how to market your photography

25

Upload: elie-angles

Post on 03-Apr-2016

218 views

Category:

Documents


2 download

DESCRIPTION

 

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: How to market your photography

TABLE of CONTENTS

copy 2014 PhotoShelter IncNo part of this publication may be reproduced stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic mechanical photocopying recording scanning or otherwise without the prior written consent of PhotoShelter Inc The logos of the companies described are the trademarks of their respective owners No endorsement is implied

PhotoShelter Inc makes no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation

INTRO

Introduction

3 Questions to Answer Before You Start Marketing

Key Marketing Concepts

How to Create a Marketing Plan

THE INS amp OUTS OF KEY MARKETING CHANNELS

Tackling Google amp Building Your SEO

Get Social 4 Tips That Can Help You Succeed on Every Platform

How to Blog Better

Three Easy Steps to Use Email Marketing to Your AdvantageBy Mira Mad Mimi email newsletter coach

Conclusion amp Resources

5

12

5

6

8

11

12

14

17

20

23

PART I

PART II

3THE PHOTOGRAPHERrsquoS GUIDE TO TWITTER

Try PhotoShelter FREE for 30 daysBuild a stronger photo business with a PhotoShelter website

With PhotoShelter you also get powerful features and resources to

market your photos such as SEO and social sharing capabilities in

addition to the most options for licensing photography selling prints

online and pro-strength file delivery tools to please your clients

GET STARTEDLearn more amp join PhotoShelter todayOr visit photosheltercomsignup and enter

Questions Contact us anytime at 212-206-0808 or supportphotosheltercom

Offer only valid for new PhotoShelter users

MARKETING

SPECIAL OFFER

5HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

very freelance photographer faces the very same conundrummdashwhen yoursquore busy with cli-ents yoursquore likely not spending time marketing

your businessThis typically produces a feast or famine lifestyle that nobody enjoys Hunt for new projects then work like crazy then hunt for new projects again and again It doesnrsquot take an advanced MBA to recognize that this is not a sustainable way to run a business To help you out inside this guide yoursquoll find a variety of on-line marketing strategies and tips that can help produce a steady pipeline of new prospects and keep existing cli-ents coming back for more

Yoursquoll find that these techniques are well suited for photography freelancers because they require minimal financial investment (Donrsquot think yoursquore getting off so easy they will certainly require a significant time in-vestment but wersquoll discuss how to make smart decisions about where and how to spend that precious time)

Always keep in mind that your smart online marketing strategy starts and ends with two primary goals 1) Cre-ating multiple ways for people who need your services to find you and engage with you online 2) Converting these people into paying clients This guide addresses both goals with dozens of tactics to help get you started or advance the strategies you have in place today The best part is thismdashwith the proper attention it really can all happen alongside making great images and pleasing your current clients

So itrsquos time to make a big commitment to break the cy-cle that comes from being ldquotoo busy for marketingrdquo This will involve changing your workflow to include some upfront planning ongoing testing and tweaking and a

PART I

Intro long term approach to optimizing your online presence and building relationships across multiple online chan-nels This guide is your blueprint to finding the right online marketing mix for your business

Ready to get started

6HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

e want to help you think through key ar-eas to help market your business and reach more clients Marketing your photography

business is a process which means there is no one-stop-shop formula for success to ldquohit the jackpotrdquo But the good news is that if you plug away in a few major areas yoursquoll start to solidify your brand attract more eyeballs to your website and be top-of-mind for potential buyers and clients Here are three major questions you should address before you launch your marketing efforts

Who is your audienceDefining and understanding your audience is crucial to shaping your business your products (yes your photog-raphy is a ldquoproductrdquo) your brand and your marketing efforts as whole Without clearly defining who yoursquore targeting you canrsquot clearly define why yoursquore reaching out to certain folks over others As a result your mar-keting will lack focus (at best) and look sloppy and out of sync (at worst)

For example if yoursquore a polar and environmental pho-tographer your audience isnrsquot womenrsquos lifestyle and fashion editors This may seem obvious but being able to clearly articulate who yoursquore targeting (and not tar-geting) will help you strategically focus your services and marketing efforts to appeal to the right group

PART I

3 Questions to Answer Before You Start Marketing

What may not be as obvious is the case of the pho-tographer who has multiple specialties as many (if not most) do these days You may do editorial work during the week but shoot weddings on the weekends for that extra bump in income What then Well yoursquoll still want to clearly define each audience for each specialty you havemdashand yoursquoll want to have a marketing strategy suited for each as well A one-size-fits-all approach may cause confusion or a feel-ing among prospective clients that yoursquore really not the ldquoexpertrdquo at any one thingmdashor at least at the thing they care most about In short they wonrsquot find you relevant for their needs

Says one art director from an advertising agency ldquoPho-tographers make mistakes when they donrsquot clearly po-sition themselves in their outreach I need to know what type of photographer they are and their style If it looks like they are all over the place I canrsquot be confi-dent that they can do my job wellrdquo

Truly understanding your target market also gives you several advantages Most importantly you know what appeals to them

What is Your Unique Selling Point As you get a hold on your audiencersquos needs this will help you identify your unique selling pointmdashor what your business offers that helps you stand out from the pack and to keep you top of mind Differentiating your brand and your services from your competitors can be the ultimate key to effective marketing and getting new business through the door

1

2

Defining and understanding your audience is

crucial to shaping your business

7HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

So first you need to make a determination What is it that you offer your target cus-tomers Can you clearly state this Is your unique offering based on a specialty (eg underwater photography) or certain access (eg US military) or skill (eg lighting) Or is your unique offering based on the service delivered or tangible product the customer will be purchasing (eg boudoir portrait sessions or photo-wrapped Mini Coopers) A good first step to determine your unique selling point is to survey your competition and determine whether they have service offerings that you could replicate and then improve upon Next if you sell products analyze what has sold for you in the past year Can you pinpoint why they sold well What about those products was attractive to buyers (If yoursquore not sure itrsquos okay to ask) Also think about the clients or projects that have been particularly successful What about these projects made them so Fo-cus in on these factors or traits and make them known to your clients and prospects

Is your website as great as you are

II

I

3

come to a site that feels stale and out of date yoursquore inclined to click out To keep your own site fresh you want to plan out a series of regular updatesmdashrefreshing a portfolio or gallery a new blog post on your latest shoot etc Regularly updating your website can also help improve your ranking on major search engines which rank sites with fresh content favorably To have a competitive and highly functional website this year here are a few items your site should have

gtClear contact information and ldquoaboutrdquo page gtWell organized portfolio sections or galleries gtE-commerce capabilities (if you sell prints or stock) gt File delivery (so you can send files to clients with your brand) gt Blog that is updated regularly (we recommend at least once a week)

If you can map out and answer these three questions yoursquore in great shape to estab-lish your marketing plan and attract quality potential clients

When it comes to marketing your photography your website is your headquarters Itrsquos your greatest tool your virtual business card a reflection of your professionalism and (should be) a way to easily connect with you or transact with clients who want to license your work or buy your prints and products

So as a first step if you donrsquot consider your website as central to marketing your busi-ness then itrsquos time to start Think about your own experience online As soon as you

If you dont consider your website as

central to marketing your business

then its time to start

Website by Lindsay Adler

8HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

efore diving in to map out your strategy there are a few key marketing concepts you should know Letrsquos go through each

MANAGING YOUR TIMEFinancial budgets can be very carefully allocated and eas-ily tracked across a mix of marketing activities Time on the other hand tends to be harder for many to budget and optimize This gets even more complicated when you in-troduce tactics like social media and Search Engine Opti-mization (SEO) the cost of which is primarily your time while the results may not be immediate In fact generally everyone arrives at a moment when they ask themselves ldquoIs all this really worth my timerdquo Therersquos a way to find out Two important business terms to get familiar with are Return on Investment (ROI) and Opportunity Cost These are objective tools at your disposal to help you carve up the time you budget for marketing To get the data you need however you must enforce a discipline of tracking your own time monitoring the result of your efforts and avoiding activities that may feel productive but are not (like bantering with friends on Twitter for example)

PART I

Key Marketing Concepts

RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI)ROI is a term that marketers borrowed from the fi-nancial world Financial analysts have always measured their investments to know exactly how investments are performing Marketing on the other hand arrived late to the analytics party

Essentially ROI in its simplest form translates to ldquobang for your buckrdquo The ldquoinvestmentrdquo is what you put in likely your marketing dollars or your time The ldquoreturnrdquo is what you get out which is hopefully revenue (Sure inspiration or satisfaction might be considered the re-turn as well but letrsquos stick to the hard stuff)

ROI is a valuable metric because it can help you examine every marketing activity and know the dollar amount that results from every dollar (or hour) you invest This can also be expressed as a percentage Once you estab-lish the ROI across all of your marketing activities you can start making decisions about where to spend more or less of your time

OPPORTUNITY COSTAll businesses especially freelancers have to make tough decisions about where time and money are spent The concept of opportunity cost provides an easy way to think about managing these decisions especially when yoursquore faced with any number of attractive marketing opportunities Therersquos a cost associated with not doing something and thatrsquos the revenue you would get out of that specific activity So you incur an ldquoopportunity costrdquo by continuing to engage in any one activity while yoursquore passing up the revenue associated with doing something else Without getting too academic letrsquos just attack this

Its not smart to keep doing one activity when you

know another activity can produce more revenue

9HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

head onmdashitrsquos not smart to keep doing one activity when you know another activity can produce more revenue

In practical terms you probably market your freelance business on Facebook and Twitter The time you invest here is time yoursquore not spending cold calling advertising agencies to book portfolio reviews Hence the opportunity cost is the revenue yoursquore passing up by focusing your time on social media instead of cold calling If cold calling is more pro-ductive for your business allocating your scarce time toward social media may just be a poor decision On the other hand if the investment in social media will create links that improve how clients find you the payoff may come over a longer term

Low ROI High ROI

High Investment

Low Investment

Think through your investments in terms of the output High investment is ok if you get high output Low investment with high ROI is the best You want to avoid high investment low ROI

As you invest your time and money into various marketing channels be sure to keep track of how much yoursquore putting in and what your return is from those efforts You can think of return on levels including customer acquisition brand awareness lead genera-tion etc As a busy photographer on a tight budget your goal of course is to invest at little time and money as possible but receive a high return (see chart above) There is no silver bullet for this unfortunatelymdashyou need to experiment and diligently track what works and what doesnrsquot

CONVERSION THE MOST CRITICAL CONCEPTIf you want to be a savvy internet marketer you need to start thinking in terms of conversion

Everywhere you exist online you should have a desired goalmdashthe behavior you hope to induce For example your websitersquos goal may be to drive visitors to purchase a print for

II

I example inquire about your services sign up for your newsletter or any other possible step closer to generating revenue Completing this goal is considered a ldquoconversionrdquo A random visitor who becomes a paying customer represents one conversion More conversions make you more successful So a metric to pay very close attention to is your ldquoconversion raterdquo Conversion rate represents the percentage of people who complete your desired goal See formula

Conversion rate = Visitors who complete the goalTotal visitors In addition to knowing the overall conversion rate of your website you should know the conversion rate for any given marketing effort With the help of a tool like Google Analytics you can even monitor the conversion rate of people who view specific con-tent on your website or come in from a specific source (eg Facebook)

THE INTERNET MARKETING FUNNELHerersquos a very important way to think about marketing your business Imagine a big funnel Every time someone engages with you (letrsquos say visits your website) theyrsquore entering the top of your funnel Your conversion goal is for site visitors to inquire online about your services or perhaps purchase something directly Those who convert come out the bottom of the funnel However as visitors navigate around your website people tend to drop off For example maybe they determine yoursquore not a fit for their needs or donrsquot like your branding or canrsquot find your email address So it should become very obvious that two primary factors can impact your suc-cess The first is your conversion ratemdashhow well you turn visitors into paying cus-tomers Improving your conversion rate against your typical monthly website traf-fic creates more paying customers The second is traffic Improving the volume of traffic coming through your funnel (at the same conversion rate) will result in more paying customers too

Marketing efforts however typically involve multi-stage funnels For example you generate an email campaign and a small group opens it then a smaller group clicks through to your website then a smaller group clicks the ldquobuyrdquo button and a smaller group finishes the sale through credit card processingThe point is your conversion rate gets whittled down with every additional step in the buyingengagement process Thatrsquos why simultaneously increasing the funnel and improving conversion are of para-mount importance in growing a business

Investment (TimeMoney) vs ROI (What yoursquore getting back)

10HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Once you establish a baseline for traffic and conversion rate you can start making smart-er decisions about your marketing efforts Such as how much traffic is necessary to hit your growth targets and which marketing efforts deserve more resources and attention

YOUR ONLINE FOOTPRINTOnce upon a time having only a website was sufficient to market your work ldquoTaking a business onlinerdquo meant moving away from the brick and mortar world to establish a website thus creating a foothold in the online world When prospects wanted to know more about you and your services they could visit your website expecting to find a typical explanation of your services a list of clients and some examples of your work Times have changed Now the best way to enhance your online footprint is by estab-lishing a presence across a multitude of web properties including your own website(s) social media platforms community forums trade organizations blogs etc There are several smart reasons to build an online footprint including the top reason Yoursquore more likely to get found A more robust online presence creates multiple ways for prospects to find you When more people can find you yoursquore widening your funnel (whether theyrsquore searching for you specifically or your services) to capture more traffic Because content is indexed highly efficiently by search engines and links are frequently shared via social media it is now likely that most prospects are not necessarily coming through ldquothe front doorrdquomdashyour traditional website homepage Rather theyrsquore finding you elsewhere online or finding a specific piece of content thatrsquos highly relevant to their needs To take advan-tage of this your online marketing strategy should explore relevant opportunities to create new profiles descriptively keyworded so they help you get found on key terms and these profiles should point back to your website (the center of your online market-ing presence) where prospects may continue to engage with you

MANAGE YOUR BRANDWhen gathering intelligence about a potential service provider like yourself it is typi-cal for prospects to perform a Google search Having multiple profiles to support your own branding will enable prospects to ldquotriangulaterdquo the data and make a positive judg-ment about your credibility For example outdoor and adventure photographer Corey Rich has a unified on-line presence across multiple platforms including his website blog Twitter profile

LOSE THE ldquoFRONT DOORrdquo MENTALITYThe reality is the pathway that yoursquove imagined potential clients will engage with you is probably very different than the actual pathway For instance life would be very simple if a corporate creative director received your email promotion visited your website clicked your ldquocontact merdquo link requested your portfolio and hired you for a gig

But sales cycles are rarely ever so neat and tidy Managing your online footprint with multiple hooks gives prospects a way to engage with you wherever they feel most com-fortable in a way that provides either direct contact or relative anonymity For example that same creative director may not have an immediate need for your services yet may be compelled to follow you on Twitter Facebook or Instagram or subscribe to your blog feed or newsletter This gives them a way to stay engaged yet avoid the time commit-ment of a portfolio review and pitch from you until the opportunity is right for them One word of caution about your online footprintmdashbeyond creating the profile you need to carefully monitor and maintain certain sites to ensure you create a visible ldquopulserdquo This means managing the frequency of posts answering questions and updating links

Facebook Page and Instagram Feedmdashall of which help an inquiring prospect get to know him better

Each channel adds to Coreyrsquos credibility that hersquos working photographer with a strong online presence and dedication to his work

Corey Rich

wwwcoreyrichcom

newscoreyrichcom

wwwtwittercomcoreyrich

wwwfacebookcomCoreyRichProductions

wwwinstagramcomcoreyrichproductions

11HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

ven the word ldquomarketing planrdquo can sound daunt-ing but donrsquot get tripped up on terminology Still if you expect to see an increase in clientssales you

need to have a plan for specific marketing tactics that will drive this improvement Our recommendation is to simply think about different marketing categories and then list out activities that you could do in each

Your marketing plan shouldnrsquot be designed to treat each po-tential customer as if they were in the same state of readi-ness to hire you or buy something from you For example some people who walk into the Gap are just passing the time a smaller percentage want to try on a pair of jeans and an even smaller percentage walk into the store ready to buy

When you consider different activities in each category think about how people in different parts of the ldquosales cyclerdquo would react You might do a low cost postcard campaign to blanket as many photo buyers and editors And you might do a more expensive photo book to send to your top 10 to make a larger impression You wouldnrsquot treat the customer whorsquos just looking for a place to sit down the same as the one whorsquos ready to buy a pair of jeans Your marketing ef-forts should be nuanced

Additionally you need to remember one-time marketing efforts rarely pay off You often need to experiment with multiple campaigns through multiple channels to get on peoplersquos radars and convert them into customers Increasing your ldquobrand awarenessrdquo amongst your potential customers is arguably as important as converting a small percentage of them into paying customers

PART I

How to Create a Marketing Plan

Here are a few channels to consider

gtEmail Marketing Newsletters E-promos gtDirect Mail Postcards Books Posters gt Social Media Twitter Facebook Instagram gtEvents Trade Shows Portfolio Reviews gt Inbound Tactics SEO Optimization gt Lead Capture Blog Website gt Blogging Opinion pieces Gear reviews be-hind-the-scenes

DO THIS raquo Create a list of current and future marketing activities

raquo Create a rough estimate of timemoney that you will expend on each

raquo Create a rough ROI (return on investment) that each initiative will bring

raquo Jettison highlow investment ROI projects Plan campaigns around high ROI projects Remember to take into account that some efforts may take longer to see a ldquoreturnrdquo so make sure yoursquore balancing short and long term gain (eg efforts that build awareness vs those that might bring in customers immediately)

12HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Tackling Google amp Building Your SEO

hat is Search Engine Optimization (SEO) exactly In short SEO is the process of af-fecting where your website organically ranks

on major search engines like Google Bing etc

Photographers are often vexed by SEO because it seems like a moving target Just when you think your website is ranking well Google changes its algorithm

determining which SEO factors hold most influence in the rankings and you lose half your traffic The frus-tration might be warranted but the fact of the matter is that everyone uses search engines to find services and products online And no matter what you search for some websites always comes up first and subse-quently gain a massive marketing benefit

Photo by Jim Goldstein

13HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

ous photo blogs magazines or newspapers Link aggregator sites like Stumbleupon Digg and Reddit can also be a great way to get a large number of people talking about your photography very quickly

ON-PAGE CONTENT refers to the text that appears on your website On many photographer websites there is very limited text which is a problem from an SEO perspective As much as you might want your photography to ldquospeak for itselfrdquo you still need textual content to rank within search engines If you are a New York portrait photographer then ldquoNew York portrait photographerrdquo should appear on your website So should words and phrases that are similar in nature like ldquoI specialize in corporate and editorial portraiture in the New York and Tri-state areardquo Similarly your images need captions and titles and the more detail the better

Obviously you want your images to be front and center so use your ldquoAboutrdquo page or other pages to list the products you sell awards yoursquove won workshops you give etc

II

I Although there are many different factors that affect SEO we like to think of two main categories that you can focus on to simplify things

gtOn-page content gt Building links to your website

In an information rich society we are highly dependent on search engines to find what we are looking for whether itrsquos a local plumber or a portrait photographer in Des Moines You simply cannot drive enough traffic to your website by handing out business cards The goal of SEO is unsolicited trafficmdashpeople looking for your products and services without knowing who you are

Hopefully your website provider has automated much of the SEO techno-geek stuff for you This might include

gt unique page titles gtmeta description gt lth1gt (aka HTML headline tags) gt IMG alt attributes gtmicroformats gt sitemaps gt optimized page load times

Although there are countless factors that affect where you rank on a search engine here are two things among them that hold some of the greatest weight

BACKLINKS TO YOUR WEBSITE is arguably the most important factor in increasing your SEO Each link represents an ldquoendorsementrdquo and the number of links partially influences how much of your website will be indexed by the search engines and where you appear in search results The process of ldquobacklinkrdquo creation can seem like a very ambiguous task but in fact itrsquos quite simple There are two ways to build links 1) do it yourself or 2) get other people to link to your website

Maintaining a blog and a strong presence on social media networks are some of the easiest ways to link to yourself Each time you photograph something new create a gallery on your website then write a blog entry which links to that gallery Another tactic is to take advan-tage of profiles you can create with photography trade associations or community groups

Getting other people to link to you is a bit harder you need to have something on your site that makes them want to link to you Perhaps yoursquove worked on a long-term photo project that has some relevance right now You might pitch a gallery of images to vari-

DO THIS raquo Create a keyword ldquohitlistrdquo of 20-50 words that you want your website to rank for

Keywords are words and phrases that you think people might potentially search for to find your service For example if yoursquore a nature photographer based in Denver Colorado example keywords that you want your website to rank for might be ldquoDenver Nature Photographyrdquo ldquoColorado Nature Photographerrdquo ldquoNature Photographyrdquo etc

raquo Use your keyword list to inform website copy Google yourself and refine the keywords and phrases as your business and services or the language your specialty and industry uses changes

raquo Check these words against the Google Keyword Planner to determine whether they have appreciable search volume Modify your list accordingly

raquo Search each term to determine your online competition Use MajesticSEO to perform a backlink analysis to determine whether you can displace the competition

raquo Include as much metadata and description as you can to every image you publish online Be consistent with your tagging If you choose to forgo all image descriptions metadata and smart blog titles it can negatively impact your chances of being found (Metadata is informationmdashdatamdashstored within a digital image file) Not only does this help SEO it can help protect your images from theft and misuse

raquo Remember that ldquoinaction is actionrdquo Be active with your blog and website updates so that Google sees your content as fresh Regularly update your website and social media platforms By ignoring them yoursquore telling the search engines yoursquore not relevantmdashthe opposite effect yoursquore looking for to help improve where you rank on Google

2

1

14HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Get Social 4 Tips That Can Help You Succeed on Every Social Media Platform

ver 1 billion people use Facebook Twitter has over 600 million active registered users Insta-gram has over 200 million active monthly users

and LinkedIn comes in at 300 million Social media isnrsquot a fadmdashone could argue it is the glue that creates highly sticky user interaction on the web

Companies are amassing millions of users online with the ability to broadcast messages more frequently and more inexpensively than ever before Celebrities are communicating with fans news outlets are breaking stories and photographers are finding that they can en-ter the social conversation by simply tagging wedding guests in a Facebook album before the guests can or create a following on Instagram by sharing photos from a personal project

Wersquore not saying that every social media outlet will work for every photographer but therersquos enough real evidence to suggest that a strong social media campaign can translate into real marketing exposure and real rev-enue The key point to remember is that your website is not a daily destination for your customers On the other hand hundreds of millions of people login to Facebook daily so its important that you go where your customers already are The argument can be made that different specialities will use social media differentlymdashthatrsquos very true So going back to your understanding of your audience itrsquos a good idea to determine how your audience uses social media to follow photographers and identify new talent For instance if yoursquore a portrait photographer yoursquore probably focused on how you can best harness the social platforms to promote word of mouth Can you come

up with new Facebook strategies that get your clients sharing your images with other potential families and teens And if yoursquore a commercial or editorial photog-rapher maybe yoursquore more interested in using LinkedIn and Twitter to keep former clients and prospects aware of your latest work

Though every platform is different there are four key ldquorulesrdquo to consider to help you successfully showcase your brand on each

BE A PERSON

This is probably the most important rule of social media behavior in general You want to operate as you would in the real world This means you should refrain from constantly selling your services use language that is approachable and share content that is interesting If yoursquore not sure what constitutes interesting content ask yourself if yoursquod be inclined to like share or comment on that post if you saw it on your own Feed And remem-ber that social media is not a one-way street You are participating in a community which means you need to respond and reach out to others (as you would do in an offline conversation)

GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Give a behind-the-scenes look at your shoots the set-up the gear yourself shooting on location or even a sneak peak of a personal project youre working on This can give people an idea of how you work Also think about giving a shout-out to the people you worked with that day This shows yoursquore a team player and also en-courages those you tag to follow and share your work Fashion photographer Lara Jade does a great job at this Check out examples on her Twitter page here

1

2

15HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I

BE CONSISTENT

Itrsquos important to have a consistent voice when you post This means that the general tone content and visuals are recognizable and donrsquot feel random Regularly posting in this way will also let your audience know to expect content from you which will improve engagement

PICK THE RIGHT PHOTO

Whether yoursquore sharing on Twitter Facebook or Instagram you should share a photo that strengthens your voice (which yoursquove thought about and defined)mdashit adheres to your aesthetic by way of style or content etc and shows off work you love We recom-mend sharing at least one photo per day If youre having trouble choosing a photo try to find one that evokes some type of emotion in yourself Chances are it will also have an effect on others as well

Also to help increase your visibility and reach on platforms do this

gt Like or follow pages or feeds from leading photo blogs and other photogra-phers you admire Keep in mind that once you like or follow their accounts

3

4

their content will start to appear in your Feed When you see a post that you think might interest your audience share retweet or comment

gt Sign up for newsletters and subscribe to RSS feeds Some examples include Pro Photo Daily or PDN That way you wonrsquot miss posts from publications and industry thought leaders that are most important to you A service like Feedly or Flipboard will also let you aggregate your favorite blogs in one spot so you can quickly skim for interesting news and updates and then share with your networks

gt Let people know yoursquove shared their work If you share content without using the share or retweet function (so instead by simply linking to an article resource or gallery) consider shooting that blogger an email or message to let them know that yoursquore helping spread their content People appreciate when you help them share their news and taking a quick mo-ment to let them know may make them more likely to share your own content one day

Instagram Photo by Travel Photographer Pei KetronLara Jades Twitter

16HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Want some examples of photographers succeeding with social media Check out a few that we love following on Facebook Twitter amp Instagram

FacebookLisa DevlinJohn KeatelyCorey RichBrooke ShadenBrian Smith

TwitterZack AriasEunique Jones GibsonLucas GilmanLara JadeKen KamineskyMelissa Lyttle

InstagramBrooke DombrowskiTim LandisBrad ManginLandon NordemanAdrienne Pitts

And be sure to check out our latest guides with resources and tips to help you amp up your social presence The Photographerrsquos Guide to Facebook The Photographerrsquos Guide to Twitter and The Photographerrsquos Guide to Instagram

17HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

or a photographer your blog is not just a place to dump links and post photos Your blog is a marketing tool and can be a very effective one

at that The captive online audience is vast comprised of prospective clients photographers looking to learn gear enthusiasts and many other consumers who are actively searching for services like yours

To maximize the flavor potential of your blog you need to reach people with similar tastes Connecting with the right audience starts with a targeted content strategy

ESTABLISHING YOUR BLOGrsquoS BRANDYour portfolio site design how you communicate with clients your logos your deliverables your lighting technique your field of photography ndash all of these elements define your personal brand Your blogrsquos 1 purpose should be to extend this brand

For example if you frequently work with corporate cli-ents your community would not respond well to pro-fanity-laden rants (In general this is a bad idea) But take time to think about who your audience is and what tone and style of writing would resonate best with them

There are multiple points of entry for building a suc-cessful blog Whether you choose the provocative route the educational route the anecdotal route among many others your strategic choices should reflect your brand

TARGETING YOUR AUDIENCE Your brand can also help identify your target audience Like any marketing push it will pay to know who the readers are

PART II

How to Blog Better

You should always strive to create content that attracts and sustains the attention of this audience Not only will this help focus the content strategy but also the needs and prac-tices of your targeted audience will inform how you blog

For example when establishing her company Major Multimedia photographer and multimedia producer Lauren Major wanted to target the nonprofit and so-cial good sector Once she narrowed her target audi-ence she was able to research their online activity and create content that would specifically appeal to the social good user

Photographers who run workshops will often cater the writing on their blog to other photographers This helps establish them as ldquoexpertsrdquo as well as speak directly to prospective attendees and students A blog can also help photographers continue a dialogue with current and former clients as well as attract potential new ones

Additionally alternative and edgy UK wedding pho-tographer Lisa Devlin has branded herself as the go-to photographer for all weddings off-the-beating path She uses her blog to showcase the non-traditional thread

18HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I between her clients to help reinforce her expertise and niche in this space

The more targeted your marketing efforts the more suc-cessful you will be at converting customers

GENERATING SALESYour blog can also function quite well as an indirect marketing tool for your brand including directly trans-lating into image sales or other revenue opportunities

If part of your business includes selling workshops your blog content should target the consumer who might be in-terested in your specific workshop Blog posts should em-phasize your expertise in your field and show who you are as a teacher and a photographer For example nature pho-tographer Greg Basco of Deep Green Photography sells nature photography workshops in Costa Rica through his website The ldquoBehind the Lensrdquo series on his blog shows images captured in the field and explains the technique and story behind getting the shot Gregrsquos tours now sell out quickly after being announced

You may also want to sell products through your web-site or directly on your blog The content should support why a consumer should buy this product from you and even show the value of the product

MANAGING YOUR BLOGGING WORKFLOWAfter you choose the best platform for you and identify your target audience you may find yourself about to hit the ldquoNow whatrdquo panic button If you do not have a plan for your workflow a blog can quickly become a burden But you can easily skip ahead of the whole overwhelming part of blogging by developing an effective workflow system

Here are a few tips to help tailor a system for your workflow

ORGANIZE YOUR IDEAS

An effective content strategy relies on careful planning If your blogging strategy is to wait for ideas first you will likely end up with an inconsistent blog and a con-stant feeling of pressure to come up with new topics If you blog every thought that pops into your head you risk burying the quality content with the extraneous stuffmdashand confusing your audience

Start a spreadsheet Google Doc or journal devoted exclu-sively to ideas for potential blog posts If you have a mo-ment of inspiration jot it down or type it up You may nev-er use half of the ideas or may take one thought in a totally different direction but keeping a list of thoughts will take the pressure off coming up with something to write about on the spotmdashand it will help you manage your workflow

CREATE TOPIC CATEGORIES

Have an understanding of the areas that you want to cover on your blog Think through questions like

gtDo you want to write at least one gear review a week gtDo you want to feature an interview with an industry professional once a month gtDo you want to have a video blog series

You donrsquot have to decide every area of interest before you start your blog and based on your audiencersquos re-sponse the topics you write about may evolve Having a few target areas in your pocket will help you focus your idea stream and keep the blog clear and on brand For inspiration check out the next page for 7 ideas to help inspire you when writing blog posts

MAKE A CALENDAR AND STICK TO IT

Is it realistic for you to blog everyday Probably not and it might not be smart for you to do it either Just make

1

2

3

sure you have a plan for when you want to blog It does not necessarily have to be a set number either The key is to be consistent so your followers can expect and look forward to your posts If yoursquore a wedding photographer your blogging strategy might involve doing a post after every wedding Even if your blogging pattern follows gigs having a set deadline will help you stay consistent (ie never wait more than 72 hours to publish a post about a job) and meet audience expectations

The best way to stay on top of your self-made blogging deadlines is to keep a calendar exclusively for your blog It could contain upcoming shoots and personal events or you could plan each month out specifically based on what you will be posting about on a given day Looking at an upcoming calendar will help you manage the time you need to complete each desired blog post and may also provide you with new or thematic inspiration

HAVE AN RSS FEED

Your idea diary not cutting it for you Keep an RSS feed like Feedly of photography blogs that inspire you blogs of prospective clients the musings of your competitors andor the Twitter feed of your favorite vendor An RSS feed consolidates all of the sites and accounts your go-to for inspiration into one place which will help cut down on time spent going between each sitemdashand the dis-tractions Internet surfing can bring

MANAGE YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS

If writing does not come easily to you and you cannot in-vest the resources into outsourcing the work travel pho-tographer Matt Brandon advises setting boundaries for yourself Writing can easily consume your day and setting unreasonable expectations as to what you can accomplish is setting yourself up to fail

Set goals you know you can meet The great thing about blogs is they are totally malleable If you dis-

4

5

19HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I cover you love blogging and can ramp up your pro-duction as long as itrsquos in-tune with your target audi-encemdashgo for it But if you try to do and say too much right out of the gate you may be shooting yourself in the foot Building an audience can take time so set up a sustainable workflow system for yourself that can support the process

7 BLOG TOPICS TO INSPIRE YOUHere are 7 ideas off the bat to inspire you when plan-ning out your blog posts

TOP 10 LISTS

Top 10 list (or top 9 top 7 etc) are highly clickable and easy to share ndash a list provides quick easily understood context for exactly what the reader will find in your blog post Added bonus lists donrsquot need to be copy-heavy or heavily researched Go ahead and give your own opinion on the 5 female photographers who changed the indus-try and watch the hits roll in

STIR THE POT

If yoursquore not afraid to ruffle a few feathers bucking tradition or authority with a controversial statement is a great way to get the community buzzing How-ever donrsquot just say something provocative for the sake of getting a rise out of people It is better to put forth your opinion on a topic about which you genuinely have something to say and back that statement up with facts and illustrative examples Prepare yourself for a helping of haters and make sure to respond to naysayers with the same intelligent clarity with which you crafted the article

WRITE A REVIEW

Clearly there is no shortage of photography gear re-views on the Internet That should not discourage you from writing one yourself Many photographers carve

out a niche for themselves based on their reviews It might be what you say it might be how you say it but if you write a great gear review someone will definitely be reading

COMPILE RESOURCES

Everyone loves to discover that all the information they need on a topic already exists in one place If you donrsquot mind doing a little legwork then try assembling a specific relevant list of online resources This may be a particularly useful option for photographers who do not consider themselves strong writersmdasha resource list is more about supporting the topic and writing need not be heavily involved

CROWDSOURCE COMMENTARY

In a recent PhotoShelter blog post we asked four ma-jor photo editors from Rolling Stone The New Yorker Vogue Italia and Esquirecom how theyre using Insta-gram to develop new talent Their responses are here As a photographer consider sourcing your colleagues posing a question to your readers or blasting your social media platforms No matter the route you will end up with content created for you that also proves to your community that you value their opinion

INTERVIEW PEOPLE SMARTER THAN YOU

The world is full of smart interesting people with an experienced viewpoint An interview with them can add depth to an issue and will likely bring new people to your blog that might not have found it oth-erwise You could also email a photographer whose work you admire or a prospective client that yoursquod love to work with one day As long as the interview is not a thinly veiled request for work promoting them with an interview on your blog will at least get you on a few radars

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Behind-the-scenes content usually resonates well with an audience especially photographers who love to learn the story behind an image Practically any photo assign-ment yoursquove done has the potential to become a behind-the-scenes blog

20HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Three Easy Steps to Use Email Marketing to Your AdvantageBy Mira Mad Mimi email newsletter coach

hether yoursquore looking to sell more prints or book more photography sessions email marketing is an efficient low-cost way to build up your client

base As an email newsletter coach at Mad Mimimdasha simple lovely email servicemdashI help lots of photographers reach a wider audience While our collective superpower at Mad Mimi is email marketing (as nerdy as that is) many of us are aspiring photographers as well so Irsquom thrilled to share these tips with you

STEP ONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EMAIL MEDIUMUSE A BONAFIDE EMAIL MARKETING PLATFORM If yoursquore a PhotoShop whiz you may be tempted to build an email in that formatmdashimages and text included But image-only emails tend to have worse reader engagement and inbox delivery rates To ensure that your emails get delivered and opened use a tool designed for creating marketing emails Both people and inbox robots will be able to understand this format Mad Mimi is a great option for photographers Here are a few photographers using our service

Jennifer Clare PhotographyDana Smith PhotographyHeather Evans Smith Photography

ALWAYS LINK Include at least one link in each email you send Itrsquos easy to turn any text or image into a clickable link Before you send preview your email as your recipients will see it Links ldquoabove the foldrdquo of the screen perform better than links readers must scroll down to see What to link to Think about linking out to your website a specific photography portfolio a recent blog post or even one of your social networks if yoursquore trying to grow your following

21HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE VISITS TO YOUR WEBSITE Get folks out of the email and onto your site Thatrsquos where they can have a richer viewing experience learn more about your photography and potentially make a purchase or email you to inquire about your services The point of your email is to invite them to engage with youmdashhopefully on your site

If you use Google Analytics to measure your web traffic you may be able to see how many visits come from your email newsletters (this depends on your email platform Mad Mimi integrates with Google Analytics)

STEP TWO BE YOUR SHINY SELFDONrsquoT BE AFRAID OF MINIMALISM Let your photography communicate on its own in your emailsmdashjust as you would in another medium Showcase your photographs with lovely wide image modules Even one image alone can make a powerful impact

KEEP YOUR TEXT SHORT Email can be a very intimate (and interactive) environment Donrsquot distract your recipients with too much content Simple emails get shared Make sure you can answer the question ldquoWhy am I sending this emailrdquo If your own answer is muddled or hidden in the text you will struggle to engage

SPEAK YOUR OWN STYLE Design your emails to reflect the personality of your brand The colors fonts and layouts you use should reinforce the branding on your website and complement (rather than compete with) your photography

MAXIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL REACH Find new fans by maximizing the shareability of your emails Not into Twitter So what Some of your photography fans probably love it So make it easy for your fans friends and family to share your emails on their favorite social networks

Many email platforms (including Mad Mimi) let you include social sharing buttons in your emails These allow your fans to share your email with just one click You can also include links to your own social profiles making it easy for readers to click right to your businessrsquo Facebook page for instance

STEP THREE BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR AUDIENCETHE GOLDEN RULE You wouldnrsquot load your photography prints into a T-shirt cannon and run up and down the street firing shots into peoplersquos dining rooms So donrsquot do

that in email either Be respectful of peoplersquos inboxes and be sure that yoursquore delivering relevant content to the right people At Mad Mimi we review your first email before it goes out and give you any technical tips or design feedback if needed

COLLECT SIGNUPS Practice permission-based marketing which means only sending to people who have opted in to receive your emails whether by using a signup form on your site signing up at an event or making a purchase Only send to people yoursquove interacted with recently (say the past 18 months) You donrsquot send your business card to your high school teachersmdashitrsquos essentially the same thing

Many email marketing platforms (including Mad Mimi) offer customizable signup forms and integrate with top third-party form builders

DONrsquoT SEND TOO MANY EMAILS Donrsquot send too few The ideal frequency depends on your audience Itrsquos worth thinking about why you are emailing your audiencemdashmight they hire you have they hired you do they just like your work Unless yoursquove segmented your list your audience probably includes a variety of people so keep that in mind when considering frequency

To find the best frequency for you we recommend a combination of going with your gut and testing You know your audience best Make decisions based on that but be willing to try new things Most email platforms offer stats reporting to help you gauge the effectiveness of your emails Check your stats and adjust accordingly

GIVE SOMETHING AWAY Itrsquos just true If you give people something for signing up they feel better about handing over their email address And you donrsquot JUST want their email addressmdashyou want their business Offering a coupon for a print or specialized content at signup is a great way to give your newsletter added perceived value

If yoursquore a bit more advanced drip campaigns are a great way to deliver free (or paid) stuff to people who sign up Whatrsquos a drip campaign Itrsquos a series of autoresponder emails You can use drip campaigns to deliver downloadable freebies welcome emails and coupons If yoursquore interested in sharing your expertise you can even use them to deliver photography e-courses Here are a few helpful blog posts on drip campaigns

5 Tips for Creating a Stellar Welcome Email Campaign6 (Incredible) Woman-Powered Drip Campaigns5 Tips for Gaining Subscribers with an Email Course21 Autoresponder Ideas to Grow Your Business

22HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I If you focus on these three steps yoursquoll be well on your way to increasing the reach of your photography business The Mad Mimi team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about getting started Email us at supportmadmimicom

23HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

arketing does not have to be your worst enemy but it does require you to carve out time and map out a gameplan Once you have a few strategies

in place - whether that be a workflow that includes post-ing to social networks blogging regularly or sending out a monthly newsletter - you will be more able to grow a strong presence online and establish awareness about your brand And remember before you start know cold what yoursquore providing and exactly who and where your target audience ismdashboth online and off If you can confidently define your target market then you will be in great shape to develop a strong marketing plan that can attract qual-ity clients and grow your business better than ever before

Conclusionamp Resources

ResourcesGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to FacebookGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to InstagramGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to TwitterGUIDE 11 Secrets to a Great Photography WebsiteGUIDE Creating a Successful Photography PortfolioGUIDE 10 Branding Secrets for PhotographersBLOG Developing a Better Photography Brand BLOG How This Photographer is Making Your LaughBLOG 10 Great Photographer PromosBLOG Tackling Google 3 Ways Photographers Can Improve Their SEOBLOG Building a Photo Brand From the Ground Up Tips From Art WolfeBLOG 4 Ways to Get More Work From Old ClientsVIDEO Tips amp Strategies To Grow Your Audience OnlineVIDEO Interview with Zack Arias If I Had to Start My Business Today VIDEO 11 Essential Tips for Freelance PhotographersTOOL Google AnalyticsTOOL Google Keyword PlannerTOOL Mad MimiTOOL Bitly

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 2: How to market your photography

3THE PHOTOGRAPHERrsquoS GUIDE TO TWITTER

Try PhotoShelter FREE for 30 daysBuild a stronger photo business with a PhotoShelter website

With PhotoShelter you also get powerful features and resources to

market your photos such as SEO and social sharing capabilities in

addition to the most options for licensing photography selling prints

online and pro-strength file delivery tools to please your clients

GET STARTEDLearn more amp join PhotoShelter todayOr visit photosheltercomsignup and enter

Questions Contact us anytime at 212-206-0808 or supportphotosheltercom

Offer only valid for new PhotoShelter users

MARKETING

SPECIAL OFFER

5HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

very freelance photographer faces the very same conundrummdashwhen yoursquore busy with cli-ents yoursquore likely not spending time marketing

your businessThis typically produces a feast or famine lifestyle that nobody enjoys Hunt for new projects then work like crazy then hunt for new projects again and again It doesnrsquot take an advanced MBA to recognize that this is not a sustainable way to run a business To help you out inside this guide yoursquoll find a variety of on-line marketing strategies and tips that can help produce a steady pipeline of new prospects and keep existing cli-ents coming back for more

Yoursquoll find that these techniques are well suited for photography freelancers because they require minimal financial investment (Donrsquot think yoursquore getting off so easy they will certainly require a significant time in-vestment but wersquoll discuss how to make smart decisions about where and how to spend that precious time)

Always keep in mind that your smart online marketing strategy starts and ends with two primary goals 1) Cre-ating multiple ways for people who need your services to find you and engage with you online 2) Converting these people into paying clients This guide addresses both goals with dozens of tactics to help get you started or advance the strategies you have in place today The best part is thismdashwith the proper attention it really can all happen alongside making great images and pleasing your current clients

So itrsquos time to make a big commitment to break the cy-cle that comes from being ldquotoo busy for marketingrdquo This will involve changing your workflow to include some upfront planning ongoing testing and tweaking and a

PART I

Intro long term approach to optimizing your online presence and building relationships across multiple online chan-nels This guide is your blueprint to finding the right online marketing mix for your business

Ready to get started

6HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

e want to help you think through key ar-eas to help market your business and reach more clients Marketing your photography

business is a process which means there is no one-stop-shop formula for success to ldquohit the jackpotrdquo But the good news is that if you plug away in a few major areas yoursquoll start to solidify your brand attract more eyeballs to your website and be top-of-mind for potential buyers and clients Here are three major questions you should address before you launch your marketing efforts

Who is your audienceDefining and understanding your audience is crucial to shaping your business your products (yes your photog-raphy is a ldquoproductrdquo) your brand and your marketing efforts as whole Without clearly defining who yoursquore targeting you canrsquot clearly define why yoursquore reaching out to certain folks over others As a result your mar-keting will lack focus (at best) and look sloppy and out of sync (at worst)

For example if yoursquore a polar and environmental pho-tographer your audience isnrsquot womenrsquos lifestyle and fashion editors This may seem obvious but being able to clearly articulate who yoursquore targeting (and not tar-geting) will help you strategically focus your services and marketing efforts to appeal to the right group

PART I

3 Questions to Answer Before You Start Marketing

What may not be as obvious is the case of the pho-tographer who has multiple specialties as many (if not most) do these days You may do editorial work during the week but shoot weddings on the weekends for that extra bump in income What then Well yoursquoll still want to clearly define each audience for each specialty you havemdashand yoursquoll want to have a marketing strategy suited for each as well A one-size-fits-all approach may cause confusion or a feel-ing among prospective clients that yoursquore really not the ldquoexpertrdquo at any one thingmdashor at least at the thing they care most about In short they wonrsquot find you relevant for their needs

Says one art director from an advertising agency ldquoPho-tographers make mistakes when they donrsquot clearly po-sition themselves in their outreach I need to know what type of photographer they are and their style If it looks like they are all over the place I canrsquot be confi-dent that they can do my job wellrdquo

Truly understanding your target market also gives you several advantages Most importantly you know what appeals to them

What is Your Unique Selling Point As you get a hold on your audiencersquos needs this will help you identify your unique selling pointmdashor what your business offers that helps you stand out from the pack and to keep you top of mind Differentiating your brand and your services from your competitors can be the ultimate key to effective marketing and getting new business through the door

1

2

Defining and understanding your audience is

crucial to shaping your business

7HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

So first you need to make a determination What is it that you offer your target cus-tomers Can you clearly state this Is your unique offering based on a specialty (eg underwater photography) or certain access (eg US military) or skill (eg lighting) Or is your unique offering based on the service delivered or tangible product the customer will be purchasing (eg boudoir portrait sessions or photo-wrapped Mini Coopers) A good first step to determine your unique selling point is to survey your competition and determine whether they have service offerings that you could replicate and then improve upon Next if you sell products analyze what has sold for you in the past year Can you pinpoint why they sold well What about those products was attractive to buyers (If yoursquore not sure itrsquos okay to ask) Also think about the clients or projects that have been particularly successful What about these projects made them so Fo-cus in on these factors or traits and make them known to your clients and prospects

Is your website as great as you are

II

I

3

come to a site that feels stale and out of date yoursquore inclined to click out To keep your own site fresh you want to plan out a series of regular updatesmdashrefreshing a portfolio or gallery a new blog post on your latest shoot etc Regularly updating your website can also help improve your ranking on major search engines which rank sites with fresh content favorably To have a competitive and highly functional website this year here are a few items your site should have

gtClear contact information and ldquoaboutrdquo page gtWell organized portfolio sections or galleries gtE-commerce capabilities (if you sell prints or stock) gt File delivery (so you can send files to clients with your brand) gt Blog that is updated regularly (we recommend at least once a week)

If you can map out and answer these three questions yoursquore in great shape to estab-lish your marketing plan and attract quality potential clients

When it comes to marketing your photography your website is your headquarters Itrsquos your greatest tool your virtual business card a reflection of your professionalism and (should be) a way to easily connect with you or transact with clients who want to license your work or buy your prints and products

So as a first step if you donrsquot consider your website as central to marketing your busi-ness then itrsquos time to start Think about your own experience online As soon as you

If you dont consider your website as

central to marketing your business

then its time to start

Website by Lindsay Adler

8HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

efore diving in to map out your strategy there are a few key marketing concepts you should know Letrsquos go through each

MANAGING YOUR TIMEFinancial budgets can be very carefully allocated and eas-ily tracked across a mix of marketing activities Time on the other hand tends to be harder for many to budget and optimize This gets even more complicated when you in-troduce tactics like social media and Search Engine Opti-mization (SEO) the cost of which is primarily your time while the results may not be immediate In fact generally everyone arrives at a moment when they ask themselves ldquoIs all this really worth my timerdquo Therersquos a way to find out Two important business terms to get familiar with are Return on Investment (ROI) and Opportunity Cost These are objective tools at your disposal to help you carve up the time you budget for marketing To get the data you need however you must enforce a discipline of tracking your own time monitoring the result of your efforts and avoiding activities that may feel productive but are not (like bantering with friends on Twitter for example)

PART I

Key Marketing Concepts

RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI)ROI is a term that marketers borrowed from the fi-nancial world Financial analysts have always measured their investments to know exactly how investments are performing Marketing on the other hand arrived late to the analytics party

Essentially ROI in its simplest form translates to ldquobang for your buckrdquo The ldquoinvestmentrdquo is what you put in likely your marketing dollars or your time The ldquoreturnrdquo is what you get out which is hopefully revenue (Sure inspiration or satisfaction might be considered the re-turn as well but letrsquos stick to the hard stuff)

ROI is a valuable metric because it can help you examine every marketing activity and know the dollar amount that results from every dollar (or hour) you invest This can also be expressed as a percentage Once you estab-lish the ROI across all of your marketing activities you can start making decisions about where to spend more or less of your time

OPPORTUNITY COSTAll businesses especially freelancers have to make tough decisions about where time and money are spent The concept of opportunity cost provides an easy way to think about managing these decisions especially when yoursquore faced with any number of attractive marketing opportunities Therersquos a cost associated with not doing something and thatrsquos the revenue you would get out of that specific activity So you incur an ldquoopportunity costrdquo by continuing to engage in any one activity while yoursquore passing up the revenue associated with doing something else Without getting too academic letrsquos just attack this

Its not smart to keep doing one activity when you

know another activity can produce more revenue

9HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

head onmdashitrsquos not smart to keep doing one activity when you know another activity can produce more revenue

In practical terms you probably market your freelance business on Facebook and Twitter The time you invest here is time yoursquore not spending cold calling advertising agencies to book portfolio reviews Hence the opportunity cost is the revenue yoursquore passing up by focusing your time on social media instead of cold calling If cold calling is more pro-ductive for your business allocating your scarce time toward social media may just be a poor decision On the other hand if the investment in social media will create links that improve how clients find you the payoff may come over a longer term

Low ROI High ROI

High Investment

Low Investment

Think through your investments in terms of the output High investment is ok if you get high output Low investment with high ROI is the best You want to avoid high investment low ROI

As you invest your time and money into various marketing channels be sure to keep track of how much yoursquore putting in and what your return is from those efforts You can think of return on levels including customer acquisition brand awareness lead genera-tion etc As a busy photographer on a tight budget your goal of course is to invest at little time and money as possible but receive a high return (see chart above) There is no silver bullet for this unfortunatelymdashyou need to experiment and diligently track what works and what doesnrsquot

CONVERSION THE MOST CRITICAL CONCEPTIf you want to be a savvy internet marketer you need to start thinking in terms of conversion

Everywhere you exist online you should have a desired goalmdashthe behavior you hope to induce For example your websitersquos goal may be to drive visitors to purchase a print for

II

I example inquire about your services sign up for your newsletter or any other possible step closer to generating revenue Completing this goal is considered a ldquoconversionrdquo A random visitor who becomes a paying customer represents one conversion More conversions make you more successful So a metric to pay very close attention to is your ldquoconversion raterdquo Conversion rate represents the percentage of people who complete your desired goal See formula

Conversion rate = Visitors who complete the goalTotal visitors In addition to knowing the overall conversion rate of your website you should know the conversion rate for any given marketing effort With the help of a tool like Google Analytics you can even monitor the conversion rate of people who view specific con-tent on your website or come in from a specific source (eg Facebook)

THE INTERNET MARKETING FUNNELHerersquos a very important way to think about marketing your business Imagine a big funnel Every time someone engages with you (letrsquos say visits your website) theyrsquore entering the top of your funnel Your conversion goal is for site visitors to inquire online about your services or perhaps purchase something directly Those who convert come out the bottom of the funnel However as visitors navigate around your website people tend to drop off For example maybe they determine yoursquore not a fit for their needs or donrsquot like your branding or canrsquot find your email address So it should become very obvious that two primary factors can impact your suc-cess The first is your conversion ratemdashhow well you turn visitors into paying cus-tomers Improving your conversion rate against your typical monthly website traf-fic creates more paying customers The second is traffic Improving the volume of traffic coming through your funnel (at the same conversion rate) will result in more paying customers too

Marketing efforts however typically involve multi-stage funnels For example you generate an email campaign and a small group opens it then a smaller group clicks through to your website then a smaller group clicks the ldquobuyrdquo button and a smaller group finishes the sale through credit card processingThe point is your conversion rate gets whittled down with every additional step in the buyingengagement process Thatrsquos why simultaneously increasing the funnel and improving conversion are of para-mount importance in growing a business

Investment (TimeMoney) vs ROI (What yoursquore getting back)

10HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Once you establish a baseline for traffic and conversion rate you can start making smart-er decisions about your marketing efforts Such as how much traffic is necessary to hit your growth targets and which marketing efforts deserve more resources and attention

