You have decided on a domain name and your website has been designed, what’s next… Marketing! There are many facets to marketing and today we are going to discuss tips to enhance your website to be appealing to clients.
I think the biggest key for photographers, are the images they display! When I get a call from a photographer and they want me to check out their site, the first thing I do is look at the images they have posted. Most of the time they are wonderful photos, however, they are the wrong photos to invoke emotion.
For example, when a wedding photographer is showing his work to a prospective couple the only images that should be used are ‘emotional photos’ of wedding couples that are obviously in love! When perspective clients view these photos they should feel the love, or the photos won’t make the cut. They know you will have beautiful cake and flower photos, but they want the loving feelings of that day to show through their photos. By displaying those precise photos you will be saying ‘I can make it happen.’ You will be capturing the moment all couples dream about. So keep this idea in mind when showing your photos. The concept of ‘emotional photos’ can apply to any type of event: weddings, sports, graduations, and more.
The content will be very important to get people to your site. The more information you add about what you do, how you do it, and where you do it, makes your site more accessible. Using the words associated with a wedding (area, reception facilities, church, lodging etc.) allows Google to put you at the top of the search list. If I were a wedding photographer I would have a directory of all the reception places in my area, talk about what I like about them, and describe how many people each reception place holds. If you really want to hit it out of the park, add those romantic photos of couples that you photographed at those locations and your phone will start ringing. Your site just added key things; good content, your site is now a resource for brides, and adding those images will make you shine. This content will ensure their trust in your quality and you will find more clients and less price shoppers. Once I was listening to an amazing speaker on Ted Talk and she asked, “What do you think people want to know you for? Your product, your service or your brand? The answer is none of the above - they want to be them! If they are getting married they want be in love like in the movies, for sports, they want to look bad ass, and dancers want to look like they are on Broadway. Make them feel like super stars!
Success Tip #1: Having a Website... What is Myth and what is Fact.
An important thing to keep in mind is to make it easy for clients to contact you and let them know what area you serve. Example: Based in Traverse City Michigan, serving a 60 mile radius. I learned that lesson many years ago. There is a very rich summer community about 40 miles from Traverse City, with homes that start at about 4 million. I went after it: tried all kinds of things: ads in their paper, 800 numbers, but no response, until I added the radius. Bottom line, they knew I was from Traverse and did not think I would drive that far. After the simple idea of adding the radius to my ad, I landed three jobs that year. Two of them were the highest paid I contracted in the twelve years I owned the company. And you can always add the distance you are willing to travel and also if you are open to destination weddings/events.
For sports photographers the same rules apply: great action images on your home page with your custom features that make them rock. Show different ways they can get their photos enhanced from your work. The photos you show tells them you find the super star in them and they will look amazing.
When photographing HS seniors, find out what makes them tic, and turn that into images they will cherish and will pass on to their own children. This is a big step for these young people, the older we get the less we remember this.
The bottom line is your web site shows lots of emotion – lots of love – lots of understanding, for your customers that these images will end up in grandmother’s album years from now, and that she would not sell them for all the money in the world.
You document life, you capture the spit second that will never happen again – be sure to showcase these defining moments that on your website.
Writing by Michael Connors – www.morephotos.com