As a photographer, you have a ton on your plate: meeting with clients, taking and editing photos, ordering products, not to mention the responsibilities of your family and personal life. Adding marketing your business to the list, including writing and posting blogs, can sometimes seem like just too much. After all, is blogging really that important?
Blogging is an essential part of your marketing strategy. An active, regularly updated blog lets any visitor to your site know that you are actively working on your business and providing resources and educational content for your current and potential clients.
Think of it this way: If you drive by a local business and see that there are no lights on in the building, are you going to assume they’re open and walk right up to the door? Probably not. Chances are you will see no lights on and think the business is closed.
Blogging is the digital version of keeping the lights on for your photography business. If visitors to your site see a blog that hasn’t been updated in months, they will assume the lights are off and no one is home. But if they see a blog that is regularly updated with new content, visitors will know that you are definitely open for their business.
Maintaining and posting to your blog requires a lot of work. It can be time-consuming and requires all your creative ability. But all the time and effort that goes into a blog is definitely worth it. Blogging can help you drive more traffic to your website, engage with potential clients and even get more leads. The right content can make all the difference in the world for you and your business.
If you feel overwhelmed and tempted to quit blogging, you’re not alone. Plenty of photographers struggle to keep up with a regular blog posting schedule on top of all their other business and personal commitments. But don’t make a permanent decision based on a temporary problem. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why photographers think about saying goodbye to blogging—and how you can solve those issues and make your blog work for you.
You’re not getting enough website traffic
If a blog is supposed to drive additional traffic to your site and you’re not seeing an increase in traffic, you may be tempted to take a break from writing blog posts and focus on your photography. And that’s totally understandable. Why devote time and energy to creating blog posts that no one reads?
While limited website traffic is a problem, it’s not a reason to stop blogging. You can improve your traffic by focusing on the right keywords people are searching for and optimizing your posts with those keywords and phrases. You can also work on building an engaged email list of readers, which not only can help drive traffic to your site but can also help you generate more leads. And don’t be afraid to put a little money behind your blog posts—you can promote your content on a minimal budget with targeted Facebook ads, driving more traffic to your site.
Your content isn’t engaging readers
Engagement is one of the top challenger content marketers face, regardless of industry. For photographers, especially those without writing or marketing experience, creating engaging content can be a huge struggle, but it’s not a reason to give up blogging entirely.
Before you write more content, get a clear idea of your target audience. Think about your ideal client and build out a profile for them. Consider everything from the basics like age, political preferences and religious beliefs to the more specific, like where they like to shop and eat, their income level, and their interests. The more you know about your audience, the more easily you can create content that appeals specifically to them and answers their questions.
While these issues can be frustrating, they shouldn’t signal the end of your blogging journey. If you give up on blogging, you’re missing out on a critical opportunity to improve your SEO, connect with potential clients and strengthen your brand.
Stay top of mind with potential clients
When you blog recent sessions, people can see that you’re not just a photography business—you’re an active photography business. They know that you’re constantly working on and improving your skills and that plenty of other people trust you to capture the important moments in their lives. When these people are looking for a photographer, you will be on the top of their mind because of your regular blogging. And when you post additional content, such as tips and how-to guides, visitors will know that you can answer their questions and help them get the images they want. Blogging allows you to establish yourself as an authority and an expert in your photography niche and lets potential clients know that you’re a true professional.
Help visitors get to know you
Most people are more likely to book a photographer who they feel that they can trust, someone they feel that they know and understand. Blogging gives you a chance to show off not just your skill behind the camera, but your personality. Let readers know what you love and why photography means so much to you. Show off your skills, but also show off your knowledge and expertise. Prove to potential clients why you’re a true professional and the photographer they should go with when they want to book a session. Remember to be authentic and genuine, letting your personality help you stand out online.
If you’re not sure how to write an effective blog post, we’ve got you covered with our article on the subject here.
Recognize vendors and partners
If you’re a wedding photographer (or any other type of photographer who works with vendors like hair stylists and makeup artists), be sure to acknowledge the other vendors who were part of the event by linking to their websites. They will appreciate the recognition and the chance to show off their work with your images. Plus, they can even share your blog to show their potential clients weddings they have worked on in the past, bringing additional recognition to you and your website.
Build up your credibility
The more you blog and offer helpful information to your readers, the more potential clients will see you as an authority and expert resource in your field. There’s no shortcut to gaining credibility—it has to be earned, and blogging gives you the chance to show people you know exactly what you’re talking about and can create the images they want.
Improve your SEO
Search engine optimization is a constant work-in-progress, but it’s a lot harder without a blog. Google and other search engines are looking for engagement and interaction, as well as strategically-placed keywords, and you can create both with regular blog posts!
If you’re not sure where to start with your SEO, check out our SEO for Photographers course or schedule your Free SEO Audit. We’ve even put together some great SEO checklists to help you get your website in the best possible shape for search engine optimization.
In addition to regular blog posts on previous sessions, you can also provide your clients with tips and advice on sessions, like information on what to wear, what to bring and how to prepare. Fortunately, we’ve already put together blogs for photography niches on a variety of topics.