YOUR ONLINE FOOTPRINTOnce upon a time having only a website was sufficient to market your work ldquoTaking a business onlinerdquo meant moving away from the brick and mortar world to establish a website thus creating a foothold in the online world When prospects wanted to know more about you and your services they could visit your website expecting to find a typical explanation of your services a list of clients and some examples of your work Times have changed Now the best way to enhance your online footprint is by estab-lishing a presence across a multitude of web properties including your own website(s) social media platforms community forums trade organizations blogs etc There are several smart reasons to build an online footprint including the top reason Yoursquore more likely to get found A more robust online presence creates multiple ways for prospects to find you When more people can find you yoursquore widening your funnel (whether theyrsquore searching for you specifically or your services) to capture more traffic Because content is indexed highly efficiently by search engines and links are frequently shared via social media it is now likely that most prospects are not necessarily coming through ldquothe front doorrdquomdashyour traditional website homepage Rather theyrsquore finding you elsewhere online or finding a specific piece of content thatrsquos highly relevant to their needs To take advan-tage of this your online marketing strategy should explore relevant opportunities to create new profiles descriptively keyworded so they help you get found on key terms and these profiles should point back to your website (the center of your online market-ing presence) where prospects may continue to engage with you

MANAGE YOUR BRANDWhen gathering intelligence about a potential service provider like yourself it is typi-cal for prospects to perform a Google search Having multiple profiles to support your own branding will enable prospects to ldquotriangulaterdquo the data and make a positive judg-ment about your credibility For example outdoor and adventure photographer Corey Rich has a unified on-line presence across multiple platforms including his website blog Twitter profile

LOSE THE ldquoFRONT DOORrdquo MENTALITYThe reality is the pathway that yoursquove imagined potential clients will engage with you is probably very different than the actual pathway For instance life would be very simple if a corporate creative director received your email promotion visited your website clicked your ldquocontact merdquo link requested your portfolio and hired you for a gig

But sales cycles are rarely ever so neat and tidy Managing your online footprint with multiple hooks gives prospects a way to engage with you wherever they feel most com-fortable in a way that provides either direct contact or relative anonymity For example that same creative director may not have an immediate need for your services yet may be compelled to follow you on Twitter Facebook or Instagram or subscribe to your blog feed or newsletter This gives them a way to stay engaged yet avoid the time commit-ment of a portfolio review and pitch from you until the opportunity is right for them One word of caution about your online footprintmdashbeyond creating the profile you need to carefully monitor and maintain certain sites to ensure you create a visible ldquopulserdquo This means managing the frequency of posts answering questions and updating links

Facebook Page and Instagram Feedmdashall of which help an inquiring prospect get to know him better

Each channel adds to Coreyrsquos credibility that hersquos working photographer with a strong online presence and dedication to his work

Corey Rich

wwwcoreyrichcom

newscoreyrichcom

wwwtwittercomcoreyrich

wwwfacebookcomCoreyRichProductions

wwwinstagramcomcoreyrichproductions

11HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

ven the word ldquomarketing planrdquo can sound daunt-ing but donrsquot get tripped up on terminology Still if you expect to see an increase in clientssales you

need to have a plan for specific marketing tactics that will drive this improvement Our recommendation is to simply think about different marketing categories and then list out activities that you could do in each

Your marketing plan shouldnrsquot be designed to treat each po-tential customer as if they were in the same state of readi-ness to hire you or buy something from you For example some people who walk into the Gap are just passing the time a smaller percentage want to try on a pair of jeans and an even smaller percentage walk into the store ready to buy

When you consider different activities in each category think about how people in different parts of the ldquosales cyclerdquo would react You might do a low cost postcard campaign to blanket as many photo buyers and editors And you might do a more expensive photo book to send to your top 10 to make a larger impression You wouldnrsquot treat the customer whorsquos just looking for a place to sit down the same as the one whorsquos ready to buy a pair of jeans Your marketing ef-forts should be nuanced

Additionally you need to remember one-time marketing efforts rarely pay off You often need to experiment with multiple campaigns through multiple channels to get on peoplersquos radars and convert them into customers Increasing your ldquobrand awarenessrdquo amongst your potential customers is arguably as important as converting a small percentage of them into paying customers

PART I

How to Create a Marketing Plan

Here are a few channels to consider

gtEmail Marketing Newsletters E-promos gtDirect Mail Postcards Books Posters gt Social Media Twitter Facebook Instagram gtEvents Trade Shows Portfolio Reviews gt Inbound Tactics SEO Optimization gt Lead Capture Blog Website gt Blogging Opinion pieces Gear reviews be-hind-the-scenes

DO THIS raquo Create a list of current and future marketing activities

raquo Create a rough estimate of timemoney that you will expend on each

raquo Create a rough ROI (return on investment) that each initiative will bring

raquo Jettison highlow investment ROI projects Plan campaigns around high ROI projects Remember to take into account that some efforts may take longer to see a ldquoreturnrdquo so make sure yoursquore balancing short and long term gain (eg efforts that build awareness vs those that might bring in customers immediately)

12HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Tackling Google amp Building Your SEO

hat is Search Engine Optimization (SEO) exactly In short SEO is the process of af-fecting where your website organically ranks

on major search engines like Google Bing etc

Photographers are often vexed by SEO because it seems like a moving target Just when you think your website is ranking well Google changes its algorithm

determining which SEO factors hold most influence in the rankings and you lose half your traffic The frus-tration might be warranted but the fact of the matter is that everyone uses search engines to find services and products online And no matter what you search for some websites always comes up first and subse-quently gain a massive marketing benefit

Photo by Jim Goldstein

13HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

ous photo blogs magazines or newspapers Link aggregator sites like Stumbleupon Digg and Reddit can also be a great way to get a large number of people talking about your photography very quickly

ON-PAGE CONTENT refers to the text that appears on your website On many photographer websites there is very limited text which is a problem from an SEO perspective As much as you might want your photography to ldquospeak for itselfrdquo you still need textual content to rank within search engines If you are a New York portrait photographer then ldquoNew York portrait photographerrdquo should appear on your website So should words and phrases that are similar in nature like ldquoI specialize in corporate and editorial portraiture in the New York and Tri-state areardquo Similarly your images need captions and titles and the more detail the better

Obviously you want your images to be front and center so use your ldquoAboutrdquo page or other pages to list the products you sell awards yoursquove won workshops you give etc

II

I Although there are many different factors that affect SEO we like to think of two main categories that you can focus on to simplify things

gtOn-page content gt Building links to your website

In an information rich society we are highly dependent on search engines to find what we are looking for whether itrsquos a local plumber or a portrait photographer in Des Moines You simply cannot drive enough traffic to your website by handing out business cards The goal of SEO is unsolicited trafficmdashpeople looking for your products and services without knowing who you are

Hopefully your website provider has automated much of the SEO techno-geek stuff for you This might include

gt unique page titles gtmeta description gt lth1gt (aka HTML headline tags) gt IMG alt attributes gtmicroformats gt sitemaps gt optimized page load times

Although there are countless factors that affect where you rank on a search engine here are two things among them that hold some of the greatest weight

BACKLINKS TO YOUR WEBSITE is arguably the most important factor in increasing your SEO Each link represents an ldquoendorsementrdquo and the number of links partially influences how much of your website will be indexed by the search engines and where you appear in search results The process of ldquobacklinkrdquo creation can seem like a very ambiguous task but in fact itrsquos quite simple There are two ways to build links 1) do it yourself or 2) get other people to link to your website

Maintaining a blog and a strong presence on social media networks are some of the easiest ways to link to yourself Each time you photograph something new create a gallery on your website then write a blog entry which links to that gallery Another tactic is to take advan-tage of profiles you can create with photography trade associations or community groups

Getting other people to link to you is a bit harder you need to have something on your site that makes them want to link to you Perhaps yoursquove worked on a long-term photo project that has some relevance right now You might pitch a gallery of images to vari-

DO THIS raquo Create a keyword ldquohitlistrdquo of 20-50 words that you want your website to rank for

Keywords are words and phrases that you think people might potentially search for to find your service For example if yoursquore a nature photographer based in Denver Colorado example keywords that you want your website to rank for might be ldquoDenver Nature Photographyrdquo ldquoColorado Nature Photographerrdquo ldquoNature Photographyrdquo etc

raquo Use your keyword list to inform website copy Google yourself and refine the keywords and phrases as your business and services or the language your specialty and industry uses changes

raquo Check these words against the Google Keyword Planner to determine whether they have appreciable search volume Modify your list accordingly

raquo Search each term to determine your online competition Use MajesticSEO to perform a backlink analysis to determine whether you can displace the competition

raquo Include as much metadata and description as you can to every image you publish online Be consistent with your tagging If you choose to forgo all image descriptions metadata and smart blog titles it can negatively impact your chances of being found (Metadata is informationmdashdatamdashstored within a digital image file) Not only does this help SEO it can help protect your images from theft and misuse

raquo Remember that ldquoinaction is actionrdquo Be active with your blog and website updates so that Google sees your content as fresh Regularly update your website and social media platforms By ignoring them yoursquore telling the search engines yoursquore not relevantmdashthe opposite effect yoursquore looking for to help improve where you rank on Google

2

1

14HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Get Social 4 Tips That Can Help You Succeed on Every Social Media Platform

ver 1 billion people use Facebook Twitter has over 600 million active registered users Insta-gram has over 200 million active monthly users

and LinkedIn comes in at 300 million Social media isnrsquot a fadmdashone could argue it is the glue that creates highly sticky user interaction on the web

Companies are amassing millions of users online with the ability to broadcast messages more frequently and more inexpensively than ever before Celebrities are communicating with fans news outlets are breaking stories and photographers are finding that they can en-ter the social conversation by simply tagging wedding guests in a Facebook album before the guests can or create a following on Instagram by sharing photos from a personal project

Wersquore not saying that every social media outlet will work for every photographer but therersquos enough real evidence to suggest that a strong social media campaign can translate into real marketing exposure and real rev-enue The key point to remember is that your website is not a daily destination for your customers On the other hand hundreds of millions of people login to Facebook daily so its important that you go where your customers already are The argument can be made that different specialities will use social media differentlymdashthatrsquos very true So going back to your understanding of your audience itrsquos a good idea to determine how your audience uses social media to follow photographers and identify new talent For instance if yoursquore a portrait photographer yoursquore probably focused on how you can best harness the social platforms to promote word of mouth Can you come

up with new Facebook strategies that get your clients sharing your images with other potential families and teens And if yoursquore a commercial or editorial photog-rapher maybe yoursquore more interested in using LinkedIn and Twitter to keep former clients and prospects aware of your latest work

Though every platform is different there are four key ldquorulesrdquo to consider to help you successfully showcase your brand on each

BE A PERSON

This is probably the most important rule of social media behavior in general You want to operate as you would in the real world This means you should refrain from constantly selling your services use language that is approachable and share content that is interesting If yoursquore not sure what constitutes interesting content ask yourself if yoursquod be inclined to like share or comment on that post if you saw it on your own Feed And remem-ber that social media is not a one-way street You are participating in a community which means you need to respond and reach out to others (as you would do in an offline conversation)

GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Give a behind-the-scenes look at your shoots the set-up the gear yourself shooting on location or even a sneak peak of a personal project youre working on This can give people an idea of how you work Also think about giving a shout-out to the people you worked with that day This shows yoursquore a team player and also en-courages those you tag to follow and share your work Fashion photographer Lara Jade does a great job at this Check out examples on her Twitter page here

1

2

15HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I

BE CONSISTENT

Itrsquos important to have a consistent voice when you post This means that the general tone content and visuals are recognizable and donrsquot feel random Regularly posting in this way will also let your audience know to expect content from you which will improve engagement

PICK THE RIGHT PHOTO

Whether yoursquore sharing on Twitter Facebook or Instagram you should share a photo that strengthens your voice (which yoursquove thought about and defined)mdashit adheres to your aesthetic by way of style or content etc and shows off work you love We recom-mend sharing at least one photo per day If youre having trouble choosing a photo try to find one that evokes some type of emotion in yourself Chances are it will also have an effect on others as well

Also to help increase your visibility and reach on platforms do this

gt Like or follow pages or feeds from leading photo blogs and other photogra-phers you admire Keep in mind that once you like or follow their accounts

3

4

their content will start to appear in your Feed When you see a post that you think might interest your audience share retweet or comment

gt Sign up for newsletters and subscribe to RSS feeds Some examples include Pro Photo Daily or PDN That way you wonrsquot miss posts from publications and industry thought leaders that are most important to you A service like Feedly or Flipboard will also let you aggregate your favorite blogs in one spot so you can quickly skim for interesting news and updates and then share with your networks

gt Let people know yoursquove shared their work If you share content without using the share or retweet function (so instead by simply linking to an article resource or gallery) consider shooting that blogger an email or message to let them know that yoursquore helping spread their content People appreciate when you help them share their news and taking a quick mo-ment to let them know may make them more likely to share your own content one day

Instagram Photo by Travel Photographer Pei KetronLara Jades Twitter

16HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Want some examples of photographers succeeding with social media Check out a few that we love following on Facebook Twitter amp Instagram

FacebookLisa DevlinJohn KeatelyCorey RichBrooke ShadenBrian Smith

TwitterZack AriasEunique Jones GibsonLucas GilmanLara JadeKen KamineskyMelissa Lyttle

InstagramBrooke DombrowskiTim LandisBrad ManginLandon NordemanAdrienne Pitts

And be sure to check out our latest guides with resources and tips to help you amp up your social presence The Photographerrsquos Guide to Facebook The Photographerrsquos Guide to Twitter and The Photographerrsquos Guide to Instagram

17HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

or a photographer your blog is not just a place to dump links and post photos Your blog is a marketing tool and can be a very effective one

at that The captive online audience is vast comprised of prospective clients photographers looking to learn gear enthusiasts and many other consumers who are actively searching for services like yours

To maximize the flavor potential of your blog you need to reach people with similar tastes Connecting with the right audience starts with a targeted content strategy

ESTABLISHING YOUR BLOGrsquoS BRANDYour portfolio site design how you communicate with clients your logos your deliverables your lighting technique your field of photography ndash all of these elements define your personal brand Your blogrsquos 1 purpose should be to extend this brand

For example if you frequently work with corporate cli-ents your community would not respond well to pro-fanity-laden rants (In general this is a bad idea) But take time to think about who your audience is and what tone and style of writing would resonate best with them

There are multiple points of entry for building a suc-cessful blog Whether you choose the provocative route the educational route the anecdotal route among many others your strategic choices should reflect your brand

TARGETING YOUR AUDIENCE Your brand can also help identify your target audience Like any marketing push it will pay to know who the readers are

PART II

How to Blog Better

You should always strive to create content that attracts and sustains the attention of this audience Not only will this help focus the content strategy but also the needs and prac-tices of your targeted audience will inform how you blog

For example when establishing her company Major Multimedia photographer and multimedia producer Lauren Major wanted to target the nonprofit and so-cial good sector Once she narrowed her target audi-ence she was able to research their online activity and create content that would specifically appeal to the social good user

Photographers who run workshops will often cater the writing on their blog to other photographers This helps establish them as ldquoexpertsrdquo as well as speak directly to prospective attendees and students A blog can also help photographers continue a dialogue with current and former clients as well as attract potential new ones

Additionally alternative and edgy UK wedding pho-tographer Lisa Devlin has branded herself as the go-to photographer for all weddings off-the-beating path She uses her blog to showcase the non-traditional thread

18HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I between her clients to help reinforce her expertise and niche in this space

The more targeted your marketing efforts the more suc-cessful you will be at converting customers

GENERATING SALESYour blog can also function quite well as an indirect marketing tool for your brand including directly trans-lating into image sales or other revenue opportunities

If part of your business includes selling workshops your blog content should target the consumer who might be in-terested in your specific workshop Blog posts should em-phasize your expertise in your field and show who you are as a teacher and a photographer For example nature pho-tographer Greg Basco of Deep Green Photography sells nature photography workshops in Costa Rica through his website The ldquoBehind the Lensrdquo series on his blog shows images captured in the field and explains the technique and story behind getting the shot Gregrsquos tours now sell out quickly after being announced

You may also want to sell products through your web-site or directly on your blog The content should support why a consumer should buy this product from you and even show the value of the product

MANAGING YOUR BLOGGING WORKFLOWAfter you choose the best platform for you and identify your target audience you may find yourself about to hit the ldquoNow whatrdquo panic button If you do not have a plan for your workflow a blog can quickly become a burden But you can easily skip ahead of the whole overwhelming part of blogging by developing an effective workflow system

Here are a few tips to help tailor a system for your workflow

ORGANIZE YOUR IDEAS

An effective content strategy relies on careful planning If your blogging strategy is to wait for ideas first you will likely end up with an inconsistent blog and a con-stant feeling of pressure to come up with new topics If you blog every thought that pops into your head you risk burying the quality content with the extraneous stuffmdashand confusing your audience

Start a spreadsheet Google Doc or journal devoted exclu-sively to ideas for potential blog posts If you have a mo-ment of inspiration jot it down or type it up You may nev-er use half of the ideas or may take one thought in a totally different direction but keeping a list of thoughts will take the pressure off coming up with something to write about on the spotmdashand it will help you manage your workflow

CREATE TOPIC CATEGORIES

Have an understanding of the areas that you want to cover on your blog Think through questions like

gtDo you want to write at least one gear review a week gtDo you want to feature an interview with an industry professional once a month gtDo you want to have a video blog series

You donrsquot have to decide every area of interest before you start your blog and based on your audiencersquos re-sponse the topics you write about may evolve Having a few target areas in your pocket will help you focus your idea stream and keep the blog clear and on brand For inspiration check out the next page for 7 ideas to help inspire you when writing blog posts

MAKE A CALENDAR AND STICK TO IT

Is it realistic for you to blog everyday Probably not and it might not be smart for you to do it either Just make

1

2

3

sure you have a plan for when you want to blog It does not necessarily have to be a set number either The key is to be consistent so your followers can expect and look forward to your posts If yoursquore a wedding photographer your blogging strategy might involve doing a post after every wedding Even if your blogging pattern follows gigs having a set deadline will help you stay consistent (ie never wait more than 72 hours to publish a post about a job) and meet audience expectations

The best way to stay on top of your self-made blogging deadlines is to keep a calendar exclusively for your blog It could contain upcoming shoots and personal events or you could plan each month out specifically based on what you will be posting about on a given day Looking at an upcoming calendar will help you manage the time you need to complete each desired blog post and may also provide you with new or thematic inspiration

HAVE AN RSS FEED

Your idea diary not cutting it for you Keep an RSS feed like Feedly of photography blogs that inspire you blogs of prospective clients the musings of your competitors andor the Twitter feed of your favorite vendor An RSS feed consolidates all of the sites and accounts your go-to for inspiration into one place which will help cut down on time spent going between each sitemdashand the dis-tractions Internet surfing can bring

MANAGE YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS

If writing does not come easily to you and you cannot in-vest the resources into outsourcing the work travel pho-tographer Matt Brandon advises setting boundaries for yourself Writing can easily consume your day and setting unreasonable expectations as to what you can accomplish is setting yourself up to fail

Set goals you know you can meet The great thing about blogs is they are totally malleable If you dis-

4

5

19HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I cover you love blogging and can ramp up your pro-duction as long as itrsquos in-tune with your target audi-encemdashgo for it But if you try to do and say too much right out of the gate you may be shooting yourself in the foot Building an audience can take time so set up a sustainable workflow system for yourself that can support the process

7 BLOG TOPICS TO INSPIRE YOUHere are 7 ideas off the bat to inspire you when plan-ning out your blog posts

TOP 10 LISTS

Top 10 list (or top 9 top 7 etc) are highly clickable and easy to share ndash a list provides quick easily understood context for exactly what the reader will find in your blog post Added bonus lists donrsquot need to be copy-heavy or heavily researched Go ahead and give your own opinion on the 5 female photographers who changed the indus-try and watch the hits roll in

STIR THE POT

If yoursquore not afraid to ruffle a few feathers bucking tradition or authority with a controversial statement is a great way to get the community buzzing How-ever donrsquot just say something provocative for the sake of getting a rise out of people It is better to put forth your opinion on a topic about which you genuinely have something to say and back that statement up with facts and illustrative examples Prepare yourself for a helping of haters and make sure to respond to naysayers with the same intelligent clarity with which you crafted the article

WRITE A REVIEW

Clearly there is no shortage of photography gear re-views on the Internet That should not discourage you from writing one yourself Many photographers carve

out a niche for themselves based on their reviews It might be what you say it might be how you say it but if you write a great gear review someone will definitely be reading

COMPILE RESOURCES

Everyone loves to discover that all the information they need on a topic already exists in one place If you donrsquot mind doing a little legwork then try assembling a specific relevant list of online resources This may be a particularly useful option for photographers who do not consider themselves strong writersmdasha resource list is more about supporting the topic and writing need not be heavily involved

CROWDSOURCE COMMENTARY

In a recent PhotoShelter blog post we asked four ma-jor photo editors from Rolling Stone The New Yorker Vogue Italia and Esquirecom how theyre using Insta-gram to develop new talent Their responses are here As a photographer consider sourcing your colleagues posing a question to your readers or blasting your social media platforms No matter the route you will end up with content created for you that also proves to your community that you value their opinion

INTERVIEW PEOPLE SMARTER THAN YOU

The world is full of smart interesting people with an experienced viewpoint An interview with them can add depth to an issue and will likely bring new people to your blog that might not have found it oth-erwise You could also email a photographer whose work you admire or a prospective client that yoursquod love to work with one day As long as the interview is not a thinly veiled request for work promoting them with an interview on your blog will at least get you on a few radars

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Behind-the-scenes content usually resonates well with an audience especially photographers who love to learn the story behind an image Practically any photo assign-ment yoursquove done has the potential to become a behind-the-scenes blog

20HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Three Easy Steps to Use Email Marketing to Your AdvantageBy Mira Mad Mimi email newsletter coach

hether yoursquore looking to sell more prints or book more photography sessions email marketing is an efficient low-cost way to build up your client

base As an email newsletter coach at Mad Mimimdasha simple lovely email servicemdashI help lots of photographers reach a wider audience While our collective superpower at Mad Mimi is email marketing (as nerdy as that is) many of us are aspiring photographers as well so Irsquom thrilled to share these tips with you

STEP ONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EMAIL MEDIUMUSE A BONAFIDE EMAIL MARKETING PLATFORM If yoursquore a PhotoShop whiz you may be tempted to build an email in that formatmdashimages and text included But image-only emails tend to have worse reader engagement and inbox delivery rates To ensure that your emails get delivered and opened use a tool designed for creating marketing emails Both people and inbox robots will be able to understand this format Mad Mimi is a great option for photographers Here are a few photographers using our service

Jennifer Clare PhotographyDana Smith PhotographyHeather Evans Smith Photography

ALWAYS LINK Include at least one link in each email you send Itrsquos easy to turn any text or image into a clickable link Before you send preview your email as your recipients will see it Links ldquoabove the foldrdquo of the screen perform better than links readers must scroll down to see What to link to Think about linking out to your website a specific photography portfolio a recent blog post or even one of your social networks if yoursquore trying to grow your following

21HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE VISITS TO YOUR WEBSITE Get folks out of the email and onto your site Thatrsquos where they can have a richer viewing experience learn more about your photography and potentially make a purchase or email you to inquire about your services The point of your email is to invite them to engage with youmdashhopefully on your site

If you use Google Analytics to measure your web traffic you may be able to see how many visits come from your email newsletters (this depends on your email platform Mad Mimi integrates with Google Analytics)

STEP TWO BE YOUR SHINY SELFDONrsquoT BE AFRAID OF MINIMALISM Let your photography communicate on its own in your emailsmdashjust as you would in another medium Showcase your photographs with lovely wide image modules Even one image alone can make a powerful impact

KEEP YOUR TEXT SHORT Email can be a very intimate (and interactive) environment Donrsquot distract your recipients with too much content Simple emails get shared Make sure you can answer the question ldquoWhy am I sending this emailrdquo If your own answer is muddled or hidden in the text you will struggle to engage

SPEAK YOUR OWN STYLE Design your emails to reflect the personality of your brand The colors fonts and layouts you use should reinforce the branding on your website and complement (rather than compete with) your photography

MAXIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL REACH Find new fans by maximizing the shareability of your emails Not into Twitter So what Some of your photography fans probably love it So make it easy for your fans friends and family to share your emails on their favorite social networks

Many email platforms (including Mad Mimi) let you include social sharing buttons in your emails These allow your fans to share your email with just one click You can also include links to your own social profiles making it easy for readers to click right to your businessrsquo Facebook page for instance

STEP THREE BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR AUDIENCETHE GOLDEN RULE You wouldnrsquot load your photography prints into a T-shirt cannon and run up and down the street firing shots into peoplersquos dining rooms So donrsquot do

that in email either Be respectful of peoplersquos inboxes and be sure that yoursquore delivering relevant content to the right people At Mad Mimi we review your first email before it goes out and give you any technical tips or design feedback if needed

COLLECT SIGNUPS Practice permission-based marketing which means only sending to people who have opted in to receive your emails whether by using a signup form on your site signing up at an event or making a purchase Only send to people yoursquove interacted with recently (say the past 18 months) You donrsquot send your business card to your high school teachersmdashitrsquos essentially the same thing

Many email marketing platforms (including Mad Mimi) offer customizable signup forms and integrate with top third-party form builders

DONrsquoT SEND TOO MANY EMAILS Donrsquot send too few The ideal frequency depends on your audience Itrsquos worth thinking about why you are emailing your audiencemdashmight they hire you have they hired you do they just like your work Unless yoursquove segmented your list your audience probably includes a variety of people so keep that in mind when considering frequency

To find the best frequency for you we recommend a combination of going with your gut and testing You know your audience best Make decisions based on that but be willing to try new things Most email platforms offer stats reporting to help you gauge the effectiveness of your emails Check your stats and adjust accordingly

GIVE SOMETHING AWAY Itrsquos just true If you give people something for signing up they feel better about handing over their email address And you donrsquot JUST want their email addressmdashyou want their business Offering a coupon for a print or specialized content at signup is a great way to give your newsletter added perceived value

If yoursquore a bit more advanced drip campaigns are a great way to deliver free (or paid) stuff to people who sign up Whatrsquos a drip campaign Itrsquos a series of autoresponder emails You can use drip campaigns to deliver downloadable freebies welcome emails and coupons If yoursquore interested in sharing your expertise you can even use them to deliver photography e-courses Here are a few helpful blog posts on drip campaigns

5 Tips for Creating a Stellar Welcome Email Campaign6 (Incredible) Woman-Powered Drip Campaigns5 Tips for Gaining Subscribers with an Email Course21 Autoresponder Ideas to Grow Your Business

22HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I If you focus on these three steps yoursquoll be well on your way to increasing the reach of your photography business The Mad Mimi team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about getting started Email us at supportmadmimicom

23HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

arketing does not have to be your worst enemy but it does require you to carve out time and map out a gameplan Once you have a few strategies

in place - whether that be a workflow that includes post-ing to social networks blogging regularly or sending out a monthly newsletter - you will be more able to grow a strong presence online and establish awareness about your brand And remember before you start know cold what yoursquore providing and exactly who and where your target audience ismdashboth online and off If you can confidently define your target market then you will be in great shape to develop a strong marketing plan that can attract qual-ity clients and grow your business better than ever before

Conclusionamp Resources

ResourcesGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to FacebookGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to InstagramGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to TwitterGUIDE 11 Secrets to a Great Photography WebsiteGUIDE Creating a Successful Photography PortfolioGUIDE 10 Branding Secrets for PhotographersBLOG Developing a Better Photography Brand BLOG How This Photographer is Making Your LaughBLOG 10 Great Photographer PromosBLOG Tackling Google 3 Ways Photographers Can Improve Their SEOBLOG Building a Photo Brand From the Ground Up Tips From Art WolfeBLOG 4 Ways to Get More Work From Old ClientsVIDEO Tips amp Strategies To Grow Your Audience OnlineVIDEO Interview with Zack Arias If I Had to Start My Business Today VIDEO 11 Essential Tips for Freelance PhotographersTOOL Google AnalyticsTOOL Google Keyword PlannerTOOL Mad MimiTOOL Bitly

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 3: How to market your photography

5HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

very freelance photographer faces the very same conundrummdashwhen yoursquore busy with cli-ents yoursquore likely not spending time marketing

your businessThis typically produces a feast or famine lifestyle that nobody enjoys Hunt for new projects then work like crazy then hunt for new projects again and again It doesnrsquot take an advanced MBA to recognize that this is not a sustainable way to run a business To help you out inside this guide yoursquoll find a variety of on-line marketing strategies and tips that can help produce a steady pipeline of new prospects and keep existing cli-ents coming back for more

Yoursquoll find that these techniques are well suited for photography freelancers because they require minimal financial investment (Donrsquot think yoursquore getting off so easy they will certainly require a significant time in-vestment but wersquoll discuss how to make smart decisions about where and how to spend that precious time)

Always keep in mind that your smart online marketing strategy starts and ends with two primary goals 1) Cre-ating multiple ways for people who need your services to find you and engage with you online 2) Converting these people into paying clients This guide addresses both goals with dozens of tactics to help get you started or advance the strategies you have in place today The best part is thismdashwith the proper attention it really can all happen alongside making great images and pleasing your current clients

So itrsquos time to make a big commitment to break the cy-cle that comes from being ldquotoo busy for marketingrdquo This will involve changing your workflow to include some upfront planning ongoing testing and tweaking and a

PART I

Intro long term approach to optimizing your online presence and building relationships across multiple online chan-nels This guide is your blueprint to finding the right online marketing mix for your business

Ready to get started

6HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

e want to help you think through key ar-eas to help market your business and reach more clients Marketing your photography

business is a process which means there is no one-stop-shop formula for success to ldquohit the jackpotrdquo But the good news is that if you plug away in a few major areas yoursquoll start to solidify your brand attract more eyeballs to your website and be top-of-mind for potential buyers and clients Here are three major questions you should address before you launch your marketing efforts

Who is your audienceDefining and understanding your audience is crucial to shaping your business your products (yes your photog-raphy is a ldquoproductrdquo) your brand and your marketing efforts as whole Without clearly defining who yoursquore targeting you canrsquot clearly define why yoursquore reaching out to certain folks over others As a result your mar-keting will lack focus (at best) and look sloppy and out of sync (at worst)

For example if yoursquore a polar and environmental pho-tographer your audience isnrsquot womenrsquos lifestyle and fashion editors This may seem obvious but being able to clearly articulate who yoursquore targeting (and not tar-geting) will help you strategically focus your services and marketing efforts to appeal to the right group

PART I

3 Questions to Answer Before You Start Marketing

What may not be as obvious is the case of the pho-tographer who has multiple specialties as many (if not most) do these days You may do editorial work during the week but shoot weddings on the weekends for that extra bump in income What then Well yoursquoll still want to clearly define each audience for each specialty you havemdashand yoursquoll want to have a marketing strategy suited for each as well A one-size-fits-all approach may cause confusion or a feel-ing among prospective clients that yoursquore really not the ldquoexpertrdquo at any one thingmdashor at least at the thing they care most about In short they wonrsquot find you relevant for their needs

Says one art director from an advertising agency ldquoPho-tographers make mistakes when they donrsquot clearly po-sition themselves in their outreach I need to know what type of photographer they are and their style If it looks like they are all over the place I canrsquot be confi-dent that they can do my job wellrdquo

Truly understanding your target market also gives you several advantages Most importantly you know what appeals to them

What is Your Unique Selling Point As you get a hold on your audiencersquos needs this will help you identify your unique selling pointmdashor what your business offers that helps you stand out from the pack and to keep you top of mind Differentiating your brand and your services from your competitors can be the ultimate key to effective marketing and getting new business through the door

1

2

Defining and understanding your audience is

crucial to shaping your business

7HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

So first you need to make a determination What is it that you offer your target cus-tomers Can you clearly state this Is your unique offering based on a specialty (eg underwater photography) or certain access (eg US military) or skill (eg lighting) Or is your unique offering based on the service delivered or tangible product the customer will be purchasing (eg boudoir portrait sessions or photo-wrapped Mini Coopers) A good first step to determine your unique selling point is to survey your competition and determine whether they have service offerings that you could replicate and then improve upon Next if you sell products analyze what has sold for you in the past year Can you pinpoint why they sold well What about those products was attractive to buyers (If yoursquore not sure itrsquos okay to ask) Also think about the clients or projects that have been particularly successful What about these projects made them so Fo-cus in on these factors or traits and make them known to your clients and prospects

Is your website as great as you are

II

I

3

come to a site that feels stale and out of date yoursquore inclined to click out To keep your own site fresh you want to plan out a series of regular updatesmdashrefreshing a portfolio or gallery a new blog post on your latest shoot etc Regularly updating your website can also help improve your ranking on major search engines which rank sites with fresh content favorably To have a competitive and highly functional website this year here are a few items your site should have

gtClear contact information and ldquoaboutrdquo page gtWell organized portfolio sections or galleries gtE-commerce capabilities (if you sell prints or stock) gt File delivery (so you can send files to clients with your brand) gt Blog that is updated regularly (we recommend at least once a week)

If you can map out and answer these three questions yoursquore in great shape to estab-lish your marketing plan and attract quality potential clients

When it comes to marketing your photography your website is your headquarters Itrsquos your greatest tool your virtual business card a reflection of your professionalism and (should be) a way to easily connect with you or transact with clients who want to license your work or buy your prints and products

So as a first step if you donrsquot consider your website as central to marketing your busi-ness then itrsquos time to start Think about your own experience online As soon as you

If you dont consider your website as

central to marketing your business

then its time to start

Website by Lindsay Adler

8HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

efore diving in to map out your strategy there are a few key marketing concepts you should know Letrsquos go through each

MANAGING YOUR TIMEFinancial budgets can be very carefully allocated and eas-ily tracked across a mix of marketing activities Time on the other hand tends to be harder for many to budget and optimize This gets even more complicated when you in-troduce tactics like social media and Search Engine Opti-mization (SEO) the cost of which is primarily your time while the results may not be immediate In fact generally everyone arrives at a moment when they ask themselves ldquoIs all this really worth my timerdquo Therersquos a way to find out Two important business terms to get familiar with are Return on Investment (ROI) and Opportunity Cost These are objective tools at your disposal to help you carve up the time you budget for marketing To get the data you need however you must enforce a discipline of tracking your own time monitoring the result of your efforts and avoiding activities that may feel productive but are not (like bantering with friends on Twitter for example)

PART I

Key Marketing Concepts

RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI)ROI is a term that marketers borrowed from the fi-nancial world Financial analysts have always measured their investments to know exactly how investments are performing Marketing on the other hand arrived late to the analytics party

Essentially ROI in its simplest form translates to ldquobang for your buckrdquo The ldquoinvestmentrdquo is what you put in likely your marketing dollars or your time The ldquoreturnrdquo is what you get out which is hopefully revenue (Sure inspiration or satisfaction might be considered the re-turn as well but letrsquos stick to the hard stuff)

ROI is a valuable metric because it can help you examine every marketing activity and know the dollar amount that results from every dollar (or hour) you invest This can also be expressed as a percentage Once you estab-lish the ROI across all of your marketing activities you can start making decisions about where to spend more or less of your time

OPPORTUNITY COSTAll businesses especially freelancers have to make tough decisions about where time and money are spent The concept of opportunity cost provides an easy way to think about managing these decisions especially when yoursquore faced with any number of attractive marketing opportunities Therersquos a cost associated with not doing something and thatrsquos the revenue you would get out of that specific activity So you incur an ldquoopportunity costrdquo by continuing to engage in any one activity while yoursquore passing up the revenue associated with doing something else Without getting too academic letrsquos just attack this

Its not smart to keep doing one activity when you

know another activity can produce more revenue

9HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

head onmdashitrsquos not smart to keep doing one activity when you know another activity can produce more revenue

In practical terms you probably market your freelance business on Facebook and Twitter The time you invest here is time yoursquore not spending cold calling advertising agencies to book portfolio reviews Hence the opportunity cost is the revenue yoursquore passing up by focusing your time on social media instead of cold calling If cold calling is more pro-ductive for your business allocating your scarce time toward social media may just be a poor decision On the other hand if the investment in social media will create links that improve how clients find you the payoff may come over a longer term

Low ROI High ROI

High Investment

Low Investment

Think through your investments in terms of the output High investment is ok if you get high output Low investment with high ROI is the best You want to avoid high investment low ROI

As you invest your time and money into various marketing channels be sure to keep track of how much yoursquore putting in and what your return is from those efforts You can think of return on levels including customer acquisition brand awareness lead genera-tion etc As a busy photographer on a tight budget your goal of course is to invest at little time and money as possible but receive a high return (see chart above) There is no silver bullet for this unfortunatelymdashyou need to experiment and diligently track what works and what doesnrsquot

CONVERSION THE MOST CRITICAL CONCEPTIf you want to be a savvy internet marketer you need to start thinking in terms of conversion

Everywhere you exist online you should have a desired goalmdashthe behavior you hope to induce For example your websitersquos goal may be to drive visitors to purchase a print for

II

I example inquire about your services sign up for your newsletter or any other possible step closer to generating revenue Completing this goal is considered a ldquoconversionrdquo A random visitor who becomes a paying customer represents one conversion More conversions make you more successful So a metric to pay very close attention to is your ldquoconversion raterdquo Conversion rate represents the percentage of people who complete your desired goal See formula

Conversion rate = Visitors who complete the goalTotal visitors In addition to knowing the overall conversion rate of your website you should know the conversion rate for any given marketing effort With the help of a tool like Google Analytics you can even monitor the conversion rate of people who view specific con-tent on your website or come in from a specific source (eg Facebook)

THE INTERNET MARKETING FUNNELHerersquos a very important way to think about marketing your business Imagine a big funnel Every time someone engages with you (letrsquos say visits your website) theyrsquore entering the top of your funnel Your conversion goal is for site visitors to inquire online about your services or perhaps purchase something directly Those who convert come out the bottom of the funnel However as visitors navigate around your website people tend to drop off For example maybe they determine yoursquore not a fit for their needs or donrsquot like your branding or canrsquot find your email address So it should become very obvious that two primary factors can impact your suc-cess The first is your conversion ratemdashhow well you turn visitors into paying cus-tomers Improving your conversion rate against your typical monthly website traf-fic creates more paying customers The second is traffic Improving the volume of traffic coming through your funnel (at the same conversion rate) will result in more paying customers too

Marketing efforts however typically involve multi-stage funnels For example you generate an email campaign and a small group opens it then a smaller group clicks through to your website then a smaller group clicks the ldquobuyrdquo button and a smaller group finishes the sale through credit card processingThe point is your conversion rate gets whittled down with every additional step in the buyingengagement process Thatrsquos why simultaneously increasing the funnel and improving conversion are of para-mount importance in growing a business

Investment (TimeMoney) vs ROI (What yoursquore getting back)

10HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Once you establish a baseline for traffic and conversion rate you can start making smart-er decisions about your marketing efforts Such as how much traffic is necessary to hit your growth targets and which marketing efforts deserve more resources and attention

YOUR ONLINE FOOTPRINTOnce upon a time having only a website was sufficient to market your work ldquoTaking a business onlinerdquo meant moving away from the brick and mortar world to establish a website thus creating a foothold in the online world When prospects wanted to know more about you and your services they could visit your website expecting to find a typical explanation of your services a list of clients and some examples of your work Times have changed Now the best way to enhance your online footprint is by estab-lishing a presence across a multitude of web properties including your own website(s) social media platforms community forums trade organizations blogs etc There are several smart reasons to build an online footprint including the top reason Yoursquore more likely to get found A more robust online presence creates multiple ways for prospects to find you When more people can find you yoursquore widening your funnel (whether theyrsquore searching for you specifically or your services) to capture more traffic Because content is indexed highly efficiently by search engines and links are frequently shared via social media it is now likely that most prospects are not necessarily coming through ldquothe front doorrdquomdashyour traditional website homepage Rather theyrsquore finding you elsewhere online or finding a specific piece of content thatrsquos highly relevant to their needs To take advan-tage of this your online marketing strategy should explore relevant opportunities to create new profiles descriptively keyworded so they help you get found on key terms and these profiles should point back to your website (the center of your online market-ing presence) where prospects may continue to engage with you

MANAGE YOUR BRANDWhen gathering intelligence about a potential service provider like yourself it is typi-cal for prospects to perform a Google search Having multiple profiles to support your own branding will enable prospects to ldquotriangulaterdquo the data and make a positive judg-ment about your credibility For example outdoor and adventure photographer Corey Rich has a unified on-line presence across multiple platforms including his website blog Twitter profile

LOSE THE ldquoFRONT DOORrdquo MENTALITYThe reality is the pathway that yoursquove imagined potential clients will engage with you is probably very different than the actual pathway For instance life would be very simple if a corporate creative director received your email promotion visited your website clicked your ldquocontact merdquo link requested your portfolio and hired you for a gig

But sales cycles are rarely ever so neat and tidy Managing your online footprint with multiple hooks gives prospects a way to engage with you wherever they feel most com-fortable in a way that provides either direct contact or relative anonymity For example that same creative director may not have an immediate need for your services yet may be compelled to follow you on Twitter Facebook or Instagram or subscribe to your blog feed or newsletter This gives them a way to stay engaged yet avoid the time commit-ment of a portfolio review and pitch from you until the opportunity is right for them One word of caution about your online footprintmdashbeyond creating the profile you need to carefully monitor and maintain certain sites to ensure you create a visible ldquopulserdquo This means managing the frequency of posts answering questions and updating links

Facebook Page and Instagram Feedmdashall of which help an inquiring prospect get to know him better

Each channel adds to Coreyrsquos credibility that hersquos working photographer with a strong online presence and dedication to his work

Corey Rich

wwwcoreyrichcom

newscoreyrichcom

wwwtwittercomcoreyrich

wwwfacebookcomCoreyRichProductions

wwwinstagramcomcoreyrichproductions

11HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

ven the word ldquomarketing planrdquo can sound daunt-ing but donrsquot get tripped up on terminology Still if you expect to see an increase in clientssales you

need to have a plan for specific marketing tactics that will drive this improvement Our recommendation is to simply think about different marketing categories and then list out activities that you could do in each

Your marketing plan shouldnrsquot be designed to treat each po-tential customer as if they were in the same state of readi-ness to hire you or buy something from you For example some people who walk into the Gap are just passing the time a smaller percentage want to try on a pair of jeans and an even smaller percentage walk into the store ready to buy

When you consider different activities in each category think about how people in different parts of the ldquosales cyclerdquo would react You might do a low cost postcard campaign to blanket as many photo buyers and editors And you might do a more expensive photo book to send to your top 10 to make a larger impression You wouldnrsquot treat the customer whorsquos just looking for a place to sit down the same as the one whorsquos ready to buy a pair of jeans Your marketing ef-forts should be nuanced

Additionally you need to remember one-time marketing efforts rarely pay off You often need to experiment with multiple campaigns through multiple channels to get on peoplersquos radars and convert them into customers Increasing your ldquobrand awarenessrdquo amongst your potential customers is arguably as important as converting a small percentage of them into paying customers

PART I

How to Create a Marketing Plan

Here are a few channels to consider

gtEmail Marketing Newsletters E-promos gtDirect Mail Postcards Books Posters gt Social Media Twitter Facebook Instagram gtEvents Trade Shows Portfolio Reviews gt Inbound Tactics SEO Optimization gt Lead Capture Blog Website gt Blogging Opinion pieces Gear reviews be-hind-the-scenes

DO THIS raquo Create a list of current and future marketing activities

raquo Create a rough estimate of timemoney that you will expend on each

raquo Create a rough ROI (return on investment) that each initiative will bring

raquo Jettison highlow investment ROI projects Plan campaigns around high ROI projects Remember to take into account that some efforts may take longer to see a ldquoreturnrdquo so make sure yoursquore balancing short and long term gain (eg efforts that build awareness vs those that might bring in customers immediately)

12HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Tackling Google amp Building Your SEO

hat is Search Engine Optimization (SEO) exactly In short SEO is the process of af-fecting where your website organically ranks

on major search engines like Google Bing etc

Photographers are often vexed by SEO because it seems like a moving target Just when you think your website is ranking well Google changes its algorithm

determining which SEO factors hold most influence in the rankings and you lose half your traffic The frus-tration might be warranted but the fact of the matter is that everyone uses search engines to find services and products online And no matter what you search for some websites always comes up first and subse-quently gain a massive marketing benefit

Photo by Jim Goldstein

13HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

ous photo blogs magazines or newspapers Link aggregator sites like Stumbleupon Digg and Reddit can also be a great way to get a large number of people talking about your photography very quickly

ON-PAGE CONTENT refers to the text that appears on your website On many photographer websites there is very limited text which is a problem from an SEO perspective As much as you might want your photography to ldquospeak for itselfrdquo you still need textual content to rank within search engines If you are a New York portrait photographer then ldquoNew York portrait photographerrdquo should appear on your website So should words and phrases that are similar in nature like ldquoI specialize in corporate and editorial portraiture in the New York and Tri-state areardquo Similarly your images need captions and titles and the more detail the better

Obviously you want your images to be front and center so use your ldquoAboutrdquo page or other pages to list the products you sell awards yoursquove won workshops you give etc

II

I Although there are many different factors that affect SEO we like to think of two main categories that you can focus on to simplify things

gtOn-page content gt Building links to your website

In an information rich society we are highly dependent on search engines to find what we are looking for whether itrsquos a local plumber or a portrait photographer in Des Moines You simply cannot drive enough traffic to your website by handing out business cards The goal of SEO is unsolicited trafficmdashpeople looking for your products and services without knowing who you are

Hopefully your website provider has automated much of the SEO techno-geek stuff for you This might include

gt unique page titles gtmeta description gt lth1gt (aka HTML headline tags) gt IMG alt attributes gtmicroformats gt sitemaps gt optimized page load times

Although there are countless factors that affect where you rank on a search engine here are two things among them that hold some of the greatest weight

BACKLINKS TO YOUR WEBSITE is arguably the most important factor in increasing your SEO Each link represents an ldquoendorsementrdquo and the number of links partially influences how much of your website will be indexed by the search engines and where you appear in search results The process of ldquobacklinkrdquo creation can seem like a very ambiguous task but in fact itrsquos quite simple There are two ways to build links 1) do it yourself or 2) get other people to link to your website

Maintaining a blog and a strong presence on social media networks are some of the easiest ways to link to yourself Each time you photograph something new create a gallery on your website then write a blog entry which links to that gallery Another tactic is to take advan-tage of profiles you can create with photography trade associations or community groups

Getting other people to link to you is a bit harder you need to have something on your site that makes them want to link to you Perhaps yoursquove worked on a long-term photo project that has some relevance right now You might pitch a gallery of images to vari-

DO THIS raquo Create a keyword ldquohitlistrdquo of 20-50 words that you want your website to rank for

Keywords are words and phrases that you think people might potentially search for to find your service For example if yoursquore a nature photographer based in Denver Colorado example keywords that you want your website to rank for might be ldquoDenver Nature Photographyrdquo ldquoColorado Nature Photographerrdquo ldquoNature Photographyrdquo etc

raquo Use your keyword list to inform website copy Google yourself and refine the keywords and phrases as your business and services or the language your specialty and industry uses changes

raquo Check these words against the Google Keyword Planner to determine whether they have appreciable search volume Modify your list accordingly

raquo Search each term to determine your online competition Use MajesticSEO to perform a backlink analysis to determine whether you can displace the competition

raquo Include as much metadata and description as you can to every image you publish online Be consistent with your tagging If you choose to forgo all image descriptions metadata and smart blog titles it can negatively impact your chances of being found (Metadata is informationmdashdatamdashstored within a digital image file) Not only does this help SEO it can help protect your images from theft and misuse

raquo Remember that ldquoinaction is actionrdquo Be active with your blog and website updates so that Google sees your content as fresh Regularly update your website and social media platforms By ignoring them yoursquore telling the search engines yoursquore not relevantmdashthe opposite effect yoursquore looking for to help improve where you rank on Google

2

1

14HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Get Social 4 Tips That Can Help You Succeed on Every Social Media Platform

ver 1 billion people use Facebook Twitter has over 600 million active registered users Insta-gram has over 200 million active monthly users

and LinkedIn comes in at 300 million Social media isnrsquot a fadmdashone could argue it is the glue that creates highly sticky user interaction on the web

Companies are amassing millions of users online with the ability to broadcast messages more frequently and more inexpensively than ever before Celebrities are communicating with fans news outlets are breaking stories and photographers are finding that they can en-ter the social conversation by simply tagging wedding guests in a Facebook album before the guests can or create a following on Instagram by sharing photos from a personal project

Wersquore not saying that every social media outlet will work for every photographer but therersquos enough real evidence to suggest that a strong social media campaign can translate into real marketing exposure and real rev-enue The key point to remember is that your website is not a daily destination for your customers On the other hand hundreds of millions of people login to Facebook daily so its important that you go where your customers already are The argument can be made that different specialities will use social media differentlymdashthatrsquos very true So going back to your understanding of your audience itrsquos a good idea to determine how your audience uses social media to follow photographers and identify new talent For instance if yoursquore a portrait photographer yoursquore probably focused on how you can best harness the social platforms to promote word of mouth Can you come

up with new Facebook strategies that get your clients sharing your images with other potential families and teens And if yoursquore a commercial or editorial photog-rapher maybe yoursquore more interested in using LinkedIn and Twitter to keep former clients and prospects aware of your latest work

Though every platform is different there are four key ldquorulesrdquo to consider to help you successfully showcase your brand on each

BE A PERSON

This is probably the most important rule of social media behavior in general You want to operate as you would in the real world This means you should refrain from constantly selling your services use language that is approachable and share content that is interesting If yoursquore not sure what constitutes interesting content ask yourself if yoursquod be inclined to like share or comment on that post if you saw it on your own Feed And remem-ber that social media is not a one-way street You are participating in a community which means you need to respond and reach out to others (as you would do in an offline conversation)

GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Give a behind-the-scenes look at your shoots the set-up the gear yourself shooting on location or even a sneak peak of a personal project youre working on This can give people an idea of how you work Also think about giving a shout-out to the people you worked with that day This shows yoursquore a team player and also en-courages those you tag to follow and share your work Fashion photographer Lara Jade does a great job at this Check out examples on her Twitter page here

1

2

15HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I

BE CONSISTENT

Itrsquos important to have a consistent voice when you post This means that the general tone content and visuals are recognizable and donrsquot feel random Regularly posting in this way will also let your audience know to expect content from you which will improve engagement

PICK THE RIGHT PHOTO

Whether yoursquore sharing on Twitter Facebook or Instagram you should share a photo that strengthens your voice (which yoursquove thought about and defined)mdashit adheres to your aesthetic by way of style or content etc and shows off work you love We recom-mend sharing at least one photo per day If youre having trouble choosing a photo try to find one that evokes some type of emotion in yourself Chances are it will also have an effect on others as well

Also to help increase your visibility and reach on platforms do this

gt Like or follow pages or feeds from leading photo blogs and other photogra-phers you admire Keep in mind that once you like or follow their accounts

3

4

their content will start to appear in your Feed When you see a post that you think might interest your audience share retweet or comment

gt Sign up for newsletters and subscribe to RSS feeds Some examples include Pro Photo Daily or PDN That way you wonrsquot miss posts from publications and industry thought leaders that are most important to you A service like Feedly or Flipboard will also let you aggregate your favorite blogs in one spot so you can quickly skim for interesting news and updates and then share with your networks

gt Let people know yoursquove shared their work If you share content without using the share or retweet function (so instead by simply linking to an article resource or gallery) consider shooting that blogger an email or message to let them know that yoursquore helping spread their content People appreciate when you help them share their news and taking a quick mo-ment to let them know may make them more likely to share your own content one day

Instagram Photo by Travel Photographer Pei KetronLara Jades Twitter

16HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Want some examples of photographers succeeding with social media Check out a few that we love following on Facebook Twitter amp Instagram

FacebookLisa DevlinJohn KeatelyCorey RichBrooke ShadenBrian Smith

TwitterZack AriasEunique Jones GibsonLucas GilmanLara JadeKen KamineskyMelissa Lyttle

InstagramBrooke DombrowskiTim LandisBrad ManginLandon NordemanAdrienne Pitts

And be sure to check out our latest guides with resources and tips to help you amp up your social presence The Photographerrsquos Guide to Facebook The Photographerrsquos Guide to Twitter and The Photographerrsquos Guide to Instagram

17HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

or a photographer your blog is not just a place to dump links and post photos Your blog is a marketing tool and can be a very effective one

at that The captive online audience is vast comprised of prospective clients photographers looking to learn gear enthusiasts and many other consumers who are actively searching for services like yours

To maximize the flavor potential of your blog you need to reach people with similar tastes Connecting with the right audience starts with a targeted content strategy

