let your audience connect with your daily life. Your work. Where you are for a shoot. When the happy mail arrived with the newborn hat. When the adorable kids are opening the present you gave them. The personal things. Use it. Plus Instagram likes you better for it and will rank you higher, so I hear!
- Interact with others and have them interact with you.
- Use hashtags properly. Don’t use a hashtag that’s irrelevant, please!
- Use your professional camera for the pictures. Let’s really show our work, not the iPhone camera quality, because we can! We are photographers!!!!!!!!
Lots more coming about Instagram in it’s very own post here soon…stay tuned.
- Use this to create beautiful boards according to your niche. So if it’s newborns create boards around posing, blankets, props, studio look, natural look, outdoor settings, family poses, sibling poses, outfits, ideas. If you are a wedding photographer create boards for your brides i.e. bridesmaid gifts, groomsmen gifts, venues, floral arrangements, poses, sweet gifts for each other, food, cakes the list goes on.
- Set up a board for your work. Set a board up for each niche you shoot.
- Keyword your pins and your boards
- Pinterest is second to google as a search engine, locals will start using it to search local services. Get ahead of the game on that one!
- Pin often and use pins that are pretty and good quality!
I don’t find Twitter to be a strong way to connect in a professional way and the same with snapchat. I maybe c-o-m-p-l-e-t-e-l-y wrong and if I am please share and let me know so I can learn!!!!
HOW TO START A PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS :
Part 1: How to Build Your Portfolio When Starting a Photography Business
Part 2: 7 Ways to Find New Photography Clients
Part 3: 5 Proven Strategies for a Successful Photography Blog
Part 4: How to Raise Prices in Your Photography Business
Part 5: What Photography Products to Sell to Your Clients
Part 6: Using Social Media Wisely for your Photography Business
Hi I’m Erin a Southern mama from South Mississippi, owner and chief editor of Sixth Bloom a blog helping mom-tographers capture their kiddos and life, talking all things home, parenting and how we navigate through life. You will find me living life to the fullest with my mister (aka husband) and our little one year old, Miss Elle, in our 500+ sq foot cottage as we build our dream house on our two acres! We are blessed beyond measure, love to travel, involved in ministry at our church and in between all of that I run three successful businesses!
Esperanza says
Great write-up, I’m regular visitor of one’s website, maintain up the nice operate,
and It’s going to be a regular visitor for a long time.
Kimba says
Facebook 5-6 times a DAY? Good grief. I would unfollow any business who does that. I think 5-6 times a week is a bit much, too!