Being a good photographer used to be enough to make a decent living, but those days are long gone. Now, every other person owns a good camera or knows a "professional photographer". In a world where the demand for photography is far exceeded by the number of active enthusiasts and pro photographers, being a blip on the radar seems a challenging task.
The Internet can be your best friend or your worst enemy in this struggle to make yourself known and to get hired. Let's have a look at the top five reasons to build a strong web presence.
Success Tip #1: Having a Website... What is Myth and what is Fact.
Let the world see who you are
Sometimes we forget how blessed we are to have the Internet. We take it for granted, but the worst part is that we often fail to use it to our advantage. Before the '90s, a photographer who wanted to show his work to a potential client had to plan a meeting. Often these meetings would be very hard to get, especially in the fashion and advertising industries. To actually show your photos to people demanded effort. Now, you can just make your own Wordpress page and have your work seen by the entire planet. There is more power to that than what we initially believe.
Networking
Having a web presence means more than posting some photos online or getting likes on Facebook. It's one of the best ways to build a solid network of professionals you can collaborate with or get work from. Nothing is slow anymore, and keeping up with the right people is crucial for success.
Expand visual identity
Who you are as a photographer can be dictated not only by your photos, but also by your website. Creating a visual identity is something that will set you apart from the rest of the crowd. You might need some help to do it, but in the end, it's one of the most important advantages of having a solid web presence.
Sell
Your web presence equals a direct bridge between you and your client. You can therefore sell your work or your services without a middleman. Again, this is something we should be more grateful for. It also implies more responsibility and it demands a set of basic business skills, but it's better to be your own salesman than to be out of work completely.
Reach the niche
Every self respecting photographer has a target niche, or at least an ideal client profile. By maintaining a constant web presence and promoting yourself in a smart way, you are able to reach the exact kind of clients that you want to work with. Google Adwords and Facebook are great examples of tools you can use to achieve this goal.
As a final thought, having a solid online presence is something you have to be committed to. It's not the kind of thing you do once a month and it might not be the most interesting thing you will do as a photographer, but at the end of the day, the benefits clearly outweigh the effort.
Writing by Michael Connors – www.morephotos.com