ESTABLISHING YOUR BLOGrsquoS BRANDYour portfolio site design how you communicate with clients your logos your deliverables your lighting technique your field of photography ndash all of these elements define your personal brand Your blogrsquos 1 purpose should be to extend this brand

For example if you frequently work with corporate cli-ents your community would not respond well to pro-fanity-laden rants (In general this is a bad idea) But take time to think about who your audience is and what tone and style of writing would resonate best with them

There are multiple points of entry for building a suc-cessful blog Whether you choose the provocative route the educational route the anecdotal route among many others your strategic choices should reflect your brand

TARGETING YOUR AUDIENCE Your brand can also help identify your target audience Like any marketing push it will pay to know who the readers are

PART II

How to Blog Better

You should always strive to create content that attracts and sustains the attention of this audience Not only will this help focus the content strategy but also the needs and prac-tices of your targeted audience will inform how you blog

For example when establishing her company Major Multimedia photographer and multimedia producer Lauren Major wanted to target the nonprofit and so-cial good sector Once she narrowed her target audi-ence she was able to research their online activity and create content that would specifically appeal to the social good user

Photographers who run workshops will often cater the writing on their blog to other photographers This helps establish them as ldquoexpertsrdquo as well as speak directly to prospective attendees and students A blog can also help photographers continue a dialogue with current and former clients as well as attract potential new ones

Additionally alternative and edgy UK wedding pho-tographer Lisa Devlin has branded herself as the go-to photographer for all weddings off-the-beating path She uses her blog to showcase the non-traditional thread

18HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I between her clients to help reinforce her expertise and niche in this space

The more targeted your marketing efforts the more suc-cessful you will be at converting customers

GENERATING SALESYour blog can also function quite well as an indirect marketing tool for your brand including directly trans-lating into image sales or other revenue opportunities

If part of your business includes selling workshops your blog content should target the consumer who might be in-terested in your specific workshop Blog posts should em-phasize your expertise in your field and show who you are as a teacher and a photographer For example nature pho-tographer Greg Basco of Deep Green Photography sells nature photography workshops in Costa Rica through his website The ldquoBehind the Lensrdquo series on his blog shows images captured in the field and explains the technique and story behind getting the shot Gregrsquos tours now sell out quickly after being announced

You may also want to sell products through your web-site or directly on your blog The content should support why a consumer should buy this product from you and even show the value of the product

MANAGING YOUR BLOGGING WORKFLOWAfter you choose the best platform for you and identify your target audience you may find yourself about to hit the ldquoNow whatrdquo panic button If you do not have a plan for your workflow a blog can quickly become a burden But you can easily skip ahead of the whole overwhelming part of blogging by developing an effective workflow system

Here are a few tips to help tailor a system for your workflow

ORGANIZE YOUR IDEAS

An effective content strategy relies on careful planning If your blogging strategy is to wait for ideas first you will likely end up with an inconsistent blog and a con-stant feeling of pressure to come up with new topics If you blog every thought that pops into your head you risk burying the quality content with the extraneous stuffmdashand confusing your audience

Start a spreadsheet Google Doc or journal devoted exclu-sively to ideas for potential blog posts If you have a mo-ment of inspiration jot it down or type it up You may nev-er use half of the ideas or may take one thought in a totally different direction but keeping a list of thoughts will take the pressure off coming up with something to write about on the spotmdashand it will help you manage your workflow

CREATE TOPIC CATEGORIES

Have an understanding of the areas that you want to cover on your blog Think through questions like

gtDo you want to write at least one gear review a week gtDo you want to feature an interview with an industry professional once a month gtDo you want to have a video blog series

You donrsquot have to decide every area of interest before you start your blog and based on your audiencersquos re-sponse the topics you write about may evolve Having a few target areas in your pocket will help you focus your idea stream and keep the blog clear and on brand For inspiration check out the next page for 7 ideas to help inspire you when writing blog posts

MAKE A CALENDAR AND STICK TO IT

Is it realistic for you to blog everyday Probably not and it might not be smart for you to do it either Just make

1

2

3

sure you have a plan for when you want to blog It does not necessarily have to be a set number either The key is to be consistent so your followers can expect and look forward to your posts If yoursquore a wedding photographer your blogging strategy might involve doing a post after every wedding Even if your blogging pattern follows gigs having a set deadline will help you stay consistent (ie never wait more than 72 hours to publish a post about a job) and meet audience expectations

The best way to stay on top of your self-made blogging deadlines is to keep a calendar exclusively for your blog It could contain upcoming shoots and personal events or you could plan each month out specifically based on what you will be posting about on a given day Looking at an upcoming calendar will help you manage the time you need to complete each desired blog post and may also provide you with new or thematic inspiration

HAVE AN RSS FEED

Your idea diary not cutting it for you Keep an RSS feed like Feedly of photography blogs that inspire you blogs of prospective clients the musings of your competitors andor the Twitter feed of your favorite vendor An RSS feed consolidates all of the sites and accounts your go-to for inspiration into one place which will help cut down on time spent going between each sitemdashand the dis-tractions Internet surfing can bring

MANAGE YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS

If writing does not come easily to you and you cannot in-vest the resources into outsourcing the work travel pho-tographer Matt Brandon advises setting boundaries for yourself Writing can easily consume your day and setting unreasonable expectations as to what you can accomplish is setting yourself up to fail

Set goals you know you can meet The great thing about blogs is they are totally malleable If you dis-

4

5

19HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I cover you love blogging and can ramp up your pro-duction as long as itrsquos in-tune with your target audi-encemdashgo for it But if you try to do and say too much right out of the gate you may be shooting yourself in the foot Building an audience can take time so set up a sustainable workflow system for yourself that can support the process

7 BLOG TOPICS TO INSPIRE YOUHere are 7 ideas off the bat to inspire you when plan-ning out your blog posts

TOP 10 LISTS

Top 10 list (or top 9 top 7 etc) are highly clickable and easy to share ndash a list provides quick easily understood context for exactly what the reader will find in your blog post Added bonus lists donrsquot need to be copy-heavy or heavily researched Go ahead and give your own opinion on the 5 female photographers who changed the indus-try and watch the hits roll in

STIR THE POT

If yoursquore not afraid to ruffle a few feathers bucking tradition or authority with a controversial statement is a great way to get the community buzzing How-ever donrsquot just say something provocative for the sake of getting a rise out of people It is better to put forth your opinion on a topic about which you genuinely have something to say and back that statement up with facts and illustrative examples Prepare yourself for a helping of haters and make sure to respond to naysayers with the same intelligent clarity with which you crafted the article

WRITE A REVIEW

Clearly there is no shortage of photography gear re-views on the Internet That should not discourage you from writing one yourself Many photographers carve

out a niche for themselves based on their reviews It might be what you say it might be how you say it but if you write a great gear review someone will definitely be reading

COMPILE RESOURCES

Everyone loves to discover that all the information they need on a topic already exists in one place If you donrsquot mind doing a little legwork then try assembling a specific relevant list of online resources This may be a particularly useful option for photographers who do not consider themselves strong writersmdasha resource list is more about supporting the topic and writing need not be heavily involved

CROWDSOURCE COMMENTARY

In a recent PhotoShelter blog post we asked four ma-jor photo editors from Rolling Stone The New Yorker Vogue Italia and Esquirecom how theyre using Insta-gram to develop new talent Their responses are here As a photographer consider sourcing your colleagues posing a question to your readers or blasting your social media platforms No matter the route you will end up with content created for you that also proves to your community that you value their opinion

INTERVIEW PEOPLE SMARTER THAN YOU

The world is full of smart interesting people with an experienced viewpoint An interview with them can add depth to an issue and will likely bring new people to your blog that might not have found it oth-erwise You could also email a photographer whose work you admire or a prospective client that yoursquod love to work with one day As long as the interview is not a thinly veiled request for work promoting them with an interview on your blog will at least get you on a few radars

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Behind-the-scenes content usually resonates well with an audience especially photographers who love to learn the story behind an image Practically any photo assign-ment yoursquove done has the potential to become a behind-the-scenes blog

20HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Three Easy Steps to Use Email Marketing to Your AdvantageBy Mira Mad Mimi email newsletter coach

hether yoursquore looking to sell more prints or book more photography sessions email marketing is an efficient low-cost way to build up your client

base As an email newsletter coach at Mad Mimimdasha simple lovely email servicemdashI help lots of photographers reach a wider audience While our collective superpower at Mad Mimi is email marketing (as nerdy as that is) many of us are aspiring photographers as well so Irsquom thrilled to share these tips with you

STEP ONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EMAIL MEDIUMUSE A BONAFIDE EMAIL MARKETING PLATFORM If yoursquore a PhotoShop whiz you may be tempted to build an email in that formatmdashimages and text included But image-only emails tend to have worse reader engagement and inbox delivery rates To ensure that your emails get delivered and opened use a tool designed for creating marketing emails Both people and inbox robots will be able to understand this format Mad Mimi is a great option for photographers Here are a few photographers using our service

Jennifer Clare PhotographyDana Smith PhotographyHeather Evans Smith Photography

ALWAYS LINK Include at least one link in each email you send Itrsquos easy to turn any text or image into a clickable link Before you send preview your email as your recipients will see it Links ldquoabove the foldrdquo of the screen perform better than links readers must scroll down to see What to link to Think about linking out to your website a specific photography portfolio a recent blog post or even one of your social networks if yoursquore trying to grow your following

21HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE VISITS TO YOUR WEBSITE Get folks out of the email and onto your site Thatrsquos where they can have a richer viewing experience learn more about your photography and potentially make a purchase or email you to inquire about your services The point of your email is to invite them to engage with youmdashhopefully on your site

If you use Google Analytics to measure your web traffic you may be able to see how many visits come from your email newsletters (this depends on your email platform Mad Mimi integrates with Google Analytics)

STEP TWO BE YOUR SHINY SELFDONrsquoT BE AFRAID OF MINIMALISM Let your photography communicate on its own in your emailsmdashjust as you would in another medium Showcase your photographs with lovely wide image modules Even one image alone can make a powerful impact

KEEP YOUR TEXT SHORT Email can be a very intimate (and interactive) environment Donrsquot distract your recipients with too much content Simple emails get shared Make sure you can answer the question ldquoWhy am I sending this emailrdquo If your own answer is muddled or hidden in the text you will struggle to engage

SPEAK YOUR OWN STYLE Design your emails to reflect the personality of your brand The colors fonts and layouts you use should reinforce the branding on your website and complement (rather than compete with) your photography

MAXIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL REACH Find new fans by maximizing the shareability of your emails Not into Twitter So what Some of your photography fans probably love it So make it easy for your fans friends and family to share your emails on their favorite social networks

Many email platforms (including Mad Mimi) let you include social sharing buttons in your emails These allow your fans to share your email with just one click You can also include links to your own social profiles making it easy for readers to click right to your businessrsquo Facebook page for instance

STEP THREE BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR AUDIENCETHE GOLDEN RULE You wouldnrsquot load your photography prints into a T-shirt cannon and run up and down the street firing shots into peoplersquos dining rooms So donrsquot do

that in email either Be respectful of peoplersquos inboxes and be sure that yoursquore delivering relevant content to the right people At Mad Mimi we review your first email before it goes out and give you any technical tips or design feedback if needed

COLLECT SIGNUPS Practice permission-based marketing which means only sending to people who have opted in to receive your emails whether by using a signup form on your site signing up at an event or making a purchase Only send to people yoursquove interacted with recently (say the past 18 months) You donrsquot send your business card to your high school teachersmdashitrsquos essentially the same thing

Many email marketing platforms (including Mad Mimi) offer customizable signup forms and integrate with top third-party form builders

DONrsquoT SEND TOO MANY EMAILS Donrsquot send too few The ideal frequency depends on your audience Itrsquos worth thinking about why you are emailing your audiencemdashmight they hire you have they hired you do they just like your work Unless yoursquove segmented your list your audience probably includes a variety of people so keep that in mind when considering frequency

To find the best frequency for you we recommend a combination of going with your gut and testing You know your audience best Make decisions based on that but be willing to try new things Most email platforms offer stats reporting to help you gauge the effectiveness of your emails Check your stats and adjust accordingly

GIVE SOMETHING AWAY Itrsquos just true If you give people something for signing up they feel better about handing over their email address And you donrsquot JUST want their email addressmdashyou want their business Offering a coupon for a print or specialized content at signup is a great way to give your newsletter added perceived value

If yoursquore a bit more advanced drip campaigns are a great way to deliver free (or paid) stuff to people who sign up Whatrsquos a drip campaign Itrsquos a series of autoresponder emails You can use drip campaigns to deliver downloadable freebies welcome emails and coupons If yoursquore interested in sharing your expertise you can even use them to deliver photography e-courses Here are a few helpful blog posts on drip campaigns

5 Tips for Creating a Stellar Welcome Email Campaign6 (Incredible) Woman-Powered Drip Campaigns5 Tips for Gaining Subscribers with an Email Course21 Autoresponder Ideas to Grow Your Business

22HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I If you focus on these three steps yoursquoll be well on your way to increasing the reach of your photography business The Mad Mimi team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about getting started Email us at supportmadmimicom

23HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

arketing does not have to be your worst enemy but it does require you to carve out time and map out a gameplan Once you have a few strategies

in place - whether that be a workflow that includes post-ing to social networks blogging regularly or sending out a monthly newsletter - you will be more able to grow a strong presence online and establish awareness about your brand And remember before you start know cold what yoursquore providing and exactly who and where your target audience ismdashboth online and off If you can confidently define your target market then you will be in great shape to develop a strong marketing plan that can attract qual-ity clients and grow your business better than ever before

Conclusionamp Resources

ResourcesGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to FacebookGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to InstagramGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to TwitterGUIDE 11 Secrets to a Great Photography WebsiteGUIDE Creating a Successful Photography PortfolioGUIDE 10 Branding Secrets for PhotographersBLOG Developing a Better Photography Brand BLOG How This Photographer is Making Your LaughBLOG 10 Great Photographer PromosBLOG Tackling Google 3 Ways Photographers Can Improve Their SEOBLOG Building a Photo Brand From the Ground Up Tips From Art WolfeBLOG 4 Ways to Get More Work From Old ClientsVIDEO Tips amp Strategies To Grow Your Audience OnlineVIDEO Interview with Zack Arias If I Had to Start My Business Today VIDEO 11 Essential Tips for Freelance PhotographersTOOL Google AnalyticsTOOL Google Keyword PlannerTOOL Mad MimiTOOL Bitly

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 4: How to market your photography

6HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

e want to help you think through key ar-eas to help market your business and reach more clients Marketing your photography

business is a process which means there is no one-stop-shop formula for success to ldquohit the jackpotrdquo But the good news is that if you plug away in a few major areas yoursquoll start to solidify your brand attract more eyeballs to your website and be top-of-mind for potential buyers and clients Here are three major questions you should address before you launch your marketing efforts

Who is your audienceDefining and understanding your audience is crucial to shaping your business your products (yes your photog-raphy is a ldquoproductrdquo) your brand and your marketing efforts as whole Without clearly defining who yoursquore targeting you canrsquot clearly define why yoursquore reaching out to certain folks over others As a result your mar-keting will lack focus (at best) and look sloppy and out of sync (at worst)

For example if yoursquore a polar and environmental pho-tographer your audience isnrsquot womenrsquos lifestyle and fashion editors This may seem obvious but being able to clearly articulate who yoursquore targeting (and not tar-geting) will help you strategically focus your services and marketing efforts to appeal to the right group

PART I

3 Questions to Answer Before You Start Marketing

What may not be as obvious is the case of the pho-tographer who has multiple specialties as many (if not most) do these days You may do editorial work during the week but shoot weddings on the weekends for that extra bump in income What then Well yoursquoll still want to clearly define each audience for each specialty you havemdashand yoursquoll want to have a marketing strategy suited for each as well A one-size-fits-all approach may cause confusion or a feel-ing among prospective clients that yoursquore really not the ldquoexpertrdquo at any one thingmdashor at least at the thing they care most about In short they wonrsquot find you relevant for their needs

Says one art director from an advertising agency ldquoPho-tographers make mistakes when they donrsquot clearly po-sition themselves in their outreach I need to know what type of photographer they are and their style If it looks like they are all over the place I canrsquot be confi-dent that they can do my job wellrdquo

Truly understanding your target market also gives you several advantages Most importantly you know what appeals to them

What is Your Unique Selling Point As you get a hold on your audiencersquos needs this will help you identify your unique selling pointmdashor what your business offers that helps you stand out from the pack and to keep you top of mind Differentiating your brand and your services from your competitors can be the ultimate key to effective marketing and getting new business through the door

1

2

Defining and understanding your audience is

crucial to shaping your business

7HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

So first you need to make a determination What is it that you offer your target cus-tomers Can you clearly state this Is your unique offering based on a specialty (eg underwater photography) or certain access (eg US military) or skill (eg lighting) Or is your unique offering based on the service delivered or tangible product the customer will be purchasing (eg boudoir portrait sessions or photo-wrapped Mini Coopers) A good first step to determine your unique selling point is to survey your competition and determine whether they have service offerings that you could replicate and then improve upon Next if you sell products analyze what has sold for you in the past year Can you pinpoint why they sold well What about those products was attractive to buyers (If yoursquore not sure itrsquos okay to ask) Also think about the clients or projects that have been particularly successful What about these projects made them so Fo-cus in on these factors or traits and make them known to your clients and prospects

Is your website as great as you are

II

I

3

come to a site that feels stale and out of date yoursquore inclined to click out To keep your own site fresh you want to plan out a series of regular updatesmdashrefreshing a portfolio or gallery a new blog post on your latest shoot etc Regularly updating your website can also help improve your ranking on major search engines which rank sites with fresh content favorably To have a competitive and highly functional website this year here are a few items your site should have

gtClear contact information and ldquoaboutrdquo page gtWell organized portfolio sections or galleries gtE-commerce capabilities (if you sell prints or stock) gt File delivery (so you can send files to clients with your brand) gt Blog that is updated regularly (we recommend at least once a week)

If you can map out and answer these three questions yoursquore in great shape to estab-lish your marketing plan and attract quality potential clients

When it comes to marketing your photography your website is your headquarters Itrsquos your greatest tool your virtual business card a reflection of your professionalism and (should be) a way to easily connect with you or transact with clients who want to license your work or buy your prints and products

So as a first step if you donrsquot consider your website as central to marketing your busi-ness then itrsquos time to start Think about your own experience online As soon as you

If you dont consider your website as

central to marketing your business

then its time to start

Website by Lindsay Adler

8HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

efore diving in to map out your strategy there are a few key marketing concepts you should know Letrsquos go through each

MANAGING YOUR TIMEFinancial budgets can be very carefully allocated and eas-ily tracked across a mix of marketing activities Time on the other hand tends to be harder for many to budget and optimize This gets even more complicated when you in-troduce tactics like social media and Search Engine Opti-mization (SEO) the cost of which is primarily your time while the results may not be immediate In fact generally everyone arrives at a moment when they ask themselves ldquoIs all this really worth my timerdquo Therersquos a way to find out Two important business terms to get familiar with are Return on Investment (ROI) and Opportunity Cost These are objective tools at your disposal to help you carve up the time you budget for marketing To get the data you need however you must enforce a discipline of tracking your own time monitoring the result of your efforts and avoiding activities that may feel productive but are not (like bantering with friends on Twitter for example)

PART I

Key Marketing Concepts

RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI)ROI is a term that marketers borrowed from the fi-nancial world Financial analysts have always measured their investments to know exactly how investments are performing Marketing on the other hand arrived late to the analytics party

Essentially ROI in its simplest form translates to ldquobang for your buckrdquo The ldquoinvestmentrdquo is what you put in likely your marketing dollars or your time The ldquoreturnrdquo is what you get out which is hopefully revenue (Sure inspiration or satisfaction might be considered the re-turn as well but letrsquos stick to the hard stuff)

ROI is a valuable metric because it can help you examine every marketing activity and know the dollar amount that results from every dollar (or hour) you invest This can also be expressed as a percentage Once you estab-lish the ROI across all of your marketing activities you can start making decisions about where to spend more or less of your time

OPPORTUNITY COSTAll businesses especially freelancers have to make tough decisions about where time and money are spent The concept of opportunity cost provides an easy way to think about managing these decisions especially when yoursquore faced with any number of attractive marketing opportunities Therersquos a cost associated with not doing something and thatrsquos the revenue you would get out of that specific activity So you incur an ldquoopportunity costrdquo by continuing to engage in any one activity while yoursquore passing up the revenue associated with doing something else Without getting too academic letrsquos just attack this

Its not smart to keep doing one activity when you

know another activity can produce more revenue

9HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

head onmdashitrsquos not smart to keep doing one activity when you know another activity can produce more revenue

In practical terms you probably market your freelance business on Facebook and Twitter The time you invest here is time yoursquore not spending cold calling advertising agencies to book portfolio reviews Hence the opportunity cost is the revenue yoursquore passing up by focusing your time on social media instead of cold calling If cold calling is more pro-ductive for your business allocating your scarce time toward social media may just be a poor decision On the other hand if the investment in social media will create links that improve how clients find you the payoff may come over a longer term

Low ROI High ROI

High Investment

Low Investment

Think through your investments in terms of the output High investment is ok if you get high output Low investment with high ROI is the best You want to avoid high investment low ROI

As you invest your time and money into various marketing channels be sure to keep track of how much yoursquore putting in and what your return is from those efforts You can think of return on levels including customer acquisition brand awareness lead genera-tion etc As a busy photographer on a tight budget your goal of course is to invest at little time and money as possible but receive a high return (see chart above) There is no silver bullet for this unfortunatelymdashyou need to experiment and diligently track what works and what doesnrsquot

CONVERSION THE MOST CRITICAL CONCEPTIf you want to be a savvy internet marketer you need to start thinking in terms of conversion

Everywhere you exist online you should have a desired goalmdashthe behavior you hope to induce For example your websitersquos goal may be to drive visitors to purchase a print for

II

I example inquire about your services sign up for your newsletter or any other possible step closer to generating revenue Completing this goal is considered a ldquoconversionrdquo A random visitor who becomes a paying customer represents one conversion More conversions make you more successful So a metric to pay very close attention to is your ldquoconversion raterdquo Conversion rate represents the percentage of people who complete your desired goal See formula

Conversion rate = Visitors who complete the goalTotal visitors In addition to knowing the overall conversion rate of your website you should know the conversion rate for any given marketing effort With the help of a tool like Google Analytics you can even monitor the conversion rate of people who view specific con-tent on your website or come in from a specific source (eg Facebook)

THE INTERNET MARKETING FUNNELHerersquos a very important way to think about marketing your business Imagine a big funnel Every time someone engages with you (letrsquos say visits your website) theyrsquore entering the top of your funnel Your conversion goal is for site visitors to inquire online about your services or perhaps purchase something directly Those who convert come out the bottom of the funnel However as visitors navigate around your website people tend to drop off For example maybe they determine yoursquore not a fit for their needs or donrsquot like your branding or canrsquot find your email address So it should become very obvious that two primary factors can impact your suc-cess The first is your conversion ratemdashhow well you turn visitors into paying cus-tomers Improving your conversion rate against your typical monthly website traf-fic creates more paying customers The second is traffic Improving the volume of traffic coming through your funnel (at the same conversion rate) will result in more paying customers too

Marketing efforts however typically involve multi-stage funnels For example you generate an email campaign and a small group opens it then a smaller group clicks through to your website then a smaller group clicks the ldquobuyrdquo button and a smaller group finishes the sale through credit card processingThe point is your conversion rate gets whittled down with every additional step in the buyingengagement process Thatrsquos why simultaneously increasing the funnel and improving conversion are of para-mount importance in growing a business

Investment (TimeMoney) vs ROI (What yoursquore getting back)

10HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Once you establish a baseline for traffic and conversion rate you can start making smart-er decisions about your marketing efforts Such as how much traffic is necessary to hit your growth targets and which marketing efforts deserve more resources and attention

YOUR ONLINE FOOTPRINTOnce upon a time having only a website was sufficient to market your work ldquoTaking a business onlinerdquo meant moving away from the brick and mortar world to establish a website thus creating a foothold in the online world When prospects wanted to know more about you and your services they could visit your website expecting to find a typical explanation of your services a list of clients and some examples of your work Times have changed Now the best way to enhance your online footprint is by estab-lishing a presence across a multitude of web properties including your own website(s) social media platforms community forums trade organizations blogs etc There are several smart reasons to build an online footprint including the top reason Yoursquore more likely to get found A more robust online presence creates multiple ways for prospects to find you When more people can find you yoursquore widening your funnel (whether theyrsquore searching for you specifically or your services) to capture more traffic Because content is indexed highly efficiently by search engines and links are frequently shared via social media it is now likely that most prospects are not necessarily coming through ldquothe front doorrdquomdashyour traditional website homepage Rather theyrsquore finding you elsewhere online or finding a specific piece of content thatrsquos highly relevant to their needs To take advan-tage of this your online marketing strategy should explore relevant opportunities to create new profiles descriptively keyworded so they help you get found on key terms and these profiles should point back to your website (the center of your online market-ing presence) where prospects may continue to engage with you

MANAGE YOUR BRANDWhen gathering intelligence about a potential service provider like yourself it is typi-cal for prospects to perform a Google search Having multiple profiles to support your own branding will enable prospects to ldquotriangulaterdquo the data and make a positive judg-ment about your credibility For example outdoor and adventure photographer Corey Rich has a unified on-line presence across multiple platforms including his website blog Twitter profile

LOSE THE ldquoFRONT DOORrdquo MENTALITYThe reality is the pathway that yoursquove imagined potential clients will engage with you is probably very different than the actual pathway For instance life would be very simple if a corporate creative director received your email promotion visited your website clicked your ldquocontact merdquo link requested your portfolio and hired you for a gig

But sales cycles are rarely ever so neat and tidy Managing your online footprint with multiple hooks gives prospects a way to engage with you wherever they feel most com-fortable in a way that provides either direct contact or relative anonymity For example that same creative director may not have an immediate need for your services yet may be compelled to follow you on Twitter Facebook or Instagram or subscribe to your blog feed or newsletter This gives them a way to stay engaged yet avoid the time commit-ment of a portfolio review and pitch from you until the opportunity is right for them One word of caution about your online footprintmdashbeyond creating the profile you need to carefully monitor and maintain certain sites to ensure you create a visible ldquopulserdquo This means managing the frequency of posts answering questions and updating links

Facebook Page and Instagram Feedmdashall of which help an inquiring prospect get to know him better

Each channel adds to Coreyrsquos credibility that hersquos working photographer with a strong online presence and dedication to his work

Corey Rich

wwwcoreyrichcom

newscoreyrichcom

wwwtwittercomcoreyrich

wwwfacebookcomCoreyRichProductions

wwwinstagramcomcoreyrichproductions

11HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

ven the word ldquomarketing planrdquo can sound daunt-ing but donrsquot get tripped up on terminology Still if you expect to see an increase in clientssales you

need to have a plan for specific marketing tactics that will drive this improvement Our recommendation is to simply think about different marketing categories and then list out activities that you could do in each

Your marketing plan shouldnrsquot be designed to treat each po-tential customer as if they were in the same state of readi-ness to hire you or buy something from you For example some people who walk into the Gap are just passing the time a smaller percentage want to try on a pair of jeans and an even smaller percentage walk into the store ready to buy

When you consider different activities in each category think about how people in different parts of the ldquosales cyclerdquo would react You might do a low cost postcard campaign to blanket as many photo buyers and editors And you might do a more expensive photo book to send to your top 10 to make a larger impression You wouldnrsquot treat the customer whorsquos just looking for a place to sit down the same as the one whorsquos ready to buy a pair of jeans Your marketing ef-forts should be nuanced

Additionally you need to remember one-time marketing efforts rarely pay off You often need to experiment with multiple campaigns through multiple channels to get on peoplersquos radars and convert them into customers Increasing your ldquobrand awarenessrdquo amongst your potential customers is arguably as important as converting a small percentage of them into paying customers

PART I

How to Create a Marketing Plan

Here are a few channels to consider

gtEmail Marketing Newsletters E-promos gtDirect Mail Postcards Books Posters gt Social Media Twitter Facebook Instagram gtEvents Trade Shows Portfolio Reviews gt Inbound Tactics SEO Optimization gt Lead Capture Blog Website gt Blogging Opinion pieces Gear reviews be-hind-the-scenes

DO THIS raquo Create a list of current and future marketing activities

raquo Create a rough estimate of timemoney that you will expend on each

raquo Create a rough ROI (return on investment) that each initiative will bring

raquo Jettison highlow investment ROI projects Plan campaigns around high ROI projects Remember to take into account that some efforts may take longer to see a ldquoreturnrdquo so make sure yoursquore balancing short and long term gain (eg efforts that build awareness vs those that might bring in customers immediately)

12HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Tackling Google amp Building Your SEO

hat is Search Engine Optimization (SEO) exactly In short SEO is the process of af-fecting where your website organically ranks

on major search engines like Google Bing etc

Photographers are often vexed by SEO because it seems like a moving target Just when you think your website is ranking well Google changes its algorithm

determining which SEO factors hold most influence in the rankings and you lose half your traffic The frus-tration might be warranted but the fact of the matter is that everyone uses search engines to find services and products online And no matter what you search for some websites always comes up first and subse-quently gain a massive marketing benefit

Photo by Jim Goldstein

13HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

ous photo blogs magazines or newspapers Link aggregator sites like Stumbleupon Digg and Reddit can also be a great way to get a large number of people talking about your photography very quickly

ON-PAGE CONTENT refers to the text that appears on your website On many photographer websites there is very limited text which is a problem from an SEO perspective As much as you might want your photography to ldquospeak for itselfrdquo you still need textual content to rank within search engines If you are a New York portrait photographer then ldquoNew York portrait photographerrdquo should appear on your website So should words and phrases that are similar in nature like ldquoI specialize in corporate and editorial portraiture in the New York and Tri-state areardquo Similarly your images need captions and titles and the more detail the better

Obviously you want your images to be front and center so use your ldquoAboutrdquo page or other pages to list the products you sell awards yoursquove won workshops you give etc

II

I Although there are many different factors that affect SEO we like to think of two main categories that you can focus on to simplify things

gtOn-page content gt Building links to your website

In an information rich society we are highly dependent on search engines to find what we are looking for whether itrsquos a local plumber or a portrait photographer in Des Moines You simply cannot drive enough traffic to your website by handing out business cards The goal of SEO is unsolicited trafficmdashpeople looking for your products and services without knowing who you are

Hopefully your website provider has automated much of the SEO techno-geek stuff for you This might include

gt unique page titles gtmeta description gt lth1gt (aka HTML headline tags) gt IMG alt attributes gtmicroformats gt sitemaps gt optimized page load times

Although there are countless factors that affect where you rank on a search engine here are two things among them that hold some of the greatest weight

BACKLINKS TO YOUR WEBSITE is arguably the most important factor in increasing your SEO Each link represents an ldquoendorsementrdquo and the number of links partially influences how much of your website will be indexed by the search engines and where you appear in search results The process of ldquobacklinkrdquo creation can seem like a very ambiguous task but in fact itrsquos quite simple There are two ways to build links 1) do it yourself or 2) get other people to link to your website

Maintaining a blog and a strong presence on social media networks are some of the easiest ways to link to yourself Each time you photograph something new create a gallery on your website then write a blog entry which links to that gallery Another tactic is to take advan-tage of profiles you can create with photography trade associations or community groups

Getting other people to link to you is a bit harder you need to have something on your site that makes them want to link to you Perhaps yoursquove worked on a long-term photo project that has some relevance right now You might pitch a gallery of images to vari-

DO THIS raquo Create a keyword ldquohitlistrdquo of 20-50 words that you want your website to rank for

Keywords are words and phrases that you think people might potentially search for to find your service For example if yoursquore a nature photographer based in Denver Colorado example keywords that you want your website to rank for might be ldquoDenver Nature Photographyrdquo ldquoColorado Nature Photographerrdquo ldquoNature Photographyrdquo etc

raquo Use your keyword list to inform website copy Google yourself and refine the keywords and phrases as your business and services or the language your specialty and industry uses changes

raquo Check these words against the Google Keyword Planner to determine whether they have appreciable search volume Modify your list accordingly

raquo Search each term to determine your online competition Use MajesticSEO to perform a backlink analysis to determine whether you can displace the competition

raquo Include as much metadata and description as you can to every image you publish online Be consistent with your tagging If you choose to forgo all image descriptions metadata and smart blog titles it can negatively impact your chances of being found (Metadata is informationmdashdatamdashstored within a digital image file) Not only does this help SEO it can help protect your images from theft and misuse

raquo Remember that ldquoinaction is actionrdquo Be active with your blog and website updates so that Google sees your content as fresh Regularly update your website and social media platforms By ignoring them yoursquore telling the search engines yoursquore not relevantmdashthe opposite effect yoursquore looking for to help improve where you rank on Google

2

1

14HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Get Social 4 Tips That Can Help You Succeed on Every Social Media Platform

ver 1 billion people use Facebook Twitter has over 600 million active registered users Insta-gram has over 200 million active monthly users

and LinkedIn comes in at 300 million Social media isnrsquot a fadmdashone could argue it is the glue that creates highly sticky user interaction on the web

Companies are amassing millions of users online with the ability to broadcast messages more frequently and more inexpensively than ever before Celebrities are communicating with fans news outlets are breaking stories and photographers are finding that they can en-ter the social conversation by simply tagging wedding guests in a Facebook album before the guests can or create a following on Instagram by sharing photos from a personal project

Wersquore not saying that every social media outlet will work for every photographer but therersquos enough real evidence to suggest that a strong social media campaign can translate into real marketing exposure and real rev-enue The key point to remember is that your website is not a daily destination for your customers On the other hand hundreds of millions of people login to Facebook daily so its important that you go where your customers already are The argument can be made that different specialities will use social media differentlymdashthatrsquos very true So going back to your understanding of your audience itrsquos a good idea to determine how your audience uses social media to follow photographers and identify new talent For instance if yoursquore a portrait photographer yoursquore probably focused on how you can best harness the social platforms to promote word of mouth Can you come

up with new Facebook strategies that get your clients sharing your images with other potential families and teens And if yoursquore a commercial or editorial photog-rapher maybe yoursquore more interested in using LinkedIn and Twitter to keep former clients and prospects aware of your latest work

Though every platform is different there are four key ldquorulesrdquo to consider to help you successfully showcase your brand on each

BE A PERSON

This is probably the most important rule of social media behavior in general You want to operate as you would in the real world This means you should refrain from constantly selling your services use language that is approachable and share content that is interesting If yoursquore not sure what constitutes interesting content ask yourself if yoursquod be inclined to like share or comment on that post if you saw it on your own Feed And remem-ber that social media is not a one-way street You are participating in a community which means you need to respond and reach out to others (as you would do in an offline conversation)

GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Give a behind-the-scenes look at your shoots the set-up the gear yourself shooting on location or even a sneak peak of a personal project youre working on This can give people an idea of how you work Also think about giving a shout-out to the people you worked with that day This shows yoursquore a team player and also en-courages those you tag to follow and share your work Fashion photographer Lara Jade does a great job at this Check out examples on her Twitter page here

1

2

15HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I

BE CONSISTENT

Itrsquos important to have a consistent voice when you post This means that the general tone content and visuals are recognizable and donrsquot feel random Regularly posting in this way will also let your audience know to expect content from you which will improve engagement

PICK THE RIGHT PHOTO

Whether yoursquore sharing on Twitter Facebook or Instagram you should share a photo that strengthens your voice (which yoursquove thought about and defined)mdashit adheres to your aesthetic by way of style or content etc and shows off work you love We recom-mend sharing at least one photo per day If youre having trouble choosing a photo try to find one that evokes some type of emotion in yourself Chances are it will also have an effect on others as well

Also to help increase your visibility and reach on platforms do this

gt Like or follow pages or feeds from leading photo blogs and other photogra-phers you admire Keep in mind that once you like or follow their accounts

3

4

their content will start to appear in your Feed When you see a post that you think might interest your audience share retweet or comment

gt Sign up for newsletters and subscribe to RSS feeds Some examples include Pro Photo Daily or PDN That way you wonrsquot miss posts from publications and industry thought leaders that are most important to you A service like Feedly or Flipboard will also let you aggregate your favorite blogs in one spot so you can quickly skim for interesting news and updates and then share with your networks

gt Let people know yoursquove shared their work If you share content without using the share or retweet function (so instead by simply linking to an article resource or gallery) consider shooting that blogger an email or message to let them know that yoursquore helping spread their content People appreciate when you help them share their news and taking a quick mo-ment to let them know may make them more likely to share your own content one day

Instagram Photo by Travel Photographer Pei KetronLara Jades Twitter

16HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Want some examples of photographers succeeding with social media Check out a few that we love following on Facebook Twitter amp Instagram

FacebookLisa DevlinJohn KeatelyCorey RichBrooke ShadenBrian Smith

TwitterZack AriasEunique Jones GibsonLucas GilmanLara JadeKen KamineskyMelissa Lyttle

InstagramBrooke DombrowskiTim LandisBrad ManginLandon NordemanAdrienne Pitts

And be sure to check out our latest guides with resources and tips to help you amp up your social presence The Photographerrsquos Guide to Facebook The Photographerrsquos Guide to Twitter and The Photographerrsquos Guide to Instagram

17HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

or a photographer your blog is not just a place to dump links and post photos Your blog is a marketing tool and can be a very effective one

at that The captive online audience is vast comprised of prospective clients photographers looking to learn gear enthusiasts and many other consumers who are actively searching for services like yours

To maximize the flavor potential of your blog you need to reach people with similar tastes Connecting with the right audience starts with a targeted content strategy

ESTABLISHING YOUR BLOGrsquoS BRANDYour portfolio site design how you communicate with clients your logos your deliverables your lighting technique your field of photography ndash all of these elements define your personal brand Your blogrsquos 1 purpose should be to extend this brand

For example if you frequently work with corporate cli-ents your community would not respond well to pro-fanity-laden rants (In general this is a bad idea) But take time to think about who your audience is and what tone and style of writing would resonate best with them

There are multiple points of entry for building a suc-cessful blog Whether you choose the provocative route the educational route the anecdotal route among many others your strategic choices should reflect your brand

TARGETING YOUR AUDIENCE Your brand can also help identify your target audience Like any marketing push it will pay to know who the readers are

PART II

How to Blog Better

You should always strive to create content that attracts and sustains the attention of this audience Not only will this help focus the content strategy but also the needs and prac-tices of your targeted audience will inform how you blog

For example when establishing her company Major Multimedia photographer and multimedia producer Lauren Major wanted to target the nonprofit and so-cial good sector Once she narrowed her target audi-ence she was able to research their online activity and create content that would specifically appeal to the social good user

Photographers who run workshops will often cater the writing on their blog to other photographers This helps establish them as ldquoexpertsrdquo as well as speak directly to prospective attendees and students A blog can also help photographers continue a dialogue with current and former clients as well as attract potential new ones

Additionally alternative and edgy UK wedding pho-tographer Lisa Devlin has branded herself as the go-to photographer for all weddings off-the-beating path She uses her blog to showcase the non-traditional thread

18HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I between her clients to help reinforce her expertise and niche in this space

The more targeted your marketing efforts the more suc-cessful you will be at converting customers

GENERATING SALESYour blog can also function quite well as an indirect marketing tool for your brand including directly trans-lating into image sales or other revenue opportunities

If part of your business includes selling workshops your blog content should target the consumer who might be in-terested in your specific workshop Blog posts should em-phasize your expertise in your field and show who you are as a teacher and a photographer For example nature pho-tographer Greg Basco of Deep Green Photography sells nature photography workshops in Costa Rica through his website The ldquoBehind the Lensrdquo series on his blog shows images captured in the field and explains the technique and story behind getting the shot Gregrsquos tours now sell out quickly after being announced

You may also want to sell products through your web-site or directly on your blog The content should support why a consumer should buy this product from you and even show the value of the product

MANAGING YOUR BLOGGING WORKFLOWAfter you choose the best platform for you and identify your target audience you may find yourself about to hit the ldquoNow whatrdquo panic button If you do not have a plan for your workflow a blog can quickly become a burden But you can easily skip ahead of the whole overwhelming part of blogging by developing an effective workflow system

Here are a few tips to help tailor a system for your workflow

ORGANIZE YOUR IDEAS

An effective content strategy relies on careful planning If your blogging strategy is to wait for ideas first you will likely end up with an inconsistent blog and a con-stant feeling of pressure to come up with new topics If you blog every thought that pops into your head you risk burying the quality content with the extraneous stuffmdashand confusing your audience

Start a spreadsheet Google Doc or journal devoted exclu-sively to ideas for potential blog posts If you have a mo-ment of inspiration jot it down or type it up You may nev-er use half of the ideas or may take one thought in a totally different direction but keeping a list of thoughts will take the pressure off coming up with something to write about on the spotmdashand it will help you manage your workflow

CREATE TOPIC CATEGORIES

Have an understanding of the areas that you want to cover on your blog Think through questions like

gtDo you want to write at least one gear review a week gtDo you want to feature an interview with an industry professional once a month gtDo you want to have a video blog series

You donrsquot have to decide every area of interest before you start your blog and based on your audiencersquos re-sponse the topics you write about may evolve Having a few target areas in your pocket will help you focus your idea stream and keep the blog clear and on brand For inspiration check out the next page for 7 ideas to help inspire you when writing blog posts

MAKE A CALENDAR AND STICK TO IT

Is it realistic for you to blog everyday Probably not and it might not be smart for you to do it either Just make

1

2

3

sure you have a plan for when you want to blog It does not necessarily have to be a set number either The key is to be consistent so your followers can expect and look forward to your posts If yoursquore a wedding photographer your blogging strategy might involve doing a post after every wedding Even if your blogging pattern follows gigs having a set deadline will help you stay consistent (ie never wait more than 72 hours to publish a post about a job) and meet audience expectations

The best way to stay on top of your self-made blogging deadlines is to keep a calendar exclusively for your blog It could contain upcoming shoots and personal events or you could plan each month out specifically based on what you will be posting about on a given day Looking at an upcoming calendar will help you manage the time you need to complete each desired blog post and may also provide you with new or thematic inspiration

HAVE AN RSS FEED

Your idea diary not cutting it for you Keep an RSS feed like Feedly of photography blogs that inspire you blogs of prospective clients the musings of your competitors andor the Twitter feed of your favorite vendor An RSS feed consolidates all of the sites and accounts your go-to for inspiration into one place which will help cut down on time spent going between each sitemdashand the dis-tractions Internet surfing can bring

MANAGE YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS

If writing does not come easily to you and you cannot in-vest the resources into outsourcing the work travel pho-tographer Matt Brandon advises setting boundaries for yourself Writing can easily consume your day and setting unreasonable expectations as to what you can accomplish is setting yourself up to fail

Set goals you know you can meet The great thing about blogs is they are totally malleable If you dis-

4

5

19HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I cover you love blogging and can ramp up your pro-duction as long as itrsquos in-tune with your target audi-encemdashgo for it But if you try to do and say too much right out of the gate you may be shooting yourself in the foot Building an audience can take time so set up a sustainable workflow system for yourself that can support the process

7 BLOG TOPICS TO INSPIRE YOUHere are 7 ideas off the bat to inspire you when plan-ning out your blog posts

TOP 10 LISTS

Top 10 list (or top 9 top 7 etc) are highly clickable and easy to share ndash a list provides quick easily understood context for exactly what the reader will find in your blog post Added bonus lists donrsquot need to be copy-heavy or heavily researched Go ahead and give your own opinion on the 5 female photographers who changed the indus-try and watch the hits roll in

STIR THE POT

If yoursquore not afraid to ruffle a few feathers bucking tradition or authority with a controversial statement is a great way to get the community buzzing How-ever donrsquot just say something provocative for the sake of getting a rise out of people It is better to put forth your opinion on a topic about which you genuinely have something to say and back that statement up with facts and illustrative examples Prepare yourself for a helping of haters and make sure to respond to naysayers with the same intelligent clarity with which you crafted the article

WRITE A REVIEW

Clearly there is no shortage of photography gear re-views on the Internet That should not discourage you from writing one yourself Many photographers carve

out a niche for themselves based on their reviews It might be what you say it might be how you say it but if you write a great gear review someone will definitely be reading

COMPILE RESOURCES

Everyone loves to discover that all the information they need on a topic already exists in one place If you donrsquot mind doing a little legwork then try assembling a specific relevant list of online resources This may be a particularly useful option for photographers who do not consider themselves strong writersmdasha resource list is more about supporting the topic and writing need not be heavily involved

CROWDSOURCE COMMENTARY

In a recent PhotoShelter blog post we asked four ma-jor photo editors from Rolling Stone The New Yorker Vogue Italia and Esquirecom how theyre using Insta-gram to develop new talent Their responses are here As a photographer consider sourcing your colleagues posing a question to your readers or blasting your social media platforms No matter the route you will end up with content created for you that also proves to your community that you value their opinion

INTERVIEW PEOPLE SMARTER THAN YOU

The world is full of smart interesting people with an experienced viewpoint An interview with them can add depth to an issue and will likely bring new people to your blog that might not have found it oth-erwise You could also email a photographer whose work you admire or a prospective client that yoursquod love to work with one day As long as the interview is not a thinly veiled request for work promoting them with an interview on your blog will at least get you on a few radars

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Behind-the-scenes content usually resonates well with an audience especially photographers who love to learn the story behind an image Practically any photo assign-ment yoursquove done has the potential to become a behind-the-scenes blog

20HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Three Easy Steps to Use Email Marketing to Your AdvantageBy Mira Mad Mimi email newsletter coach

hether yoursquore looking to sell more prints or book more photography sessions email marketing is an efficient low-cost way to build up your client

base As an email newsletter coach at Mad Mimimdasha simple lovely email servicemdashI help lots of photographers reach a wider audience While our collective superpower at Mad Mimi is email marketing (as nerdy as that is) many of us are aspiring photographers as well so Irsquom thrilled to share these tips with you

STEP ONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EMAIL MEDIUMUSE A BONAFIDE EMAIL MARKETING PLATFORM If yoursquore a PhotoShop whiz you may be tempted to build an email in that formatmdashimages and text included But image-only emails tend to have worse reader engagement and inbox delivery rates To ensure that your emails get delivered and opened use a tool designed for creating marketing emails Both people and inbox robots will be able to understand this format Mad Mimi is a great option for photographers Here are a few photographers using our service

Jennifer Clare PhotographyDana Smith PhotographyHeather Evans Smith Photography

ALWAYS LINK Include at least one link in each email you send Itrsquos easy to turn any text or image into a clickable link Before you send preview your email as your recipients will see it Links ldquoabove the foldrdquo of the screen perform better than links readers must scroll down to see What to link to Think about linking out to your website a specific photography portfolio a recent blog post or even one of your social networks if yoursquore trying to grow your following

21HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE VISITS TO YOUR WEBSITE Get folks out of the email and onto your site Thatrsquos where they can have a richer viewing experience learn more about your photography and potentially make a purchase or email you to inquire about your services The point of your email is to invite them to engage with youmdashhopefully on your site

If you use Google Analytics to measure your web traffic you may be able to see how many visits come from your email newsletters (this depends on your email platform Mad Mimi integrates with Google Analytics)

STEP TWO BE YOUR SHINY SELFDONrsquoT BE AFRAID OF MINIMALISM Let your photography communicate on its own in your emailsmdashjust as you would in another medium Showcase your photographs with lovely wide image modules Even one image alone can make a powerful impact

KEEP YOUR TEXT SHORT Email can be a very intimate (and interactive) environment Donrsquot distract your recipients with too much content Simple emails get shared Make sure you can answer the question ldquoWhy am I sending this emailrdquo If your own answer is muddled or hidden in the text you will struggle to engage

SPEAK YOUR OWN STYLE Design your emails to reflect the personality of your brand The colors fonts and layouts you use should reinforce the branding on your website and complement (rather than compete with) your photography

MAXIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL REACH Find new fans by maximizing the shareability of your emails Not into Twitter So what Some of your photography fans probably love it So make it easy for your fans friends and family to share your emails on their favorite social networks

Many email platforms (including Mad Mimi) let you include social sharing buttons in your emails These allow your fans to share your email with just one click You can also include links to your own social profiles making it easy for readers to click right to your businessrsquo Facebook page for instance

STEP THREE BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR AUDIENCETHE GOLDEN RULE You wouldnrsquot load your photography prints into a T-shirt cannon and run up and down the street firing shots into peoplersquos dining rooms So donrsquot do

that in email either Be respectful of peoplersquos inboxes and be sure that yoursquore delivering relevant content to the right people At Mad Mimi we review your first email before it goes out and give you any technical tips or design feedback if needed

COLLECT SIGNUPS Practice permission-based marketing which means only sending to people who have opted in to receive your emails whether by using a signup form on your site signing up at an event or making a purchase Only send to people yoursquove interacted with recently (say the past 18 months) You donrsquot send your business card to your high school teachersmdashitrsquos essentially the same thing

Many email marketing platforms (including Mad Mimi) offer customizable signup forms and integrate with top third-party form builders

DONrsquoT SEND TOO MANY EMAILS Donrsquot send too few The ideal frequency depends on your audience Itrsquos worth thinking about why you are emailing your audiencemdashmight they hire you have they hired you do they just like your work Unless yoursquove segmented your list your audience probably includes a variety of people so keep that in mind when considering frequency

To find the best frequency for you we recommend a combination of going with your gut and testing You know your audience best Make decisions based on that but be willing to try new things Most email platforms offer stats reporting to help you gauge the effectiveness of your emails Check your stats and adjust accordingly

GIVE SOMETHING AWAY Itrsquos just true If you give people something for signing up they feel better about handing over their email address And you donrsquot JUST want their email addressmdashyou want their business Offering a coupon for a print or specialized content at signup is a great way to give your newsletter added perceived value

If yoursquore a bit more advanced drip campaigns are a great way to deliver free (or paid) stuff to people who sign up Whatrsquos a drip campaign Itrsquos a series of autoresponder emails You can use drip campaigns to deliver downloadable freebies welcome emails and coupons If yoursquore interested in sharing your expertise you can even use them to deliver photography e-courses Here are a few helpful blog posts on drip campaigns

5 Tips for Creating a Stellar Welcome Email Campaign6 (Incredible) Woman-Powered Drip Campaigns5 Tips for Gaining Subscribers with an Email Course21 Autoresponder Ideas to Grow Your Business

22HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I If you focus on these three steps yoursquoll be well on your way to increasing the reach of your photography business The Mad Mimi team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about getting started Email us at supportmadmimicom

23HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

arketing does not have to be your worst enemy but it does require you to carve out time and map out a gameplan Once you have a few strategies

in place - whether that be a workflow that includes post-ing to social networks blogging regularly or sending out a monthly newsletter - you will be more able to grow a strong presence online and establish awareness about your brand And remember before you start know cold what yoursquore providing and exactly who and where your target audience ismdashboth online and off If you can confidently define your target market then you will be in great shape to develop a strong marketing plan that can attract qual-ity clients and grow your business better than ever before

Conclusionamp Resources

ResourcesGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to FacebookGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to InstagramGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to TwitterGUIDE 11 Secrets to a Great Photography WebsiteGUIDE Creating a Successful Photography PortfolioGUIDE 10 Branding Secrets for PhotographersBLOG Developing a Better Photography Brand BLOG How This Photographer is Making Your LaughBLOG 10 Great Photographer PromosBLOG Tackling Google 3 Ways Photographers Can Improve Their SEOBLOG Building a Photo Brand From the Ground Up Tips From Art WolfeBLOG 4 Ways to Get More Work From Old ClientsVIDEO Tips amp Strategies To Grow Your Audience OnlineVIDEO Interview with Zack Arias If I Had to Start My Business Today VIDEO 11 Essential Tips for Freelance PhotographersTOOL Google AnalyticsTOOL Google Keyword PlannerTOOL Mad MimiTOOL Bitly

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 5: How to market your photography

7HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

So first you need to make a determination What is it that you offer your target cus-tomers Can you clearly state this Is your unique offering based on a specialty (eg underwater photography) or certain access (eg US military) or skill (eg lighting) Or is your unique offering based on the service delivered or tangible product the customer will be purchasing (eg boudoir portrait sessions or photo-wrapped Mini Coopers) A good first step to determine your unique selling point is to survey your competition and determine whether they have service offerings that you could replicate and then improve upon Next if you sell products analyze what has sold for you in the past year Can you pinpoint why they sold well What about those products was attractive to buyers (If yoursquore not sure itrsquos okay to ask) Also think about the clients or projects that have been particularly successful What about these projects made them so Fo-cus in on these factors or traits and make them known to your clients and prospects

