As passionate photographers, many of us get into this field to pursue our love for the art. Very soon, we start pursuing a business instead and build it around what we are most passionate about. But once we hit obstacles along the way, it becomes apparent that building something doesn't always mean they will come to you on their own accord After all, "build and they'll come" is not nearly enough anymore; now people need an audience before they visit your work or buy from you because social media has made them feel entitled in ways unseen before so learning how best to use these channels can be very advantageous if one wants success as a photographer today.
Fabulous photographs do not always mean paying clients straight away. It takes thousands of great pictures, plus hours of social media networking and investment in building a community to get one small trickle of clients that may come your way. However don't lose hope because if done right this approach will slowly work its way towards providing steady stream or jobs for you! Social Media is an excellent tool with which to build online presence gradually working up the ranks from hobbyist photographer all the way up to professional photography powerhouse. Not only does it provide you exposure to your target audience, it also helps you connect with industry peers and grow your business with new opportunities as people start getting exposure to your work.
Social Media Tips For Photographers
Here are some tips that we will discuss for making the most out of social media, especially for beginning photographers.
Understanding Social Media Platforms
· Be selective - you canʼt do them all
· Identify where your potential clients will be on social media
· Blogging versus Website
· Create a plan
· Engage your audience
· Create quality content
· Have some fun with it
Understand Social Media Platforms Letʼs be real. There are what seem like hundreds of social media platforms out there, and new ones sprout up every day. You have to understand that a social media platform that is appropriate for me might not be the right one for you. It is also important to note that what is popular and trendy today isn't necessarily what will be fanciful tomorrow. Different genres of photography have different characteristics, and even photographers in the same genre gravitated towards different platforms based on their personalities. The best place to start is to understand where photographers in your industry live online and how they are utilizing those platforms.
If you do lifestyle and small business branding and a lot of your clients could find you via social media.
PICK THE ONES THAT ARE RIGHT FOR YOU, NOT OTHERS In order to make an educated and informed decision about where you want to spend your time online, it is very important to understand the following things:
Know Your Brand
Who are you as a photographer, and what does your brand stand for? Are you an adventure loving outdoor photographer?
Or do you love architecture and street photography? Perhaps you are a fashion photographer? Based on what type of photography you want to specialize in and what brand message you want to convey, pick social media channels that make sense to you.
KNOW YOUR IDEAL CLIENT
Knowing your client is very crucial to understand, not just for social media but also to effectively build your photography business. If you are a corporate photographer that wants to specialize in headshots and corporate events, LinkedIn and other professional channels might be the best place to invest your time and effort. However, if you are a wedding and lifestyle portrait photographer, LinkedIn might not be the best place to be. Instead, sites like Instagram and/or Snapchat might be a better place for you to showcase your talents and make connections because that is where your ideal clients are spending their time online.
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
Knowing who each of your potential customers is and communicating directly to their needs via your imagery will help you book your ideal client and grow your business.
BLOG VERSUS WEBISTE
Technically, a blog is also a website. There are many businesses that do extremely well with one or the other. There is no right or wrong approach here, no matter what you decide. For me, my website showcases my photographs and attention is directed to my target audience which includes decorators, interior designers and corporate clients; whereas my blog is where I get to showcase my personality – my writing style, my passion projects and the experiences I had while capturing the photographs. I direct my clients first to my website and then say something like ‘If you want to check out some of my more recent work, you can follow my blogʼ. And donʼt feel like once you pick a platform you have to stick to it. My first website was a portfolio site and a few years later I created a website when I knew what I was doing and then integrated the blog into it.
Keep in mind, the photographs on your website might not always change. A blog, however, is where you can consistently update by adding new posts. The updates help tremendously with getting your site ranked higher on search engine pages.
CREATE A PLAN
Just like your business, your social media should also have a plan of action. Get organized with what platforms you want to target (It is absolutely okay to pick just one and only one).
Create a roadmap for your posting schedule – Are you going to post once a week? Are you going to post one picture a day? Do you have a theme for each post? No matter what you choose, make sure it is manageable and not overwhelming. It is better to start slow and pick up the pace over time. Get organized with your content. Use the imagery that you
have to create the content for your website and/or blog.
There are also many automation tools out there to help you manage your time. Use them to your advantage. For example, if you have a Facebook Business page you can schedule your content ahead of time so you are not spending time each day to post to your business page. If you have an Instagram account, you can use apps like Later and Planoly to schedule your content, similarly to Pinterest.
ENGAGE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE
Remember that social media is all about being social with your media. Engage with your audience. Donʼt just post something on your social media and disappear until the next time you are going to post online. Over time you will find that people who follow you and your work want to engage with you. They want to feel like they know you and can interact with you, ask questions and know a little bit about you. Make it easy for them to do so by answering their questions and engaging with them. Going all in on social media eats time so do be aware of this.
You can also form some amazing industry connections via social media. Be visually engaging and heartfully genuine.
Create conversations and give your audience a way to participate. Ask questions, engage and create dialogue.
CREATE QUALITY CONTENT
Photography is a visual art form, so in order to be true to that art form, it is very important to understand all the technical elements that go into creating an impactful image. When you post your work on social media, make sure you are paying attention to all the elements that go into making a great image. Be aware of the lighting and composition as well as the editing you do to your images. It is very tempting to take a quick mobile phone image, slap on a filter or two and post it online as a representation of your work and your brand. But I challenge you to take a step back and ask yourself if the image you are posting is a true representation of your work before you post any image.
Be intentional about what you post online under your brand. The aesthetic of the posts you add to your social media profiles should reflect your photographic work as a whole. That said, if you are an avid social media user for your photography business, also have fun with it and make your experience and engagement enjoyable for others. Across all of your social media platforms post examples of your work that reflect you as a professional photographer. Share behind the scenes content, show your passion and tell your story as a photographer. Be disciplined and don't stray away from your professional message. Use captions to create a personal story that your audience can relate to and connect with.
If you have made it this far down this blog post and are still intrigued with social media and how you can use it for your photography, I applaud you. One of the most important aspects of social media is to engage and have fun. If you are just starting out in photography, donʼt be intimidated by it. Instead, use it to inspire you creatively and connect with fellow artists. Above all else, be genuine in your thirst for creative growth, inject your personality into your work, and donʼt worry about the numbers. Furthermore, don't worry so much about what others are posting and also be original.
Donʼt focus on the numbers; focus on letting your personality show. Other users really donʼt want perfectly curated feeds; they want authenticity. They want you to be real.
I end with one of my favorite quotes in life and in work: ‘Be yourself, because everyone else is already taken.ʼ One of the most frustrating trends that happens on social media is one copies another and the other copies you. Don't be like that. Be true to yourself and post your best photographs and stories.
If you want to connect with me further about photography, social media or life in general, feel free to connect with me via my own social media channels. Drop a line or two and start a genuine conversation. I'm not an avid social media user, in fact I don't care for social media at all, but when I'm on I'll definitely keep up with what you're doing and your progress.
Self-Check Quiz:
1. How can focusing on social media help you improve your photography?
2. Where is the best place to start when picking a social media platform?
3. Why is it important to know your brand, ideal client, and audience?
4. Is a blog also a website?
5. Name two apps that can help you schedule content posts.
6. Why is it important to engage your audience?
7. When building an online audience, what should you focus on - numbers or personality?
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