Is your website as great as you are

II

I

3

come to a site that feels stale and out of date yoursquore inclined to click out To keep your own site fresh you want to plan out a series of regular updatesmdashrefreshing a portfolio or gallery a new blog post on your latest shoot etc Regularly updating your website can also help improve your ranking on major search engines which rank sites with fresh content favorably To have a competitive and highly functional website this year here are a few items your site should have

gtClear contact information and ldquoaboutrdquo page gtWell organized portfolio sections or galleries gtE-commerce capabilities (if you sell prints or stock) gt File delivery (so you can send files to clients with your brand) gt Blog that is updated regularly (we recommend at least once a week)

If you can map out and answer these three questions yoursquore in great shape to estab-lish your marketing plan and attract quality potential clients

When it comes to marketing your photography your website is your headquarters Itrsquos your greatest tool your virtual business card a reflection of your professionalism and (should be) a way to easily connect with you or transact with clients who want to license your work or buy your prints and products

So as a first step if you donrsquot consider your website as central to marketing your busi-ness then itrsquos time to start Think about your own experience online As soon as you

If you dont consider your website as

central to marketing your business

then its time to start

Website by Lindsay Adler

8HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

efore diving in to map out your strategy there are a few key marketing concepts you should know Letrsquos go through each

MANAGING YOUR TIMEFinancial budgets can be very carefully allocated and eas-ily tracked across a mix of marketing activities Time on the other hand tends to be harder for many to budget and optimize This gets even more complicated when you in-troduce tactics like social media and Search Engine Opti-mization (SEO) the cost of which is primarily your time while the results may not be immediate In fact generally everyone arrives at a moment when they ask themselves ldquoIs all this really worth my timerdquo Therersquos a way to find out Two important business terms to get familiar with are Return on Investment (ROI) and Opportunity Cost These are objective tools at your disposal to help you carve up the time you budget for marketing To get the data you need however you must enforce a discipline of tracking your own time monitoring the result of your efforts and avoiding activities that may feel productive but are not (like bantering with friends on Twitter for example)

PART I

Key Marketing Concepts

RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI)ROI is a term that marketers borrowed from the fi-nancial world Financial analysts have always measured their investments to know exactly how investments are performing Marketing on the other hand arrived late to the analytics party

Essentially ROI in its simplest form translates to ldquobang for your buckrdquo The ldquoinvestmentrdquo is what you put in likely your marketing dollars or your time The ldquoreturnrdquo is what you get out which is hopefully revenue (Sure inspiration or satisfaction might be considered the re-turn as well but letrsquos stick to the hard stuff)

ROI is a valuable metric because it can help you examine every marketing activity and know the dollar amount that results from every dollar (or hour) you invest This can also be expressed as a percentage Once you estab-lish the ROI across all of your marketing activities you can start making decisions about where to spend more or less of your time

OPPORTUNITY COSTAll businesses especially freelancers have to make tough decisions about where time and money are spent The concept of opportunity cost provides an easy way to think about managing these decisions especially when yoursquore faced with any number of attractive marketing opportunities Therersquos a cost associated with not doing something and thatrsquos the revenue you would get out of that specific activity So you incur an ldquoopportunity costrdquo by continuing to engage in any one activity while yoursquore passing up the revenue associated with doing something else Without getting too academic letrsquos just attack this

Its not smart to keep doing one activity when you

know another activity can produce more revenue

9HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

head onmdashitrsquos not smart to keep doing one activity when you know another activity can produce more revenue

In practical terms you probably market your freelance business on Facebook and Twitter The time you invest here is time yoursquore not spending cold calling advertising agencies to book portfolio reviews Hence the opportunity cost is the revenue yoursquore passing up by focusing your time on social media instead of cold calling If cold calling is more pro-ductive for your business allocating your scarce time toward social media may just be a poor decision On the other hand if the investment in social media will create links that improve how clients find you the payoff may come over a longer term

Low ROI High ROI

High Investment

Low Investment

Think through your investments in terms of the output High investment is ok if you get high output Low investment with high ROI is the best You want to avoid high investment low ROI

As you invest your time and money into various marketing channels be sure to keep track of how much yoursquore putting in and what your return is from those efforts You can think of return on levels including customer acquisition brand awareness lead genera-tion etc As a busy photographer on a tight budget your goal of course is to invest at little time and money as possible but receive a high return (see chart above) There is no silver bullet for this unfortunatelymdashyou need to experiment and diligently track what works and what doesnrsquot

CONVERSION THE MOST CRITICAL CONCEPTIf you want to be a savvy internet marketer you need to start thinking in terms of conversion

Everywhere you exist online you should have a desired goalmdashthe behavior you hope to induce For example your websitersquos goal may be to drive visitors to purchase a print for

II

I example inquire about your services sign up for your newsletter or any other possible step closer to generating revenue Completing this goal is considered a ldquoconversionrdquo A random visitor who becomes a paying customer represents one conversion More conversions make you more successful So a metric to pay very close attention to is your ldquoconversion raterdquo Conversion rate represents the percentage of people who complete your desired goal See formula

Conversion rate = Visitors who complete the goalTotal visitors In addition to knowing the overall conversion rate of your website you should know the conversion rate for any given marketing effort With the help of a tool like Google Analytics you can even monitor the conversion rate of people who view specific con-tent on your website or come in from a specific source (eg Facebook)

THE INTERNET MARKETING FUNNELHerersquos a very important way to think about marketing your business Imagine a big funnel Every time someone engages with you (letrsquos say visits your website) theyrsquore entering the top of your funnel Your conversion goal is for site visitors to inquire online about your services or perhaps purchase something directly Those who convert come out the bottom of the funnel However as visitors navigate around your website people tend to drop off For example maybe they determine yoursquore not a fit for their needs or donrsquot like your branding or canrsquot find your email address So it should become very obvious that two primary factors can impact your suc-cess The first is your conversion ratemdashhow well you turn visitors into paying cus-tomers Improving your conversion rate against your typical monthly website traf-fic creates more paying customers The second is traffic Improving the volume of traffic coming through your funnel (at the same conversion rate) will result in more paying customers too

Marketing efforts however typically involve multi-stage funnels For example you generate an email campaign and a small group opens it then a smaller group clicks through to your website then a smaller group clicks the ldquobuyrdquo button and a smaller group finishes the sale through credit card processingThe point is your conversion rate gets whittled down with every additional step in the buyingengagement process Thatrsquos why simultaneously increasing the funnel and improving conversion are of para-mount importance in growing a business

Investment (TimeMoney) vs ROI (What yoursquore getting back)

10HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Once you establish a baseline for traffic and conversion rate you can start making smart-er decisions about your marketing efforts Such as how much traffic is necessary to hit your growth targets and which marketing efforts deserve more resources and attention

YOUR ONLINE FOOTPRINTOnce upon a time having only a website was sufficient to market your work ldquoTaking a business onlinerdquo meant moving away from the brick and mortar world to establish a website thus creating a foothold in the online world When prospects wanted to know more about you and your services they could visit your website expecting to find a typical explanation of your services a list of clients and some examples of your work Times have changed Now the best way to enhance your online footprint is by estab-lishing a presence across a multitude of web properties including your own website(s) social media platforms community forums trade organizations blogs etc There are several smart reasons to build an online footprint including the top reason Yoursquore more likely to get found A more robust online presence creates multiple ways for prospects to find you When more people can find you yoursquore widening your funnel (whether theyrsquore searching for you specifically or your services) to capture more traffic Because content is indexed highly efficiently by search engines and links are frequently shared via social media it is now likely that most prospects are not necessarily coming through ldquothe front doorrdquomdashyour traditional website homepage Rather theyrsquore finding you elsewhere online or finding a specific piece of content thatrsquos highly relevant to their needs To take advan-tage of this your online marketing strategy should explore relevant opportunities to create new profiles descriptively keyworded so they help you get found on key terms and these profiles should point back to your website (the center of your online market-ing presence) where prospects may continue to engage with you

MANAGE YOUR BRANDWhen gathering intelligence about a potential service provider like yourself it is typi-cal for prospects to perform a Google search Having multiple profiles to support your own branding will enable prospects to ldquotriangulaterdquo the data and make a positive judg-ment about your credibility For example outdoor and adventure photographer Corey Rich has a unified on-line presence across multiple platforms including his website blog Twitter profile

LOSE THE ldquoFRONT DOORrdquo MENTALITYThe reality is the pathway that yoursquove imagined potential clients will engage with you is probably very different than the actual pathway For instance life would be very simple if a corporate creative director received your email promotion visited your website clicked your ldquocontact merdquo link requested your portfolio and hired you for a gig

But sales cycles are rarely ever so neat and tidy Managing your online footprint with multiple hooks gives prospects a way to engage with you wherever they feel most com-fortable in a way that provides either direct contact or relative anonymity For example that same creative director may not have an immediate need for your services yet may be compelled to follow you on Twitter Facebook or Instagram or subscribe to your blog feed or newsletter This gives them a way to stay engaged yet avoid the time commit-ment of a portfolio review and pitch from you until the opportunity is right for them One word of caution about your online footprintmdashbeyond creating the profile you need to carefully monitor and maintain certain sites to ensure you create a visible ldquopulserdquo This means managing the frequency of posts answering questions and updating links

Facebook Page and Instagram Feedmdashall of which help an inquiring prospect get to know him better

Each channel adds to Coreyrsquos credibility that hersquos working photographer with a strong online presence and dedication to his work

Corey Rich

wwwcoreyrichcom

newscoreyrichcom

wwwtwittercomcoreyrich

wwwfacebookcomCoreyRichProductions

wwwinstagramcomcoreyrichproductions

11HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

ven the word ldquomarketing planrdquo can sound daunt-ing but donrsquot get tripped up on terminology Still if you expect to see an increase in clientssales you

need to have a plan for specific marketing tactics that will drive this improvement Our recommendation is to simply think about different marketing categories and then list out activities that you could do in each

Your marketing plan shouldnrsquot be designed to treat each po-tential customer as if they were in the same state of readi-ness to hire you or buy something from you For example some people who walk into the Gap are just passing the time a smaller percentage want to try on a pair of jeans and an even smaller percentage walk into the store ready to buy

When you consider different activities in each category think about how people in different parts of the ldquosales cyclerdquo would react You might do a low cost postcard campaign to blanket as many photo buyers and editors And you might do a more expensive photo book to send to your top 10 to make a larger impression You wouldnrsquot treat the customer whorsquos just looking for a place to sit down the same as the one whorsquos ready to buy a pair of jeans Your marketing ef-forts should be nuanced

Additionally you need to remember one-time marketing efforts rarely pay off You often need to experiment with multiple campaigns through multiple channels to get on peoplersquos radars and convert them into customers Increasing your ldquobrand awarenessrdquo amongst your potential customers is arguably as important as converting a small percentage of them into paying customers

PART I

How to Create a Marketing Plan

Here are a few channels to consider

gtEmail Marketing Newsletters E-promos gtDirect Mail Postcards Books Posters gt Social Media Twitter Facebook Instagram gtEvents Trade Shows Portfolio Reviews gt Inbound Tactics SEO Optimization gt Lead Capture Blog Website gt Blogging Opinion pieces Gear reviews be-hind-the-scenes

DO THIS raquo Create a list of current and future marketing activities

raquo Create a rough estimate of timemoney that you will expend on each

raquo Create a rough ROI (return on investment) that each initiative will bring

raquo Jettison highlow investment ROI projects Plan campaigns around high ROI projects Remember to take into account that some efforts may take longer to see a ldquoreturnrdquo so make sure yoursquore balancing short and long term gain (eg efforts that build awareness vs those that might bring in customers immediately)

12HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Tackling Google amp Building Your SEO

hat is Search Engine Optimization (SEO) exactly In short SEO is the process of af-fecting where your website organically ranks

on major search engines like Google Bing etc

Photographers are often vexed by SEO because it seems like a moving target Just when you think your website is ranking well Google changes its algorithm

determining which SEO factors hold most influence in the rankings and you lose half your traffic The frus-tration might be warranted but the fact of the matter is that everyone uses search engines to find services and products online And no matter what you search for some websites always comes up first and subse-quently gain a massive marketing benefit

Photo by Jim Goldstein

13HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

ous photo blogs magazines or newspapers Link aggregator sites like Stumbleupon Digg and Reddit can also be a great way to get a large number of people talking about your photography very quickly

ON-PAGE CONTENT refers to the text that appears on your website On many photographer websites there is very limited text which is a problem from an SEO perspective As much as you might want your photography to ldquospeak for itselfrdquo you still need textual content to rank within search engines If you are a New York portrait photographer then ldquoNew York portrait photographerrdquo should appear on your website So should words and phrases that are similar in nature like ldquoI specialize in corporate and editorial portraiture in the New York and Tri-state areardquo Similarly your images need captions and titles and the more detail the better

Obviously you want your images to be front and center so use your ldquoAboutrdquo page or other pages to list the products you sell awards yoursquove won workshops you give etc

II

I Although there are many different factors that affect SEO we like to think of two main categories that you can focus on to simplify things

gtOn-page content gt Building links to your website

In an information rich society we are highly dependent on search engines to find what we are looking for whether itrsquos a local plumber or a portrait photographer in Des Moines You simply cannot drive enough traffic to your website by handing out business cards The goal of SEO is unsolicited trafficmdashpeople looking for your products and services without knowing who you are

Hopefully your website provider has automated much of the SEO techno-geek stuff for you This might include

gt unique page titles gtmeta description gt lth1gt (aka HTML headline tags) gt IMG alt attributes gtmicroformats gt sitemaps gt optimized page load times

Although there are countless factors that affect where you rank on a search engine here are two things among them that hold some of the greatest weight

BACKLINKS TO YOUR WEBSITE is arguably the most important factor in increasing your SEO Each link represents an ldquoendorsementrdquo and the number of links partially influences how much of your website will be indexed by the search engines and where you appear in search results The process of ldquobacklinkrdquo creation can seem like a very ambiguous task but in fact itrsquos quite simple There are two ways to build links 1) do it yourself or 2) get other people to link to your website

Maintaining a blog and a strong presence on social media networks are some of the easiest ways to link to yourself Each time you photograph something new create a gallery on your website then write a blog entry which links to that gallery Another tactic is to take advan-tage of profiles you can create with photography trade associations or community groups

Getting other people to link to you is a bit harder you need to have something on your site that makes them want to link to you Perhaps yoursquove worked on a long-term photo project that has some relevance right now You might pitch a gallery of images to vari-

DO THIS raquo Create a keyword ldquohitlistrdquo of 20-50 words that you want your website to rank for

Keywords are words and phrases that you think people might potentially search for to find your service For example if yoursquore a nature photographer based in Denver Colorado example keywords that you want your website to rank for might be ldquoDenver Nature Photographyrdquo ldquoColorado Nature Photographerrdquo ldquoNature Photographyrdquo etc

raquo Use your keyword list to inform website copy Google yourself and refine the keywords and phrases as your business and services or the language your specialty and industry uses changes

raquo Check these words against the Google Keyword Planner to determine whether they have appreciable search volume Modify your list accordingly

raquo Search each term to determine your online competition Use MajesticSEO to perform a backlink analysis to determine whether you can displace the competition

raquo Include as much metadata and description as you can to every image you publish online Be consistent with your tagging If you choose to forgo all image descriptions metadata and smart blog titles it can negatively impact your chances of being found (Metadata is informationmdashdatamdashstored within a digital image file) Not only does this help SEO it can help protect your images from theft and misuse

raquo Remember that ldquoinaction is actionrdquo Be active with your blog and website updates so that Google sees your content as fresh Regularly update your website and social media platforms By ignoring them yoursquore telling the search engines yoursquore not relevantmdashthe opposite effect yoursquore looking for to help improve where you rank on Google

2

1

14HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Get Social 4 Tips That Can Help You Succeed on Every Social Media Platform

ver 1 billion people use Facebook Twitter has over 600 million active registered users Insta-gram has over 200 million active monthly users

and LinkedIn comes in at 300 million Social media isnrsquot a fadmdashone could argue it is the glue that creates highly sticky user interaction on the web

Companies are amassing millions of users online with the ability to broadcast messages more frequently and more inexpensively than ever before Celebrities are communicating with fans news outlets are breaking stories and photographers are finding that they can en-ter the social conversation by simply tagging wedding guests in a Facebook album before the guests can or create a following on Instagram by sharing photos from a personal project

Wersquore not saying that every social media outlet will work for every photographer but therersquos enough real evidence to suggest that a strong social media campaign can translate into real marketing exposure and real rev-enue The key point to remember is that your website is not a daily destination for your customers On the other hand hundreds of millions of people login to Facebook daily so its important that you go where your customers already are The argument can be made that different specialities will use social media differentlymdashthatrsquos very true So going back to your understanding of your audience itrsquos a good idea to determine how your audience uses social media to follow photographers and identify new talent For instance if yoursquore a portrait photographer yoursquore probably focused on how you can best harness the social platforms to promote word of mouth Can you come

up with new Facebook strategies that get your clients sharing your images with other potential families and teens And if yoursquore a commercial or editorial photog-rapher maybe yoursquore more interested in using LinkedIn and Twitter to keep former clients and prospects aware of your latest work

Though every platform is different there are four key ldquorulesrdquo to consider to help you successfully showcase your brand on each

BE A PERSON

This is probably the most important rule of social media behavior in general You want to operate as you would in the real world This means you should refrain from constantly selling your services use language that is approachable and share content that is interesting If yoursquore not sure what constitutes interesting content ask yourself if yoursquod be inclined to like share or comment on that post if you saw it on your own Feed And remem-ber that social media is not a one-way street You are participating in a community which means you need to respond and reach out to others (as you would do in an offline conversation)

GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Give a behind-the-scenes look at your shoots the set-up the gear yourself shooting on location or even a sneak peak of a personal project youre working on This can give people an idea of how you work Also think about giving a shout-out to the people you worked with that day This shows yoursquore a team player and also en-courages those you tag to follow and share your work Fashion photographer Lara Jade does a great job at this Check out examples on her Twitter page here

1

2

15HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I

BE CONSISTENT

Itrsquos important to have a consistent voice when you post This means that the general tone content and visuals are recognizable and donrsquot feel random Regularly posting in this way will also let your audience know to expect content from you which will improve engagement

PICK THE RIGHT PHOTO

Whether yoursquore sharing on Twitter Facebook or Instagram you should share a photo that strengthens your voice (which yoursquove thought about and defined)mdashit adheres to your aesthetic by way of style or content etc and shows off work you love We recom-mend sharing at least one photo per day If youre having trouble choosing a photo try to find one that evokes some type of emotion in yourself Chances are it will also have an effect on others as well

Also to help increase your visibility and reach on platforms do this

gt Like or follow pages or feeds from leading photo blogs and other photogra-phers you admire Keep in mind that once you like or follow their accounts

3

4

their content will start to appear in your Feed When you see a post that you think might interest your audience share retweet or comment

gt Sign up for newsletters and subscribe to RSS feeds Some examples include Pro Photo Daily or PDN That way you wonrsquot miss posts from publications and industry thought leaders that are most important to you A service like Feedly or Flipboard will also let you aggregate your favorite blogs in one spot so you can quickly skim for interesting news and updates and then share with your networks

gt Let people know yoursquove shared their work If you share content without using the share or retweet function (so instead by simply linking to an article resource or gallery) consider shooting that blogger an email or message to let them know that yoursquore helping spread their content People appreciate when you help them share their news and taking a quick mo-ment to let them know may make them more likely to share your own content one day

Instagram Photo by Travel Photographer Pei KetronLara Jades Twitter

16HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Want some examples of photographers succeeding with social media Check out a few that we love following on Facebook Twitter amp Instagram

FacebookLisa DevlinJohn KeatelyCorey RichBrooke ShadenBrian Smith

TwitterZack AriasEunique Jones GibsonLucas GilmanLara JadeKen KamineskyMelissa Lyttle

InstagramBrooke DombrowskiTim LandisBrad ManginLandon NordemanAdrienne Pitts

And be sure to check out our latest guides with resources and tips to help you amp up your social presence The Photographerrsquos Guide to Facebook The Photographerrsquos Guide to Twitter and The Photographerrsquos Guide to Instagram

17HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

or a photographer your blog is not just a place to dump links and post photos Your blog is a marketing tool and can be a very effective one

at that The captive online audience is vast comprised of prospective clients photographers looking to learn gear enthusiasts and many other consumers who are actively searching for services like yours

To maximize the flavor potential of your blog you need to reach people with similar tastes Connecting with the right audience starts with a targeted content strategy

ESTABLISHING YOUR BLOGrsquoS BRANDYour portfolio site design how you communicate with clients your logos your deliverables your lighting technique your field of photography ndash all of these elements define your personal brand Your blogrsquos 1 purpose should be to extend this brand

For example if you frequently work with corporate cli-ents your community would not respond well to pro-fanity-laden rants (In general this is a bad idea) But take time to think about who your audience is and what tone and style of writing would resonate best with them

There are multiple points of entry for building a suc-cessful blog Whether you choose the provocative route the educational route the anecdotal route among many others your strategic choices should reflect your brand

TARGETING YOUR AUDIENCE Your brand can also help identify your target audience Like any marketing push it will pay to know who the readers are

PART II

How to Blog Better

You should always strive to create content that attracts and sustains the attention of this audience Not only will this help focus the content strategy but also the needs and prac-tices of your targeted audience will inform how you blog

For example when establishing her company Major Multimedia photographer and multimedia producer Lauren Major wanted to target the nonprofit and so-cial good sector Once she narrowed her target audi-ence she was able to research their online activity and create content that would specifically appeal to the social good user

Photographers who run workshops will often cater the writing on their blog to other photographers This helps establish them as ldquoexpertsrdquo as well as speak directly to prospective attendees and students A blog can also help photographers continue a dialogue with current and former clients as well as attract potential new ones

Additionally alternative and edgy UK wedding pho-tographer Lisa Devlin has branded herself as the go-to photographer for all weddings off-the-beating path She uses her blog to showcase the non-traditional thread

18HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I between her clients to help reinforce her expertise and niche in this space

The more targeted your marketing efforts the more suc-cessful you will be at converting customers

GENERATING SALESYour blog can also function quite well as an indirect marketing tool for your brand including directly trans-lating into image sales or other revenue opportunities

If part of your business includes selling workshops your blog content should target the consumer who might be in-terested in your specific workshop Blog posts should em-phasize your expertise in your field and show who you are as a teacher and a photographer For example nature pho-tographer Greg Basco of Deep Green Photography sells nature photography workshops in Costa Rica through his website The ldquoBehind the Lensrdquo series on his blog shows images captured in the field and explains the technique and story behind getting the shot Gregrsquos tours now sell out quickly after being announced

You may also want to sell products through your web-site or directly on your blog The content should support why a consumer should buy this product from you and even show the value of the product

MANAGING YOUR BLOGGING WORKFLOWAfter you choose the best platform for you and identify your target audience you may find yourself about to hit the ldquoNow whatrdquo panic button If you do not have a plan for your workflow a blog can quickly become a burden But you can easily skip ahead of the whole overwhelming part of blogging by developing an effective workflow system

Here are a few tips to help tailor a system for your workflow

ORGANIZE YOUR IDEAS

An effective content strategy relies on careful planning If your blogging strategy is to wait for ideas first you will likely end up with an inconsistent blog and a con-stant feeling of pressure to come up with new topics If you blog every thought that pops into your head you risk burying the quality content with the extraneous stuffmdashand confusing your audience

Start a spreadsheet Google Doc or journal devoted exclu-sively to ideas for potential blog posts If you have a mo-ment of inspiration jot it down or type it up You may nev-er use half of the ideas or may take one thought in a totally different direction but keeping a list of thoughts will take the pressure off coming up with something to write about on the spotmdashand it will help you manage your workflow

CREATE TOPIC CATEGORIES

Have an understanding of the areas that you want to cover on your blog Think through questions like

gtDo you want to write at least one gear review a week gtDo you want to feature an interview with an industry professional once a month gtDo you want to have a video blog series

You donrsquot have to decide every area of interest before you start your blog and based on your audiencersquos re-sponse the topics you write about may evolve Having a few target areas in your pocket will help you focus your idea stream and keep the blog clear and on brand For inspiration check out the next page for 7 ideas to help inspire you when writing blog posts

MAKE A CALENDAR AND STICK TO IT

Is it realistic for you to blog everyday Probably not and it might not be smart for you to do it either Just make

1

2

3

sure you have a plan for when you want to blog It does not necessarily have to be a set number either The key is to be consistent so your followers can expect and look forward to your posts If yoursquore a wedding photographer your blogging strategy might involve doing a post after every wedding Even if your blogging pattern follows gigs having a set deadline will help you stay consistent (ie never wait more than 72 hours to publish a post about a job) and meet audience expectations

The best way to stay on top of your self-made blogging deadlines is to keep a calendar exclusively for your blog It could contain upcoming shoots and personal events or you could plan each month out specifically based on what you will be posting about on a given day Looking at an upcoming calendar will help you manage the time you need to complete each desired blog post and may also provide you with new or thematic inspiration

HAVE AN RSS FEED

Your idea diary not cutting it for you Keep an RSS feed like Feedly of photography blogs that inspire you blogs of prospective clients the musings of your competitors andor the Twitter feed of your favorite vendor An RSS feed consolidates all of the sites and accounts your go-to for inspiration into one place which will help cut down on time spent going between each sitemdashand the dis-tractions Internet surfing can bring

MANAGE YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS

If writing does not come easily to you and you cannot in-vest the resources into outsourcing the work travel pho-tographer Matt Brandon advises setting boundaries for yourself Writing can easily consume your day and setting unreasonable expectations as to what you can accomplish is setting yourself up to fail

Set goals you know you can meet The great thing about blogs is they are totally malleable If you dis-

4

5

19HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I cover you love blogging and can ramp up your pro-duction as long as itrsquos in-tune with your target audi-encemdashgo for it But if you try to do and say too much right out of the gate you may be shooting yourself in the foot Building an audience can take time so set up a sustainable workflow system for yourself that can support the process

7 BLOG TOPICS TO INSPIRE YOUHere are 7 ideas off the bat to inspire you when plan-ning out your blog posts

TOP 10 LISTS

Top 10 list (or top 9 top 7 etc) are highly clickable and easy to share ndash a list provides quick easily understood context for exactly what the reader will find in your blog post Added bonus lists donrsquot need to be copy-heavy or heavily researched Go ahead and give your own opinion on the 5 female photographers who changed the indus-try and watch the hits roll in

STIR THE POT

If yoursquore not afraid to ruffle a few feathers bucking tradition or authority with a controversial statement is a great way to get the community buzzing How-ever donrsquot just say something provocative for the sake of getting a rise out of people It is better to put forth your opinion on a topic about which you genuinely have something to say and back that statement up with facts and illustrative examples Prepare yourself for a helping of haters and make sure to respond to naysayers with the same intelligent clarity with which you crafted the article

WRITE A REVIEW

Clearly there is no shortage of photography gear re-views on the Internet That should not discourage you from writing one yourself Many photographers carve

out a niche for themselves based on their reviews It might be what you say it might be how you say it but if you write a great gear review someone will definitely be reading

COMPILE RESOURCES

Everyone loves to discover that all the information they need on a topic already exists in one place If you donrsquot mind doing a little legwork then try assembling a specific relevant list of online resources This may be a particularly useful option for photographers who do not consider themselves strong writersmdasha resource list is more about supporting the topic and writing need not be heavily involved

CROWDSOURCE COMMENTARY

In a recent PhotoShelter blog post we asked four ma-jor photo editors from Rolling Stone The New Yorker Vogue Italia and Esquirecom how theyre using Insta-gram to develop new talent Their responses are here As a photographer consider sourcing your colleagues posing a question to your readers or blasting your social media platforms No matter the route you will end up with content created for you that also proves to your community that you value their opinion

INTERVIEW PEOPLE SMARTER THAN YOU

The world is full of smart interesting people with an experienced viewpoint An interview with them can add depth to an issue and will likely bring new people to your blog that might not have found it oth-erwise You could also email a photographer whose work you admire or a prospective client that yoursquod love to work with one day As long as the interview is not a thinly veiled request for work promoting them with an interview on your blog will at least get you on a few radars

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Behind-the-scenes content usually resonates well with an audience especially photographers who love to learn the story behind an image Practically any photo assign-ment yoursquove done has the potential to become a behind-the-scenes blog

20HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Three Easy Steps to Use Email Marketing to Your AdvantageBy Mira Mad Mimi email newsletter coach

hether yoursquore looking to sell more prints or book more photography sessions email marketing is an efficient low-cost way to build up your client

base As an email newsletter coach at Mad Mimimdasha simple lovely email servicemdashI help lots of photographers reach a wider audience While our collective superpower at Mad Mimi is email marketing (as nerdy as that is) many of us are aspiring photographers as well so Irsquom thrilled to share these tips with you

STEP ONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EMAIL MEDIUMUSE A BONAFIDE EMAIL MARKETING PLATFORM If yoursquore a PhotoShop whiz you may be tempted to build an email in that formatmdashimages and text included But image-only emails tend to have worse reader engagement and inbox delivery rates To ensure that your emails get delivered and opened use a tool designed for creating marketing emails Both people and inbox robots will be able to understand this format Mad Mimi is a great option for photographers Here are a few photographers using our service

Jennifer Clare PhotographyDana Smith PhotographyHeather Evans Smith Photography

ALWAYS LINK Include at least one link in each email you send Itrsquos easy to turn any text or image into a clickable link Before you send preview your email as your recipients will see it Links ldquoabove the foldrdquo of the screen perform better than links readers must scroll down to see What to link to Think about linking out to your website a specific photography portfolio a recent blog post or even one of your social networks if yoursquore trying to grow your following

21HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE VISITS TO YOUR WEBSITE Get folks out of the email and onto your site Thatrsquos where they can have a richer viewing experience learn more about your photography and potentially make a purchase or email you to inquire about your services The point of your email is to invite them to engage with youmdashhopefully on your site

If you use Google Analytics to measure your web traffic you may be able to see how many visits come from your email newsletters (this depends on your email platform Mad Mimi integrates with Google Analytics)

STEP TWO BE YOUR SHINY SELFDONrsquoT BE AFRAID OF MINIMALISM Let your photography communicate on its own in your emailsmdashjust as you would in another medium Showcase your photographs with lovely wide image modules Even one image alone can make a powerful impact

KEEP YOUR TEXT SHORT Email can be a very intimate (and interactive) environment Donrsquot distract your recipients with too much content Simple emails get shared Make sure you can answer the question ldquoWhy am I sending this emailrdquo If your own answer is muddled or hidden in the text you will struggle to engage

SPEAK YOUR OWN STYLE Design your emails to reflect the personality of your brand The colors fonts and layouts you use should reinforce the branding on your website and complement (rather than compete with) your photography

MAXIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL REACH Find new fans by maximizing the shareability of your emails Not into Twitter So what Some of your photography fans probably love it So make it easy for your fans friends and family to share your emails on their favorite social networks

Many email platforms (including Mad Mimi) let you include social sharing buttons in your emails These allow your fans to share your email with just one click You can also include links to your own social profiles making it easy for readers to click right to your businessrsquo Facebook page for instance

STEP THREE BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR AUDIENCETHE GOLDEN RULE You wouldnrsquot load your photography prints into a T-shirt cannon and run up and down the street firing shots into peoplersquos dining rooms So donrsquot do

that in email either Be respectful of peoplersquos inboxes and be sure that yoursquore delivering relevant content to the right people At Mad Mimi we review your first email before it goes out and give you any technical tips or design feedback if needed

COLLECT SIGNUPS Practice permission-based marketing which means only sending to people who have opted in to receive your emails whether by using a signup form on your site signing up at an event or making a purchase Only send to people yoursquove interacted with recently (say the past 18 months) You donrsquot send your business card to your high school teachersmdashitrsquos essentially the same thing

Many email marketing platforms (including Mad Mimi) offer customizable signup forms and integrate with top third-party form builders

DONrsquoT SEND TOO MANY EMAILS Donrsquot send too few The ideal frequency depends on your audience Itrsquos worth thinking about why you are emailing your audiencemdashmight they hire you have they hired you do they just like your work Unless yoursquove segmented your list your audience probably includes a variety of people so keep that in mind when considering frequency

To find the best frequency for you we recommend a combination of going with your gut and testing You know your audience best Make decisions based on that but be willing to try new things Most email platforms offer stats reporting to help you gauge the effectiveness of your emails Check your stats and adjust accordingly

GIVE SOMETHING AWAY Itrsquos just true If you give people something for signing up they feel better about handing over their email address And you donrsquot JUST want their email addressmdashyou want their business Offering a coupon for a print or specialized content at signup is a great way to give your newsletter added perceived value

If yoursquore a bit more advanced drip campaigns are a great way to deliver free (or paid) stuff to people who sign up Whatrsquos a drip campaign Itrsquos a series of autoresponder emails You can use drip campaigns to deliver downloadable freebies welcome emails and coupons If yoursquore interested in sharing your expertise you can even use them to deliver photography e-courses Here are a few helpful blog posts on drip campaigns

5 Tips for Creating a Stellar Welcome Email Campaign6 (Incredible) Woman-Powered Drip Campaigns5 Tips for Gaining Subscribers with an Email Course21 Autoresponder Ideas to Grow Your Business

22HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I If you focus on these three steps yoursquoll be well on your way to increasing the reach of your photography business The Mad Mimi team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about getting started Email us at supportmadmimicom

23HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

arketing does not have to be your worst enemy but it does require you to carve out time and map out a gameplan Once you have a few strategies

in place - whether that be a workflow that includes post-ing to social networks blogging regularly or sending out a monthly newsletter - you will be more able to grow a strong presence online and establish awareness about your brand And remember before you start know cold what yoursquore providing and exactly who and where your target audience ismdashboth online and off If you can confidently define your target market then you will be in great shape to develop a strong marketing plan that can attract qual-ity clients and grow your business better than ever before

Conclusionamp Resources

ResourcesGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to FacebookGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to InstagramGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to TwitterGUIDE 11 Secrets to a Great Photography WebsiteGUIDE Creating a Successful Photography PortfolioGUIDE 10 Branding Secrets for PhotographersBLOG Developing a Better Photography Brand BLOG How This Photographer is Making Your LaughBLOG 10 Great Photographer PromosBLOG Tackling Google 3 Ways Photographers Can Improve Their SEOBLOG Building a Photo Brand From the Ground Up Tips From Art WolfeBLOG 4 Ways to Get More Work From Old ClientsVIDEO Tips amp Strategies To Grow Your Audience OnlineVIDEO Interview with Zack Arias If I Had to Start My Business Today VIDEO 11 Essential Tips for Freelance PhotographersTOOL Google AnalyticsTOOL Google Keyword PlannerTOOL Mad MimiTOOL Bitly

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 6: How to market your photography

8HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

efore diving in to map out your strategy there are a few key marketing concepts you should know Letrsquos go through each

MANAGING YOUR TIMEFinancial budgets can be very carefully allocated and eas-ily tracked across a mix of marketing activities Time on the other hand tends to be harder for many to budget and optimize This gets even more complicated when you in-troduce tactics like social media and Search Engine Opti-mization (SEO) the cost of which is primarily your time while the results may not be immediate In fact generally everyone arrives at a moment when they ask themselves ldquoIs all this really worth my timerdquo Therersquos a way to find out Two important business terms to get familiar with are Return on Investment (ROI) and Opportunity Cost These are objective tools at your disposal to help you carve up the time you budget for marketing To get the data you need however you must enforce a discipline of tracking your own time monitoring the result of your efforts and avoiding activities that may feel productive but are not (like bantering with friends on Twitter for example)

PART I

Key Marketing Concepts

RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI)ROI is a term that marketers borrowed from the fi-nancial world Financial analysts have always measured their investments to know exactly how investments are performing Marketing on the other hand arrived late to the analytics party

Essentially ROI in its simplest form translates to ldquobang for your buckrdquo The ldquoinvestmentrdquo is what you put in likely your marketing dollars or your time The ldquoreturnrdquo is what you get out which is hopefully revenue (Sure inspiration or satisfaction might be considered the re-turn as well but letrsquos stick to the hard stuff)

ROI is a valuable metric because it can help you examine every marketing activity and know the dollar amount that results from every dollar (or hour) you invest This can also be expressed as a percentage Once you estab-lish the ROI across all of your marketing activities you can start making decisions about where to spend more or less of your time

OPPORTUNITY COSTAll businesses especially freelancers have to make tough decisions about where time and money are spent The concept of opportunity cost provides an easy way to think about managing these decisions especially when yoursquore faced with any number of attractive marketing opportunities Therersquos a cost associated with not doing something and thatrsquos the revenue you would get out of that specific activity So you incur an ldquoopportunity costrdquo by continuing to engage in any one activity while yoursquore passing up the revenue associated with doing something else Without getting too academic letrsquos just attack this

Its not smart to keep doing one activity when you

know another activity can produce more revenue

9HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

head onmdashitrsquos not smart to keep doing one activity when you know another activity can produce more revenue

In practical terms you probably market your freelance business on Facebook and Twitter The time you invest here is time yoursquore not spending cold calling advertising agencies to book portfolio reviews Hence the opportunity cost is the revenue yoursquore passing up by focusing your time on social media instead of cold calling If cold calling is more pro-ductive for your business allocating your scarce time toward social media may just be a poor decision On the other hand if the investment in social media will create links that improve how clients find you the payoff may come over a longer term

Low ROI High ROI

High Investment

Low Investment

Think through your investments in terms of the output High investment is ok if you get high output Low investment with high ROI is the best You want to avoid high investment low ROI

As you invest your time and money into various marketing channels be sure to keep track of how much yoursquore putting in and what your return is from those efforts You can think of return on levels including customer acquisition brand awareness lead genera-tion etc As a busy photographer on a tight budget your goal of course is to invest at little time and money as possible but receive a high return (see chart above) There is no silver bullet for this unfortunatelymdashyou need to experiment and diligently track what works and what doesnrsquot

CONVERSION THE MOST CRITICAL CONCEPTIf you want to be a savvy internet marketer you need to start thinking in terms of conversion

Everywhere you exist online you should have a desired goalmdashthe behavior you hope to induce For example your websitersquos goal may be to drive visitors to purchase a print for

II

I example inquire about your services sign up for your newsletter or any other possible step closer to generating revenue Completing this goal is considered a ldquoconversionrdquo A random visitor who becomes a paying customer represents one conversion More conversions make you more successful So a metric to pay very close attention to is your ldquoconversion raterdquo Conversion rate represents the percentage of people who complete your desired goal See formula

Conversion rate = Visitors who complete the goalTotal visitors In addition to knowing the overall conversion rate of your website you should know the conversion rate for any given marketing effort With the help of a tool like Google Analytics you can even monitor the conversion rate of people who view specific con-tent on your website or come in from a specific source (eg Facebook)

THE INTERNET MARKETING FUNNELHerersquos a very important way to think about marketing your business Imagine a big funnel Every time someone engages with you (letrsquos say visits your website) theyrsquore entering the top of your funnel Your conversion goal is for site visitors to inquire online about your services or perhaps purchase something directly Those who convert come out the bottom of the funnel However as visitors navigate around your website people tend to drop off For example maybe they determine yoursquore not a fit for their needs or donrsquot like your branding or canrsquot find your email address So it should become very obvious that two primary factors can impact your suc-cess The first is your conversion ratemdashhow well you turn visitors into paying cus-tomers Improving your conversion rate against your typical monthly website traf-fic creates more paying customers The second is traffic Improving the volume of traffic coming through your funnel (at the same conversion rate) will result in more paying customers too

Marketing efforts however typically involve multi-stage funnels For example you generate an email campaign and a small group opens it then a smaller group clicks through to your website then a smaller group clicks the ldquobuyrdquo button and a smaller group finishes the sale through credit card processingThe point is your conversion rate gets whittled down with every additional step in the buyingengagement process Thatrsquos why simultaneously increasing the funnel and improving conversion are of para-mount importance in growing a business

Investment (TimeMoney) vs ROI (What yoursquore getting back)

10HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Once you establish a baseline for traffic and conversion rate you can start making smart-er decisions about your marketing efforts Such as how much traffic is necessary to hit your growth targets and which marketing efforts deserve more resources and attention

YOUR ONLINE FOOTPRINTOnce upon a time having only a website was sufficient to market your work ldquoTaking a business onlinerdquo meant moving away from the brick and mortar world to establish a website thus creating a foothold in the online world When prospects wanted to know more about you and your services they could visit your website expecting to find a typical explanation of your services a list of clients and some examples of your work Times have changed Now the best way to enhance your online footprint is by estab-lishing a presence across a multitude of web properties including your own website(s) social media platforms community forums trade organizations blogs etc There are several smart reasons to build an online footprint including the top reason Yoursquore more likely to get found A more robust online presence creates multiple ways for prospects to find you When more people can find you yoursquore widening your funnel (whether theyrsquore searching for you specifically or your services) to capture more traffic Because content is indexed highly efficiently by search engines and links are frequently shared via social media it is now likely that most prospects are not necessarily coming through ldquothe front doorrdquomdashyour traditional website homepage Rather theyrsquore finding you elsewhere online or finding a specific piece of content thatrsquos highly relevant to their needs To take advan-tage of this your online marketing strategy should explore relevant opportunities to create new profiles descriptively keyworded so they help you get found on key terms and these profiles should point back to your website (the center of your online market-ing presence) where prospects may continue to engage with you

MANAGE YOUR BRANDWhen gathering intelligence about a potential service provider like yourself it is typi-cal for prospects to perform a Google search Having multiple profiles to support your own branding will enable prospects to ldquotriangulaterdquo the data and make a positive judg-ment about your credibility For example outdoor and adventure photographer Corey Rich has a unified on-line presence across multiple platforms including his website blog Twitter profile

LOSE THE ldquoFRONT DOORrdquo MENTALITYThe reality is the pathway that yoursquove imagined potential clients will engage with you is probably very different than the actual pathway For instance life would be very simple if a corporate creative director received your email promotion visited your website clicked your ldquocontact merdquo link requested your portfolio and hired you for a gig

But sales cycles are rarely ever so neat and tidy Managing your online footprint with multiple hooks gives prospects a way to engage with you wherever they feel most com-fortable in a way that provides either direct contact or relative anonymity For example that same creative director may not have an immediate need for your services yet may be compelled to follow you on Twitter Facebook or Instagram or subscribe to your blog feed or newsletter This gives them a way to stay engaged yet avoid the time commit-ment of a portfolio review and pitch from you until the opportunity is right for them One word of caution about your online footprintmdashbeyond creating the profile you need to carefully monitor and maintain certain sites to ensure you create a visible ldquopulserdquo This means managing the frequency of posts answering questions and updating links

Facebook Page and Instagram Feedmdashall of which help an inquiring prospect get to know him better

Each channel adds to Coreyrsquos credibility that hersquos working photographer with a strong online presence and dedication to his work

Corey Rich

wwwcoreyrichcom

newscoreyrichcom

wwwtwittercomcoreyrich

wwwfacebookcomCoreyRichProductions

wwwinstagramcomcoreyrichproductions

11HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

ven the word ldquomarketing planrdquo can sound daunt-ing but donrsquot get tripped up on terminology Still if you expect to see an increase in clientssales you

need to have a plan for specific marketing tactics that will drive this improvement Our recommendation is to simply think about different marketing categories and then list out activities that you could do in each

Your marketing plan shouldnrsquot be designed to treat each po-tential customer as if they were in the same state of readi-ness to hire you or buy something from you For example some people who walk into the Gap are just passing the time a smaller percentage want to try on a pair of jeans and an even smaller percentage walk into the store ready to buy

When you consider different activities in each category think about how people in different parts of the ldquosales cyclerdquo would react You might do a low cost postcard campaign to blanket as many photo buyers and editors And you might do a more expensive photo book to send to your top 10 to make a larger impression You wouldnrsquot treat the customer whorsquos just looking for a place to sit down the same as the one whorsquos ready to buy a pair of jeans Your marketing ef-forts should be nuanced

Additionally you need to remember one-time marketing efforts rarely pay off You often need to experiment with multiple campaigns through multiple channels to get on peoplersquos radars and convert them into customers Increasing your ldquobrand awarenessrdquo amongst your potential customers is arguably as important as converting a small percentage of them into paying customers

PART I

How to Create a Marketing Plan

Here are a few channels to consider

gtEmail Marketing Newsletters E-promos gtDirect Mail Postcards Books Posters gt Social Media Twitter Facebook Instagram gtEvents Trade Shows Portfolio Reviews gt Inbound Tactics SEO Optimization gt Lead Capture Blog Website gt Blogging Opinion pieces Gear reviews be-hind-the-scenes

DO THIS raquo Create a list of current and future marketing activities

raquo Create a rough estimate of timemoney that you will expend on each

raquo Create a rough ROI (return on investment) that each initiative will bring

raquo Jettison highlow investment ROI projects Plan campaigns around high ROI projects Remember to take into account that some efforts may take longer to see a ldquoreturnrdquo so make sure yoursquore balancing short and long term gain (eg efforts that build awareness vs those that might bring in customers immediately)

12HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Tackling Google amp Building Your SEO

hat is Search Engine Optimization (SEO) exactly In short SEO is the process of af-fecting where your website organically ranks

on major search engines like Google Bing etc

Photographers are often vexed by SEO because it seems like a moving target Just when you think your website is ranking well Google changes its algorithm

determining which SEO factors hold most influence in the rankings and you lose half your traffic The frus-tration might be warranted but the fact of the matter is that everyone uses search engines to find services and products online And no matter what you search for some websites always comes up first and subse-quently gain a massive marketing benefit

Photo by Jim Goldstein

13HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

ous photo blogs magazines or newspapers Link aggregator sites like Stumbleupon Digg and Reddit can also be a great way to get a large number of people talking about your photography very quickly

ON-PAGE CONTENT refers to the text that appears on your website On many photographer websites there is very limited text which is a problem from an SEO perspective As much as you might want your photography to ldquospeak for itselfrdquo you still need textual content to rank within search engines If you are a New York portrait photographer then ldquoNew York portrait photographerrdquo should appear on your website So should words and phrases that are similar in nature like ldquoI specialize in corporate and editorial portraiture in the New York and Tri-state areardquo Similarly your images need captions and titles and the more detail the better

Obviously you want your images to be front and center so use your ldquoAboutrdquo page or other pages to list the products you sell awards yoursquove won workshops you give etc

II

I Although there are many different factors that affect SEO we like to think of two main categories that you can focus on to simplify things

gtOn-page content gt Building links to your website

In an information rich society we are highly dependent on search engines to find what we are looking for whether itrsquos a local plumber or a portrait photographer in Des Moines You simply cannot drive enough traffic to your website by handing out business cards The goal of SEO is unsolicited trafficmdashpeople looking for your products and services without knowing who you are

Hopefully your website provider has automated much of the SEO techno-geek stuff for you This might include

gt unique page titles gtmeta description gt lth1gt (aka HTML headline tags) gt IMG alt attributes gtmicroformats gt sitemaps gt optimized page load times

Although there are countless factors that affect where you rank on a search engine here are two things among them that hold some of the greatest weight

BACKLINKS TO YOUR WEBSITE is arguably the most important factor in increasing your SEO Each link represents an ldquoendorsementrdquo and the number of links partially influences how much of your website will be indexed by the search engines and where you appear in search results The process of ldquobacklinkrdquo creation can seem like a very ambiguous task but in fact itrsquos quite simple There are two ways to build links 1) do it yourself or 2) get other people to link to your website

Maintaining a blog and a strong presence on social media networks are some of the easiest ways to link to yourself Each time you photograph something new create a gallery on your website then write a blog entry which links to that gallery Another tactic is to take advan-tage of profiles you can create with photography trade associations or community groups

Getting other people to link to you is a bit harder you need to have something on your site that makes them want to link to you Perhaps yoursquove worked on a long-term photo project that has some relevance right now You might pitch a gallery of images to vari-

DO THIS raquo Create a keyword ldquohitlistrdquo of 20-50 words that you want your website to rank for

Keywords are words and phrases that you think people might potentially search for to find your service For example if yoursquore a nature photographer based in Denver Colorado example keywords that you want your website to rank for might be ldquoDenver Nature Photographyrdquo ldquoColorado Nature Photographerrdquo ldquoNature Photographyrdquo etc

raquo Use your keyword list to inform website copy Google yourself and refine the keywords and phrases as your business and services or the language your specialty and industry uses changes

raquo Check these words against the Google Keyword Planner to determine whether they have appreciable search volume Modify your list accordingly

raquo Search each term to determine your online competition Use MajesticSEO to perform a backlink analysis to determine whether you can displace the competition

raquo Include as much metadata and description as you can to every image you publish online Be consistent with your tagging If you choose to forgo all image descriptions metadata and smart blog titles it can negatively impact your chances of being found (Metadata is informationmdashdatamdashstored within a digital image file) Not only does this help SEO it can help protect your images from theft and misuse

raquo Remember that ldquoinaction is actionrdquo Be active with your blog and website updates so that Google sees your content as fresh Regularly update your website and social media platforms By ignoring them yoursquore telling the search engines yoursquore not relevantmdashthe opposite effect yoursquore looking for to help improve where you rank on Google

2

1

14HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Get Social 4 Tips That Can Help You Succeed on Every Social Media Platform

ver 1 billion people use Facebook Twitter has over 600 million active registered users Insta-gram has over 200 million active monthly users

and LinkedIn comes in at 300 million Social media isnrsquot a fadmdashone could argue it is the glue that creates highly sticky user interaction on the web

Companies are amassing millions of users online with the ability to broadcast messages more frequently and more inexpensively than ever before Celebrities are communicating with fans news outlets are breaking stories and photographers are finding that they can en-ter the social conversation by simply tagging wedding guests in a Facebook album before the guests can or create a following on Instagram by sharing photos from a personal project

Wersquore not saying that every social media outlet will work for every photographer but therersquos enough real evidence to suggest that a strong social media campaign can translate into real marketing exposure and real rev-enue The key point to remember is that your website is not a daily destination for your customers On the other hand hundreds of millions of people login to Facebook daily so its important that you go where your customers already are The argument can be made that different specialities will use social media differentlymdashthatrsquos very true So going back to your understanding of your audience itrsquos a good idea to determine how your audience uses social media to follow photographers and identify new talent For instance if yoursquore a portrait photographer yoursquore probably focused on how you can best harness the social platforms to promote word of mouth Can you come

up with new Facebook strategies that get your clients sharing your images with other potential families and teens And if yoursquore a commercial or editorial photog-rapher maybe yoursquore more interested in using LinkedIn and Twitter to keep former clients and prospects aware of your latest work

Though every platform is different there are four key ldquorulesrdquo to consider to help you successfully showcase your brand on each

BE A PERSON

This is probably the most important rule of social media behavior in general You want to operate as you would in the real world This means you should refrain from constantly selling your services use language that is approachable and share content that is interesting If yoursquore not sure what constitutes interesting content ask yourself if yoursquod be inclined to like share or comment on that post if you saw it on your own Feed And remem-ber that social media is not a one-way street You are participating in a community which means you need to respond and reach out to others (as you would do in an offline conversation)

GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Give a behind-the-scenes look at your shoots the set-up the gear yourself shooting on location or even a sneak peak of a personal project youre working on This can give people an idea of how you work Also think about giving a shout-out to the people you worked with that day This shows yoursquore a team player and also en-courages those you tag to follow and share your work Fashion photographer Lara Jade does a great job at this Check out examples on her Twitter page here

1

2

15HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I

BE CONSISTENT

Itrsquos important to have a consistent voice when you post This means that the general tone content and visuals are recognizable and donrsquot feel random Regularly posting in this way will also let your audience know to expect content from you which will improve engagement

PICK THE RIGHT PHOTO

Whether yoursquore sharing on Twitter Facebook or Instagram you should share a photo that strengthens your voice (which yoursquove thought about and defined)mdashit adheres to your aesthetic by way of style or content etc and shows off work you love We recom-mend sharing at least one photo per day If youre having trouble choosing a photo try to find one that evokes some type of emotion in yourself Chances are it will also have an effect on others as well

Also to help increase your visibility and reach on platforms do this

gt Like or follow pages or feeds from leading photo blogs and other photogra-phers you admire Keep in mind that once you like or follow their accounts

3

4

their content will start to appear in your Feed When you see a post that you think might interest your audience share retweet or comment

gt Sign up for newsletters and subscribe to RSS feeds Some examples include Pro Photo Daily or PDN That way you wonrsquot miss posts from publications and industry thought leaders that are most important to you A service like Feedly or Flipboard will also let you aggregate your favorite blogs in one spot so you can quickly skim for interesting news and updates and then share with your networks

gt Let people know yoursquove shared their work If you share content without using the share or retweet function (so instead by simply linking to an article resource or gallery) consider shooting that blogger an email or message to let them know that yoursquore helping spread their content People appreciate when you help them share their news and taking a quick mo-ment to let them know may make them more likely to share your own content one day

Instagram Photo by Travel Photographer Pei KetronLara Jades Twitter

16HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Want some examples of photographers succeeding with social media Check out a few that we love following on Facebook Twitter amp Instagram

FacebookLisa DevlinJohn KeatelyCorey RichBrooke ShadenBrian Smith

TwitterZack AriasEunique Jones GibsonLucas GilmanLara JadeKen KamineskyMelissa Lyttle

InstagramBrooke DombrowskiTim LandisBrad ManginLandon NordemanAdrienne Pitts

And be sure to check out our latest guides with resources and tips to help you amp up your social presence The Photographerrsquos Guide to Facebook The Photographerrsquos Guide to Twitter and The Photographerrsquos Guide to Instagram

17HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

or a photographer your blog is not just a place to dump links and post photos Your blog is a marketing tool and can be a very effective one

at that The captive online audience is vast comprised of prospective clients photographers looking to learn gear enthusiasts and many other consumers who are actively searching for services like yours

To maximize the flavor potential of your blog you need to reach people with similar tastes Connecting with the right audience starts with a targeted content strategy

ESTABLISHING YOUR BLOGrsquoS BRANDYour portfolio site design how you communicate with clients your logos your deliverables your lighting technique your field of photography ndash all of these elements define your personal brand Your blogrsquos 1 purpose should be to extend this brand

For example if you frequently work with corporate cli-ents your community would not respond well to pro-fanity-laden rants (In general this is a bad idea) But take time to think about who your audience is and what tone and style of writing would resonate best with them

There are multiple points of entry for building a suc-cessful blog Whether you choose the provocative route the educational route the anecdotal route among many others your strategic choices should reflect your brand

TARGETING YOUR AUDIENCE Your brand can also help identify your target audience Like any marketing push it will pay to know who the readers are

PART II

How to Blog Better

You should always strive to create content that attracts and sustains the attention of this audience Not only will this help focus the content strategy but also the needs and prac-tices of your targeted audience will inform how you blog

For example when establishing her company Major Multimedia photographer and multimedia producer Lauren Major wanted to target the nonprofit and so-cial good sector Once she narrowed her target audi-ence she was able to research their online activity and create content that would specifically appeal to the social good user

Photographers who run workshops will often cater the writing on their blog to other photographers This helps establish them as ldquoexpertsrdquo as well as speak directly to prospective attendees and students A blog can also help photographers continue a dialogue with current and former clients as well as attract potential new ones

Additionally alternative and edgy UK wedding pho-tographer Lisa Devlin has branded herself as the go-to photographer for all weddings off-the-beating path She uses her blog to showcase the non-traditional thread

18HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I between her clients to help reinforce her expertise and niche in this space

The more targeted your marketing efforts the more suc-cessful you will be at converting customers

GENERATING SALESYour blog can also function quite well as an indirect marketing tool for your brand including directly trans-lating into image sales or other revenue opportunities

If part of your business includes selling workshops your blog content should target the consumer who might be in-terested in your specific workshop Blog posts should em-phasize your expertise in your field and show who you are as a teacher and a photographer For example nature pho-tographer Greg Basco of Deep Green Photography sells nature photography workshops in Costa Rica through his website The ldquoBehind the Lensrdquo series on his blog shows images captured in the field and explains the technique and story behind getting the shot Gregrsquos tours now sell out quickly after being announced

You may also want to sell products through your web-site or directly on your blog The content should support why a consumer should buy this product from you and even show the value of the product

MANAGING YOUR BLOGGING WORKFLOWAfter you choose the best platform for you and identify your target audience you may find yourself about to hit the ldquoNow whatrdquo panic button If you do not have a plan for your workflow a blog can quickly become a burden But you can easily skip ahead of the whole overwhelming part of blogging by developing an effective workflow system

Here are a few tips to help tailor a system for your workflow

ORGANIZE YOUR IDEAS

An effective content strategy relies on careful planning If your blogging strategy is to wait for ideas first you will likely end up with an inconsistent blog and a con-stant feeling of pressure to come up with new topics If you blog every thought that pops into your head you risk burying the quality content with the extraneous stuffmdashand confusing your audience

Start a spreadsheet Google Doc or journal devoted exclu-sively to ideas for potential blog posts If you have a mo-ment of inspiration jot it down or type it up You may nev-er use half of the ideas or may take one thought in a totally different direction but keeping a list of thoughts will take the pressure off coming up with something to write about on the spotmdashand it will help you manage your workflow

CREATE TOPIC CATEGORIES

Have an understanding of the areas that you want to cover on your blog Think through questions like

gtDo you want to write at least one gear review a week gtDo you want to feature an interview with an industry professional once a month gtDo you want to have a video blog series

You donrsquot have to decide every area of interest before you start your blog and based on your audiencersquos re-sponse the topics you write about may evolve Having a few target areas in your pocket will help you focus your idea stream and keep the blog clear and on brand For inspiration check out the next page for 7 ideas to help inspire you when writing blog posts

MAKE A CALENDAR AND STICK TO IT

Is it realistic for you to blog everyday Probably not and it might not be smart for you to do it either Just make

1

2

3

sure you have a plan for when you want to blog It does not necessarily have to be a set number either The key is to be consistent so your followers can expect and look forward to your posts If yoursquore a wedding photographer your blogging strategy might involve doing a post after every wedding Even if your blogging pattern follows gigs having a set deadline will help you stay consistent (ie never wait more than 72 hours to publish a post about a job) and meet audience expectations

The best way to stay on top of your self-made blogging deadlines is to keep a calendar exclusively for your blog It could contain upcoming shoots and personal events or you could plan each month out specifically based on what you will be posting about on a given day Looking at an upcoming calendar will help you manage the time you need to complete each desired blog post and may also provide you with new or thematic inspiration

HAVE AN RSS FEED

Your idea diary not cutting it for you Keep an RSS feed like Feedly of photography blogs that inspire you blogs of prospective clients the musings of your competitors andor the Twitter feed of your favorite vendor An RSS feed consolidates all of the sites and accounts your go-to for inspiration into one place which will help cut down on time spent going between each sitemdashand the dis-tractions Internet surfing can bring

MANAGE YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS

If writing does not come easily to you and you cannot in-vest the resources into outsourcing the work travel pho-tographer Matt Brandon advises setting boundaries for yourself Writing can easily consume your day and setting unreasonable expectations as to what you can accomplish is setting yourself up to fail

Set goals you know you can meet The great thing about blogs is they are totally malleable If you dis-

4

5

19HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I cover you love blogging and can ramp up your pro-duction as long as itrsquos in-tune with your target audi-encemdashgo for it But if you try to do and say too much right out of the gate you may be shooting yourself in the foot Building an audience can take time so set up a sustainable workflow system for yourself that can support the process

7 BLOG TOPICS TO INSPIRE YOUHere are 7 ideas off the bat to inspire you when plan-ning out your blog posts

TOP 10 LISTS

Top 10 list (or top 9 top 7 etc) are highly clickable and easy to share ndash a list provides quick easily understood context for exactly what the reader will find in your blog post Added bonus lists donrsquot need to be copy-heavy or heavily researched Go ahead and give your own opinion on the 5 female photographers who changed the indus-try and watch the hits roll in

STIR THE POT

If yoursquore not afraid to ruffle a few feathers bucking tradition or authority with a controversial statement is a great way to get the community buzzing How-ever donrsquot just say something provocative for the sake of getting a rise out of people It is better to put forth your opinion on a topic about which you genuinely have something to say and back that statement up with facts and illustrative examples Prepare yourself for a helping of haters and make sure to respond to naysayers with the same intelligent clarity with which you crafted the article

WRITE A REVIEW

Clearly there is no shortage of photography gear re-views on the Internet That should not discourage you from writing one yourself Many photographers carve

out a niche for themselves based on their reviews It might be what you say it might be how you say it but if you write a great gear review someone will definitely be reading

COMPILE RESOURCES

Everyone loves to discover that all the information they need on a topic already exists in one place If you donrsquot mind doing a little legwork then try assembling a specific relevant list of online resources This may be a particularly useful option for photographers who do not consider themselves strong writersmdasha resource list is more about supporting the topic and writing need not be heavily involved

CROWDSOURCE COMMENTARY

In a recent PhotoShelter blog post we asked four ma-jor photo editors from Rolling Stone The New Yorker Vogue Italia and Esquirecom how theyre using Insta-gram to develop new talent Their responses are here As a photographer consider sourcing your colleagues posing a question to your readers or blasting your social media platforms No matter the route you will end up with content created for you that also proves to your community that you value their opinion

INTERVIEW PEOPLE SMARTER THAN YOU

The world is full of smart interesting people with an experienced viewpoint An interview with them can add depth to an issue and will likely bring new people to your blog that might not have found it oth-erwise You could also email a photographer whose work you admire or a prospective client that yoursquod love to work with one day As long as the interview is not a thinly veiled request for work promoting them with an interview on your blog will at least get you on a few radars

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Behind-the-scenes content usually resonates well with an audience especially photographers who love to learn the story behind an image Practically any photo assign-ment yoursquove done has the potential to become a behind-the-scenes blog

20HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Three Easy Steps to Use Email Marketing to Your AdvantageBy Mira Mad Mimi email newsletter coach

hether yoursquore looking to sell more prints or book more photography sessions email marketing is an efficient low-cost way to build up your client

base As an email newsletter coach at Mad Mimimdasha simple lovely email servicemdashI help lots of photographers reach a wider audience While our collective superpower at Mad Mimi is email marketing (as nerdy as that is) many of us are aspiring photographers as well so Irsquom thrilled to share these tips with you

STEP ONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EMAIL MEDIUMUSE A BONAFIDE EMAIL MARKETING PLATFORM If yoursquore a PhotoShop whiz you may be tempted to build an email in that formatmdashimages and text included But image-only emails tend to have worse reader engagement and inbox delivery rates To ensure that your emails get delivered and opened use a tool designed for creating marketing emails Both people and inbox robots will be able to understand this format Mad Mimi is a great option for photographers Here are a few photographers using our service

Jennifer Clare PhotographyDana Smith PhotographyHeather Evans Smith Photography

ALWAYS LINK Include at least one link in each email you send Itrsquos easy to turn any text or image into a clickable link Before you send preview your email as your recipients will see it Links ldquoabove the foldrdquo of the screen perform better than links readers must scroll down to see What to link to Think about linking out to your website a specific photography portfolio a recent blog post or even one of your social networks if yoursquore trying to grow your following

21HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE VISITS TO YOUR WEBSITE Get folks out of the email and onto your site Thatrsquos where they can have a richer viewing experience learn more about your photography and potentially make a purchase or email you to inquire about your services The point of your email is to invite them to engage with youmdashhopefully on your site

If you use Google Analytics to measure your web traffic you may be able to see how many visits come from your email newsletters (this depends on your email platform Mad Mimi integrates with Google Analytics)

STEP TWO BE YOUR SHINY SELFDONrsquoT BE AFRAID OF MINIMALISM Let your photography communicate on its own in your emailsmdashjust as you would in another medium Showcase your photographs with lovely wide image modules Even one image alone can make a powerful impact

KEEP YOUR TEXT SHORT Email can be a very intimate (and interactive) environment Donrsquot distract your recipients with too much content Simple emails get shared Make sure you can answer the question ldquoWhy am I sending this emailrdquo If your own answer is muddled or hidden in the text you will struggle to engage

SPEAK YOUR OWN STYLE Design your emails to reflect the personality of your brand The colors fonts and layouts you use should reinforce the branding on your website and complement (rather than compete with) your photography

MAXIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL REACH Find new fans by maximizing the shareability of your emails Not into Twitter So what Some of your photography fans probably love it So make it easy for your fans friends and family to share your emails on their favorite social networks

Many email platforms (including Mad Mimi) let you include social sharing buttons in your emails These allow your fans to share your email with just one click You can also include links to your own social profiles making it easy for readers to click right to your businessrsquo Facebook page for instance

STEP THREE BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR AUDIENCETHE GOLDEN RULE You wouldnrsquot load your photography prints into a T-shirt cannon and run up and down the street firing shots into peoplersquos dining rooms So donrsquot do

that in email either Be respectful of peoplersquos inboxes and be sure that yoursquore delivering relevant content to the right people At Mad Mimi we review your first email before it goes out and give you any technical tips or design feedback if needed

COLLECT SIGNUPS Practice permission-based marketing which means only sending to people who have opted in to receive your emails whether by using a signup form on your site signing up at an event or making a purchase Only send to people yoursquove interacted with recently (say the past 18 months) You donrsquot send your business card to your high school teachersmdashitrsquos essentially the same thing

Many email marketing platforms (including Mad Mimi) offer customizable signup forms and integrate with top third-party form builders

DONrsquoT SEND TOO MANY EMAILS Donrsquot send too few The ideal frequency depends on your audience Itrsquos worth thinking about why you are emailing your audiencemdashmight they hire you have they hired you do they just like your work Unless yoursquove segmented your list your audience probably includes a variety of people so keep that in mind when considering frequency

To find the best frequency for you we recommend a combination of going with your gut and testing You know your audience best Make decisions based on that but be willing to try new things Most email platforms offer stats reporting to help you gauge the effectiveness of your emails Check your stats and adjust accordingly

GIVE SOMETHING AWAY Itrsquos just true If you give people something for signing up they feel better about handing over their email address And you donrsquot JUST want their email addressmdashyou want their business Offering a coupon for a print or specialized content at signup is a great way to give your newsletter added perceived value

If yoursquore a bit more advanced drip campaigns are a great way to deliver free (or paid) stuff to people who sign up Whatrsquos a drip campaign Itrsquos a series of autoresponder emails You can use drip campaigns to deliver downloadable freebies welcome emails and coupons If yoursquore interested in sharing your expertise you can even use them to deliver photography e-courses Here are a few helpful blog posts on drip campaigns

5 Tips for Creating a Stellar Welcome Email Campaign6 (Incredible) Woman-Powered Drip Campaigns5 Tips for Gaining Subscribers with an Email Course21 Autoresponder Ideas to Grow Your Business

22HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I If you focus on these three steps yoursquoll be well on your way to increasing the reach of your photography business The Mad Mimi team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about getting started Email us at supportmadmimicom

23HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

arketing does not have to be your worst enemy but it does require you to carve out time and map out a gameplan Once you have a few strategies

in place - whether that be a workflow that includes post-ing to social networks blogging regularly or sending out a monthly newsletter - you will be more able to grow a strong presence online and establish awareness about your brand And remember before you start know cold what yoursquore providing and exactly who and where your target audience ismdashboth online and off If you can confidently define your target market then you will be in great shape to develop a strong marketing plan that can attract qual-ity clients and grow your business better than ever before

Conclusionamp Resources

ResourcesGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to FacebookGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to InstagramGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to TwitterGUIDE 11 Secrets to a Great Photography WebsiteGUIDE Creating a Successful Photography PortfolioGUIDE 10 Branding Secrets for PhotographersBLOG Developing a Better Photography Brand BLOG How This Photographer is Making Your LaughBLOG 10 Great Photographer PromosBLOG Tackling Google 3 Ways Photographers Can Improve Their SEOBLOG Building a Photo Brand From the Ground Up Tips From Art WolfeBLOG 4 Ways to Get More Work From Old ClientsVIDEO Tips amp Strategies To Grow Your Audience OnlineVIDEO Interview with Zack Arias If I Had to Start My Business Today VIDEO 11 Essential Tips for Freelance PhotographersTOOL Google AnalyticsTOOL Google Keyword PlannerTOOL Mad MimiTOOL Bitly

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 7: How to market your photography

9HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

head onmdashitrsquos not smart to keep doing one activity when you know another activity can produce more revenue

In practical terms you probably market your freelance business on Facebook and Twitter The time you invest here is time yoursquore not spending cold calling advertising agencies to book portfolio reviews Hence the opportunity cost is the revenue yoursquore passing up by focusing your time on social media instead of cold calling If cold calling is more pro-ductive for your business allocating your scarce time toward social media may just be a poor decision On the other hand if the investment in social media will create links that improve how clients find you the payoff may come over a longer term

Low ROI High ROI

High Investment

Low Investment

Think through your investments in terms of the output High investment is ok if you get high output Low investment with high ROI is the best You want to avoid high investment low ROI

As you invest your time and money into various marketing channels be sure to keep track of how much yoursquore putting in and what your return is from those efforts You can think of return on levels including customer acquisition brand awareness lead genera-tion etc As a busy photographer on a tight budget your goal of course is to invest at little time and money as possible but receive a high return (see chart above) There is no silver bullet for this unfortunatelymdashyou need to experiment and diligently track what works and what doesnrsquot

CONVERSION THE MOST CRITICAL CONCEPTIf you want to be a savvy internet marketer you need to start thinking in terms of conversion

Everywhere you exist online you should have a desired goalmdashthe behavior you hope to induce For example your websitersquos goal may be to drive visitors to purchase a print for

II

I example inquire about your services sign up for your newsletter or any other possible step closer to generating revenue Completing this goal is considered a ldquoconversionrdquo A random visitor who becomes a paying customer represents one conversion More conversions make you more successful So a metric to pay very close attention to is your ldquoconversion raterdquo Conversion rate represents the percentage of people who complete your desired goal See formula

Conversion rate = Visitors who complete the goalTotal visitors In addition to knowing the overall conversion rate of your website you should know the conversion rate for any given marketing effort With the help of a tool like Google Analytics you can even monitor the conversion rate of people who view specific con-tent on your website or come in from a specific source (eg Facebook)

THE INTERNET MARKETING FUNNELHerersquos a very important way to think about marketing your business Imagine a big funnel Every time someone engages with you (letrsquos say visits your website) theyrsquore entering the top of your funnel Your conversion goal is for site visitors to inquire online about your services or perhaps purchase something directly Those who convert come out the bottom of the funnel However as visitors navigate around your website people tend to drop off For example maybe they determine yoursquore not a fit for their needs or donrsquot like your branding or canrsquot find your email address So it should become very obvious that two primary factors can impact your suc-cess The first is your conversion ratemdashhow well you turn visitors into paying cus-tomers Improving your conversion rate against your typical monthly website traf-fic creates more paying customers The second is traffic Improving the volume of traffic coming through your funnel (at the same conversion rate) will result in more paying customers too

Marketing efforts however typically involve multi-stage funnels For example you generate an email campaign and a small group opens it then a smaller group clicks through to your website then a smaller group clicks the ldquobuyrdquo button and a smaller group finishes the sale through credit card processingThe point is your conversion rate gets whittled down with every additional step in the buyingengagement process Thatrsquos why simultaneously increasing the funnel and improving conversion are of para-mount importance in growing a business

Investment (TimeMoney) vs ROI (What yoursquore getting back)

10HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Once you establish a baseline for traffic and conversion rate you can start making smart-er decisions about your marketing efforts Such as how much traffic is necessary to hit your growth targets and which marketing efforts deserve more resources and attention

YOUR ONLINE FOOTPRINTOnce upon a time having only a website was sufficient to market your work ldquoTaking a business onlinerdquo meant moving away from the brick and mortar world to establish a website thus creating a foothold in the online world When prospects wanted to know more about you and your services they could visit your website expecting to find a typical explanation of your services a list of clients and some examples of your work Times have changed Now the best way to enhance your online footprint is by estab-lishing a presence across a multitude of web properties including your own website(s) social media platforms community forums trade organizations blogs etc There are several smart reasons to build an online footprint including the top reason Yoursquore more likely to get found A more robust online presence creates multiple ways for prospects to find you When more people can find you yoursquore widening your funnel (whether theyrsquore searching for you specifically or your services) to capture more traffic Because content is indexed highly efficiently by search engines and links are frequently shared via social media it is now likely that most prospects are not necessarily coming through ldquothe front doorrdquomdashyour traditional website homepage Rather theyrsquore finding you elsewhere online or finding a specific piece of content thatrsquos highly relevant to their needs To take advan-tage of this your online marketing strategy should explore relevant opportunities to create new profiles descriptively keyworded so they help you get found on key terms and these profiles should point back to your website (the center of your online market-ing presence) where prospects may continue to engage with you

MANAGE YOUR BRANDWhen gathering intelligence about a potential service provider like yourself it is typi-cal for prospects to perform a Google search Having multiple profiles to support your own branding will enable prospects to ldquotriangulaterdquo the data and make a positive judg-ment about your credibility For example outdoor and adventure photographer Corey Rich has a unified on-line presence across multiple platforms including his website blog Twitter profile

LOSE THE ldquoFRONT DOORrdquo MENTALITYThe reality is the pathway that yoursquove imagined potential clients will engage with you is probably very different than the actual pathway For instance life would be very simple if a corporate creative director received your email promotion visited your website clicked your ldquocontact merdquo link requested your portfolio and hired you for a gig

But sales cycles are rarely ever so neat and tidy Managing your online footprint with multiple hooks gives prospects a way to engage with you wherever they feel most com-fortable in a way that provides either direct contact or relative anonymity For example that same creative director may not have an immediate need for your services yet may be compelled to follow you on Twitter Facebook or Instagram or subscribe to your blog feed or newsletter This gives them a way to stay engaged yet avoid the time commit-ment of a portfolio review and pitch from you until the opportunity is right for them One word of caution about your online footprintmdashbeyond creating the profile you need to carefully monitor and maintain certain sites to ensure you create a visible ldquopulserdquo This means managing the frequency of posts answering questions and updating links

Facebook Page and Instagram Feedmdashall of which help an inquiring prospect get to know him better

Each channel adds to Coreyrsquos credibility that hersquos working photographer with a strong online presence and dedication to his work

Corey Rich

wwwcoreyrichcom

newscoreyrichcom

wwwtwittercomcoreyrich

wwwfacebookcomCoreyRichProductions

wwwinstagramcomcoreyrichproductions

11HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

ven the word ldquomarketing planrdquo can sound daunt-ing but donrsquot get tripped up on terminology Still if you expect to see an increase in clientssales you

need to have a plan for specific marketing tactics that will drive this improvement Our recommendation is to simply think about different marketing categories and then list out activities that you could do in each

Your marketing plan shouldnrsquot be designed to treat each po-tential customer as if they were in the same state of readi-ness to hire you or buy something from you For example some people who walk into the Gap are just passing the time a smaller percentage want to try on a pair of jeans and an even smaller percentage walk into the store ready to buy

When you consider different activities in each category think about how people in different parts of the ldquosales cyclerdquo would react You might do a low cost postcard campaign to blanket as many photo buyers and editors And you might do a more expensive photo book to send to your top 10 to make a larger impression You wouldnrsquot treat the customer whorsquos just looking for a place to sit down the same as the one whorsquos ready to buy a pair of jeans Your marketing ef-forts should be nuanced

Additionally you need to remember one-time marketing efforts rarely pay off You often need to experiment with multiple campaigns through multiple channels to get on peoplersquos radars and convert them into customers Increasing your ldquobrand awarenessrdquo amongst your potential customers is arguably as important as converting a small percentage of them into paying customers

PART I

How to Create a Marketing Plan

Here are a few channels to consider

gtEmail Marketing Newsletters E-promos gtDirect Mail Postcards Books Posters gt Social Media Twitter Facebook Instagram gtEvents Trade Shows Portfolio Reviews gt Inbound Tactics SEO Optimization gt Lead Capture Blog Website gt Blogging Opinion pieces Gear reviews be-hind-the-scenes

DO THIS raquo Create a list of current and future marketing activities

raquo Create a rough estimate of timemoney that you will expend on each

raquo Create a rough ROI (return on investment) that each initiative will bring

raquo Jettison highlow investment ROI projects Plan campaigns around high ROI projects Remember to take into account that some efforts may take longer to see a ldquoreturnrdquo so make sure yoursquore balancing short and long term gain (eg efforts that build awareness vs those that might bring in customers immediately)

12HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Tackling Google amp Building Your SEO

hat is Search Engine Optimization (SEO) exactly In short SEO is the process of af-fecting where your website organically ranks

on major search engines like Google Bing etc

Photographers are often vexed by SEO because it seems like a moving target Just when you think your website is ranking well Google changes its algorithm

determining which SEO factors hold most influence in the rankings and you lose half your traffic The frus-tration might be warranted but the fact of the matter is that everyone uses search engines to find services and products online And no matter what you search for some websites always comes up first and subse-quently gain a massive marketing benefit

Photo by Jim Goldstein

13HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

ous photo blogs magazines or newspapers Link aggregator sites like Stumbleupon Digg and Reddit can also be a great way to get a large number of people talking about your photography very quickly

ON-PAGE CONTENT refers to the text that appears on your website On many photographer websites there is very limited text which is a problem from an SEO perspective As much as you might want your photography to ldquospeak for itselfrdquo you still need textual content to rank within search engines If you are a New York portrait photographer then ldquoNew York portrait photographerrdquo should appear on your website So should words and phrases that are similar in nature like ldquoI specialize in corporate and editorial portraiture in the New York and Tri-state areardquo Similarly your images need captions and titles and the more detail the better

Obviously you want your images to be front and center so use your ldquoAboutrdquo page or other pages to list the products you sell awards yoursquove won workshops you give etc

II

I Although there are many different factors that affect SEO we like to think of two main categories that you can focus on to simplify things

gtOn-page content gt Building links to your website

In an information rich society we are highly dependent on search engines to find what we are looking for whether itrsquos a local plumber or a portrait photographer in Des Moines You simply cannot drive enough traffic to your website by handing out business cards The goal of SEO is unsolicited trafficmdashpeople looking for your products and services without knowing who you are

Hopefully your website provider has automated much of the SEO techno-geek stuff for you This might include

gt unique page titles gtmeta description gt lth1gt (aka HTML headline tags) gt IMG alt attributes gtmicroformats gt sitemaps gt optimized page load times

Although there are countless factors that affect where you rank on a search engine here are two things among them that hold some of the greatest weight

BACKLINKS TO YOUR WEBSITE is arguably the most important factor in increasing your SEO Each link represents an ldquoendorsementrdquo and the number of links partially influences how much of your website will be indexed by the search engines and where you appear in search results The process of ldquobacklinkrdquo creation can seem like a very ambiguous task but in fact itrsquos quite simple There are two ways to build links 1) do it yourself or 2) get other people to link to your website

Maintaining a blog and a strong presence on social media networks are some of the easiest ways to link to yourself Each time you photograph something new create a gallery on your website then write a blog entry which links to that gallery Another tactic is to take advan-tage of profiles you can create with photography trade associations or community groups

Getting other people to link to you is a bit harder you need to have something on your site that makes them want to link to you Perhaps yoursquove worked on a long-term photo project that has some relevance right now You might pitch a gallery of images to vari-

DO THIS raquo Create a keyword ldquohitlistrdquo of 20-50 words that you want your website to rank for

Keywords are words and phrases that you think people might potentially search for to find your service For example if yoursquore a nature photographer based in Denver Colorado example keywords that you want your website to rank for might be ldquoDenver Nature Photographyrdquo ldquoColorado Nature Photographerrdquo ldquoNature Photographyrdquo etc

raquo Use your keyword list to inform website copy Google yourself and refine the keywords and phrases as your business and services or the language your specialty and industry uses changes

raquo Check these words against the Google Keyword Planner to determine whether they have appreciable search volume Modify your list accordingly

raquo Search each term to determine your online competition Use MajesticSEO to perform a backlink analysis to determine whether you can displace the competition

raquo Include as much metadata and description as you can to every image you publish online Be consistent with your tagging If you choose to forgo all image descriptions metadata and smart blog titles it can negatively impact your chances of being found (Metadata is informationmdashdatamdashstored within a digital image file) Not only does this help SEO it can help protect your images from theft and misuse

raquo Remember that ldquoinaction is actionrdquo Be active with your blog and website updates so that Google sees your content as fresh Regularly update your website and social media platforms By ignoring them yoursquore telling the search engines yoursquore not relevantmdashthe opposite effect yoursquore looking for to help improve where you rank on Google

2

1

14HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Get Social 4 Tips That Can Help You Succeed on Every Social Media Platform

ver 1 billion people use Facebook Twitter has over 600 million active registered users Insta-gram has over 200 million active monthly users

and LinkedIn comes in at 300 million Social media isnrsquot a fadmdashone could argue it is the glue that creates highly sticky user interaction on the web

Companies are amassing millions of users online with the ability to broadcast messages more frequently and more inexpensively than ever before Celebrities are communicating with fans news outlets are breaking stories and photographers are finding that they can en-ter the social conversation by simply tagging wedding guests in a Facebook album before the guests can or create a following on Instagram by sharing photos from a personal project

Wersquore not saying that every social media outlet will work for every photographer but therersquos enough real evidence to suggest that a strong social media campaign can translate into real marketing exposure and real rev-enue The key point to remember is that your website is not a daily destination for your customers On the other hand hundreds of millions of people login to Facebook daily so its important that you go where your customers already are The argument can be made that different specialities will use social media differentlymdashthatrsquos very true So going back to your understanding of your audience itrsquos a good idea to determine how your audience uses social media to follow photographers and identify new talent For instance if yoursquore a portrait photographer yoursquore probably focused on how you can best harness the social platforms to promote word of mouth Can you come

up with new Facebook strategies that get your clients sharing your images with other potential families and teens And if yoursquore a commercial or editorial photog-rapher maybe yoursquore more interested in using LinkedIn and Twitter to keep former clients and prospects aware of your latest work

Though every platform is different there are four key ldquorulesrdquo to consider to help you successfully showcase your brand on each

BE A PERSON

This is probably the most important rule of social media behavior in general You want to operate as you would in the real world This means you should refrain from constantly selling your services use language that is approachable and share content that is interesting If yoursquore not sure what constitutes interesting content ask yourself if yoursquod be inclined to like share or comment on that post if you saw it on your own Feed And remem-ber that social media is not a one-way street You are participating in a community which means you need to respond and reach out to others (as you would do in an offline conversation)

GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Give a behind-the-scenes look at your shoots the set-up the gear yourself shooting on location or even a sneak peak of a personal project youre working on This can give people an idea of how you work Also think about giving a shout-out to the people you worked with that day This shows yoursquore a team player and also en-courages those you tag to follow and share your work Fashion photographer Lara Jade does a great job at this Check out examples on her Twitter page here

1

2

15HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I

BE CONSISTENT

Itrsquos important to have a consistent voice when you post This means that the general tone content and visuals are recognizable and donrsquot feel random Regularly posting in this way will also let your audience know to expect content from you which will improve engagement

PICK THE RIGHT PHOTO

Whether yoursquore sharing on Twitter Facebook or Instagram you should share a photo that strengthens your voice (which yoursquove thought about and defined)mdashit adheres to your aesthetic by way of style or content etc and shows off work you love We recom-mend sharing at least one photo per day If youre having trouble choosing a photo try to find one that evokes some type of emotion in yourself Chances are it will also have an effect on others as well

Also to help increase your visibility and reach on platforms do this

gt Like or follow pages or feeds from leading photo blogs and other photogra-phers you admire Keep in mind that once you like or follow their accounts

3

4

their content will start to appear in your Feed When you see a post that you think might interest your audience share retweet or comment

gt Sign up for newsletters and subscribe to RSS feeds Some examples include Pro Photo Daily or PDN That way you wonrsquot miss posts from publications and industry thought leaders that are most important to you A service like Feedly or Flipboard will also let you aggregate your favorite blogs in one spot so you can quickly skim for interesting news and updates and then share with your networks

gt Let people know yoursquove shared their work If you share content without using the share or retweet function (so instead by simply linking to an article resource or gallery) consider shooting that blogger an email or message to let them know that yoursquore helping spread their content People appreciate when you help them share their news and taking a quick mo-ment to let them know may make them more likely to share your own content one day

Instagram Photo by Travel Photographer Pei KetronLara Jades Twitter

16HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Want some examples of photographers succeeding with social media Check out a few that we love following on Facebook Twitter amp Instagram

FacebookLisa DevlinJohn KeatelyCorey RichBrooke ShadenBrian Smith

TwitterZack AriasEunique Jones GibsonLucas GilmanLara JadeKen KamineskyMelissa Lyttle

InstagramBrooke DombrowskiTim LandisBrad ManginLandon NordemanAdrienne Pitts

And be sure to check out our latest guides with resources and tips to help you amp up your social presence The Photographerrsquos Guide to Facebook The Photographerrsquos Guide to Twitter and The Photographerrsquos Guide to Instagram

17HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

or a photographer your blog is not just a place to dump links and post photos Your blog is a marketing tool and can be a very effective one

at that The captive online audience is vast comprised of prospective clients photographers looking to learn gear enthusiasts and many other consumers who are actively searching for services like yours

To maximize the flavor potential of your blog you need to reach people with similar tastes Connecting with the right audience starts with a targeted content strategy

ESTABLISHING YOUR BLOGrsquoS BRANDYour portfolio site design how you communicate with clients your logos your deliverables your lighting technique your field of photography ndash all of these elements define your personal brand Your blogrsquos 1 purpose should be to extend this brand

For example if you frequently work with corporate cli-ents your community would not respond well to pro-fanity-laden rants (In general this is a bad idea) But take time to think about who your audience is and what tone and style of writing would resonate best with them

There are multiple points of entry for building a suc-cessful blog Whether you choose the provocative route the educational route the anecdotal route among many others your strategic choices should reflect your brand

TARGETING YOUR AUDIENCE Your brand can also help identify your target audience Like any marketing push it will pay to know who the readers are

PART II

How to Blog Better

You should always strive to create content that attracts and sustains the attention of this audience Not only will this help focus the content strategy but also the needs and prac-tices of your targeted audience will inform how you blog

For example when establishing her company Major Multimedia photographer and multimedia producer Lauren Major wanted to target the nonprofit and so-cial good sector Once she narrowed her target audi-ence she was able to research their online activity and create content that would specifically appeal to the social good user

Photographers who run workshops will often cater the writing on their blog to other photographers This helps establish them as ldquoexpertsrdquo as well as speak directly to prospective attendees and students A blog can also help photographers continue a dialogue with current and former clients as well as attract potential new ones

Additionally alternative and edgy UK wedding pho-tographer Lisa Devlin has branded herself as the go-to photographer for all weddings off-the-beating path She uses her blog to showcase the non-traditional thread

18HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I between her clients to help reinforce her expertise and niche in this space

The more targeted your marketing efforts the more suc-cessful you will be at converting customers

GENERATING SALESYour blog can also function quite well as an indirect marketing tool for your brand including directly trans-lating into image sales or other revenue opportunities

If part of your business includes selling workshops your blog content should target the consumer who might be in-terested in your specific workshop Blog posts should em-phasize your expertise in your field and show who you are as a teacher and a photographer For example nature pho-tographer Greg Basco of Deep Green Photography sells nature photography workshops in Costa Rica through his website The ldquoBehind the Lensrdquo series on his blog shows images captured in the field and explains the technique and story behind getting the shot Gregrsquos tours now sell out quickly after being announced

You may also want to sell products through your web-site or directly on your blog The content should support why a consumer should buy this product from you and even show the value of the product

MANAGING YOUR BLOGGING WORKFLOWAfter you choose the best platform for you and identify your target audience you may find yourself about to hit the ldquoNow whatrdquo panic button If you do not have a plan for your workflow a blog can quickly become a burden But you can easily skip ahead of the whole overwhelming part of blogging by developing an effective workflow system

Here are a few tips to help tailor a system for your workflow

ORGANIZE YOUR IDEAS

An effective content strategy relies on careful planning If your blogging strategy is to wait for ideas first you will likely end up with an inconsistent blog and a con-stant feeling of pressure to come up with new topics If you blog every thought that pops into your head you risk burying the quality content with the extraneous stuffmdashand confusing your audience

Start a spreadsheet Google Doc or journal devoted exclu-sively to ideas for potential blog posts If you have a mo-ment of inspiration jot it down or type it up You may nev-er use half of the ideas or may take one thought in a totally different direction but keeping a list of thoughts will take the pressure off coming up with something to write about on the spotmdashand it will help you manage your workflow

CREATE TOPIC CATEGORIES

Have an understanding of the areas that you want to cover on your blog Think through questions like

gtDo you want to write at least one gear review a week gtDo you want to feature an interview with an industry professional once a month gtDo you want to have a video blog series

You donrsquot have to decide every area of interest before you start your blog and based on your audiencersquos re-sponse the topics you write about may evolve Having a few target areas in your pocket will help you focus your idea stream and keep the blog clear and on brand For inspiration check out the next page for 7 ideas to help inspire you when writing blog posts

MAKE A CALENDAR AND STICK TO IT

Is it realistic for you to blog everyday Probably not and it might not be smart for you to do it either Just make

1

2

3

sure you have a plan for when you want to blog It does not necessarily have to be a set number either The key is to be consistent so your followers can expect and look forward to your posts If yoursquore a wedding photographer your blogging strategy might involve doing a post after every wedding Even if your blogging pattern follows gigs having a set deadline will help you stay consistent (ie never wait more than 72 hours to publish a post about a job) and meet audience expectations

The best way to stay on top of your self-made blogging deadlines is to keep a calendar exclusively for your blog It could contain upcoming shoots and personal events or you could plan each month out specifically based on what you will be posting about on a given day Looking at an upcoming calendar will help you manage the time you need to complete each desired blog post and may also provide you with new or thematic inspiration

HAVE AN RSS FEED

Your idea diary not cutting it for you Keep an RSS feed like Feedly of photography blogs that inspire you blogs of prospective clients the musings of your competitors andor the Twitter feed of your favorite vendor An RSS feed consolidates all of the sites and accounts your go-to for inspiration into one place which will help cut down on time spent going between each sitemdashand the dis-tractions Internet surfing can bring

MANAGE YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS

If writing does not come easily to you and you cannot in-vest the resources into outsourcing the work travel pho-tographer Matt Brandon advises setting boundaries for yourself Writing can easily consume your day and setting unreasonable expectations as to what you can accomplish is setting yourself up to fail

Set goals you know you can meet The great thing about blogs is they are totally malleable If you dis-

4

5

19HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I cover you love blogging and can ramp up your pro-duction as long as itrsquos in-tune with your target audi-encemdashgo for it But if you try to do and say too much right out of the gate you may be shooting yourself in the foot Building an audience can take time so set up a sustainable workflow system for yourself that can support the process

7 BLOG TOPICS TO INSPIRE YOUHere are 7 ideas off the bat to inspire you when plan-ning out your blog posts

TOP 10 LISTS

Top 10 list (or top 9 top 7 etc) are highly clickable and easy to share ndash a list provides quick easily understood context for exactly what the reader will find in your blog post Added bonus lists donrsquot need to be copy-heavy or heavily researched Go ahead and give your own opinion on the 5 female photographers who changed the indus-try and watch the hits roll in

STIR THE POT

If yoursquore not afraid to ruffle a few feathers bucking tradition or authority with a controversial statement is a great way to get the community buzzing How-ever donrsquot just say something provocative for the sake of getting a rise out of people It is better to put forth your opinion on a topic about which you genuinely have something to say and back that statement up with facts and illustrative examples Prepare yourself for a helping of haters and make sure to respond to naysayers with the same intelligent clarity with which you crafted the article

WRITE A REVIEW

Clearly there is no shortage of photography gear re-views on the Internet That should not discourage you from writing one yourself Many photographers carve

out a niche for themselves based on their reviews It might be what you say it might be how you say it but if you write a great gear review someone will definitely be reading

COMPILE RESOURCES

Everyone loves to discover that all the information they need on a topic already exists in one place If you donrsquot mind doing a little legwork then try assembling a specific relevant list of online resources This may be a particularly useful option for photographers who do not consider themselves strong writersmdasha resource list is more about supporting the topic and writing need not be heavily involved

CROWDSOURCE COMMENTARY

In a recent PhotoShelter blog post we asked four ma-jor photo editors from Rolling Stone The New Yorker Vogue Italia and Esquirecom how theyre using Insta-gram to develop new talent Their responses are here As a photographer consider sourcing your colleagues posing a question to your readers or blasting your social media platforms No matter the route you will end up with content created for you that also proves to your community that you value their opinion

INTERVIEW PEOPLE SMARTER THAN YOU

The world is full of smart interesting people with an experienced viewpoint An interview with them can add depth to an issue and will likely bring new people to your blog that might not have found it oth-erwise You could also email a photographer whose work you admire or a prospective client that yoursquod love to work with one day As long as the interview is not a thinly veiled request for work promoting them with an interview on your blog will at least get you on a few radars

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Behind-the-scenes content usually resonates well with an audience especially photographers who love to learn the story behind an image Practically any photo assign-ment yoursquove done has the potential to become a behind-the-scenes blog

20HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Three Easy Steps to Use Email Marketing to Your AdvantageBy Mira Mad Mimi email newsletter coach

hether yoursquore looking to sell more prints or book more photography sessions email marketing is an efficient low-cost way to build up your client

base As an email newsletter coach at Mad Mimimdasha simple lovely email servicemdashI help lots of photographers reach a wider audience While our collective superpower at Mad Mimi is email marketing (as nerdy as that is) many of us are aspiring photographers as well so Irsquom thrilled to share these tips with you

STEP ONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EMAIL MEDIUMUSE A BONAFIDE EMAIL MARKETING PLATFORM If yoursquore a PhotoShop whiz you may be tempted to build an email in that formatmdashimages and text included But image-only emails tend to have worse reader engagement and inbox delivery rates To ensure that your emails get delivered and opened use a tool designed for creating marketing emails Both people and inbox robots will be able to understand this format Mad Mimi is a great option for photographers Here are a few photographers using our service

Jennifer Clare PhotographyDana Smith PhotographyHeather Evans Smith Photography

ALWAYS LINK Include at least one link in each email you send Itrsquos easy to turn any text or image into a clickable link Before you send preview your email as your recipients will see it Links ldquoabove the foldrdquo of the screen perform better than links readers must scroll down to see What to link to Think about linking out to your website a specific photography portfolio a recent blog post or even one of your social networks if yoursquore trying to grow your following

21HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE VISITS TO YOUR WEBSITE Get folks out of the email and onto your site Thatrsquos where they can have a richer viewing experience learn more about your photography and potentially make a purchase or email you to inquire about your services The point of your email is to invite them to engage with youmdashhopefully on your site

If you use Google Analytics to measure your web traffic you may be able to see how many visits come from your email newsletters (this depends on your email platform Mad Mimi integrates with Google Analytics)

STEP TWO BE YOUR SHINY SELFDONrsquoT BE AFRAID OF MINIMALISM Let your photography communicate on its own in your emailsmdashjust as you would in another medium Showcase your photographs with lovely wide image modules Even one image alone can make a powerful impact

KEEP YOUR TEXT SHORT Email can be a very intimate (and interactive) environment Donrsquot distract your recipients with too much content Simple emails get shared Make sure you can answer the question ldquoWhy am I sending this emailrdquo If your own answer is muddled or hidden in the text you will struggle to engage

SPEAK YOUR OWN STYLE Design your emails to reflect the personality of your brand The colors fonts and layouts you use should reinforce the branding on your website and complement (rather than compete with) your photography

MAXIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL REACH Find new fans by maximizing the shareability of your emails Not into Twitter So what Some of your photography fans probably love it So make it easy for your fans friends and family to share your emails on their favorite social networks

Many email platforms (including Mad Mimi) let you include social sharing buttons in your emails These allow your fans to share your email with just one click You can also include links to your own social profiles making it easy for readers to click right to your businessrsquo Facebook page for instance

STEP THREE BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR AUDIENCETHE GOLDEN RULE You wouldnrsquot load your photography prints into a T-shirt cannon and run up and down the street firing shots into peoplersquos dining rooms So donrsquot do

that in email either Be respectful of peoplersquos inboxes and be sure that yoursquore delivering relevant content to the right people At Mad Mimi we review your first email before it goes out and give you any technical tips or design feedback if needed

COLLECT SIGNUPS Practice permission-based marketing which means only sending to people who have opted in to receive your emails whether by using a signup form on your site signing up at an event or making a purchase Only send to people yoursquove interacted with recently (say the past 18 months) You donrsquot send your business card to your high school teachersmdashitrsquos essentially the same thing

Many email marketing platforms (including Mad Mimi) offer customizable signup forms and integrate with top third-party form builders

DONrsquoT SEND TOO MANY EMAILS Donrsquot send too few The ideal frequency depends on your audience Itrsquos worth thinking about why you are emailing your audiencemdashmight they hire you have they hired you do they just like your work Unless yoursquove segmented your list your audience probably includes a variety of people so keep that in mind when considering frequency

To find the best frequency for you we recommend a combination of going with your gut and testing You know your audience best Make decisions based on that but be willing to try new things Most email platforms offer stats reporting to help you gauge the effectiveness of your emails Check your stats and adjust accordingly

GIVE SOMETHING AWAY Itrsquos just true If you give people something for signing up they feel better about handing over their email address And you donrsquot JUST want their email addressmdashyou want their business Offering a coupon for a print or specialized content at signup is a great way to give your newsletter added perceived value

If yoursquore a bit more advanced drip campaigns are a great way to deliver free (or paid) stuff to people who sign up Whatrsquos a drip campaign Itrsquos a series of autoresponder emails You can use drip campaigns to deliver downloadable freebies welcome emails and coupons If yoursquore interested in sharing your expertise you can even use them to deliver photography e-courses Here are a few helpful blog posts on drip campaigns

5 Tips for Creating a Stellar Welcome Email Campaign6 (Incredible) Woman-Powered Drip Campaigns5 Tips for Gaining Subscribers with an Email Course21 Autoresponder Ideas to Grow Your Business

22HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I If you focus on these three steps yoursquoll be well on your way to increasing the reach of your photography business The Mad Mimi team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about getting started Email us at supportmadmimicom

23HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

arketing does not have to be your worst enemy but it does require you to carve out time and map out a gameplan Once you have a few strategies

in place - whether that be a workflow that includes post-ing to social networks blogging regularly or sending out a monthly newsletter - you will be more able to grow a strong presence online and establish awareness about your brand And remember before you start know cold what yoursquore providing and exactly who and where your target audience ismdashboth online and off If you can confidently define your target market then you will be in great shape to develop a strong marketing plan that can attract qual-ity clients and grow your business better than ever before

Conclusionamp Resources

ResourcesGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to FacebookGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to InstagramGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to TwitterGUIDE 11 Secrets to a Great Photography WebsiteGUIDE Creating a Successful Photography PortfolioGUIDE 10 Branding Secrets for PhotographersBLOG Developing a Better Photography Brand BLOG How This Photographer is Making Your LaughBLOG 10 Great Photographer PromosBLOG Tackling Google 3 Ways Photographers Can Improve Their SEOBLOG Building a Photo Brand From the Ground Up Tips From Art WolfeBLOG 4 Ways to Get More Work From Old ClientsVIDEO Tips amp Strategies To Grow Your Audience OnlineVIDEO Interview with Zack Arias If I Had to Start My Business Today VIDEO 11 Essential Tips for Freelance PhotographersTOOL Google AnalyticsTOOL Google Keyword PlannerTOOL Mad MimiTOOL Bitly

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 8: How to market your photography

10HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Once you establish a baseline for traffic and conversion rate you can start making smart-er decisions about your marketing efforts Such as how much traffic is necessary to hit your growth targets and which marketing efforts deserve more resources and attention

YOUR ONLINE FOOTPRINTOnce upon a time having only a website was sufficient to market your work ldquoTaking a business onlinerdquo meant moving away from the brick and mortar world to establish a website thus creating a foothold in the online world When prospects wanted to know more about you and your services they could visit your website expecting to find a typical explanation of your services a list of clients and some examples of your work Times have changed Now the best way to enhance your online footprint is by estab-lishing a presence across a multitude of web properties including your own website(s) social media platforms community forums trade organizations blogs etc There are several smart reasons to build an online footprint including the top reason Yoursquore more likely to get found A more robust online presence creates multiple ways for prospects to find you When more people can find you yoursquore widening your funnel (whether theyrsquore searching for you specifically or your services) to capture more traffic Because content is indexed highly efficiently by search engines and links are frequently shared via social media it is now likely that most prospects are not necessarily coming through ldquothe front doorrdquomdashyour traditional website homepage Rather theyrsquore finding you elsewhere online or finding a specific piece of content thatrsquos highly relevant to their needs To take advan-tage of this your online marketing strategy should explore relevant opportunities to create new profiles descriptively keyworded so they help you get found on key terms and these profiles should point back to your website (the center of your online market-ing presence) where prospects may continue to engage with you

MANAGE YOUR BRANDWhen gathering intelligence about a potential service provider like yourself it is typi-cal for prospects to perform a Google search Having multiple profiles to support your own branding will enable prospects to ldquotriangulaterdquo the data and make a positive judg-ment about your credibility For example outdoor and adventure photographer Corey Rich has a unified on-line presence across multiple platforms including his website blog Twitter profile

LOSE THE ldquoFRONT DOORrdquo MENTALITYThe reality is the pathway that yoursquove imagined potential clients will engage with you is probably very different than the actual pathway For instance life would be very simple if a corporate creative director received your email promotion visited your website clicked your ldquocontact merdquo link requested your portfolio and hired you for a gig

But sales cycles are rarely ever so neat and tidy Managing your online footprint with multiple hooks gives prospects a way to engage with you wherever they feel most com-fortable in a way that provides either direct contact or relative anonymity For example that same creative director may not have an immediate need for your services yet may be compelled to follow you on Twitter Facebook or Instagram or subscribe to your blog feed or newsletter This gives them a way to stay engaged yet avoid the time commit-ment of a portfolio review and pitch from you until the opportunity is right for them One word of caution about your online footprintmdashbeyond creating the profile you need to carefully monitor and maintain certain sites to ensure you create a visible ldquopulserdquo This means managing the frequency of posts answering questions and updating links

Facebook Page and Instagram Feedmdashall of which help an inquiring prospect get to know him better

Each channel adds to Coreyrsquos credibility that hersquos working photographer with a strong online presence and dedication to his work

Corey Rich

wwwcoreyrichcom

newscoreyrichcom

wwwtwittercomcoreyrich

wwwfacebookcomCoreyRichProductions

wwwinstagramcomcoreyrichproductions

11HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

ven the word ldquomarketing planrdquo can sound daunt-ing but donrsquot get tripped up on terminology Still if you expect to see an increase in clientssales you

need to have a plan for specific marketing tactics that will drive this improvement Our recommendation is to simply think about different marketing categories and then list out activities that you could do in each

Your marketing plan shouldnrsquot be designed to treat each po-tential customer as if they were in the same state of readi-ness to hire you or buy something from you For example some people who walk into the Gap are just passing the time a smaller percentage want to try on a pair of jeans and an even smaller percentage walk into the store ready to buy

When you consider different activities in each category think about how people in different parts of the ldquosales cyclerdquo would react You might do a low cost postcard campaign to blanket as many photo buyers and editors And you might do a more expensive photo book to send to your top 10 to make a larger impression You wouldnrsquot treat the customer whorsquos just looking for a place to sit down the same as the one whorsquos ready to buy a pair of jeans Your marketing ef-forts should be nuanced

Additionally you need to remember one-time marketing efforts rarely pay off You often need to experiment with multiple campaigns through multiple channels to get on peoplersquos radars and convert them into customers Increasing your ldquobrand awarenessrdquo amongst your potential customers is arguably as important as converting a small percentage of them into paying customers

PART I

How to Create a Marketing Plan

Here are a few channels to consider

gtEmail Marketing Newsletters E-promos gtDirect Mail Postcards Books Posters gt Social Media Twitter Facebook Instagram gtEvents Trade Shows Portfolio Reviews gt Inbound Tactics SEO Optimization gt Lead Capture Blog Website gt Blogging Opinion pieces Gear reviews be-hind-the-scenes

DO THIS raquo Create a list of current and future marketing activities

raquo Create a rough estimate of timemoney that you will expend on each

raquo Create a rough ROI (return on investment) that each initiative will bring

raquo Jettison highlow investment ROI projects Plan campaigns around high ROI projects Remember to take into account that some efforts may take longer to see a ldquoreturnrdquo so make sure yoursquore balancing short and long term gain (eg efforts that build awareness vs those that might bring in customers immediately)

12HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Tackling Google amp Building Your SEO

hat is Search Engine Optimization (SEO) exactly In short SEO is the process of af-fecting where your website organically ranks

on major search engines like Google Bing etc

Photographers are often vexed by SEO because it seems like a moving target Just when you think your website is ranking well Google changes its algorithm

determining which SEO factors hold most influence in the rankings and you lose half your traffic The frus-tration might be warranted but the fact of the matter is that everyone uses search engines to find services and products online And no matter what you search for some websites always comes up first and subse-quently gain a massive marketing benefit

Photo by Jim Goldstein

13HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

ous photo blogs magazines or newspapers Link aggregator sites like Stumbleupon Digg and Reddit can also be a great way to get a large number of people talking about your photography very quickly

ON-PAGE CONTENT refers to the text that appears on your website On many photographer websites there is very limited text which is a problem from an SEO perspective As much as you might want your photography to ldquospeak for itselfrdquo you still need textual content to rank within search engines If you are a New York portrait photographer then ldquoNew York portrait photographerrdquo should appear on your website So should words and phrases that are similar in nature like ldquoI specialize in corporate and editorial portraiture in the New York and Tri-state areardquo Similarly your images need captions and titles and the more detail the better

Obviously you want your images to be front and center so use your ldquoAboutrdquo page or other pages to list the products you sell awards yoursquove won workshops you give etc

II

I Although there are many different factors that affect SEO we like to think of two main categories that you can focus on to simplify things

gtOn-page content gt Building links to your website

In an information rich society we are highly dependent on search engines to find what we are looking for whether itrsquos a local plumber or a portrait photographer in Des Moines You simply cannot drive enough traffic to your website by handing out business cards The goal of SEO is unsolicited trafficmdashpeople looking for your products and services without knowing who you are

Hopefully your website provider has automated much of the SEO techno-geek stuff for you This might include

gt unique page titles gtmeta description gt lth1gt (aka HTML headline tags) gt IMG alt attributes gtmicroformats gt sitemaps gt optimized page load times

Although there are countless factors that affect where you rank on a search engine here are two things among them that hold some of the greatest weight

BACKLINKS TO YOUR WEBSITE is arguably the most important factor in increasing your SEO Each link represents an ldquoendorsementrdquo and the number of links partially influences how much of your website will be indexed by the search engines and where you appear in search results The process of ldquobacklinkrdquo creation can seem like a very ambiguous task but in fact itrsquos quite simple There are two ways to build links 1) do it yourself or 2) get other people to link to your website

Maintaining a blog and a strong presence on social media networks are some of the easiest ways to link to yourself Each time you photograph something new create a gallery on your website then write a blog entry which links to that gallery Another tactic is to take advan-tage of profiles you can create with photography trade associations or community groups

Getting other people to link to you is a bit harder you need to have something on your site that makes them want to link to you Perhaps yoursquove worked on a long-term photo project that has some relevance right now You might pitch a gallery of images to vari-

DO THIS raquo Create a keyword ldquohitlistrdquo of 20-50 words that you want your website to rank for

Keywords are words and phrases that you think people might potentially search for to find your service For example if yoursquore a nature photographer based in Denver Colorado example keywords that you want your website to rank for might be ldquoDenver Nature Photographyrdquo ldquoColorado Nature Photographerrdquo ldquoNature Photographyrdquo etc

raquo Use your keyword list to inform website copy Google yourself and refine the keywords and phrases as your business and services or the language your specialty and industry uses changes

raquo Check these words against the Google Keyword Planner to determine whether they have appreciable search volume Modify your list accordingly

raquo Search each term to determine your online competition Use MajesticSEO to perform a backlink analysis to determine whether you can displace the competition

raquo Include as much metadata and description as you can to every image you publish online Be consistent with your tagging If you choose to forgo all image descriptions metadata and smart blog titles it can negatively impact your chances of being found (Metadata is informationmdashdatamdashstored within a digital image file) Not only does this help SEO it can help protect your images from theft and misuse

raquo Remember that ldquoinaction is actionrdquo Be active with your blog and website updates so that Google sees your content as fresh Regularly update your website and social media platforms By ignoring them yoursquore telling the search engines yoursquore not relevantmdashthe opposite effect yoursquore looking for to help improve where you rank on Google

2

1

14HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Get Social 4 Tips That Can Help You Succeed on Every Social Media Platform

ver 1 billion people use Facebook Twitter has over 600 million active registered users Insta-gram has over 200 million active monthly users

and LinkedIn comes in at 300 million Social media isnrsquot a fadmdashone could argue it is the glue that creates highly sticky user interaction on the web

Companies are amassing millions of users online with the ability to broadcast messages more frequently and more inexpensively than ever before Celebrities are communicating with fans news outlets are breaking stories and photographers are finding that they can en-ter the social conversation by simply tagging wedding guests in a Facebook album before the guests can or create a following on Instagram by sharing photos from a personal project

Wersquore not saying that every social media outlet will work for every photographer but therersquos enough real evidence to suggest that a strong social media campaign can translate into real marketing exposure and real rev-enue The key point to remember is that your website is not a daily destination for your customers On the other hand hundreds of millions of people login to Facebook daily so its important that you go where your customers already are The argument can be made that different specialities will use social media differentlymdashthatrsquos very true So going back to your understanding of your audience itrsquos a good idea to determine how your audience uses social media to follow photographers and identify new talent For instance if yoursquore a portrait photographer yoursquore probably focused on how you can best harness the social platforms to promote word of mouth Can you come

up with new Facebook strategies that get your clients sharing your images with other potential families and teens And if yoursquore a commercial or editorial photog-rapher maybe yoursquore more interested in using LinkedIn and Twitter to keep former clients and prospects aware of your latest work

Though every platform is different there are four key ldquorulesrdquo to consider to help you successfully showcase your brand on each

BE A PERSON

This is probably the most important rule of social media behavior in general You want to operate as you would in the real world This means you should refrain from constantly selling your services use language that is approachable and share content that is interesting If yoursquore not sure what constitutes interesting content ask yourself if yoursquod be inclined to like share or comment on that post if you saw it on your own Feed And remem-ber that social media is not a one-way street You are participating in a community which means you need to respond and reach out to others (as you would do in an offline conversation)

GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Give a behind-the-scenes look at your shoots the set-up the gear yourself shooting on location or even a sneak peak of a personal project youre working on This can give people an idea of how you work Also think about giving a shout-out to the people you worked with that day This shows yoursquore a team player and also en-courages those you tag to follow and share your work Fashion photographer Lara Jade does a great job at this Check out examples on her Twitter page here

1

2

15HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I

BE CONSISTENT

Itrsquos important to have a consistent voice when you post This means that the general tone content and visuals are recognizable and donrsquot feel random Regularly posting in this way will also let your audience know to expect content from you which will improve engagement

PICK THE RIGHT PHOTO

Whether yoursquore sharing on Twitter Facebook or Instagram you should share a photo that strengthens your voice (which yoursquove thought about and defined)mdashit adheres to your aesthetic by way of style or content etc and shows off work you love We recom-mend sharing at least one photo per day If youre having trouble choosing a photo try to find one that evokes some type of emotion in yourself Chances are it will also have an effect on others as well

Also to help increase your visibility and reach on platforms do this

gt Like or follow pages or feeds from leading photo blogs and other photogra-phers you admire Keep in mind that once you like or follow their accounts

3

4

their content will start to appear in your Feed When you see a post that you think might interest your audience share retweet or comment

gt Sign up for newsletters and subscribe to RSS feeds Some examples include Pro Photo Daily or PDN That way you wonrsquot miss posts from publications and industry thought leaders that are most important to you A service like Feedly or Flipboard will also let you aggregate your favorite blogs in one spot so you can quickly skim for interesting news and updates and then share with your networks

gt Let people know yoursquove shared their work If you share content without using the share or retweet function (so instead by simply linking to an article resource or gallery) consider shooting that blogger an email or message to let them know that yoursquore helping spread their content People appreciate when you help them share their news and taking a quick mo-ment to let them know may make them more likely to share your own content one day

Instagram Photo by Travel Photographer Pei KetronLara Jades Twitter

16HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Want some examples of photographers succeeding with social media Check out a few that we love following on Facebook Twitter amp Instagram

FacebookLisa DevlinJohn KeatelyCorey RichBrooke ShadenBrian Smith

TwitterZack AriasEunique Jones GibsonLucas GilmanLara JadeKen KamineskyMelissa Lyttle

InstagramBrooke DombrowskiTim LandisBrad ManginLandon NordemanAdrienne Pitts

And be sure to check out our latest guides with resources and tips to help you amp up your social presence The Photographerrsquos Guide to Facebook The Photographerrsquos Guide to Twitter and The Photographerrsquos Guide to Instagram

17HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

or a photographer your blog is not just a place to dump links and post photos Your blog is a marketing tool and can be a very effective one

at that The captive online audience is vast comprised of prospective clients photographers looking to learn gear enthusiasts and many other consumers who are actively searching for services like yours

To maximize the flavor potential of your blog you need to reach people with similar tastes Connecting with the right audience starts with a targeted content strategy

ESTABLISHING YOUR BLOGrsquoS BRANDYour portfolio site design how you communicate with clients your logos your deliverables your lighting technique your field of photography ndash all of these elements define your personal brand Your blogrsquos 1 purpose should be to extend this brand

For example if you frequently work with corporate cli-ents your community would not respond well to pro-fanity-laden rants (In general this is a bad idea) But take time to think about who your audience is and what tone and style of writing would resonate best with them

There are multiple points of entry for building a suc-cessful blog Whether you choose the provocative route the educational route the anecdotal route among many others your strategic choices should reflect your brand

TARGETING YOUR AUDIENCE Your brand can also help identify your target audience Like any marketing push it will pay to know who the readers are

PART II

How to Blog Better

You should always strive to create content that attracts and sustains the attention of this audience Not only will this help focus the content strategy but also the needs and prac-tices of your targeted audience will inform how you blog

For example when establishing her company Major Multimedia photographer and multimedia producer Lauren Major wanted to target the nonprofit and so-cial good sector Once she narrowed her target audi-ence she was able to research their online activity and create content that would specifically appeal to the social good user

Photographers who run workshops will often cater the writing on their blog to other photographers This helps establish them as ldquoexpertsrdquo as well as speak directly to prospective attendees and students A blog can also help photographers continue a dialogue with current and former clients as well as attract potential new ones

Additionally alternative and edgy UK wedding pho-tographer Lisa Devlin has branded herself as the go-to photographer for all weddings off-the-beating path She uses her blog to showcase the non-traditional thread

18HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I between her clients to help reinforce her expertise and niche in this space

The more targeted your marketing efforts the more suc-cessful you will be at converting customers

GENERATING SALESYour blog can also function quite well as an indirect marketing tool for your brand including directly trans-lating into image sales or other revenue opportunities

If part of your business includes selling workshops your blog content should target the consumer who might be in-terested in your specific workshop Blog posts should em-phasize your expertise in your field and show who you are as a teacher and a photographer For example nature pho-tographer Greg Basco of Deep Green Photography sells nature photography workshops in Costa Rica through his website The ldquoBehind the Lensrdquo series on his blog shows images captured in the field and explains the technique and story behind getting the shot Gregrsquos tours now sell out quickly after being announced

You may also want to sell products through your web-site or directly on your blog The content should support why a consumer should buy this product from you and even show the value of the product

MANAGING YOUR BLOGGING WORKFLOWAfter you choose the best platform for you and identify your target audience you may find yourself about to hit the ldquoNow whatrdquo panic button If you do not have a plan for your workflow a blog can quickly become a burden But you can easily skip ahead of the whole overwhelming part of blogging by developing an effective workflow system

Here are a few tips to help tailor a system for your workflow

ORGANIZE YOUR IDEAS

An effective content strategy relies on careful planning If your blogging strategy is to wait for ideas first you will likely end up with an inconsistent blog and a con-stant feeling of pressure to come up with new topics If you blog every thought that pops into your head you risk burying the quality content with the extraneous stuffmdashand confusing your audience

Start a spreadsheet Google Doc or journal devoted exclu-sively to ideas for potential blog posts If you have a mo-ment of inspiration jot it down or type it up You may nev-er use half of the ideas or may take one thought in a totally different direction but keeping a list of thoughts will take the pressure off coming up with something to write about on the spotmdashand it will help you manage your workflow

CREATE TOPIC CATEGORIES

Have an understanding of the areas that you want to cover on your blog Think through questions like

gtDo you want to write at least one gear review a week gtDo you want to feature an interview with an industry professional once a month gtDo you want to have a video blog series

You donrsquot have to decide every area of interest before you start your blog and based on your audiencersquos re-sponse the topics you write about may evolve Having a few target areas in your pocket will help you focus your idea stream and keep the blog clear and on brand For inspiration check out the next page for 7 ideas to help inspire you when writing blog posts

MAKE A CALENDAR AND STICK TO IT

Is it realistic for you to blog everyday Probably not and it might not be smart for you to do it either Just make

1

2

3

sure you have a plan for when you want to blog It does not necessarily have to be a set number either The key is to be consistent so your followers can expect and look forward to your posts If yoursquore a wedding photographer your blogging strategy might involve doing a post after every wedding Even if your blogging pattern follows gigs having a set deadline will help you stay consistent (ie never wait more than 72 hours to publish a post about a job) and meet audience expectations

The best way to stay on top of your self-made blogging deadlines is to keep a calendar exclusively for your blog It could contain upcoming shoots and personal events or you could plan each month out specifically based on what you will be posting about on a given day Looking at an upcoming calendar will help you manage the time you need to complete each desired blog post and may also provide you with new or thematic inspiration

HAVE AN RSS FEED

Your idea diary not cutting it for you Keep an RSS feed like Feedly of photography blogs that inspire you blogs of prospective clients the musings of your competitors andor the Twitter feed of your favorite vendor An RSS feed consolidates all of the sites and accounts your go-to for inspiration into one place which will help cut down on time spent going between each sitemdashand the dis-tractions Internet surfing can bring

MANAGE YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS

If writing does not come easily to you and you cannot in-vest the resources into outsourcing the work travel pho-tographer Matt Brandon advises setting boundaries for yourself Writing can easily consume your day and setting unreasonable expectations as to what you can accomplish is setting yourself up to fail

Set goals you know you can meet The great thing about blogs is they are totally malleable If you dis-

4

5

19HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I cover you love blogging and can ramp up your pro-duction as long as itrsquos in-tune with your target audi-encemdashgo for it But if you try to do and say too much right out of the gate you may be shooting yourself in the foot Building an audience can take time so set up a sustainable workflow system for yourself that can support the process

7 BLOG TOPICS TO INSPIRE YOUHere are 7 ideas off the bat to inspire you when plan-ning out your blog posts

TOP 10 LISTS

Top 10 list (or top 9 top 7 etc) are highly clickable and easy to share ndash a list provides quick easily understood context for exactly what the reader will find in your blog post Added bonus lists donrsquot need to be copy-heavy or heavily researched Go ahead and give your own opinion on the 5 female photographers who changed the indus-try and watch the hits roll in

STIR THE POT

If yoursquore not afraid to ruffle a few feathers bucking tradition or authority with a controversial statement is a great way to get the community buzzing How-ever donrsquot just say something provocative for the sake of getting a rise out of people It is better to put forth your opinion on a topic about which you genuinely have something to say and back that statement up with facts and illustrative examples Prepare yourself for a helping of haters and make sure to respond to naysayers with the same intelligent clarity with which you crafted the article

WRITE A REVIEW

Clearly there is no shortage of photography gear re-views on the Internet That should not discourage you from writing one yourself Many photographers carve

out a niche for themselves based on their reviews It might be what you say it might be how you say it but if you write a great gear review someone will definitely be reading

COMPILE RESOURCES

Everyone loves to discover that all the information they need on a topic already exists in one place If you donrsquot mind doing a little legwork then try assembling a specific relevant list of online resources This may be a particularly useful option for photographers who do not consider themselves strong writersmdasha resource list is more about supporting the topic and writing need not be heavily involved

CROWDSOURCE COMMENTARY

In a recent PhotoShelter blog post we asked four ma-jor photo editors from Rolling Stone The New Yorker Vogue Italia and Esquirecom how theyre using Insta-gram to develop new talent Their responses are here As a photographer consider sourcing your colleagues posing a question to your readers or blasting your social media platforms No matter the route you will end up with content created for you that also proves to your community that you value their opinion

INTERVIEW PEOPLE SMARTER THAN YOU

The world is full of smart interesting people with an experienced viewpoint An interview with them can add depth to an issue and will likely bring new people to your blog that might not have found it oth-erwise You could also email a photographer whose work you admire or a prospective client that yoursquod love to work with one day As long as the interview is not a thinly veiled request for work promoting them with an interview on your blog will at least get you on a few radars

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Behind-the-scenes content usually resonates well with an audience especially photographers who love to learn the story behind an image Practically any photo assign-ment yoursquove done has the potential to become a behind-the-scenes blog

20HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Three Easy Steps to Use Email Marketing to Your AdvantageBy Mira Mad Mimi email newsletter coach

hether yoursquore looking to sell more prints or book more photography sessions email marketing is an efficient low-cost way to build up your client

base As an email newsletter coach at Mad Mimimdasha simple lovely email servicemdashI help lots of photographers reach a wider audience While our collective superpower at Mad Mimi is email marketing (as nerdy as that is) many of us are aspiring photographers as well so Irsquom thrilled to share these tips with you

STEP ONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EMAIL MEDIUMUSE A BONAFIDE EMAIL MARKETING PLATFORM If yoursquore a PhotoShop whiz you may be tempted to build an email in that formatmdashimages and text included But image-only emails tend to have worse reader engagement and inbox delivery rates To ensure that your emails get delivered and opened use a tool designed for creating marketing emails Both people and inbox robots will be able to understand this format Mad Mimi is a great option for photographers Here are a few photographers using our service

Jennifer Clare PhotographyDana Smith PhotographyHeather Evans Smith Photography

ALWAYS LINK Include at least one link in each email you send Itrsquos easy to turn any text or image into a clickable link Before you send preview your email as your recipients will see it Links ldquoabove the foldrdquo of the screen perform better than links readers must scroll down to see What to link to Think about linking out to your website a specific photography portfolio a recent blog post or even one of your social networks if yoursquore trying to grow your following

21HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE VISITS TO YOUR WEBSITE Get folks out of the email and onto your site Thatrsquos where they can have a richer viewing experience learn more about your photography and potentially make a purchase or email you to inquire about your services The point of your email is to invite them to engage with youmdashhopefully on your site

If you use Google Analytics to measure your web traffic you may be able to see how many visits come from your email newsletters (this depends on your email platform Mad Mimi integrates with Google Analytics)

STEP TWO BE YOUR SHINY SELFDONrsquoT BE AFRAID OF MINIMALISM Let your photography communicate on its own in your emailsmdashjust as you would in another medium Showcase your photographs with lovely wide image modules Even one image alone can make a powerful impact

KEEP YOUR TEXT SHORT Email can be a very intimate (and interactive) environment Donrsquot distract your recipients with too much content Simple emails get shared Make sure you can answer the question ldquoWhy am I sending this emailrdquo If your own answer is muddled or hidden in the text you will struggle to engage

SPEAK YOUR OWN STYLE Design your emails to reflect the personality of your brand The colors fonts and layouts you use should reinforce the branding on your website and complement (rather than compete with) your photography

MAXIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL REACH Find new fans by maximizing the shareability of your emails Not into Twitter So what Some of your photography fans probably love it So make it easy for your fans friends and family to share your emails on their favorite social networks

Many email platforms (including Mad Mimi) let you include social sharing buttons in your emails These allow your fans to share your email with just one click You can also include links to your own social profiles making it easy for readers to click right to your businessrsquo Facebook page for instance

STEP THREE BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR AUDIENCETHE GOLDEN RULE You wouldnrsquot load your photography prints into a T-shirt cannon and run up and down the street firing shots into peoplersquos dining rooms So donrsquot do

that in email either Be respectful of peoplersquos inboxes and be sure that yoursquore delivering relevant content to the right people At Mad Mimi we review your first email before it goes out and give you any technical tips or design feedback if needed

COLLECT SIGNUPS Practice permission-based marketing which means only sending to people who have opted in to receive your emails whether by using a signup form on your site signing up at an event or making a purchase Only send to people yoursquove interacted with recently (say the past 18 months) You donrsquot send your business card to your high school teachersmdashitrsquos essentially the same thing

Many email marketing platforms (including Mad Mimi) offer customizable signup forms and integrate with top third-party form builders

DONrsquoT SEND TOO MANY EMAILS Donrsquot send too few The ideal frequency depends on your audience Itrsquos worth thinking about why you are emailing your audiencemdashmight they hire you have they hired you do they just like your work Unless yoursquove segmented your list your audience probably includes a variety of people so keep that in mind when considering frequency

To find the best frequency for you we recommend a combination of going with your gut and testing You know your audience best Make decisions based on that but be willing to try new things Most email platforms offer stats reporting to help you gauge the effectiveness of your emails Check your stats and adjust accordingly

GIVE SOMETHING AWAY Itrsquos just true If you give people something for signing up they feel better about handing over their email address And you donrsquot JUST want their email addressmdashyou want their business Offering a coupon for a print or specialized content at signup is a great way to give your newsletter added perceived value

If yoursquore a bit more advanced drip campaigns are a great way to deliver free (or paid) stuff to people who sign up Whatrsquos a drip campaign Itrsquos a series of autoresponder emails You can use drip campaigns to deliver downloadable freebies welcome emails and coupons If yoursquore interested in sharing your expertise you can even use them to deliver photography e-courses Here are a few helpful blog posts on drip campaigns

5 Tips for Creating a Stellar Welcome Email Campaign6 (Incredible) Woman-Powered Drip Campaigns5 Tips for Gaining Subscribers with an Email Course21 Autoresponder Ideas to Grow Your Business

22HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I If you focus on these three steps yoursquoll be well on your way to increasing the reach of your photography business The Mad Mimi team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about getting started Email us at supportmadmimicom

23HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

arketing does not have to be your worst enemy but it does require you to carve out time and map out a gameplan Once you have a few strategies

in place - whether that be a workflow that includes post-ing to social networks blogging regularly or sending out a monthly newsletter - you will be more able to grow a strong presence online and establish awareness about your brand And remember before you start know cold what yoursquore providing and exactly who and where your target audience ismdashboth online and off If you can confidently define your target market then you will be in great shape to develop a strong marketing plan that can attract qual-ity clients and grow your business better than ever before

Conclusionamp Resources

ResourcesGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to FacebookGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to InstagramGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to TwitterGUIDE 11 Secrets to a Great Photography WebsiteGUIDE Creating a Successful Photography PortfolioGUIDE 10 Branding Secrets for PhotographersBLOG Developing a Better Photography Brand BLOG How This Photographer is Making Your LaughBLOG 10 Great Photographer PromosBLOG Tackling Google 3 Ways Photographers Can Improve Their SEOBLOG Building a Photo Brand From the Ground Up Tips From Art WolfeBLOG 4 Ways to Get More Work From Old ClientsVIDEO Tips amp Strategies To Grow Your Audience OnlineVIDEO Interview with Zack Arias If I Had to Start My Business Today VIDEO 11 Essential Tips for Freelance PhotographersTOOL Google AnalyticsTOOL Google Keyword PlannerTOOL Mad MimiTOOL Bitly

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 9: How to market your photography

11HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

ven the word ldquomarketing planrdquo can sound daunt-ing but donrsquot get tripped up on terminology Still if you expect to see an increase in clientssales you

need to have a plan for specific marketing tactics that will drive this improvement Our recommendation is to simply think about different marketing categories and then list out activities that you could do in each

Your marketing plan shouldnrsquot be designed to treat each po-tential customer as if they were in the same state of readi-ness to hire you or buy something from you For example some people who walk into the Gap are just passing the time a smaller percentage want to try on a pair of jeans and an even smaller percentage walk into the store ready to buy

When you consider different activities in each category think about how people in different parts of the ldquosales cyclerdquo would react You might do a low cost postcard campaign to blanket as many photo buyers and editors And you might do a more expensive photo book to send to your top 10 to make a larger impression You wouldnrsquot treat the customer whorsquos just looking for a place to sit down the same as the one whorsquos ready to buy a pair of jeans Your marketing ef-forts should be nuanced

Additionally you need to remember one-time marketing efforts rarely pay off You often need to experiment with multiple campaigns through multiple channels to get on peoplersquos radars and convert them into customers Increasing your ldquobrand awarenessrdquo amongst your potential customers is arguably as important as converting a small percentage of them into paying customers

PART I

How to Create a Marketing Plan

Here are a few channels to consider

gtEmail Marketing Newsletters E-promos gtDirect Mail Postcards Books Posters gt Social Media Twitter Facebook Instagram gtEvents Trade Shows Portfolio Reviews gt Inbound Tactics SEO Optimization gt Lead Capture Blog Website gt Blogging Opinion pieces Gear reviews be-hind-the-scenes

DO THIS raquo Create a list of current and future marketing activities

raquo Create a rough estimate of timemoney that you will expend on each

raquo Create a rough ROI (return on investment) that each initiative will bring

raquo Jettison highlow investment ROI projects Plan campaigns around high ROI projects Remember to take into account that some efforts may take longer to see a ldquoreturnrdquo so make sure yoursquore balancing short and long term gain (eg efforts that build awareness vs those that might bring in customers immediately)

12HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Tackling Google amp Building Your SEO

hat is Search Engine Optimization (SEO) exactly In short SEO is the process of af-fecting where your website organically ranks

on major search engines like Google Bing etc

Photographers are often vexed by SEO because it seems like a moving target Just when you think your website is ranking well Google changes its algorithm

determining which SEO factors hold most influence in the rankings and you lose half your traffic The frus-tration might be warranted but the fact of the matter is that everyone uses search engines to find services and products online And no matter what you search for some websites always comes up first and subse-quently gain a massive marketing benefit

Photo by Jim Goldstein

13HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

ous photo blogs magazines or newspapers Link aggregator sites like Stumbleupon Digg and Reddit can also be a great way to get a large number of people talking about your photography very quickly

ON-PAGE CONTENT refers to the text that appears on your website On many photographer websites there is very limited text which is a problem from an SEO perspective As much as you might want your photography to ldquospeak for itselfrdquo you still need textual content to rank within search engines If you are a New York portrait photographer then ldquoNew York portrait photographerrdquo should appear on your website So should words and phrases that are similar in nature like ldquoI specialize in corporate and editorial portraiture in the New York and Tri-state areardquo Similarly your images need captions and titles and the more detail the better

Obviously you want your images to be front and center so use your ldquoAboutrdquo page or other pages to list the products you sell awards yoursquove won workshops you give etc

II

I Although there are many different factors that affect SEO we like to think of two main categories that you can focus on to simplify things

gtOn-page content gt Building links to your website

In an information rich society we are highly dependent on search engines to find what we are looking for whether itrsquos a local plumber or a portrait photographer in Des Moines You simply cannot drive enough traffic to your website by handing out business cards The goal of SEO is unsolicited trafficmdashpeople looking for your products and services without knowing who you are

Hopefully your website provider has automated much of the SEO techno-geek stuff for you This might include

gt unique page titles gtmeta description gt lth1gt (aka HTML headline tags) gt IMG alt attributes gtmicroformats gt sitemaps gt optimized page load times

Although there are countless factors that affect where you rank on a search engine here are two things among them that hold some of the greatest weight

BACKLINKS TO YOUR WEBSITE is arguably the most important factor in increasing your SEO Each link represents an ldquoendorsementrdquo and the number of links partially influences how much of your website will be indexed by the search engines and where you appear in search results The process of ldquobacklinkrdquo creation can seem like a very ambiguous task but in fact itrsquos quite simple There are two ways to build links 1) do it yourself or 2) get other people to link to your website

Maintaining a blog and a strong presence on social media networks are some of the easiest ways to link to yourself Each time you photograph something new create a gallery on your website then write a blog entry which links to that gallery Another tactic is to take advan-tage of profiles you can create with photography trade associations or community groups

Getting other people to link to you is a bit harder you need to have something on your site that makes them want to link to you Perhaps yoursquove worked on a long-term photo project that has some relevance right now You might pitch a gallery of images to vari-

DO THIS raquo Create a keyword ldquohitlistrdquo of 20-50 words that you want your website to rank for

Keywords are words and phrases that you think people might potentially search for to find your service For example if yoursquore a nature photographer based in Denver Colorado example keywords that you want your website to rank for might be ldquoDenver Nature Photographyrdquo ldquoColorado Nature Photographerrdquo ldquoNature Photographyrdquo etc

raquo Use your keyword list to inform website copy Google yourself and refine the keywords and phrases as your business and services or the language your specialty and industry uses changes

raquo Check these words against the Google Keyword Planner to determine whether they have appreciable search volume Modify your list accordingly

raquo Search each term to determine your online competition Use MajesticSEO to perform a backlink analysis to determine whether you can displace the competition

raquo Include as much metadata and description as you can to every image you publish online Be consistent with your tagging If you choose to forgo all image descriptions metadata and smart blog titles it can negatively impact your chances of being found (Metadata is informationmdashdatamdashstored within a digital image file) Not only does this help SEO it can help protect your images from theft and misuse

raquo Remember that ldquoinaction is actionrdquo Be active with your blog and website updates so that Google sees your content as fresh Regularly update your website and social media platforms By ignoring them yoursquore telling the search engines yoursquore not relevantmdashthe opposite effect yoursquore looking for to help improve where you rank on Google

2

1

14HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Get Social 4 Tips That Can Help You Succeed on Every Social Media Platform

ver 1 billion people use Facebook Twitter has over 600 million active registered users Insta-gram has over 200 million active monthly users

and LinkedIn comes in at 300 million Social media isnrsquot a fadmdashone could argue it is the glue that creates highly sticky user interaction on the web

Companies are amassing millions of users online with the ability to broadcast messages more frequently and more inexpensively than ever before Celebrities are communicating with fans news outlets are breaking stories and photographers are finding that they can en-ter the social conversation by simply tagging wedding guests in a Facebook album before the guests can or create a following on Instagram by sharing photos from a personal project

Wersquore not saying that every social media outlet will work for every photographer but therersquos enough real evidence to suggest that a strong social media campaign can translate into real marketing exposure and real rev-enue The key point to remember is that your website is not a daily destination for your customers On the other hand hundreds of millions of people login to Facebook daily so its important that you go where your customers already are The argument can be made that different specialities will use social media differentlymdashthatrsquos very true So going back to your understanding of your audience itrsquos a good idea to determine how your audience uses social media to follow photographers and identify new talent For instance if yoursquore a portrait photographer yoursquore probably focused on how you can best harness the social platforms to promote word of mouth Can you come

up with new Facebook strategies that get your clients sharing your images with other potential families and teens And if yoursquore a commercial or editorial photog-rapher maybe yoursquore more interested in using LinkedIn and Twitter to keep former clients and prospects aware of your latest work

Though every platform is different there are four key ldquorulesrdquo to consider to help you successfully showcase your brand on each

BE A PERSON

This is probably the most important rule of social media behavior in general You want to operate as you would in the real world This means you should refrain from constantly selling your services use language that is approachable and share content that is interesting If yoursquore not sure what constitutes interesting content ask yourself if yoursquod be inclined to like share or comment on that post if you saw it on your own Feed And remem-ber that social media is not a one-way street You are participating in a community which means you need to respond and reach out to others (as you would do in an offline conversation)

GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Give a behind-the-scenes look at your shoots the set-up the gear yourself shooting on location or even a sneak peak of a personal project youre working on This can give people an idea of how you work Also think about giving a shout-out to the people you worked with that day This shows yoursquore a team player and also en-courages those you tag to follow and share your work Fashion photographer Lara Jade does a great job at this Check out examples on her Twitter page here

1

2

15HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I

BE CONSISTENT

Itrsquos important to have a consistent voice when you post This means that the general tone content and visuals are recognizable and donrsquot feel random Regularly posting in this way will also let your audience know to expect content from you which will improve engagement

PICK THE RIGHT PHOTO

Whether yoursquore sharing on Twitter Facebook or Instagram you should share a photo that strengthens your voice (which yoursquove thought about and defined)mdashit adheres to your aesthetic by way of style or content etc and shows off work you love We recom-mend sharing at least one photo per day If youre having trouble choosing a photo try to find one that evokes some type of emotion in yourself Chances are it will also have an effect on others as well

Also to help increase your visibility and reach on platforms do this

gt Like or follow pages or feeds from leading photo blogs and other photogra-phers you admire Keep in mind that once you like or follow their accounts

3

4

their content will start to appear in your Feed When you see a post that you think might interest your audience share retweet or comment

gt Sign up for newsletters and subscribe to RSS feeds Some examples include Pro Photo Daily or PDN That way you wonrsquot miss posts from publications and industry thought leaders that are most important to you A service like Feedly or Flipboard will also let you aggregate your favorite blogs in one spot so you can quickly skim for interesting news and updates and then share with your networks

gt Let people know yoursquove shared their work If you share content without using the share or retweet function (so instead by simply linking to an article resource or gallery) consider shooting that blogger an email or message to let them know that yoursquore helping spread their content People appreciate when you help them share their news and taking a quick mo-ment to let them know may make them more likely to share your own content one day

Instagram Photo by Travel Photographer Pei KetronLara Jades Twitter

16HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Want some examples of photographers succeeding with social media Check out a few that we love following on Facebook Twitter amp Instagram

FacebookLisa DevlinJohn KeatelyCorey RichBrooke ShadenBrian Smith

TwitterZack AriasEunique Jones GibsonLucas GilmanLara JadeKen KamineskyMelissa Lyttle

InstagramBrooke DombrowskiTim LandisBrad ManginLandon NordemanAdrienne Pitts

And be sure to check out our latest guides with resources and tips to help you amp up your social presence The Photographerrsquos Guide to Facebook The Photographerrsquos Guide to Twitter and The Photographerrsquos Guide to Instagram

17HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

or a photographer your blog is not just a place to dump links and post photos Your blog is a marketing tool and can be a very effective one

at that The captive online audience is vast comprised of prospective clients photographers looking to learn gear enthusiasts and many other consumers who are actively searching for services like yours

To maximize the flavor potential of your blog you need to reach people with similar tastes Connecting with the right audience starts with a targeted content strategy

ESTABLISHING YOUR BLOGrsquoS BRANDYour portfolio site design how you communicate with clients your logos your deliverables your lighting technique your field of photography ndash all of these elements define your personal brand Your blogrsquos 1 purpose should be to extend this brand

For example if you frequently work with corporate cli-ents your community would not respond well to pro-fanity-laden rants (In general this is a bad idea) But take time to think about who your audience is and what tone and style of writing would resonate best with them

There are multiple points of entry for building a suc-cessful blog Whether you choose the provocative route the educational route the anecdotal route among many others your strategic choices should reflect your brand

TARGETING YOUR AUDIENCE Your brand can also help identify your target audience Like any marketing push it will pay to know who the readers are

PART II

How to Blog Better

You should always strive to create content that attracts and sustains the attention of this audience Not only will this help focus the content strategy but also the needs and prac-tices of your targeted audience will inform how you blog

For example when establishing her company Major Multimedia photographer and multimedia producer Lauren Major wanted to target the nonprofit and so-cial good sector Once she narrowed her target audi-ence she was able to research their online activity and create content that would specifically appeal to the social good user

Photographers who run workshops will often cater the writing on their blog to other photographers This helps establish them as ldquoexpertsrdquo as well as speak directly to prospective attendees and students A blog can also help photographers continue a dialogue with current and former clients as well as attract potential new ones

Additionally alternative and edgy UK wedding pho-tographer Lisa Devlin has branded herself as the go-to photographer for all weddings off-the-beating path She uses her blog to showcase the non-traditional thread

18HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I between her clients to help reinforce her expertise and niche in this space

The more targeted your marketing efforts the more suc-cessful you will be at converting customers

GENERATING SALESYour blog can also function quite well as an indirect marketing tool for your brand including directly trans-lating into image sales or other revenue opportunities

If part of your business includes selling workshops your blog content should target the consumer who might be in-terested in your specific workshop Blog posts should em-phasize your expertise in your field and show who you are as a teacher and a photographer For example nature pho-tographer Greg Basco of Deep Green Photography sells nature photography workshops in Costa Rica through his website The ldquoBehind the Lensrdquo series on his blog shows images captured in the field and explains the technique and story behind getting the shot Gregrsquos tours now sell out quickly after being announced

You may also want to sell products through your web-site or directly on your blog The content should support why a consumer should buy this product from you and even show the value of the product

MANAGING YOUR BLOGGING WORKFLOWAfter you choose the best platform for you and identify your target audience you may find yourself about to hit the ldquoNow whatrdquo panic button If you do not have a plan for your workflow a blog can quickly become a burden But you can easily skip ahead of the whole overwhelming part of blogging by developing an effective workflow system

Here are a few tips to help tailor a system for your workflow

ORGANIZE YOUR IDEAS

An effective content strategy relies on careful planning If your blogging strategy is to wait for ideas first you will likely end up with an inconsistent blog and a con-stant feeling of pressure to come up with new topics If you blog every thought that pops into your head you risk burying the quality content with the extraneous stuffmdashand confusing your audience

Start a spreadsheet Google Doc or journal devoted exclu-sively to ideas for potential blog posts If you have a mo-ment of inspiration jot it down or type it up You may nev-er use half of the ideas or may take one thought in a totally different direction but keeping a list of thoughts will take the pressure off coming up with something to write about on the spotmdashand it will help you manage your workflow

CREATE TOPIC CATEGORIES

Have an understanding of the areas that you want to cover on your blog Think through questions like

gtDo you want to write at least one gear review a week gtDo you want to feature an interview with an industry professional once a month gtDo you want to have a video blog series

You donrsquot have to decide every area of interest before you start your blog and based on your audiencersquos re-sponse the topics you write about may evolve Having a few target areas in your pocket will help you focus your idea stream and keep the blog clear and on brand For inspiration check out the next page for 7 ideas to help inspire you when writing blog posts

MAKE A CALENDAR AND STICK TO IT

Is it realistic for you to blog everyday Probably not and it might not be smart for you to do it either Just make

1

2

3

sure you have a plan for when you want to blog It does not necessarily have to be a set number either The key is to be consistent so your followers can expect and look forward to your posts If yoursquore a wedding photographer your blogging strategy might involve doing a post after every wedding Even if your blogging pattern follows gigs having a set deadline will help you stay consistent (ie never wait more than 72 hours to publish a post about a job) and meet audience expectations

The best way to stay on top of your self-made blogging deadlines is to keep a calendar exclusively for your blog It could contain upcoming shoots and personal events or you could plan each month out specifically based on what you will be posting about on a given day Looking at an upcoming calendar will help you manage the time you need to complete each desired blog post and may also provide you with new or thematic inspiration

HAVE AN RSS FEED

Your idea diary not cutting it for you Keep an RSS feed like Feedly of photography blogs that inspire you blogs of prospective clients the musings of your competitors andor the Twitter feed of your favorite vendor An RSS feed consolidates all of the sites and accounts your go-to for inspiration into one place which will help cut down on time spent going between each sitemdashand the dis-tractions Internet surfing can bring

MANAGE YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS

If writing does not come easily to you and you cannot in-vest the resources into outsourcing the work travel pho-tographer Matt Brandon advises setting boundaries for yourself Writing can easily consume your day and setting unreasonable expectations as to what you can accomplish is setting yourself up to fail

Set goals you know you can meet The great thing about blogs is they are totally malleable If you dis-

4

5

19HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I cover you love blogging and can ramp up your pro-duction as long as itrsquos in-tune with your target audi-encemdashgo for it But if you try to do and say too much right out of the gate you may be shooting yourself in the foot Building an audience can take time so set up a sustainable workflow system for yourself that can support the process

7 BLOG TOPICS TO INSPIRE YOUHere are 7 ideas off the bat to inspire you when plan-ning out your blog posts

TOP 10 LISTS

Top 10 list (or top 9 top 7 etc) are highly clickable and easy to share ndash a list provides quick easily understood context for exactly what the reader will find in your blog post Added bonus lists donrsquot need to be copy-heavy or heavily researched Go ahead and give your own opinion on the 5 female photographers who changed the indus-try and watch the hits roll in

STIR THE POT

If yoursquore not afraid to ruffle a few feathers bucking tradition or authority with a controversial statement is a great way to get the community buzzing How-ever donrsquot just say something provocative for the sake of getting a rise out of people It is better to put forth your opinion on a topic about which you genuinely have something to say and back that statement up with facts and illustrative examples Prepare yourself for a helping of haters and make sure to respond to naysayers with the same intelligent clarity with which you crafted the article

WRITE A REVIEW

Clearly there is no shortage of photography gear re-views on the Internet That should not discourage you from writing one yourself Many photographers carve

out a niche for themselves based on their reviews It might be what you say it might be how you say it but if you write a great gear review someone will definitely be reading

COMPILE RESOURCES

Everyone loves to discover that all the information they need on a topic already exists in one place If you donrsquot mind doing a little legwork then try assembling a specific relevant list of online resources This may be a particularly useful option for photographers who do not consider themselves strong writersmdasha resource list is more about supporting the topic and writing need not be heavily involved

CROWDSOURCE COMMENTARY

In a recent PhotoShelter blog post we asked four ma-jor photo editors from Rolling Stone The New Yorker Vogue Italia and Esquirecom how theyre using Insta-gram to develop new talent Their responses are here As a photographer consider sourcing your colleagues posing a question to your readers or blasting your social media platforms No matter the route you will end up with content created for you that also proves to your community that you value their opinion

INTERVIEW PEOPLE SMARTER THAN YOU

The world is full of smart interesting people with an experienced viewpoint An interview with them can add depth to an issue and will likely bring new people to your blog that might not have found it oth-erwise You could also email a photographer whose work you admire or a prospective client that yoursquod love to work with one day As long as the interview is not a thinly veiled request for work promoting them with an interview on your blog will at least get you on a few radars

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Behind-the-scenes content usually resonates well with an audience especially photographers who love to learn the story behind an image Practically any photo assign-ment yoursquove done has the potential to become a behind-the-scenes blog

20HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Three Easy Steps to Use Email Marketing to Your AdvantageBy Mira Mad Mimi email newsletter coach

hether yoursquore looking to sell more prints or book more photography sessions email marketing is an efficient low-cost way to build up your client

base As an email newsletter coach at Mad Mimimdasha simple lovely email servicemdashI help lots of photographers reach a wider audience While our collective superpower at Mad Mimi is email marketing (as nerdy as that is) many of us are aspiring photographers as well so Irsquom thrilled to share these tips with you

STEP ONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EMAIL MEDIUMUSE A BONAFIDE EMAIL MARKETING PLATFORM If yoursquore a PhotoShop whiz you may be tempted to build an email in that formatmdashimages and text included But image-only emails tend to have worse reader engagement and inbox delivery rates To ensure that your emails get delivered and opened use a tool designed for creating marketing emails Both people and inbox robots will be able to understand this format Mad Mimi is a great option for photographers Here are a few photographers using our service

Jennifer Clare PhotographyDana Smith PhotographyHeather Evans Smith Photography

ALWAYS LINK Include at least one link in each email you send Itrsquos easy to turn any text or image into a clickable link Before you send preview your email as your recipients will see it Links ldquoabove the foldrdquo of the screen perform better than links readers must scroll down to see What to link to Think about linking out to your website a specific photography portfolio a recent blog post or even one of your social networks if yoursquore trying to grow your following

21HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE VISITS TO YOUR WEBSITE Get folks out of the email and onto your site Thatrsquos where they can have a richer viewing experience learn more about your photography and potentially make a purchase or email you to inquire about your services The point of your email is to invite them to engage with youmdashhopefully on your site

If you use Google Analytics to measure your web traffic you may be able to see how many visits come from your email newsletters (this depends on your email platform Mad Mimi integrates with Google Analytics)

STEP TWO BE YOUR SHINY SELFDONrsquoT BE AFRAID OF MINIMALISM Let your photography communicate on its own in your emailsmdashjust as you would in another medium Showcase your photographs with lovely wide image modules Even one image alone can make a powerful impact

KEEP YOUR TEXT SHORT Email can be a very intimate (and interactive) environment Donrsquot distract your recipients with too much content Simple emails get shared Make sure you can answer the question ldquoWhy am I sending this emailrdquo If your own answer is muddled or hidden in the text you will struggle to engage

SPEAK YOUR OWN STYLE Design your emails to reflect the personality of your brand The colors fonts and layouts you use should reinforce the branding on your website and complement (rather than compete with) your photography

MAXIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL REACH Find new fans by maximizing the shareability of your emails Not into Twitter So what Some of your photography fans probably love it So make it easy for your fans friends and family to share your emails on their favorite social networks

Many email platforms (including Mad Mimi) let you include social sharing buttons in your emails These allow your fans to share your email with just one click You can also include links to your own social profiles making it easy for readers to click right to your businessrsquo Facebook page for instance

STEP THREE BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR AUDIENCETHE GOLDEN RULE You wouldnrsquot load your photography prints into a T-shirt cannon and run up and down the street firing shots into peoplersquos dining rooms So donrsquot do

that in email either Be respectful of peoplersquos inboxes and be sure that yoursquore delivering relevant content to the right people At Mad Mimi we review your first email before it goes out and give you any technical tips or design feedback if needed

COLLECT SIGNUPS Practice permission-based marketing which means only sending to people who have opted in to receive your emails whether by using a signup form on your site signing up at an event or making a purchase Only send to people yoursquove interacted with recently (say the past 18 months) You donrsquot send your business card to your high school teachersmdashitrsquos essentially the same thing

Many email marketing platforms (including Mad Mimi) offer customizable signup forms and integrate with top third-party form builders

DONrsquoT SEND TOO MANY EMAILS Donrsquot send too few The ideal frequency depends on your audience Itrsquos worth thinking about why you are emailing your audiencemdashmight they hire you have they hired you do they just like your work Unless yoursquove segmented your list your audience probably includes a variety of people so keep that in mind when considering frequency

To find the best frequency for you we recommend a combination of going with your gut and testing You know your audience best Make decisions based on that but be willing to try new things Most email platforms offer stats reporting to help you gauge the effectiveness of your emails Check your stats and adjust accordingly

GIVE SOMETHING AWAY Itrsquos just true If you give people something for signing up they feel better about handing over their email address And you donrsquot JUST want their email addressmdashyou want their business Offering a coupon for a print or specialized content at signup is a great way to give your newsletter added perceived value

If yoursquore a bit more advanced drip campaigns are a great way to deliver free (or paid) stuff to people who sign up Whatrsquos a drip campaign Itrsquos a series of autoresponder emails You can use drip campaigns to deliver downloadable freebies welcome emails and coupons If yoursquore interested in sharing your expertise you can even use them to deliver photography e-courses Here are a few helpful blog posts on drip campaigns

5 Tips for Creating a Stellar Welcome Email Campaign6 (Incredible) Woman-Powered Drip Campaigns5 Tips for Gaining Subscribers with an Email Course21 Autoresponder Ideas to Grow Your Business

22HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I If you focus on these three steps yoursquoll be well on your way to increasing the reach of your photography business The Mad Mimi team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about getting started Email us at supportmadmimicom

23HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

arketing does not have to be your worst enemy but it does require you to carve out time and map out a gameplan Once you have a few strategies

in place - whether that be a workflow that includes post-ing to social networks blogging regularly or sending out a monthly newsletter - you will be more able to grow a strong presence online and establish awareness about your brand And remember before you start know cold what yoursquore providing and exactly who and where your target audience ismdashboth online and off If you can confidently define your target market then you will be in great shape to develop a strong marketing plan that can attract qual-ity clients and grow your business better than ever before

Conclusionamp Resources

ResourcesGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to FacebookGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to InstagramGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to TwitterGUIDE 11 Secrets to a Great Photography WebsiteGUIDE Creating a Successful Photography PortfolioGUIDE 10 Branding Secrets for PhotographersBLOG Developing a Better Photography Brand BLOG How This Photographer is Making Your LaughBLOG 10 Great Photographer PromosBLOG Tackling Google 3 Ways Photographers Can Improve Their SEOBLOG Building a Photo Brand From the Ground Up Tips From Art WolfeBLOG 4 Ways to Get More Work From Old ClientsVIDEO Tips amp Strategies To Grow Your Audience OnlineVIDEO Interview with Zack Arias If I Had to Start My Business Today VIDEO 11 Essential Tips for Freelance PhotographersTOOL Google AnalyticsTOOL Google Keyword PlannerTOOL Mad MimiTOOL Bitly

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 10: How to market your photography

12HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Tackling Google amp Building Your SEO

hat is Search Engine Optimization (SEO) exactly In short SEO is the process of af-fecting where your website organically ranks

on major search engines like Google Bing etc

Photographers are often vexed by SEO because it seems like a moving target Just when you think your website is ranking well Google changes its algorithm

determining which SEO factors hold most influence in the rankings and you lose half your traffic The frus-tration might be warranted but the fact of the matter is that everyone uses search engines to find services and products online And no matter what you search for some websites always comes up first and subse-quently gain a massive marketing benefit

Photo by Jim Goldstein

13HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

ous photo blogs magazines or newspapers Link aggregator sites like Stumbleupon Digg and Reddit can also be a great way to get a large number of people talking about your photography very quickly

ON-PAGE CONTENT refers to the text that appears on your website On many photographer websites there is very limited text which is a problem from an SEO perspective As much as you might want your photography to ldquospeak for itselfrdquo you still need textual content to rank within search engines If you are a New York portrait photographer then ldquoNew York portrait photographerrdquo should appear on your website So should words and phrases that are similar in nature like ldquoI specialize in corporate and editorial portraiture in the New York and Tri-state areardquo Similarly your images need captions and titles and the more detail the better

Obviously you want your images to be front and center so use your ldquoAboutrdquo page or other pages to list the products you sell awards yoursquove won workshops you give etc

II

I Although there are many different factors that affect SEO we like to think of two main categories that you can focus on to simplify things

gtOn-page content gt Building links to your website

In an information rich society we are highly dependent on search engines to find what we are looking for whether itrsquos a local plumber or a portrait photographer in Des Moines You simply cannot drive enough traffic to your website by handing out business cards The goal of SEO is unsolicited trafficmdashpeople looking for your products and services without knowing who you are

Hopefully your website provider has automated much of the SEO techno-geek stuff for you This might include

gt unique page titles gtmeta description gt lth1gt (aka HTML headline tags) gt IMG alt attributes gtmicroformats gt sitemaps gt optimized page load times

Although there are countless factors that affect where you rank on a search engine here are two things among them that hold some of the greatest weight

BACKLINKS TO YOUR WEBSITE is arguably the most important factor in increasing your SEO Each link represents an ldquoendorsementrdquo and the number of links partially influences how much of your website will be indexed by the search engines and where you appear in search results The process of ldquobacklinkrdquo creation can seem like a very ambiguous task but in fact itrsquos quite simple There are two ways to build links 1) do it yourself or 2) get other people to link to your website

Maintaining a blog and a strong presence on social media networks are some of the easiest ways to link to yourself Each time you photograph something new create a gallery on your website then write a blog entry which links to that gallery Another tactic is to take advan-tage of profiles you can create with photography trade associations or community groups

Getting other people to link to you is a bit harder you need to have something on your site that makes them want to link to you Perhaps yoursquove worked on a long-term photo project that has some relevance right now You might pitch a gallery of images to vari-

DO THIS raquo Create a keyword ldquohitlistrdquo of 20-50 words that you want your website to rank for

Keywords are words and phrases that you think people might potentially search for to find your service For example if yoursquore a nature photographer based in Denver Colorado example keywords that you want your website to rank for might be ldquoDenver Nature Photographyrdquo ldquoColorado Nature Photographerrdquo ldquoNature Photographyrdquo etc

raquo Use your keyword list to inform website copy Google yourself and refine the keywords and phrases as your business and services or the language your specialty and industry uses changes

raquo Check these words against the Google Keyword Planner to determine whether they have appreciable search volume Modify your list accordingly

raquo Search each term to determine your online competition Use MajesticSEO to perform a backlink analysis to determine whether you can displace the competition

raquo Include as much metadata and description as you can to every image you publish online Be consistent with your tagging If you choose to forgo all image descriptions metadata and smart blog titles it can negatively impact your chances of being found (Metadata is informationmdashdatamdashstored within a digital image file) Not only does this help SEO it can help protect your images from theft and misuse

raquo Remember that ldquoinaction is actionrdquo Be active with your blog and website updates so that Google sees your content as fresh Regularly update your website and social media platforms By ignoring them yoursquore telling the search engines yoursquore not relevantmdashthe opposite effect yoursquore looking for to help improve where you rank on Google

2

1

14HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Get Social 4 Tips That Can Help You Succeed on Every Social Media Platform

ver 1 billion people use Facebook Twitter has over 600 million active registered users Insta-gram has over 200 million active monthly users

and LinkedIn comes in at 300 million Social media isnrsquot a fadmdashone could argue it is the glue that creates highly sticky user interaction on the web

Companies are amassing millions of users online with the ability to broadcast messages more frequently and more inexpensively than ever before Celebrities are communicating with fans news outlets are breaking stories and photographers are finding that they can en-ter the social conversation by simply tagging wedding guests in a Facebook album before the guests can or create a following on Instagram by sharing photos from a personal project

Wersquore not saying that every social media outlet will work for every photographer but therersquos enough real evidence to suggest that a strong social media campaign can translate into real marketing exposure and real rev-enue The key point to remember is that your website is not a daily destination for your customers On the other hand hundreds of millions of people login to Facebook daily so its important that you go where your customers already are The argument can be made that different specialities will use social media differentlymdashthatrsquos very true So going back to your understanding of your audience itrsquos a good idea to determine how your audience uses social media to follow photographers and identify new talent For instance if yoursquore a portrait photographer yoursquore probably focused on how you can best harness the social platforms to promote word of mouth Can you come

up with new Facebook strategies that get your clients sharing your images with other potential families and teens And if yoursquore a commercial or editorial photog-rapher maybe yoursquore more interested in using LinkedIn and Twitter to keep former clients and prospects aware of your latest work

Though every platform is different there are four key ldquorulesrdquo to consider to help you successfully showcase your brand on each

BE A PERSON

This is probably the most important rule of social media behavior in general You want to operate as you would in the real world This means you should refrain from constantly selling your services use language that is approachable and share content that is interesting If yoursquore not sure what constitutes interesting content ask yourself if yoursquod be inclined to like share or comment on that post if you saw it on your own Feed And remem-ber that social media is not a one-way street You are participating in a community which means you need to respond and reach out to others (as you would do in an offline conversation)

GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Give a behind-the-scenes look at your shoots the set-up the gear yourself shooting on location or even a sneak peak of a personal project youre working on This can give people an idea of how you work Also think about giving a shout-out to the people you worked with that day This shows yoursquore a team player and also en-courages those you tag to follow and share your work Fashion photographer Lara Jade does a great job at this Check out examples on her Twitter page here

1

2

15HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I

BE CONSISTENT

Itrsquos important to have a consistent voice when you post This means that the general tone content and visuals are recognizable and donrsquot feel random Regularly posting in this way will also let your audience know to expect content from you which will improve engagement

PICK THE RIGHT PHOTO

Whether yoursquore sharing on Twitter Facebook or Instagram you should share a photo that strengthens your voice (which yoursquove thought about and defined)mdashit adheres to your aesthetic by way of style or content etc and shows off work you love We recom-mend sharing at least one photo per day If youre having trouble choosing a photo try to find one that evokes some type of emotion in yourself Chances are it will also have an effect on others as well

Also to help increase your visibility and reach on platforms do this

gt Like or follow pages or feeds from leading photo blogs and other photogra-phers you admire Keep in mind that once you like or follow their accounts

3

4

their content will start to appear in your Feed When you see a post that you think might interest your audience share retweet or comment

gt Sign up for newsletters and subscribe to RSS feeds Some examples include Pro Photo Daily or PDN That way you wonrsquot miss posts from publications and industry thought leaders that are most important to you A service like Feedly or Flipboard will also let you aggregate your favorite blogs in one spot so you can quickly skim for interesting news and updates and then share with your networks

gt Let people know yoursquove shared their work If you share content without using the share or retweet function (so instead by simply linking to an article resource or gallery) consider shooting that blogger an email or message to let them know that yoursquore helping spread their content People appreciate when you help them share their news and taking a quick mo-ment to let them know may make them more likely to share your own content one day

Instagram Photo by Travel Photographer Pei KetronLara Jades Twitter

16HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Want some examples of photographers succeeding with social media Check out a few that we love following on Facebook Twitter amp Instagram

FacebookLisa DevlinJohn KeatelyCorey RichBrooke ShadenBrian Smith

TwitterZack AriasEunique Jones GibsonLucas GilmanLara JadeKen KamineskyMelissa Lyttle

InstagramBrooke DombrowskiTim LandisBrad ManginLandon NordemanAdrienne Pitts

And be sure to check out our latest guides with resources and tips to help you amp up your social presence The Photographerrsquos Guide to Facebook The Photographerrsquos Guide to Twitter and The Photographerrsquos Guide to Instagram

17HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

or a photographer your blog is not just a place to dump links and post photos Your blog is a marketing tool and can be a very effective one

at that The captive online audience is vast comprised of prospective clients photographers looking to learn gear enthusiasts and many other consumers who are actively searching for services like yours

To maximize the flavor potential of your blog you need to reach people with similar tastes Connecting with the right audience starts with a targeted content strategy

ESTABLISHING YOUR BLOGrsquoS BRANDYour portfolio site design how you communicate with clients your logos your deliverables your lighting technique your field of photography ndash all of these elements define your personal brand Your blogrsquos 1 purpose should be to extend this brand

For example if you frequently work with corporate cli-ents your community would not respond well to pro-fanity-laden rants (In general this is a bad idea) But take time to think about who your audience is and what tone and style of writing would resonate best with them

There are multiple points of entry for building a suc-cessful blog Whether you choose the provocative route the educational route the anecdotal route among many others your strategic choices should reflect your brand

TARGETING YOUR AUDIENCE Your brand can also help identify your target audience Like any marketing push it will pay to know who the readers are

PART II

How to Blog Better

You should always strive to create content that attracts and sustains the attention of this audience Not only will this help focus the content strategy but also the needs and prac-tices of your targeted audience will inform how you blog

For example when establishing her company Major Multimedia photographer and multimedia producer Lauren Major wanted to target the nonprofit and so-cial good sector Once she narrowed her target audi-ence she was able to research their online activity and create content that would specifically appeal to the social good user

Photographers who run workshops will often cater the writing on their blog to other photographers This helps establish them as ldquoexpertsrdquo as well as speak directly to prospective attendees and students A blog can also help photographers continue a dialogue with current and former clients as well as attract potential new ones

Additionally alternative and edgy UK wedding pho-tographer Lisa Devlin has branded herself as the go-to photographer for all weddings off-the-beating path She uses her blog to showcase the non-traditional thread

18HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I between her clients to help reinforce her expertise and niche in this space

The more targeted your marketing efforts the more suc-cessful you will be at converting customers

GENERATING SALESYour blog can also function quite well as an indirect marketing tool for your brand including directly trans-lating into image sales or other revenue opportunities

If part of your business includes selling workshops your blog content should target the consumer who might be in-terested in your specific workshop Blog posts should em-phasize your expertise in your field and show who you are as a teacher and a photographer For example nature pho-tographer Greg Basco of Deep Green Photography sells nature photography workshops in Costa Rica through his website The ldquoBehind the Lensrdquo series on his blog shows images captured in the field and explains the technique and story behind getting the shot Gregrsquos tours now sell out quickly after being announced

You may also want to sell products through your web-site or directly on your blog The content should support why a consumer should buy this product from you and even show the value of the product

MANAGING YOUR BLOGGING WORKFLOWAfter you choose the best platform for you and identify your target audience you may find yourself about to hit the ldquoNow whatrdquo panic button If you do not have a plan for your workflow a blog can quickly become a burden But you can easily skip ahead of the whole overwhelming part of blogging by developing an effective workflow system

Here are a few tips to help tailor a system for your workflow

ORGANIZE YOUR IDEAS

An effective content strategy relies on careful planning If your blogging strategy is to wait for ideas first you will likely end up with an inconsistent blog and a con-stant feeling of pressure to come up with new topics If you blog every thought that pops into your head you risk burying the quality content with the extraneous stuffmdashand confusing your audience

Start a spreadsheet Google Doc or journal devoted exclu-sively to ideas for potential blog posts If you have a mo-ment of inspiration jot it down or type it up You may nev-er use half of the ideas or may take one thought in a totally different direction but keeping a list of thoughts will take the pressure off coming up with something to write about on the spotmdashand it will help you manage your workflow

CREATE TOPIC CATEGORIES

Have an understanding of the areas that you want to cover on your blog Think through questions like

gtDo you want to write at least one gear review a week gtDo you want to feature an interview with an industry professional once a month gtDo you want to have a video blog series

You donrsquot have to decide every area of interest before you start your blog and based on your audiencersquos re-sponse the topics you write about may evolve Having a few target areas in your pocket will help you focus your idea stream and keep the blog clear and on brand For inspiration check out the next page for 7 ideas to help inspire you when writing blog posts

MAKE A CALENDAR AND STICK TO IT

Is it realistic for you to blog everyday Probably not and it might not be smart for you to do it either Just make

1

2

3

sure you have a plan for when you want to blog It does not necessarily have to be a set number either The key is to be consistent so your followers can expect and look forward to your posts If yoursquore a wedding photographer your blogging strategy might involve doing a post after every wedding Even if your blogging pattern follows gigs having a set deadline will help you stay consistent (ie never wait more than 72 hours to publish a post about a job) and meet audience expectations

The best way to stay on top of your self-made blogging deadlines is to keep a calendar exclusively for your blog It could contain upcoming shoots and personal events or you could plan each month out specifically based on what you will be posting about on a given day Looking at an upcoming calendar will help you manage the time you need to complete each desired blog post and may also provide you with new or thematic inspiration

HAVE AN RSS FEED

Your idea diary not cutting it for you Keep an RSS feed like Feedly of photography blogs that inspire you blogs of prospective clients the musings of your competitors andor the Twitter feed of your favorite vendor An RSS feed consolidates all of the sites and accounts your go-to for inspiration into one place which will help cut down on time spent going between each sitemdashand the dis-tractions Internet surfing can bring

MANAGE YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS

If writing does not come easily to you and you cannot in-vest the resources into outsourcing the work travel pho-tographer Matt Brandon advises setting boundaries for yourself Writing can easily consume your day and setting unreasonable expectations as to what you can accomplish is setting yourself up to fail

Set goals you know you can meet The great thing about blogs is they are totally malleable If you dis-

4

5

19HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I cover you love blogging and can ramp up your pro-duction as long as itrsquos in-tune with your target audi-encemdashgo for it But if you try to do and say too much right out of the gate you may be shooting yourself in the foot Building an audience can take time so set up a sustainable workflow system for yourself that can support the process

7 BLOG TOPICS TO INSPIRE YOUHere are 7 ideas off the bat to inspire you when plan-ning out your blog posts

TOP 10 LISTS

Top 10 list (or top 9 top 7 etc) are highly clickable and easy to share ndash a list provides quick easily understood context for exactly what the reader will find in your blog post Added bonus lists donrsquot need to be copy-heavy or heavily researched Go ahead and give your own opinion on the 5 female photographers who changed the indus-try and watch the hits roll in

STIR THE POT

If yoursquore not afraid to ruffle a few feathers bucking tradition or authority with a controversial statement is a great way to get the community buzzing How-ever donrsquot just say something provocative for the sake of getting a rise out of people It is better to put forth your opinion on a topic about which you genuinely have something to say and back that statement up with facts and illustrative examples Prepare yourself for a helping of haters and make sure to respond to naysayers with the same intelligent clarity with which you crafted the article

WRITE A REVIEW

Clearly there is no shortage of photography gear re-views on the Internet That should not discourage you from writing one yourself Many photographers carve

out a niche for themselves based on their reviews It might be what you say it might be how you say it but if you write a great gear review someone will definitely be reading

COMPILE RESOURCES

Everyone loves to discover that all the information they need on a topic already exists in one place If you donrsquot mind doing a little legwork then try assembling a specific relevant list of online resources This may be a particularly useful option for photographers who do not consider themselves strong writersmdasha resource list is more about supporting the topic and writing need not be heavily involved

CROWDSOURCE COMMENTARY

In a recent PhotoShelter blog post we asked four ma-jor photo editors from Rolling Stone The New Yorker Vogue Italia and Esquirecom how theyre using Insta-gram to develop new talent Their responses are here As a photographer consider sourcing your colleagues posing a question to your readers or blasting your social media platforms No matter the route you will end up with content created for you that also proves to your community that you value their opinion

INTERVIEW PEOPLE SMARTER THAN YOU

The world is full of smart interesting people with an experienced viewpoint An interview with them can add depth to an issue and will likely bring new people to your blog that might not have found it oth-erwise You could also email a photographer whose work you admire or a prospective client that yoursquod love to work with one day As long as the interview is not a thinly veiled request for work promoting them with an interview on your blog will at least get you on a few radars

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Behind-the-scenes content usually resonates well with an audience especially photographers who love to learn the story behind an image Practically any photo assign-ment yoursquove done has the potential to become a behind-the-scenes blog

20HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Three Easy Steps to Use Email Marketing to Your AdvantageBy Mira Mad Mimi email newsletter coach

hether yoursquore looking to sell more prints or book more photography sessions email marketing is an efficient low-cost way to build up your client

base As an email newsletter coach at Mad Mimimdasha simple lovely email servicemdashI help lots of photographers reach a wider audience While our collective superpower at Mad Mimi is email marketing (as nerdy as that is) many of us are aspiring photographers as well so Irsquom thrilled to share these tips with you

STEP ONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EMAIL MEDIUMUSE A BONAFIDE EMAIL MARKETING PLATFORM If yoursquore a PhotoShop whiz you may be tempted to build an email in that formatmdashimages and text included But image-only emails tend to have worse reader engagement and inbox delivery rates To ensure that your emails get delivered and opened use a tool designed for creating marketing emails Both people and inbox robots will be able to understand this format Mad Mimi is a great option for photographers Here are a few photographers using our service

Jennifer Clare PhotographyDana Smith PhotographyHeather Evans Smith Photography

ALWAYS LINK Include at least one link in each email you send Itrsquos easy to turn any text or image into a clickable link Before you send preview your email as your recipients will see it Links ldquoabove the foldrdquo of the screen perform better than links readers must scroll down to see What to link to Think about linking out to your website a specific photography portfolio a recent blog post or even one of your social networks if yoursquore trying to grow your following

21HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE VISITS TO YOUR WEBSITE Get folks out of the email and onto your site Thatrsquos where they can have a richer viewing experience learn more about your photography and potentially make a purchase or email you to inquire about your services The point of your email is to invite them to engage with youmdashhopefully on your site

If you use Google Analytics to measure your web traffic you may be able to see how many visits come from your email newsletters (this depends on your email platform Mad Mimi integrates with Google Analytics)

STEP TWO BE YOUR SHINY SELFDONrsquoT BE AFRAID OF MINIMALISM Let your photography communicate on its own in your emailsmdashjust as you would in another medium Showcase your photographs with lovely wide image modules Even one image alone can make a powerful impact

KEEP YOUR TEXT SHORT Email can be a very intimate (and interactive) environment Donrsquot distract your recipients with too much content Simple emails get shared Make sure you can answer the question ldquoWhy am I sending this emailrdquo If your own answer is muddled or hidden in the text you will struggle to engage

SPEAK YOUR OWN STYLE Design your emails to reflect the personality of your brand The colors fonts and layouts you use should reinforce the branding on your website and complement (rather than compete with) your photography

MAXIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL REACH Find new fans by maximizing the shareability of your emails Not into Twitter So what Some of your photography fans probably love it So make it easy for your fans friends and family to share your emails on their favorite social networks

Many email platforms (including Mad Mimi) let you include social sharing buttons in your emails These allow your fans to share your email with just one click You can also include links to your own social profiles making it easy for readers to click right to your businessrsquo Facebook page for instance

STEP THREE BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR AUDIENCETHE GOLDEN RULE You wouldnrsquot load your photography prints into a T-shirt cannon and run up and down the street firing shots into peoplersquos dining rooms So donrsquot do

that in email either Be respectful of peoplersquos inboxes and be sure that yoursquore delivering relevant content to the right people At Mad Mimi we review your first email before it goes out and give you any technical tips or design feedback if needed

COLLECT SIGNUPS Practice permission-based marketing which means only sending to people who have opted in to receive your emails whether by using a signup form on your site signing up at an event or making a purchase Only send to people yoursquove interacted with recently (say the past 18 months) You donrsquot send your business card to your high school teachersmdashitrsquos essentially the same thing

Many email marketing platforms (including Mad Mimi) offer customizable signup forms and integrate with top third-party form builders

DONrsquoT SEND TOO MANY EMAILS Donrsquot send too few The ideal frequency depends on your audience Itrsquos worth thinking about why you are emailing your audiencemdashmight they hire you have they hired you do they just like your work Unless yoursquove segmented your list your audience probably includes a variety of people so keep that in mind when considering frequency

To find the best frequency for you we recommend a combination of going with your gut and testing You know your audience best Make decisions based on that but be willing to try new things Most email platforms offer stats reporting to help you gauge the effectiveness of your emails Check your stats and adjust accordingly

GIVE SOMETHING AWAY Itrsquos just true If you give people something for signing up they feel better about handing over their email address And you donrsquot JUST want their email addressmdashyou want their business Offering a coupon for a print or specialized content at signup is a great way to give your newsletter added perceived value

If yoursquore a bit more advanced drip campaigns are a great way to deliver free (or paid) stuff to people who sign up Whatrsquos a drip campaign Itrsquos a series of autoresponder emails You can use drip campaigns to deliver downloadable freebies welcome emails and coupons If yoursquore interested in sharing your expertise you can even use them to deliver photography e-courses Here are a few helpful blog posts on drip campaigns

5 Tips for Creating a Stellar Welcome Email Campaign6 (Incredible) Woman-Powered Drip Campaigns5 Tips for Gaining Subscribers with an Email Course21 Autoresponder Ideas to Grow Your Business

22HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I If you focus on these three steps yoursquoll be well on your way to increasing the reach of your photography business The Mad Mimi team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about getting started Email us at supportmadmimicom

23HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

arketing does not have to be your worst enemy but it does require you to carve out time and map out a gameplan Once you have a few strategies

in place - whether that be a workflow that includes post-ing to social networks blogging regularly or sending out a monthly newsletter - you will be more able to grow a strong presence online and establish awareness about your brand And remember before you start know cold what yoursquore providing and exactly who and where your target audience ismdashboth online and off If you can confidently define your target market then you will be in great shape to develop a strong marketing plan that can attract qual-ity clients and grow your business better than ever before

Conclusionamp Resources

ResourcesGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to FacebookGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to InstagramGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to TwitterGUIDE 11 Secrets to a Great Photography WebsiteGUIDE Creating a Successful Photography PortfolioGUIDE 10 Branding Secrets for PhotographersBLOG Developing a Better Photography Brand BLOG How This Photographer is Making Your LaughBLOG 10 Great Photographer PromosBLOG Tackling Google 3 Ways Photographers Can Improve Their SEOBLOG Building a Photo Brand From the Ground Up Tips From Art WolfeBLOG 4 Ways to Get More Work From Old ClientsVIDEO Tips amp Strategies To Grow Your Audience OnlineVIDEO Interview with Zack Arias If I Had to Start My Business Today VIDEO 11 Essential Tips for Freelance PhotographersTOOL Google AnalyticsTOOL Google Keyword PlannerTOOL Mad MimiTOOL Bitly

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 11: How to market your photography

13HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

ous photo blogs magazines or newspapers Link aggregator sites like Stumbleupon Digg and Reddit can also be a great way to get a large number of people talking about your photography very quickly

ON-PAGE CONTENT refers to the text that appears on your website On many photographer websites there is very limited text which is a problem from an SEO perspective As much as you might want your photography to ldquospeak for itselfrdquo you still need textual content to rank within search engines If you are a New York portrait photographer then ldquoNew York portrait photographerrdquo should appear on your website So should words and phrases that are similar in nature like ldquoI specialize in corporate and editorial portraiture in the New York and Tri-state areardquo Similarly your images need captions and titles and the more detail the better

Obviously you want your images to be front and center so use your ldquoAboutrdquo page or other pages to list the products you sell awards yoursquove won workshops you give etc

II

I Although there are many different factors that affect SEO we like to think of two main categories that you can focus on to simplify things

gtOn-page content gt Building links to your website

In an information rich society we are highly dependent on search engines to find what we are looking for whether itrsquos a local plumber or a portrait photographer in Des Moines You simply cannot drive enough traffic to your website by handing out business cards The goal of SEO is unsolicited trafficmdashpeople looking for your products and services without knowing who you are

Hopefully your website provider has automated much of the SEO techno-geek stuff for you This might include

gt unique page titles gtmeta description gt lth1gt (aka HTML headline tags) gt IMG alt attributes gtmicroformats gt sitemaps gt optimized page load times

Although there are countless factors that affect where you rank on a search engine here are two things among them that hold some of the greatest weight

BACKLINKS TO YOUR WEBSITE is arguably the most important factor in increasing your SEO Each link represents an ldquoendorsementrdquo and the number of links partially influences how much of your website will be indexed by the search engines and where you appear in search results The process of ldquobacklinkrdquo creation can seem like a very ambiguous task but in fact itrsquos quite simple There are two ways to build links 1) do it yourself or 2) get other people to link to your website

Maintaining a blog and a strong presence on social media networks are some of the easiest ways to link to yourself Each time you photograph something new create a gallery on your website then write a blog entry which links to that gallery Another tactic is to take advan-tage of profiles you can create with photography trade associations or community groups

Getting other people to link to you is a bit harder you need to have something on your site that makes them want to link to you Perhaps yoursquove worked on a long-term photo project that has some relevance right now You might pitch a gallery of images to vari-

DO THIS raquo Create a keyword ldquohitlistrdquo of 20-50 words that you want your website to rank for

Keywords are words and phrases that you think people might potentially search for to find your service For example if yoursquore a nature photographer based in Denver Colorado example keywords that you want your website to rank for might be ldquoDenver Nature Photographyrdquo ldquoColorado Nature Photographerrdquo ldquoNature Photographyrdquo etc

raquo Use your keyword list to inform website copy Google yourself and refine the keywords and phrases as your business and services or the language your specialty and industry uses changes

raquo Check these words against the Google Keyword Planner to determine whether they have appreciable search volume Modify your list accordingly

raquo Search each term to determine your online competition Use MajesticSEO to perform a backlink analysis to determine whether you can displace the competition

raquo Include as much metadata and description as you can to every image you publish online Be consistent with your tagging If you choose to forgo all image descriptions metadata and smart blog titles it can negatively impact your chances of being found (Metadata is informationmdashdatamdashstored within a digital image file) Not only does this help SEO it can help protect your images from theft and misuse

raquo Remember that ldquoinaction is actionrdquo Be active with your blog and website updates so that Google sees your content as fresh Regularly update your website and social media platforms By ignoring them yoursquore telling the search engines yoursquore not relevantmdashthe opposite effect yoursquore looking for to help improve where you rank on Google

2

1

14HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Get Social 4 Tips That Can Help You Succeed on Every Social Media Platform

ver 1 billion people use Facebook Twitter has over 600 million active registered users Insta-gram has over 200 million active monthly users

and LinkedIn comes in at 300 million Social media isnrsquot a fadmdashone could argue it is the glue that creates highly sticky user interaction on the web

Companies are amassing millions of users online with the ability to broadcast messages more frequently and more inexpensively than ever before Celebrities are communicating with fans news outlets are breaking stories and photographers are finding that they can en-ter the social conversation by simply tagging wedding guests in a Facebook album before the guests can or create a following on Instagram by sharing photos from a personal project

Wersquore not saying that every social media outlet will work for every photographer but therersquos enough real evidence to suggest that a strong social media campaign can translate into real marketing exposure and real rev-enue The key point to remember is that your website is not a daily destination for your customers On the other hand hundreds of millions of people login to Facebook daily so its important that you go where your customers already are The argument can be made that different specialities will use social media differentlymdashthatrsquos very true So going back to your understanding of your audience itrsquos a good idea to determine how your audience uses social media to follow photographers and identify new talent For instance if yoursquore a portrait photographer yoursquore probably focused on how you can best harness the social platforms to promote word of mouth Can you come

up with new Facebook strategies that get your clients sharing your images with other potential families and teens And if yoursquore a commercial or editorial photog-rapher maybe yoursquore more interested in using LinkedIn and Twitter to keep former clients and prospects aware of your latest work

Though every platform is different there are four key ldquorulesrdquo to consider to help you successfully showcase your brand on each

BE A PERSON

This is probably the most important rule of social media behavior in general You want to operate as you would in the real world This means you should refrain from constantly selling your services use language that is approachable and share content that is interesting If yoursquore not sure what constitutes interesting content ask yourself if yoursquod be inclined to like share or comment on that post if you saw it on your own Feed And remem-ber that social media is not a one-way street You are participating in a community which means you need to respond and reach out to others (as you would do in an offline conversation)

GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Give a behind-the-scenes look at your shoots the set-up the gear yourself shooting on location or even a sneak peak of a personal project youre working on This can give people an idea of how you work Also think about giving a shout-out to the people you worked with that day This shows yoursquore a team player and also en-courages those you tag to follow and share your work Fashion photographer Lara Jade does a great job at this Check out examples on her Twitter page here

1

2

15HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I

BE CONSISTENT

Itrsquos important to have a consistent voice when you post This means that the general tone content and visuals are recognizable and donrsquot feel random Regularly posting in this way will also let your audience know to expect content from you which will improve engagement

PICK THE RIGHT PHOTO

Whether yoursquore sharing on Twitter Facebook or Instagram you should share a photo that strengthens your voice (which yoursquove thought about and defined)mdashit adheres to your aesthetic by way of style or content etc and shows off work you love We recom-mend sharing at least one photo per day If youre having trouble choosing a photo try to find one that evokes some type of emotion in yourself Chances are it will also have an effect on others as well

Also to help increase your visibility and reach on platforms do this

gt Like or follow pages or feeds from leading photo blogs and other photogra-phers you admire Keep in mind that once you like or follow their accounts

3

4

their content will start to appear in your Feed When you see a post that you think might interest your audience share retweet or comment

gt Sign up for newsletters and subscribe to RSS feeds Some examples include Pro Photo Daily or PDN That way you wonrsquot miss posts from publications and industry thought leaders that are most important to you A service like Feedly or Flipboard will also let you aggregate your favorite blogs in one spot so you can quickly skim for interesting news and updates and then share with your networks

gt Let people know yoursquove shared their work If you share content without using the share or retweet function (so instead by simply linking to an article resource or gallery) consider shooting that blogger an email or message to let them know that yoursquore helping spread their content People appreciate when you help them share their news and taking a quick mo-ment to let them know may make them more likely to share your own content one day

Instagram Photo by Travel Photographer Pei KetronLara Jades Twitter

16HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Want some examples of photographers succeeding with social media Check out a few that we love following on Facebook Twitter amp Instagram

FacebookLisa DevlinJohn KeatelyCorey RichBrooke ShadenBrian Smith

TwitterZack AriasEunique Jones GibsonLucas GilmanLara JadeKen KamineskyMelissa Lyttle

InstagramBrooke DombrowskiTim LandisBrad ManginLandon NordemanAdrienne Pitts

And be sure to check out our latest guides with resources and tips to help you amp up your social presence The Photographerrsquos Guide to Facebook The Photographerrsquos Guide to Twitter and The Photographerrsquos Guide to Instagram

17HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

or a photographer your blog is not just a place to dump links and post photos Your blog is a marketing tool and can be a very effective one

at that The captive online audience is vast comprised of prospective clients photographers looking to learn gear enthusiasts and many other consumers who are actively searching for services like yours

To maximize the flavor potential of your blog you need to reach people with similar tastes Connecting with the right audience starts with a targeted content strategy

ESTABLISHING YOUR BLOGrsquoS BRANDYour portfolio site design how you communicate with clients your logos your deliverables your lighting technique your field of photography ndash all of these elements define your personal brand Your blogrsquos 1 purpose should be to extend this brand

For example if you frequently work with corporate cli-ents your community would not respond well to pro-fanity-laden rants (In general this is a bad idea) But take time to think about who your audience is and what tone and style of writing would resonate best with them

There are multiple points of entry for building a suc-cessful blog Whether you choose the provocative route the educational route the anecdotal route among many others your strategic choices should reflect your brand

TARGETING YOUR AUDIENCE Your brand can also help identify your target audience Like any marketing push it will pay to know who the readers are

PART II

How to Blog Better

You should always strive to create content that attracts and sustains the attention of this audience Not only will this help focus the content strategy but also the needs and prac-tices of your targeted audience will inform how you blog

For example when establishing her company Major Multimedia photographer and multimedia producer Lauren Major wanted to target the nonprofit and so-cial good sector Once she narrowed her target audi-ence she was able to research their online activity and create content that would specifically appeal to the social good user

Photographers who run workshops will often cater the writing on their blog to other photographers This helps establish them as ldquoexpertsrdquo as well as speak directly to prospective attendees and students A blog can also help photographers continue a dialogue with current and former clients as well as attract potential new ones

Additionally alternative and edgy UK wedding pho-tographer Lisa Devlin has branded herself as the go-to photographer for all weddings off-the-beating path She uses her blog to showcase the non-traditional thread

18HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I between her clients to help reinforce her expertise and niche in this space

The more targeted your marketing efforts the more suc-cessful you will be at converting customers

GENERATING SALESYour blog can also function quite well as an indirect marketing tool for your brand including directly trans-lating into image sales or other revenue opportunities

If part of your business includes selling workshops your blog content should target the consumer who might be in-terested in your specific workshop Blog posts should em-phasize your expertise in your field and show who you are as a teacher and a photographer For example nature pho-tographer Greg Basco of Deep Green Photography sells nature photography workshops in Costa Rica through his website The ldquoBehind the Lensrdquo series on his blog shows images captured in the field and explains the technique and story behind getting the shot Gregrsquos tours now sell out quickly after being announced

You may also want to sell products through your web-site or directly on your blog The content should support why a consumer should buy this product from you and even show the value of the product

MANAGING YOUR BLOGGING WORKFLOWAfter you choose the best platform for you and identify your target audience you may find yourself about to hit the ldquoNow whatrdquo panic button If you do not have a plan for your workflow a blog can quickly become a burden But you can easily skip ahead of the whole overwhelming part of blogging by developing an effective workflow system

Here are a few tips to help tailor a system for your workflow

ORGANIZE YOUR IDEAS

An effective content strategy relies on careful planning If your blogging strategy is to wait for ideas first you will likely end up with an inconsistent blog and a con-stant feeling of pressure to come up with new topics If you blog every thought that pops into your head you risk burying the quality content with the extraneous stuffmdashand confusing your audience

Start a spreadsheet Google Doc or journal devoted exclu-sively to ideas for potential blog posts If you have a mo-ment of inspiration jot it down or type it up You may nev-er use half of the ideas or may take one thought in a totally different direction but keeping a list of thoughts will take the pressure off coming up with something to write about on the spotmdashand it will help you manage your workflow

CREATE TOPIC CATEGORIES

Have an understanding of the areas that you want to cover on your blog Think through questions like

gtDo you want to write at least one gear review a week gtDo you want to feature an interview with an industry professional once a month gtDo you want to have a video blog series

You donrsquot have to decide every area of interest before you start your blog and based on your audiencersquos re-sponse the topics you write about may evolve Having a few target areas in your pocket will help you focus your idea stream and keep the blog clear and on brand For inspiration check out the next page for 7 ideas to help inspire you when writing blog posts

MAKE A CALENDAR AND STICK TO IT

Is it realistic for you to blog everyday Probably not and it might not be smart for you to do it either Just make

1

2

3

sure you have a plan for when you want to blog It does not necessarily have to be a set number either The key is to be consistent so your followers can expect and look forward to your posts If yoursquore a wedding photographer your blogging strategy might involve doing a post after every wedding Even if your blogging pattern follows gigs having a set deadline will help you stay consistent (ie never wait more than 72 hours to publish a post about a job) and meet audience expectations

The best way to stay on top of your self-made blogging deadlines is to keep a calendar exclusively for your blog It could contain upcoming shoots and personal events or you could plan each month out specifically based on what you will be posting about on a given day Looking at an upcoming calendar will help you manage the time you need to complete each desired blog post and may also provide you with new or thematic inspiration

HAVE AN RSS FEED

Your idea diary not cutting it for you Keep an RSS feed like Feedly of photography blogs that inspire you blogs of prospective clients the musings of your competitors andor the Twitter feed of your favorite vendor An RSS feed consolidates all of the sites and accounts your go-to for inspiration into one place which will help cut down on time spent going between each sitemdashand the dis-tractions Internet surfing can bring

MANAGE YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS

If writing does not come easily to you and you cannot in-vest the resources into outsourcing the work travel pho-tographer Matt Brandon advises setting boundaries for yourself Writing can easily consume your day and setting unreasonable expectations as to what you can accomplish is setting yourself up to fail

Set goals you know you can meet The great thing about blogs is they are totally malleable If you dis-

4

5

19HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I cover you love blogging and can ramp up your pro-duction as long as itrsquos in-tune with your target audi-encemdashgo for it But if you try to do and say too much right out of the gate you may be shooting yourself in the foot Building an audience can take time so set up a sustainable workflow system for yourself that can support the process

7 BLOG TOPICS TO INSPIRE YOUHere are 7 ideas off the bat to inspire you when plan-ning out your blog posts

TOP 10 LISTS

Top 10 list (or top 9 top 7 etc) are highly clickable and easy to share ndash a list provides quick easily understood context for exactly what the reader will find in your blog post Added bonus lists donrsquot need to be copy-heavy or heavily researched Go ahead and give your own opinion on the 5 female photographers who changed the indus-try and watch the hits roll in

STIR THE POT

If yoursquore not afraid to ruffle a few feathers bucking tradition or authority with a controversial statement is a great way to get the community buzzing How-ever donrsquot just say something provocative for the sake of getting a rise out of people It is better to put forth your opinion on a topic about which you genuinely have something to say and back that statement up with facts and illustrative examples Prepare yourself for a helping of haters and make sure to respond to naysayers with the same intelligent clarity with which you crafted the article

WRITE A REVIEW

Clearly there is no shortage of photography gear re-views on the Internet That should not discourage you from writing one yourself Many photographers carve

out a niche for themselves based on their reviews It might be what you say it might be how you say it but if you write a great gear review someone will definitely be reading

COMPILE RESOURCES

Everyone loves to discover that all the information they need on a topic already exists in one place If you donrsquot mind doing a little legwork then try assembling a specific relevant list of online resources This may be a particularly useful option for photographers who do not consider themselves strong writersmdasha resource list is more about supporting the topic and writing need not be heavily involved

CROWDSOURCE COMMENTARY

In a recent PhotoShelter blog post we asked four ma-jor photo editors from Rolling Stone The New Yorker Vogue Italia and Esquirecom how theyre using Insta-gram to develop new talent Their responses are here As a photographer consider sourcing your colleagues posing a question to your readers or blasting your social media platforms No matter the route you will end up with content created for you that also proves to your community that you value their opinion

INTERVIEW PEOPLE SMARTER THAN YOU

The world is full of smart interesting people with an experienced viewpoint An interview with them can add depth to an issue and will likely bring new people to your blog that might not have found it oth-erwise You could also email a photographer whose work you admire or a prospective client that yoursquod love to work with one day As long as the interview is not a thinly veiled request for work promoting them with an interview on your blog will at least get you on a few radars

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Behind-the-scenes content usually resonates well with an audience especially photographers who love to learn the story behind an image Practically any photo assign-ment yoursquove done has the potential to become a behind-the-scenes blog

20HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Three Easy Steps to Use Email Marketing to Your AdvantageBy Mira Mad Mimi email newsletter coach

hether yoursquore looking to sell more prints or book more photography sessions email marketing is an efficient low-cost way to build up your client

base As an email newsletter coach at Mad Mimimdasha simple lovely email servicemdashI help lots of photographers reach a wider audience While our collective superpower at Mad Mimi is email marketing (as nerdy as that is) many of us are aspiring photographers as well so Irsquom thrilled to share these tips with you

STEP ONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EMAIL MEDIUMUSE A BONAFIDE EMAIL MARKETING PLATFORM If yoursquore a PhotoShop whiz you may be tempted to build an email in that formatmdashimages and text included But image-only emails tend to have worse reader engagement and inbox delivery rates To ensure that your emails get delivered and opened use a tool designed for creating marketing emails Both people and inbox robots will be able to understand this format Mad Mimi is a great option for photographers Here are a few photographers using our service

Jennifer Clare PhotographyDana Smith PhotographyHeather Evans Smith Photography

ALWAYS LINK Include at least one link in each email you send Itrsquos easy to turn any text or image into a clickable link Before you send preview your email as your recipients will see it Links ldquoabove the foldrdquo of the screen perform better than links readers must scroll down to see What to link to Think about linking out to your website a specific photography portfolio a recent blog post or even one of your social networks if yoursquore trying to grow your following

21HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE VISITS TO YOUR WEBSITE Get folks out of the email and onto your site Thatrsquos where they can have a richer viewing experience learn more about your photography and potentially make a purchase or email you to inquire about your services The point of your email is to invite them to engage with youmdashhopefully on your site

If you use Google Analytics to measure your web traffic you may be able to see how many visits come from your email newsletters (this depends on your email platform Mad Mimi integrates with Google Analytics)

STEP TWO BE YOUR SHINY SELFDONrsquoT BE AFRAID OF MINIMALISM Let your photography communicate on its own in your emailsmdashjust as you would in another medium Showcase your photographs with lovely wide image modules Even one image alone can make a powerful impact

KEEP YOUR TEXT SHORT Email can be a very intimate (and interactive) environment Donrsquot distract your recipients with too much content Simple emails get shared Make sure you can answer the question ldquoWhy am I sending this emailrdquo If your own answer is muddled or hidden in the text you will struggle to engage

SPEAK YOUR OWN STYLE Design your emails to reflect the personality of your brand The colors fonts and layouts you use should reinforce the branding on your website and complement (rather than compete with) your photography

MAXIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL REACH Find new fans by maximizing the shareability of your emails Not into Twitter So what Some of your photography fans probably love it So make it easy for your fans friends and family to share your emails on their favorite social networks

Many email platforms (including Mad Mimi) let you include social sharing buttons in your emails These allow your fans to share your email with just one click You can also include links to your own social profiles making it easy for readers to click right to your businessrsquo Facebook page for instance

STEP THREE BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR AUDIENCETHE GOLDEN RULE You wouldnrsquot load your photography prints into a T-shirt cannon and run up and down the street firing shots into peoplersquos dining rooms So donrsquot do

that in email either Be respectful of peoplersquos inboxes and be sure that yoursquore delivering relevant content to the right people At Mad Mimi we review your first email before it goes out and give you any technical tips or design feedback if needed

COLLECT SIGNUPS Practice permission-based marketing which means only sending to people who have opted in to receive your emails whether by using a signup form on your site signing up at an event or making a purchase Only send to people yoursquove interacted with recently (say the past 18 months) You donrsquot send your business card to your high school teachersmdashitrsquos essentially the same thing

Many email marketing platforms (including Mad Mimi) offer customizable signup forms and integrate with top third-party form builders

DONrsquoT SEND TOO MANY EMAILS Donrsquot send too few The ideal frequency depends on your audience Itrsquos worth thinking about why you are emailing your audiencemdashmight they hire you have they hired you do they just like your work Unless yoursquove segmented your list your audience probably includes a variety of people so keep that in mind when considering frequency

To find the best frequency for you we recommend a combination of going with your gut and testing You know your audience best Make decisions based on that but be willing to try new things Most email platforms offer stats reporting to help you gauge the effectiveness of your emails Check your stats and adjust accordingly

GIVE SOMETHING AWAY Itrsquos just true If you give people something for signing up they feel better about handing over their email address And you donrsquot JUST want their email addressmdashyou want their business Offering a coupon for a print or specialized content at signup is a great way to give your newsletter added perceived value

If yoursquore a bit more advanced drip campaigns are a great way to deliver free (or paid) stuff to people who sign up Whatrsquos a drip campaign Itrsquos a series of autoresponder emails You can use drip campaigns to deliver downloadable freebies welcome emails and coupons If yoursquore interested in sharing your expertise you can even use them to deliver photography e-courses Here are a few helpful blog posts on drip campaigns

5 Tips for Creating a Stellar Welcome Email Campaign6 (Incredible) Woman-Powered Drip Campaigns5 Tips for Gaining Subscribers with an Email Course21 Autoresponder Ideas to Grow Your Business

22HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I If you focus on these three steps yoursquoll be well on your way to increasing the reach of your photography business The Mad Mimi team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about getting started Email us at supportmadmimicom

23HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

arketing does not have to be your worst enemy but it does require you to carve out time and map out a gameplan Once you have a few strategies

in place - whether that be a workflow that includes post-ing to social networks blogging regularly or sending out a monthly newsletter - you will be more able to grow a strong presence online and establish awareness about your brand And remember before you start know cold what yoursquore providing and exactly who and where your target audience ismdashboth online and off If you can confidently define your target market then you will be in great shape to develop a strong marketing plan that can attract qual-ity clients and grow your business better than ever before

Conclusionamp Resources

ResourcesGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to FacebookGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to InstagramGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to TwitterGUIDE 11 Secrets to a Great Photography WebsiteGUIDE Creating a Successful Photography PortfolioGUIDE 10 Branding Secrets for PhotographersBLOG Developing a Better Photography Brand BLOG How This Photographer is Making Your LaughBLOG 10 Great Photographer PromosBLOG Tackling Google 3 Ways Photographers Can Improve Their SEOBLOG Building a Photo Brand From the Ground Up Tips From Art WolfeBLOG 4 Ways to Get More Work From Old ClientsVIDEO Tips amp Strategies To Grow Your Audience OnlineVIDEO Interview with Zack Arias If I Had to Start My Business Today VIDEO 11 Essential Tips for Freelance PhotographersTOOL Google AnalyticsTOOL Google Keyword PlannerTOOL Mad MimiTOOL Bitly

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 12: How to market your photography

14HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Get Social 4 Tips That Can Help You Succeed on Every Social Media Platform

ver 1 billion people use Facebook Twitter has over 600 million active registered users Insta-gram has over 200 million active monthly users

and LinkedIn comes in at 300 million Social media isnrsquot a fadmdashone could argue it is the glue that creates highly sticky user interaction on the web

Companies are amassing millions of users online with the ability to broadcast messages more frequently and more inexpensively than ever before Celebrities are communicating with fans news outlets are breaking stories and photographers are finding that they can en-ter the social conversation by simply tagging wedding guests in a Facebook album before the guests can or create a following on Instagram by sharing photos from a personal project

Wersquore not saying that every social media outlet will work for every photographer but therersquos enough real evidence to suggest that a strong social media campaign can translate into real marketing exposure and real rev-enue The key point to remember is that your website is not a daily destination for your customers On the other hand hundreds of millions of people login to Facebook daily so its important that you go where your customers already are The argument can be made that different specialities will use social media differentlymdashthatrsquos very true So going back to your understanding of your audience itrsquos a good idea to determine how your audience uses social media to follow photographers and identify new talent For instance if yoursquore a portrait photographer yoursquore probably focused on how you can best harness the social platforms to promote word of mouth Can you come

up with new Facebook strategies that get your clients sharing your images with other potential families and teens And if yoursquore a commercial or editorial photog-rapher maybe yoursquore more interested in using LinkedIn and Twitter to keep former clients and prospects aware of your latest work

Though every platform is different there are four key ldquorulesrdquo to consider to help you successfully showcase your brand on each

BE A PERSON

This is probably the most important rule of social media behavior in general You want to operate as you would in the real world This means you should refrain from constantly selling your services use language that is approachable and share content that is interesting If yoursquore not sure what constitutes interesting content ask yourself if yoursquod be inclined to like share or comment on that post if you saw it on your own Feed And remem-ber that social media is not a one-way street You are participating in a community which means you need to respond and reach out to others (as you would do in an offline conversation)

GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Give a behind-the-scenes look at your shoots the set-up the gear yourself shooting on location or even a sneak peak of a personal project youre working on This can give people an idea of how you work Also think about giving a shout-out to the people you worked with that day This shows yoursquore a team player and also en-courages those you tag to follow and share your work Fashion photographer Lara Jade does a great job at this Check out examples on her Twitter page here

1

2

15HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I

BE CONSISTENT

Itrsquos important to have a consistent voice when you post This means that the general tone content and visuals are recognizable and donrsquot feel random Regularly posting in this way will also let your audience know to expect content from you which will improve engagement

PICK THE RIGHT PHOTO

Whether yoursquore sharing on Twitter Facebook or Instagram you should share a photo that strengthens your voice (which yoursquove thought about and defined)mdashit adheres to your aesthetic by way of style or content etc and shows off work you love We recom-mend sharing at least one photo per day If youre having trouble choosing a photo try to find one that evokes some type of emotion in yourself Chances are it will also have an effect on others as well

Also to help increase your visibility and reach on platforms do this

gt Like or follow pages or feeds from leading photo blogs and other photogra-phers you admire Keep in mind that once you like or follow their accounts

3

4

their content will start to appear in your Feed When you see a post that you think might interest your audience share retweet or comment

gt Sign up for newsletters and subscribe to RSS feeds Some examples include Pro Photo Daily or PDN That way you wonrsquot miss posts from publications and industry thought leaders that are most important to you A service like Feedly or Flipboard will also let you aggregate your favorite blogs in one spot so you can quickly skim for interesting news and updates and then share with your networks

gt Let people know yoursquove shared their work If you share content without using the share or retweet function (so instead by simply linking to an article resource or gallery) consider shooting that blogger an email or message to let them know that yoursquore helping spread their content People appreciate when you help them share their news and taking a quick mo-ment to let them know may make them more likely to share your own content one day

Instagram Photo by Travel Photographer Pei KetronLara Jades Twitter

16HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Want some examples of photographers succeeding with social media Check out a few that we love following on Facebook Twitter amp Instagram

FacebookLisa DevlinJohn KeatelyCorey RichBrooke ShadenBrian Smith

TwitterZack AriasEunique Jones GibsonLucas GilmanLara JadeKen KamineskyMelissa Lyttle

InstagramBrooke DombrowskiTim LandisBrad ManginLandon NordemanAdrienne Pitts

And be sure to check out our latest guides with resources and tips to help you amp up your social presence The Photographerrsquos Guide to Facebook The Photographerrsquos Guide to Twitter and The Photographerrsquos Guide to Instagram

17HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

or a photographer your blog is not just a place to dump links and post photos Your blog is a marketing tool and can be a very effective one

at that The captive online audience is vast comprised of prospective clients photographers looking to learn gear enthusiasts and many other consumers who are actively searching for services like yours

To maximize the flavor potential of your blog you need to reach people with similar tastes Connecting with the right audience starts with a targeted content strategy

ESTABLISHING YOUR BLOGrsquoS BRANDYour portfolio site design how you communicate with clients your logos your deliverables your lighting technique your field of photography ndash all of these elements define your personal brand Your blogrsquos 1 purpose should be to extend this brand

For example if you frequently work with corporate cli-ents your community would not respond well to pro-fanity-laden rants (In general this is a bad idea) But take time to think about who your audience is and what tone and style of writing would resonate best with them

There are multiple points of entry for building a suc-cessful blog Whether you choose the provocative route the educational route the anecdotal route among many others your strategic choices should reflect your brand

TARGETING YOUR AUDIENCE Your brand can also help identify your target audience Like any marketing push it will pay to know who the readers are

PART II

How to Blog Better

You should always strive to create content that attracts and sustains the attention of this audience Not only will this help focus the content strategy but also the needs and prac-tices of your targeted audience will inform how you blog

For example when establishing her company Major Multimedia photographer and multimedia producer Lauren Major wanted to target the nonprofit and so-cial good sector Once she narrowed her target audi-ence she was able to research their online activity and create content that would specifically appeal to the social good user

Photographers who run workshops will often cater the writing on their blog to other photographers This helps establish them as ldquoexpertsrdquo as well as speak directly to prospective attendees and students A blog can also help photographers continue a dialogue with current and former clients as well as attract potential new ones

Additionally alternative and edgy UK wedding pho-tographer Lisa Devlin has branded herself as the go-to photographer for all weddings off-the-beating path She uses her blog to showcase the non-traditional thread

18HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I between her clients to help reinforce her expertise and niche in this space

The more targeted your marketing efforts the more suc-cessful you will be at converting customers

GENERATING SALESYour blog can also function quite well as an indirect marketing tool for your brand including directly trans-lating into image sales or other revenue opportunities

If part of your business includes selling workshops your blog content should target the consumer who might be in-terested in your specific workshop Blog posts should em-phasize your expertise in your field and show who you are as a teacher and a photographer For example nature pho-tographer Greg Basco of Deep Green Photography sells nature photography workshops in Costa Rica through his website The ldquoBehind the Lensrdquo series on his blog shows images captured in the field and explains the technique and story behind getting the shot Gregrsquos tours now sell out quickly after being announced

You may also want to sell products through your web-site or directly on your blog The content should support why a consumer should buy this product from you and even show the value of the product

MANAGING YOUR BLOGGING WORKFLOWAfter you choose the best platform for you and identify your target audience you may find yourself about to hit the ldquoNow whatrdquo panic button If you do not have a plan for your workflow a blog can quickly become a burden But you can easily skip ahead of the whole overwhelming part of blogging by developing an effective workflow system

Here are a few tips to help tailor a system for your workflow

ORGANIZE YOUR IDEAS

An effective content strategy relies on careful planning If your blogging strategy is to wait for ideas first you will likely end up with an inconsistent blog and a con-stant feeling of pressure to come up with new topics If you blog every thought that pops into your head you risk burying the quality content with the extraneous stuffmdashand confusing your audience

Start a spreadsheet Google Doc or journal devoted exclu-sively to ideas for potential blog posts If you have a mo-ment of inspiration jot it down or type it up You may nev-er use half of the ideas or may take one thought in a totally different direction but keeping a list of thoughts will take the pressure off coming up with something to write about on the spotmdashand it will help you manage your workflow

CREATE TOPIC CATEGORIES

Have an understanding of the areas that you want to cover on your blog Think through questions like

gtDo you want to write at least one gear review a week gtDo you want to feature an interview with an industry professional once a month gtDo you want to have a video blog series

You donrsquot have to decide every area of interest before you start your blog and based on your audiencersquos re-sponse the topics you write about may evolve Having a few target areas in your pocket will help you focus your idea stream and keep the blog clear and on brand For inspiration check out the next page for 7 ideas to help inspire you when writing blog posts

MAKE A CALENDAR AND STICK TO IT

Is it realistic for you to blog everyday Probably not and it might not be smart for you to do it either Just make

1

2

3

sure you have a plan for when you want to blog It does not necessarily have to be a set number either The key is to be consistent so your followers can expect and look forward to your posts If yoursquore a wedding photographer your blogging strategy might involve doing a post after every wedding Even if your blogging pattern follows gigs having a set deadline will help you stay consistent (ie never wait more than 72 hours to publish a post about a job) and meet audience expectations

The best way to stay on top of your self-made blogging deadlines is to keep a calendar exclusively for your blog It could contain upcoming shoots and personal events or you could plan each month out specifically based on what you will be posting about on a given day Looking at an upcoming calendar will help you manage the time you need to complete each desired blog post and may also provide you with new or thematic inspiration

HAVE AN RSS FEED

Your idea diary not cutting it for you Keep an RSS feed like Feedly of photography blogs that inspire you blogs of prospective clients the musings of your competitors andor the Twitter feed of your favorite vendor An RSS feed consolidates all of the sites and accounts your go-to for inspiration into one place which will help cut down on time spent going between each sitemdashand the dis-tractions Internet surfing can bring

MANAGE YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS

If writing does not come easily to you and you cannot in-vest the resources into outsourcing the work travel pho-tographer Matt Brandon advises setting boundaries for yourself Writing can easily consume your day and setting unreasonable expectations as to what you can accomplish is setting yourself up to fail

Set goals you know you can meet The great thing about blogs is they are totally malleable If you dis-

4

5

19HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I cover you love blogging and can ramp up your pro-duction as long as itrsquos in-tune with your target audi-encemdashgo for it But if you try to do and say too much right out of the gate you may be shooting yourself in the foot Building an audience can take time so set up a sustainable workflow system for yourself that can support the process

7 BLOG TOPICS TO INSPIRE YOUHere are 7 ideas off the bat to inspire you when plan-ning out your blog posts

TOP 10 LISTS

Top 10 list (or top 9 top 7 etc) are highly clickable and easy to share ndash a list provides quick easily understood context for exactly what the reader will find in your blog post Added bonus lists donrsquot need to be copy-heavy or heavily researched Go ahead and give your own opinion on the 5 female photographers who changed the indus-try and watch the hits roll in

STIR THE POT

If yoursquore not afraid to ruffle a few feathers bucking tradition or authority with a controversial statement is a great way to get the community buzzing How-ever donrsquot just say something provocative for the sake of getting a rise out of people It is better to put forth your opinion on a topic about which you genuinely have something to say and back that statement up with facts and illustrative examples Prepare yourself for a helping of haters and make sure to respond to naysayers with the same intelligent clarity with which you crafted the article

WRITE A REVIEW

Clearly there is no shortage of photography gear re-views on the Internet That should not discourage you from writing one yourself Many photographers carve

out a niche for themselves based on their reviews It might be what you say it might be how you say it but if you write a great gear review someone will definitely be reading

COMPILE RESOURCES

Everyone loves to discover that all the information they need on a topic already exists in one place If you donrsquot mind doing a little legwork then try assembling a specific relevant list of online resources This may be a particularly useful option for photographers who do not consider themselves strong writersmdasha resource list is more about supporting the topic and writing need not be heavily involved

CROWDSOURCE COMMENTARY

In a recent PhotoShelter blog post we asked four ma-jor photo editors from Rolling Stone The New Yorker Vogue Italia and Esquirecom how theyre using Insta-gram to develop new talent Their responses are here As a photographer consider sourcing your colleagues posing a question to your readers or blasting your social media platforms No matter the route you will end up with content created for you that also proves to your community that you value their opinion

INTERVIEW PEOPLE SMARTER THAN YOU

The world is full of smart interesting people with an experienced viewpoint An interview with them can add depth to an issue and will likely bring new people to your blog that might not have found it oth-erwise You could also email a photographer whose work you admire or a prospective client that yoursquod love to work with one day As long as the interview is not a thinly veiled request for work promoting them with an interview on your blog will at least get you on a few radars

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Behind-the-scenes content usually resonates well with an audience especially photographers who love to learn the story behind an image Practically any photo assign-ment yoursquove done has the potential to become a behind-the-scenes blog

20HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Three Easy Steps to Use Email Marketing to Your AdvantageBy Mira Mad Mimi email newsletter coach

hether yoursquore looking to sell more prints or book more photography sessions email marketing is an efficient low-cost way to build up your client

base As an email newsletter coach at Mad Mimimdasha simple lovely email servicemdashI help lots of photographers reach a wider audience While our collective superpower at Mad Mimi is email marketing (as nerdy as that is) many of us are aspiring photographers as well so Irsquom thrilled to share these tips with you

STEP ONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EMAIL MEDIUMUSE A BONAFIDE EMAIL MARKETING PLATFORM If yoursquore a PhotoShop whiz you may be tempted to build an email in that formatmdashimages and text included But image-only emails tend to have worse reader engagement and inbox delivery rates To ensure that your emails get delivered and opened use a tool designed for creating marketing emails Both people and inbox robots will be able to understand this format Mad Mimi is a great option for photographers Here are a few photographers using our service

Jennifer Clare PhotographyDana Smith PhotographyHeather Evans Smith Photography

ALWAYS LINK Include at least one link in each email you send Itrsquos easy to turn any text or image into a clickable link Before you send preview your email as your recipients will see it Links ldquoabove the foldrdquo of the screen perform better than links readers must scroll down to see What to link to Think about linking out to your website a specific photography portfolio a recent blog post or even one of your social networks if yoursquore trying to grow your following

21HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE VISITS TO YOUR WEBSITE Get folks out of the email and onto your site Thatrsquos where they can have a richer viewing experience learn more about your photography and potentially make a purchase or email you to inquire about your services The point of your email is to invite them to engage with youmdashhopefully on your site

If you use Google Analytics to measure your web traffic you may be able to see how many visits come from your email newsletters (this depends on your email platform Mad Mimi integrates with Google Analytics)

STEP TWO BE YOUR SHINY SELFDONrsquoT BE AFRAID OF MINIMALISM Let your photography communicate on its own in your emailsmdashjust as you would in another medium Showcase your photographs with lovely wide image modules Even one image alone can make a powerful impact

KEEP YOUR TEXT SHORT Email can be a very intimate (and interactive) environment Donrsquot distract your recipients with too much content Simple emails get shared Make sure you can answer the question ldquoWhy am I sending this emailrdquo If your own answer is muddled or hidden in the text you will struggle to engage

SPEAK YOUR OWN STYLE Design your emails to reflect the personality of your brand The colors fonts and layouts you use should reinforce the branding on your website and complement (rather than compete with) your photography

MAXIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL REACH Find new fans by maximizing the shareability of your emails Not into Twitter So what Some of your photography fans probably love it So make it easy for your fans friends and family to share your emails on their favorite social networks

Many email platforms (including Mad Mimi) let you include social sharing buttons in your emails These allow your fans to share your email with just one click You can also include links to your own social profiles making it easy for readers to click right to your businessrsquo Facebook page for instance

STEP THREE BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR AUDIENCETHE GOLDEN RULE You wouldnrsquot load your photography prints into a T-shirt cannon and run up and down the street firing shots into peoplersquos dining rooms So donrsquot do

that in email either Be respectful of peoplersquos inboxes and be sure that yoursquore delivering relevant content to the right people At Mad Mimi we review your first email before it goes out and give you any technical tips or design feedback if needed

COLLECT SIGNUPS Practice permission-based marketing which means only sending to people who have opted in to receive your emails whether by using a signup form on your site signing up at an event or making a purchase Only send to people yoursquove interacted with recently (say the past 18 months) You donrsquot send your business card to your high school teachersmdashitrsquos essentially the same thing

Many email marketing platforms (including Mad Mimi) offer customizable signup forms and integrate with top third-party form builders

DONrsquoT SEND TOO MANY EMAILS Donrsquot send too few The ideal frequency depends on your audience Itrsquos worth thinking about why you are emailing your audiencemdashmight they hire you have they hired you do they just like your work Unless yoursquove segmented your list your audience probably includes a variety of people so keep that in mind when considering frequency

To find the best frequency for you we recommend a combination of going with your gut and testing You know your audience best Make decisions based on that but be willing to try new things Most email platforms offer stats reporting to help you gauge the effectiveness of your emails Check your stats and adjust accordingly

GIVE SOMETHING AWAY Itrsquos just true If you give people something for signing up they feel better about handing over their email address And you donrsquot JUST want their email addressmdashyou want their business Offering a coupon for a print or specialized content at signup is a great way to give your newsletter added perceived value

If yoursquore a bit more advanced drip campaigns are a great way to deliver free (or paid) stuff to people who sign up Whatrsquos a drip campaign Itrsquos a series of autoresponder emails You can use drip campaigns to deliver downloadable freebies welcome emails and coupons If yoursquore interested in sharing your expertise you can even use them to deliver photography e-courses Here are a few helpful blog posts on drip campaigns

5 Tips for Creating a Stellar Welcome Email Campaign6 (Incredible) Woman-Powered Drip Campaigns5 Tips for Gaining Subscribers with an Email Course21 Autoresponder Ideas to Grow Your Business

22HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I If you focus on these three steps yoursquoll be well on your way to increasing the reach of your photography business The Mad Mimi team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about getting started Email us at supportmadmimicom

23HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

arketing does not have to be your worst enemy but it does require you to carve out time and map out a gameplan Once you have a few strategies

in place - whether that be a workflow that includes post-ing to social networks blogging regularly or sending out a monthly newsletter - you will be more able to grow a strong presence online and establish awareness about your brand And remember before you start know cold what yoursquore providing and exactly who and where your target audience ismdashboth online and off If you can confidently define your target market then you will be in great shape to develop a strong marketing plan that can attract qual-ity clients and grow your business better than ever before

Conclusionamp Resources

ResourcesGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to FacebookGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to InstagramGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to TwitterGUIDE 11 Secrets to a Great Photography WebsiteGUIDE Creating a Successful Photography PortfolioGUIDE 10 Branding Secrets for PhotographersBLOG Developing a Better Photography Brand BLOG How This Photographer is Making Your LaughBLOG 10 Great Photographer PromosBLOG Tackling Google 3 Ways Photographers Can Improve Their SEOBLOG Building a Photo Brand From the Ground Up Tips From Art WolfeBLOG 4 Ways to Get More Work From Old ClientsVIDEO Tips amp Strategies To Grow Your Audience OnlineVIDEO Interview with Zack Arias If I Had to Start My Business Today VIDEO 11 Essential Tips for Freelance PhotographersTOOL Google AnalyticsTOOL Google Keyword PlannerTOOL Mad MimiTOOL Bitly

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 13: How to market your photography

15HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I

BE CONSISTENT

Itrsquos important to have a consistent voice when you post This means that the general tone content and visuals are recognizable and donrsquot feel random Regularly posting in this way will also let your audience know to expect content from you which will improve engagement

PICK THE RIGHT PHOTO

Whether yoursquore sharing on Twitter Facebook or Instagram you should share a photo that strengthens your voice (which yoursquove thought about and defined)mdashit adheres to your aesthetic by way of style or content etc and shows off work you love We recom-mend sharing at least one photo per day If youre having trouble choosing a photo try to find one that evokes some type of emotion in yourself Chances are it will also have an effect on others as well

Also to help increase your visibility and reach on platforms do this

gt Like or follow pages or feeds from leading photo blogs and other photogra-phers you admire Keep in mind that once you like or follow their accounts

3

4

their content will start to appear in your Feed When you see a post that you think might interest your audience share retweet or comment

gt Sign up for newsletters and subscribe to RSS feeds Some examples include Pro Photo Daily or PDN That way you wonrsquot miss posts from publications and industry thought leaders that are most important to you A service like Feedly or Flipboard will also let you aggregate your favorite blogs in one spot so you can quickly skim for interesting news and updates and then share with your networks

gt Let people know yoursquove shared their work If you share content without using the share or retweet function (so instead by simply linking to an article resource or gallery) consider shooting that blogger an email or message to let them know that yoursquore helping spread their content People appreciate when you help them share their news and taking a quick mo-ment to let them know may make them more likely to share your own content one day

Instagram Photo by Travel Photographer Pei KetronLara Jades Twitter

16HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Want some examples of photographers succeeding with social media Check out a few that we love following on Facebook Twitter amp Instagram

FacebookLisa DevlinJohn KeatelyCorey RichBrooke ShadenBrian Smith

TwitterZack AriasEunique Jones GibsonLucas GilmanLara JadeKen KamineskyMelissa Lyttle

InstagramBrooke DombrowskiTim LandisBrad ManginLandon NordemanAdrienne Pitts

And be sure to check out our latest guides with resources and tips to help you amp up your social presence The Photographerrsquos Guide to Facebook The Photographerrsquos Guide to Twitter and The Photographerrsquos Guide to Instagram

17HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

or a photographer your blog is not just a place to dump links and post photos Your blog is a marketing tool and can be a very effective one

at that The captive online audience is vast comprised of prospective clients photographers looking to learn gear enthusiasts and many other consumers who are actively searching for services like yours

To maximize the flavor potential of your blog you need to reach people with similar tastes Connecting with the right audience starts with a targeted content strategy

ESTABLISHING YOUR BLOGrsquoS BRANDYour portfolio site design how you communicate with clients your logos your deliverables your lighting technique your field of photography ndash all of these elements define your personal brand Your blogrsquos 1 purpose should be to extend this brand

For example if you frequently work with corporate cli-ents your community would not respond well to pro-fanity-laden rants (In general this is a bad idea) But take time to think about who your audience is and what tone and style of writing would resonate best with them

There are multiple points of entry for building a suc-cessful blog Whether you choose the provocative route the educational route the anecdotal route among many others your strategic choices should reflect your brand

TARGETING YOUR AUDIENCE Your brand can also help identify your target audience Like any marketing push it will pay to know who the readers are

PART II

How to Blog Better

You should always strive to create content that attracts and sustains the attention of this audience Not only will this help focus the content strategy but also the needs and prac-tices of your targeted audience will inform how you blog

For example when establishing her company Major Multimedia photographer and multimedia producer Lauren Major wanted to target the nonprofit and so-cial good sector Once she narrowed her target audi-ence she was able to research their online activity and create content that would specifically appeal to the social good user

Photographers who run workshops will often cater the writing on their blog to other photographers This helps establish them as ldquoexpertsrdquo as well as speak directly to prospective attendees and students A blog can also help photographers continue a dialogue with current and former clients as well as attract potential new ones

Additionally alternative and edgy UK wedding pho-tographer Lisa Devlin has branded herself as the go-to photographer for all weddings off-the-beating path She uses her blog to showcase the non-traditional thread

18HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I between her clients to help reinforce her expertise and niche in this space

The more targeted your marketing efforts the more suc-cessful you will be at converting customers

GENERATING SALESYour blog can also function quite well as an indirect marketing tool for your brand including directly trans-lating into image sales or other revenue opportunities

If part of your business includes selling workshops your blog content should target the consumer who might be in-terested in your specific workshop Blog posts should em-phasize your expertise in your field and show who you are as a teacher and a photographer For example nature pho-tographer Greg Basco of Deep Green Photography sells nature photography workshops in Costa Rica through his website The ldquoBehind the Lensrdquo series on his blog shows images captured in the field and explains the technique and story behind getting the shot Gregrsquos tours now sell out quickly after being announced

You may also want to sell products through your web-site or directly on your blog The content should support why a consumer should buy this product from you and even show the value of the product

MANAGING YOUR BLOGGING WORKFLOWAfter you choose the best platform for you and identify your target audience you may find yourself about to hit the ldquoNow whatrdquo panic button If you do not have a plan for your workflow a blog can quickly become a burden But you can easily skip ahead of the whole overwhelming part of blogging by developing an effective workflow system

Here are a few tips to help tailor a system for your workflow

ORGANIZE YOUR IDEAS

An effective content strategy relies on careful planning If your blogging strategy is to wait for ideas first you will likely end up with an inconsistent blog and a con-stant feeling of pressure to come up with new topics If you blog every thought that pops into your head you risk burying the quality content with the extraneous stuffmdashand confusing your audience

Start a spreadsheet Google Doc or journal devoted exclu-sively to ideas for potential blog posts If you have a mo-ment of inspiration jot it down or type it up You may nev-er use half of the ideas or may take one thought in a totally different direction but keeping a list of thoughts will take the pressure off coming up with something to write about on the spotmdashand it will help you manage your workflow

CREATE TOPIC CATEGORIES

Have an understanding of the areas that you want to cover on your blog Think through questions like

gtDo you want to write at least one gear review a week gtDo you want to feature an interview with an industry professional once a month gtDo you want to have a video blog series

You donrsquot have to decide every area of interest before you start your blog and based on your audiencersquos re-sponse the topics you write about may evolve Having a few target areas in your pocket will help you focus your idea stream and keep the blog clear and on brand For inspiration check out the next page for 7 ideas to help inspire you when writing blog posts

MAKE A CALENDAR AND STICK TO IT

Is it realistic for you to blog everyday Probably not and it might not be smart for you to do it either Just make

1

2

3

sure you have a plan for when you want to blog It does not necessarily have to be a set number either The key is to be consistent so your followers can expect and look forward to your posts If yoursquore a wedding photographer your blogging strategy might involve doing a post after every wedding Even if your blogging pattern follows gigs having a set deadline will help you stay consistent (ie never wait more than 72 hours to publish a post about a job) and meet audience expectations

The best way to stay on top of your self-made blogging deadlines is to keep a calendar exclusively for your blog It could contain upcoming shoots and personal events or you could plan each month out specifically based on what you will be posting about on a given day Looking at an upcoming calendar will help you manage the time you need to complete each desired blog post and may also provide you with new or thematic inspiration

HAVE AN RSS FEED

Your idea diary not cutting it for you Keep an RSS feed like Feedly of photography blogs that inspire you blogs of prospective clients the musings of your competitors andor the Twitter feed of your favorite vendor An RSS feed consolidates all of the sites and accounts your go-to for inspiration into one place which will help cut down on time spent going between each sitemdashand the dis-tractions Internet surfing can bring

MANAGE YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS

If writing does not come easily to you and you cannot in-vest the resources into outsourcing the work travel pho-tographer Matt Brandon advises setting boundaries for yourself Writing can easily consume your day and setting unreasonable expectations as to what you can accomplish is setting yourself up to fail

Set goals you know you can meet The great thing about blogs is they are totally malleable If you dis-

4

5

19HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I cover you love blogging and can ramp up your pro-duction as long as itrsquos in-tune with your target audi-encemdashgo for it But if you try to do and say too much right out of the gate you may be shooting yourself in the foot Building an audience can take time so set up a sustainable workflow system for yourself that can support the process

7 BLOG TOPICS TO INSPIRE YOUHere are 7 ideas off the bat to inspire you when plan-ning out your blog posts

TOP 10 LISTS

Top 10 list (or top 9 top 7 etc) are highly clickable and easy to share ndash a list provides quick easily understood context for exactly what the reader will find in your blog post Added bonus lists donrsquot need to be copy-heavy or heavily researched Go ahead and give your own opinion on the 5 female photographers who changed the indus-try and watch the hits roll in

STIR THE POT

If yoursquore not afraid to ruffle a few feathers bucking tradition or authority with a controversial statement is a great way to get the community buzzing How-ever donrsquot just say something provocative for the sake of getting a rise out of people It is better to put forth your opinion on a topic about which you genuinely have something to say and back that statement up with facts and illustrative examples Prepare yourself for a helping of haters and make sure to respond to naysayers with the same intelligent clarity with which you crafted the article

WRITE A REVIEW

Clearly there is no shortage of photography gear re-views on the Internet That should not discourage you from writing one yourself Many photographers carve

out a niche for themselves based on their reviews It might be what you say it might be how you say it but if you write a great gear review someone will definitely be reading

COMPILE RESOURCES

Everyone loves to discover that all the information they need on a topic already exists in one place If you donrsquot mind doing a little legwork then try assembling a specific relevant list of online resources This may be a particularly useful option for photographers who do not consider themselves strong writersmdasha resource list is more about supporting the topic and writing need not be heavily involved

CROWDSOURCE COMMENTARY

In a recent PhotoShelter blog post we asked four ma-jor photo editors from Rolling Stone The New Yorker Vogue Italia and Esquirecom how theyre using Insta-gram to develop new talent Their responses are here As a photographer consider sourcing your colleagues posing a question to your readers or blasting your social media platforms No matter the route you will end up with content created for you that also proves to your community that you value their opinion

INTERVIEW PEOPLE SMARTER THAN YOU

The world is full of smart interesting people with an experienced viewpoint An interview with them can add depth to an issue and will likely bring new people to your blog that might not have found it oth-erwise You could also email a photographer whose work you admire or a prospective client that yoursquod love to work with one day As long as the interview is not a thinly veiled request for work promoting them with an interview on your blog will at least get you on a few radars

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Behind-the-scenes content usually resonates well with an audience especially photographers who love to learn the story behind an image Practically any photo assign-ment yoursquove done has the potential to become a behind-the-scenes blog

20HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Three Easy Steps to Use Email Marketing to Your AdvantageBy Mira Mad Mimi email newsletter coach

hether yoursquore looking to sell more prints or book more photography sessions email marketing is an efficient low-cost way to build up your client

base As an email newsletter coach at Mad Mimimdasha simple lovely email servicemdashI help lots of photographers reach a wider audience While our collective superpower at Mad Mimi is email marketing (as nerdy as that is) many of us are aspiring photographers as well so Irsquom thrilled to share these tips with you

STEP ONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EMAIL MEDIUMUSE A BONAFIDE EMAIL MARKETING PLATFORM If yoursquore a PhotoShop whiz you may be tempted to build an email in that formatmdashimages and text included But image-only emails tend to have worse reader engagement and inbox delivery rates To ensure that your emails get delivered and opened use a tool designed for creating marketing emails Both people and inbox robots will be able to understand this format Mad Mimi is a great option for photographers Here are a few photographers using our service

Jennifer Clare PhotographyDana Smith PhotographyHeather Evans Smith Photography

ALWAYS LINK Include at least one link in each email you send Itrsquos easy to turn any text or image into a clickable link Before you send preview your email as your recipients will see it Links ldquoabove the foldrdquo of the screen perform better than links readers must scroll down to see What to link to Think about linking out to your website a specific photography portfolio a recent blog post or even one of your social networks if yoursquore trying to grow your following

21HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE VISITS TO YOUR WEBSITE Get folks out of the email and onto your site Thatrsquos where they can have a richer viewing experience learn more about your photography and potentially make a purchase or email you to inquire about your services The point of your email is to invite them to engage with youmdashhopefully on your site

If you use Google Analytics to measure your web traffic you may be able to see how many visits come from your email newsletters (this depends on your email platform Mad Mimi integrates with Google Analytics)

STEP TWO BE YOUR SHINY SELFDONrsquoT BE AFRAID OF MINIMALISM Let your photography communicate on its own in your emailsmdashjust as you would in another medium Showcase your photographs with lovely wide image modules Even one image alone can make a powerful impact

KEEP YOUR TEXT SHORT Email can be a very intimate (and interactive) environment Donrsquot distract your recipients with too much content Simple emails get shared Make sure you can answer the question ldquoWhy am I sending this emailrdquo If your own answer is muddled or hidden in the text you will struggle to engage

SPEAK YOUR OWN STYLE Design your emails to reflect the personality of your brand The colors fonts and layouts you use should reinforce the branding on your website and complement (rather than compete with) your photography

MAXIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL REACH Find new fans by maximizing the shareability of your emails Not into Twitter So what Some of your photography fans probably love it So make it easy for your fans friends and family to share your emails on their favorite social networks

Many email platforms (including Mad Mimi) let you include social sharing buttons in your emails These allow your fans to share your email with just one click You can also include links to your own social profiles making it easy for readers to click right to your businessrsquo Facebook page for instance

STEP THREE BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR AUDIENCETHE GOLDEN RULE You wouldnrsquot load your photography prints into a T-shirt cannon and run up and down the street firing shots into peoplersquos dining rooms So donrsquot do

that in email either Be respectful of peoplersquos inboxes and be sure that yoursquore delivering relevant content to the right people At Mad Mimi we review your first email before it goes out and give you any technical tips or design feedback if needed

COLLECT SIGNUPS Practice permission-based marketing which means only sending to people who have opted in to receive your emails whether by using a signup form on your site signing up at an event or making a purchase Only send to people yoursquove interacted with recently (say the past 18 months) You donrsquot send your business card to your high school teachersmdashitrsquos essentially the same thing

Many email marketing platforms (including Mad Mimi) offer customizable signup forms and integrate with top third-party form builders

DONrsquoT SEND TOO MANY EMAILS Donrsquot send too few The ideal frequency depends on your audience Itrsquos worth thinking about why you are emailing your audiencemdashmight they hire you have they hired you do they just like your work Unless yoursquove segmented your list your audience probably includes a variety of people so keep that in mind when considering frequency

To find the best frequency for you we recommend a combination of going with your gut and testing You know your audience best Make decisions based on that but be willing to try new things Most email platforms offer stats reporting to help you gauge the effectiveness of your emails Check your stats and adjust accordingly

GIVE SOMETHING AWAY Itrsquos just true If you give people something for signing up they feel better about handing over their email address And you donrsquot JUST want their email addressmdashyou want their business Offering a coupon for a print or specialized content at signup is a great way to give your newsletter added perceived value

If yoursquore a bit more advanced drip campaigns are a great way to deliver free (or paid) stuff to people who sign up Whatrsquos a drip campaign Itrsquos a series of autoresponder emails You can use drip campaigns to deliver downloadable freebies welcome emails and coupons If yoursquore interested in sharing your expertise you can even use them to deliver photography e-courses Here are a few helpful blog posts on drip campaigns

5 Tips for Creating a Stellar Welcome Email Campaign6 (Incredible) Woman-Powered Drip Campaigns5 Tips for Gaining Subscribers with an Email Course21 Autoresponder Ideas to Grow Your Business

22HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I If you focus on these three steps yoursquoll be well on your way to increasing the reach of your photography business The Mad Mimi team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about getting started Email us at supportmadmimicom

23HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

arketing does not have to be your worst enemy but it does require you to carve out time and map out a gameplan Once you have a few strategies

in place - whether that be a workflow that includes post-ing to social networks blogging regularly or sending out a monthly newsletter - you will be more able to grow a strong presence online and establish awareness about your brand And remember before you start know cold what yoursquore providing and exactly who and where your target audience ismdashboth online and off If you can confidently define your target market then you will be in great shape to develop a strong marketing plan that can attract qual-ity clients and grow your business better than ever before

Conclusionamp Resources

ResourcesGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to FacebookGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to InstagramGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to TwitterGUIDE 11 Secrets to a Great Photography WebsiteGUIDE Creating a Successful Photography PortfolioGUIDE 10 Branding Secrets for PhotographersBLOG Developing a Better Photography Brand BLOG How This Photographer is Making Your LaughBLOG 10 Great Photographer PromosBLOG Tackling Google 3 Ways Photographers Can Improve Their SEOBLOG Building a Photo Brand From the Ground Up Tips From Art WolfeBLOG 4 Ways to Get More Work From Old ClientsVIDEO Tips amp Strategies To Grow Your Audience OnlineVIDEO Interview with Zack Arias If I Had to Start My Business Today VIDEO 11 Essential Tips for Freelance PhotographersTOOL Google AnalyticsTOOL Google Keyword PlannerTOOL Mad MimiTOOL Bitly

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 14: How to market your photography

16HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I Want some examples of photographers succeeding with social media Check out a few that we love following on Facebook Twitter amp Instagram

FacebookLisa DevlinJohn KeatelyCorey RichBrooke ShadenBrian Smith

TwitterZack AriasEunique Jones GibsonLucas GilmanLara JadeKen KamineskyMelissa Lyttle

InstagramBrooke DombrowskiTim LandisBrad ManginLandon NordemanAdrienne Pitts

And be sure to check out our latest guides with resources and tips to help you amp up your social presence The Photographerrsquos Guide to Facebook The Photographerrsquos Guide to Twitter and The Photographerrsquos Guide to Instagram

17HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

or a photographer your blog is not just a place to dump links and post photos Your blog is a marketing tool and can be a very effective one

at that The captive online audience is vast comprised of prospective clients photographers looking to learn gear enthusiasts and many other consumers who are actively searching for services like yours

To maximize the flavor potential of your blog you need to reach people with similar tastes Connecting with the right audience starts with a targeted content strategy

ESTABLISHING YOUR BLOGrsquoS BRANDYour portfolio site design how you communicate with clients your logos your deliverables your lighting technique your field of photography ndash all of these elements define your personal brand Your blogrsquos 1 purpose should be to extend this brand

For example if you frequently work with corporate cli-ents your community would not respond well to pro-fanity-laden rants (In general this is a bad idea) But take time to think about who your audience is and what tone and style of writing would resonate best with them

There are multiple points of entry for building a suc-cessful blog Whether you choose the provocative route the educational route the anecdotal route among many others your strategic choices should reflect your brand

TARGETING YOUR AUDIENCE Your brand can also help identify your target audience Like any marketing push it will pay to know who the readers are

PART II

How to Blog Better

You should always strive to create content that attracts and sustains the attention of this audience Not only will this help focus the content strategy but also the needs and prac-tices of your targeted audience will inform how you blog

For example when establishing her company Major Multimedia photographer and multimedia producer Lauren Major wanted to target the nonprofit and so-cial good sector Once she narrowed her target audi-ence she was able to research their online activity and create content that would specifically appeal to the social good user

Photographers who run workshops will often cater the writing on their blog to other photographers This helps establish them as ldquoexpertsrdquo as well as speak directly to prospective attendees and students A blog can also help photographers continue a dialogue with current and former clients as well as attract potential new ones

Additionally alternative and edgy UK wedding pho-tographer Lisa Devlin has branded herself as the go-to photographer for all weddings off-the-beating path She uses her blog to showcase the non-traditional thread

18HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I between her clients to help reinforce her expertise and niche in this space

The more targeted your marketing efforts the more suc-cessful you will be at converting customers

GENERATING SALESYour blog can also function quite well as an indirect marketing tool for your brand including directly trans-lating into image sales or other revenue opportunities

If part of your business includes selling workshops your blog content should target the consumer who might be in-terested in your specific workshop Blog posts should em-phasize your expertise in your field and show who you are as a teacher and a photographer For example nature pho-tographer Greg Basco of Deep Green Photography sells nature photography workshops in Costa Rica through his website The ldquoBehind the Lensrdquo series on his blog shows images captured in the field and explains the technique and story behind getting the shot Gregrsquos tours now sell out quickly after being announced

You may also want to sell products through your web-site or directly on your blog The content should support why a consumer should buy this product from you and even show the value of the product

MANAGING YOUR BLOGGING WORKFLOWAfter you choose the best platform for you and identify your target audience you may find yourself about to hit the ldquoNow whatrdquo panic button If you do not have a plan for your workflow a blog can quickly become a burden But you can easily skip ahead of the whole overwhelming part of blogging by developing an effective workflow system

Here are a few tips to help tailor a system for your workflow

ORGANIZE YOUR IDEAS

An effective content strategy relies on careful planning If your blogging strategy is to wait for ideas first you will likely end up with an inconsistent blog and a con-stant feeling of pressure to come up with new topics If you blog every thought that pops into your head you risk burying the quality content with the extraneous stuffmdashand confusing your audience

Start a spreadsheet Google Doc or journal devoted exclu-sively to ideas for potential blog posts If you have a mo-ment of inspiration jot it down or type it up You may nev-er use half of the ideas or may take one thought in a totally different direction but keeping a list of thoughts will take the pressure off coming up with something to write about on the spotmdashand it will help you manage your workflow

CREATE TOPIC CATEGORIES

Have an understanding of the areas that you want to cover on your blog Think through questions like

gtDo you want to write at least one gear review a week gtDo you want to feature an interview with an industry professional once a month gtDo you want to have a video blog series

You donrsquot have to decide every area of interest before you start your blog and based on your audiencersquos re-sponse the topics you write about may evolve Having a few target areas in your pocket will help you focus your idea stream and keep the blog clear and on brand For inspiration check out the next page for 7 ideas to help inspire you when writing blog posts

MAKE A CALENDAR AND STICK TO IT

Is it realistic for you to blog everyday Probably not and it might not be smart for you to do it either Just make

1

2

3

sure you have a plan for when you want to blog It does not necessarily have to be a set number either The key is to be consistent so your followers can expect and look forward to your posts If yoursquore a wedding photographer your blogging strategy might involve doing a post after every wedding Even if your blogging pattern follows gigs having a set deadline will help you stay consistent (ie never wait more than 72 hours to publish a post about a job) and meet audience expectations

The best way to stay on top of your self-made blogging deadlines is to keep a calendar exclusively for your blog It could contain upcoming shoots and personal events or you could plan each month out specifically based on what you will be posting about on a given day Looking at an upcoming calendar will help you manage the time you need to complete each desired blog post and may also provide you with new or thematic inspiration

HAVE AN RSS FEED

Your idea diary not cutting it for you Keep an RSS feed like Feedly of photography blogs that inspire you blogs of prospective clients the musings of your competitors andor the Twitter feed of your favorite vendor An RSS feed consolidates all of the sites and accounts your go-to for inspiration into one place which will help cut down on time spent going between each sitemdashand the dis-tractions Internet surfing can bring

MANAGE YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS

If writing does not come easily to you and you cannot in-vest the resources into outsourcing the work travel pho-tographer Matt Brandon advises setting boundaries for yourself Writing can easily consume your day and setting unreasonable expectations as to what you can accomplish is setting yourself up to fail

Set goals you know you can meet The great thing about blogs is they are totally malleable If you dis-

4

5

19HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I cover you love blogging and can ramp up your pro-duction as long as itrsquos in-tune with your target audi-encemdashgo for it But if you try to do and say too much right out of the gate you may be shooting yourself in the foot Building an audience can take time so set up a sustainable workflow system for yourself that can support the process

7 BLOG TOPICS TO INSPIRE YOUHere are 7 ideas off the bat to inspire you when plan-ning out your blog posts

TOP 10 LISTS

Top 10 list (or top 9 top 7 etc) are highly clickable and easy to share ndash a list provides quick easily understood context for exactly what the reader will find in your blog post Added bonus lists donrsquot need to be copy-heavy or heavily researched Go ahead and give your own opinion on the 5 female photographers who changed the indus-try and watch the hits roll in

STIR THE POT

If yoursquore not afraid to ruffle a few feathers bucking tradition or authority with a controversial statement is a great way to get the community buzzing How-ever donrsquot just say something provocative for the sake of getting a rise out of people It is better to put forth your opinion on a topic about which you genuinely have something to say and back that statement up with facts and illustrative examples Prepare yourself for a helping of haters and make sure to respond to naysayers with the same intelligent clarity with which you crafted the article

WRITE A REVIEW

Clearly there is no shortage of photography gear re-views on the Internet That should not discourage you from writing one yourself Many photographers carve

out a niche for themselves based on their reviews It might be what you say it might be how you say it but if you write a great gear review someone will definitely be reading

COMPILE RESOURCES

Everyone loves to discover that all the information they need on a topic already exists in one place If you donrsquot mind doing a little legwork then try assembling a specific relevant list of online resources This may be a particularly useful option for photographers who do not consider themselves strong writersmdasha resource list is more about supporting the topic and writing need not be heavily involved

CROWDSOURCE COMMENTARY

In a recent PhotoShelter blog post we asked four ma-jor photo editors from Rolling Stone The New Yorker Vogue Italia and Esquirecom how theyre using Insta-gram to develop new talent Their responses are here As a photographer consider sourcing your colleagues posing a question to your readers or blasting your social media platforms No matter the route you will end up with content created for you that also proves to your community that you value their opinion

INTERVIEW PEOPLE SMARTER THAN YOU

The world is full of smart interesting people with an experienced viewpoint An interview with them can add depth to an issue and will likely bring new people to your blog that might not have found it oth-erwise You could also email a photographer whose work you admire or a prospective client that yoursquod love to work with one day As long as the interview is not a thinly veiled request for work promoting them with an interview on your blog will at least get you on a few radars

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Behind-the-scenes content usually resonates well with an audience especially photographers who love to learn the story behind an image Practically any photo assign-ment yoursquove done has the potential to become a behind-the-scenes blog

20HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Three Easy Steps to Use Email Marketing to Your AdvantageBy Mira Mad Mimi email newsletter coach

hether yoursquore looking to sell more prints or book more photography sessions email marketing is an efficient low-cost way to build up your client

base As an email newsletter coach at Mad Mimimdasha simple lovely email servicemdashI help lots of photographers reach a wider audience While our collective superpower at Mad Mimi is email marketing (as nerdy as that is) many of us are aspiring photographers as well so Irsquom thrilled to share these tips with you

STEP ONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EMAIL MEDIUMUSE A BONAFIDE EMAIL MARKETING PLATFORM If yoursquore a PhotoShop whiz you may be tempted to build an email in that formatmdashimages and text included But image-only emails tend to have worse reader engagement and inbox delivery rates To ensure that your emails get delivered and opened use a tool designed for creating marketing emails Both people and inbox robots will be able to understand this format Mad Mimi is a great option for photographers Here are a few photographers using our service

Jennifer Clare PhotographyDana Smith PhotographyHeather Evans Smith Photography

ALWAYS LINK Include at least one link in each email you send Itrsquos easy to turn any text or image into a clickable link Before you send preview your email as your recipients will see it Links ldquoabove the foldrdquo of the screen perform better than links readers must scroll down to see What to link to Think about linking out to your website a specific photography portfolio a recent blog post or even one of your social networks if yoursquore trying to grow your following

21HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE VISITS TO YOUR WEBSITE Get folks out of the email and onto your site Thatrsquos where they can have a richer viewing experience learn more about your photography and potentially make a purchase or email you to inquire about your services The point of your email is to invite them to engage with youmdashhopefully on your site

If you use Google Analytics to measure your web traffic you may be able to see how many visits come from your email newsletters (this depends on your email platform Mad Mimi integrates with Google Analytics)

STEP TWO BE YOUR SHINY SELFDONrsquoT BE AFRAID OF MINIMALISM Let your photography communicate on its own in your emailsmdashjust as you would in another medium Showcase your photographs with lovely wide image modules Even one image alone can make a powerful impact

KEEP YOUR TEXT SHORT Email can be a very intimate (and interactive) environment Donrsquot distract your recipients with too much content Simple emails get shared Make sure you can answer the question ldquoWhy am I sending this emailrdquo If your own answer is muddled or hidden in the text you will struggle to engage

SPEAK YOUR OWN STYLE Design your emails to reflect the personality of your brand The colors fonts and layouts you use should reinforce the branding on your website and complement (rather than compete with) your photography

MAXIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL REACH Find new fans by maximizing the shareability of your emails Not into Twitter So what Some of your photography fans probably love it So make it easy for your fans friends and family to share your emails on their favorite social networks

Many email platforms (including Mad Mimi) let you include social sharing buttons in your emails These allow your fans to share your email with just one click You can also include links to your own social profiles making it easy for readers to click right to your businessrsquo Facebook page for instance

STEP THREE BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR AUDIENCETHE GOLDEN RULE You wouldnrsquot load your photography prints into a T-shirt cannon and run up and down the street firing shots into peoplersquos dining rooms So donrsquot do

that in email either Be respectful of peoplersquos inboxes and be sure that yoursquore delivering relevant content to the right people At Mad Mimi we review your first email before it goes out and give you any technical tips or design feedback if needed

COLLECT SIGNUPS Practice permission-based marketing which means only sending to people who have opted in to receive your emails whether by using a signup form on your site signing up at an event or making a purchase Only send to people yoursquove interacted with recently (say the past 18 months) You donrsquot send your business card to your high school teachersmdashitrsquos essentially the same thing

Many email marketing platforms (including Mad Mimi) offer customizable signup forms and integrate with top third-party form builders

DONrsquoT SEND TOO MANY EMAILS Donrsquot send too few The ideal frequency depends on your audience Itrsquos worth thinking about why you are emailing your audiencemdashmight they hire you have they hired you do they just like your work Unless yoursquove segmented your list your audience probably includes a variety of people so keep that in mind when considering frequency

To find the best frequency for you we recommend a combination of going with your gut and testing You know your audience best Make decisions based on that but be willing to try new things Most email platforms offer stats reporting to help you gauge the effectiveness of your emails Check your stats and adjust accordingly

GIVE SOMETHING AWAY Itrsquos just true If you give people something for signing up they feel better about handing over their email address And you donrsquot JUST want their email addressmdashyou want their business Offering a coupon for a print or specialized content at signup is a great way to give your newsletter added perceived value

If yoursquore a bit more advanced drip campaigns are a great way to deliver free (or paid) stuff to people who sign up Whatrsquos a drip campaign Itrsquos a series of autoresponder emails You can use drip campaigns to deliver downloadable freebies welcome emails and coupons If yoursquore interested in sharing your expertise you can even use them to deliver photography e-courses Here are a few helpful blog posts on drip campaigns

5 Tips for Creating a Stellar Welcome Email Campaign6 (Incredible) Woman-Powered Drip Campaigns5 Tips for Gaining Subscribers with an Email Course21 Autoresponder Ideas to Grow Your Business

22HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I If you focus on these three steps yoursquoll be well on your way to increasing the reach of your photography business The Mad Mimi team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about getting started Email us at supportmadmimicom

23HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

arketing does not have to be your worst enemy but it does require you to carve out time and map out a gameplan Once you have a few strategies

in place - whether that be a workflow that includes post-ing to social networks blogging regularly or sending out a monthly newsletter - you will be more able to grow a strong presence online and establish awareness about your brand And remember before you start know cold what yoursquore providing and exactly who and where your target audience ismdashboth online and off If you can confidently define your target market then you will be in great shape to develop a strong marketing plan that can attract qual-ity clients and grow your business better than ever before

Conclusionamp Resources

ResourcesGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to FacebookGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to InstagramGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to TwitterGUIDE 11 Secrets to a Great Photography WebsiteGUIDE Creating a Successful Photography PortfolioGUIDE 10 Branding Secrets for PhotographersBLOG Developing a Better Photography Brand BLOG How This Photographer is Making Your LaughBLOG 10 Great Photographer PromosBLOG Tackling Google 3 Ways Photographers Can Improve Their SEOBLOG Building a Photo Brand From the Ground Up Tips From Art WolfeBLOG 4 Ways to Get More Work From Old ClientsVIDEO Tips amp Strategies To Grow Your Audience OnlineVIDEO Interview with Zack Arias If I Had to Start My Business Today VIDEO 11 Essential Tips for Freelance PhotographersTOOL Google AnalyticsTOOL Google Keyword PlannerTOOL Mad MimiTOOL Bitly

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 15: How to market your photography

17HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

or a photographer your blog is not just a place to dump links and post photos Your blog is a marketing tool and can be a very effective one

at that The captive online audience is vast comprised of prospective clients photographers looking to learn gear enthusiasts and many other consumers who are actively searching for services like yours

To maximize the flavor potential of your blog you need to reach people with similar tastes Connecting with the right audience starts with a targeted content strategy

ESTABLISHING YOUR BLOGrsquoS BRANDYour portfolio site design how you communicate with clients your logos your deliverables your lighting technique your field of photography ndash all of these elements define your personal brand Your blogrsquos 1 purpose should be to extend this brand

For example if you frequently work with corporate cli-ents your community would not respond well to pro-fanity-laden rants (In general this is a bad idea) But take time to think about who your audience is and what tone and style of writing would resonate best with them

There are multiple points of entry for building a suc-cessful blog Whether you choose the provocative route the educational route the anecdotal route among many others your strategic choices should reflect your brand

TARGETING YOUR AUDIENCE Your brand can also help identify your target audience Like any marketing push it will pay to know who the readers are

PART II

How to Blog Better

You should always strive to create content that attracts and sustains the attention of this audience Not only will this help focus the content strategy but also the needs and prac-tices of your targeted audience will inform how you blog

For example when establishing her company Major Multimedia photographer and multimedia producer Lauren Major wanted to target the nonprofit and so-cial good sector Once she narrowed her target audi-ence she was able to research their online activity and create content that would specifically appeal to the social good user

Photographers who run workshops will often cater the writing on their blog to other photographers This helps establish them as ldquoexpertsrdquo as well as speak directly to prospective attendees and students A blog can also help photographers continue a dialogue with current and former clients as well as attract potential new ones

Additionally alternative and edgy UK wedding pho-tographer Lisa Devlin has branded herself as the go-to photographer for all weddings off-the-beating path She uses her blog to showcase the non-traditional thread

18HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I between her clients to help reinforce her expertise and niche in this space

The more targeted your marketing efforts the more suc-cessful you will be at converting customers

GENERATING SALESYour blog can also function quite well as an indirect marketing tool for your brand including directly trans-lating into image sales or other revenue opportunities

If part of your business includes selling workshops your blog content should target the consumer who might be in-terested in your specific workshop Blog posts should em-phasize your expertise in your field and show who you are as a teacher and a photographer For example nature pho-tographer Greg Basco of Deep Green Photography sells nature photography workshops in Costa Rica through his website The ldquoBehind the Lensrdquo series on his blog shows images captured in the field and explains the technique and story behind getting the shot Gregrsquos tours now sell out quickly after being announced

You may also want to sell products through your web-site or directly on your blog The content should support why a consumer should buy this product from you and even show the value of the product

MANAGING YOUR BLOGGING WORKFLOWAfter you choose the best platform for you and identify your target audience you may find yourself about to hit the ldquoNow whatrdquo panic button If you do not have a plan for your workflow a blog can quickly become a burden But you can easily skip ahead of the whole overwhelming part of blogging by developing an effective workflow system

Here are a few tips to help tailor a system for your workflow

ORGANIZE YOUR IDEAS

An effective content strategy relies on careful planning If your blogging strategy is to wait for ideas first you will likely end up with an inconsistent blog and a con-stant feeling of pressure to come up with new topics If you blog every thought that pops into your head you risk burying the quality content with the extraneous stuffmdashand confusing your audience

Start a spreadsheet Google Doc or journal devoted exclu-sively to ideas for potential blog posts If you have a mo-ment of inspiration jot it down or type it up You may nev-er use half of the ideas or may take one thought in a totally different direction but keeping a list of thoughts will take the pressure off coming up with something to write about on the spotmdashand it will help you manage your workflow

CREATE TOPIC CATEGORIES

Have an understanding of the areas that you want to cover on your blog Think through questions like

gtDo you want to write at least one gear review a week gtDo you want to feature an interview with an industry professional once a month gtDo you want to have a video blog series

You donrsquot have to decide every area of interest before you start your blog and based on your audiencersquos re-sponse the topics you write about may evolve Having a few target areas in your pocket will help you focus your idea stream and keep the blog clear and on brand For inspiration check out the next page for 7 ideas to help inspire you when writing blog posts

MAKE A CALENDAR AND STICK TO IT

Is it realistic for you to blog everyday Probably not and it might not be smart for you to do it either Just make

1

2

3

sure you have a plan for when you want to blog It does not necessarily have to be a set number either The key is to be consistent so your followers can expect and look forward to your posts If yoursquore a wedding photographer your blogging strategy might involve doing a post after every wedding Even if your blogging pattern follows gigs having a set deadline will help you stay consistent (ie never wait more than 72 hours to publish a post about a job) and meet audience expectations

The best way to stay on top of your self-made blogging deadlines is to keep a calendar exclusively for your blog It could contain upcoming shoots and personal events or you could plan each month out specifically based on what you will be posting about on a given day Looking at an upcoming calendar will help you manage the time you need to complete each desired blog post and may also provide you with new or thematic inspiration

HAVE AN RSS FEED

Your idea diary not cutting it for you Keep an RSS feed like Feedly of photography blogs that inspire you blogs of prospective clients the musings of your competitors andor the Twitter feed of your favorite vendor An RSS feed consolidates all of the sites and accounts your go-to for inspiration into one place which will help cut down on time spent going between each sitemdashand the dis-tractions Internet surfing can bring

MANAGE YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS

If writing does not come easily to you and you cannot in-vest the resources into outsourcing the work travel pho-tographer Matt Brandon advises setting boundaries for yourself Writing can easily consume your day and setting unreasonable expectations as to what you can accomplish is setting yourself up to fail

Set goals you know you can meet The great thing about blogs is they are totally malleable If you dis-

4

5

19HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I cover you love blogging and can ramp up your pro-duction as long as itrsquos in-tune with your target audi-encemdashgo for it But if you try to do and say too much right out of the gate you may be shooting yourself in the foot Building an audience can take time so set up a sustainable workflow system for yourself that can support the process

7 BLOG TOPICS TO INSPIRE YOUHere are 7 ideas off the bat to inspire you when plan-ning out your blog posts

TOP 10 LISTS

Top 10 list (or top 9 top 7 etc) are highly clickable and easy to share ndash a list provides quick easily understood context for exactly what the reader will find in your blog post Added bonus lists donrsquot need to be copy-heavy or heavily researched Go ahead and give your own opinion on the 5 female photographers who changed the indus-try and watch the hits roll in

STIR THE POT

If yoursquore not afraid to ruffle a few feathers bucking tradition or authority with a controversial statement is a great way to get the community buzzing How-ever donrsquot just say something provocative for the sake of getting a rise out of people It is better to put forth your opinion on a topic about which you genuinely have something to say and back that statement up with facts and illustrative examples Prepare yourself for a helping of haters and make sure to respond to naysayers with the same intelligent clarity with which you crafted the article

WRITE A REVIEW

Clearly there is no shortage of photography gear re-views on the Internet That should not discourage you from writing one yourself Many photographers carve

out a niche for themselves based on their reviews It might be what you say it might be how you say it but if you write a great gear review someone will definitely be reading

COMPILE RESOURCES

Everyone loves to discover that all the information they need on a topic already exists in one place If you donrsquot mind doing a little legwork then try assembling a specific relevant list of online resources This may be a particularly useful option for photographers who do not consider themselves strong writersmdasha resource list is more about supporting the topic and writing need not be heavily involved

CROWDSOURCE COMMENTARY

In a recent PhotoShelter blog post we asked four ma-jor photo editors from Rolling Stone The New Yorker Vogue Italia and Esquirecom how theyre using Insta-gram to develop new talent Their responses are here As a photographer consider sourcing your colleagues posing a question to your readers or blasting your social media platforms No matter the route you will end up with content created for you that also proves to your community that you value their opinion

INTERVIEW PEOPLE SMARTER THAN YOU

The world is full of smart interesting people with an experienced viewpoint An interview with them can add depth to an issue and will likely bring new people to your blog that might not have found it oth-erwise You could also email a photographer whose work you admire or a prospective client that yoursquod love to work with one day As long as the interview is not a thinly veiled request for work promoting them with an interview on your blog will at least get you on a few radars

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Behind-the-scenes content usually resonates well with an audience especially photographers who love to learn the story behind an image Practically any photo assign-ment yoursquove done has the potential to become a behind-the-scenes blog

20HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Three Easy Steps to Use Email Marketing to Your AdvantageBy Mira Mad Mimi email newsletter coach

hether yoursquore looking to sell more prints or book more photography sessions email marketing is an efficient low-cost way to build up your client

base As an email newsletter coach at Mad Mimimdasha simple lovely email servicemdashI help lots of photographers reach a wider audience While our collective superpower at Mad Mimi is email marketing (as nerdy as that is) many of us are aspiring photographers as well so Irsquom thrilled to share these tips with you

STEP ONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EMAIL MEDIUMUSE A BONAFIDE EMAIL MARKETING PLATFORM If yoursquore a PhotoShop whiz you may be tempted to build an email in that formatmdashimages and text included But image-only emails tend to have worse reader engagement and inbox delivery rates To ensure that your emails get delivered and opened use a tool designed for creating marketing emails Both people and inbox robots will be able to understand this format Mad Mimi is a great option for photographers Here are a few photographers using our service

Jennifer Clare PhotographyDana Smith PhotographyHeather Evans Smith Photography

ALWAYS LINK Include at least one link in each email you send Itrsquos easy to turn any text or image into a clickable link Before you send preview your email as your recipients will see it Links ldquoabove the foldrdquo of the screen perform better than links readers must scroll down to see What to link to Think about linking out to your website a specific photography portfolio a recent blog post or even one of your social networks if yoursquore trying to grow your following

21HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE VISITS TO YOUR WEBSITE Get folks out of the email and onto your site Thatrsquos where they can have a richer viewing experience learn more about your photography and potentially make a purchase or email you to inquire about your services The point of your email is to invite them to engage with youmdashhopefully on your site

If you use Google Analytics to measure your web traffic you may be able to see how many visits come from your email newsletters (this depends on your email platform Mad Mimi integrates with Google Analytics)

STEP TWO BE YOUR SHINY SELFDONrsquoT BE AFRAID OF MINIMALISM Let your photography communicate on its own in your emailsmdashjust as you would in another medium Showcase your photographs with lovely wide image modules Even one image alone can make a powerful impact

KEEP YOUR TEXT SHORT Email can be a very intimate (and interactive) environment Donrsquot distract your recipients with too much content Simple emails get shared Make sure you can answer the question ldquoWhy am I sending this emailrdquo If your own answer is muddled or hidden in the text you will struggle to engage

SPEAK YOUR OWN STYLE Design your emails to reflect the personality of your brand The colors fonts and layouts you use should reinforce the branding on your website and complement (rather than compete with) your photography

MAXIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL REACH Find new fans by maximizing the shareability of your emails Not into Twitter So what Some of your photography fans probably love it So make it easy for your fans friends and family to share your emails on their favorite social networks

Many email platforms (including Mad Mimi) let you include social sharing buttons in your emails These allow your fans to share your email with just one click You can also include links to your own social profiles making it easy for readers to click right to your businessrsquo Facebook page for instance

STEP THREE BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR AUDIENCETHE GOLDEN RULE You wouldnrsquot load your photography prints into a T-shirt cannon and run up and down the street firing shots into peoplersquos dining rooms So donrsquot do

that in email either Be respectful of peoplersquos inboxes and be sure that yoursquore delivering relevant content to the right people At Mad Mimi we review your first email before it goes out and give you any technical tips or design feedback if needed

COLLECT SIGNUPS Practice permission-based marketing which means only sending to people who have opted in to receive your emails whether by using a signup form on your site signing up at an event or making a purchase Only send to people yoursquove interacted with recently (say the past 18 months) You donrsquot send your business card to your high school teachersmdashitrsquos essentially the same thing

Many email marketing platforms (including Mad Mimi) offer customizable signup forms and integrate with top third-party form builders

DONrsquoT SEND TOO MANY EMAILS Donrsquot send too few The ideal frequency depends on your audience Itrsquos worth thinking about why you are emailing your audiencemdashmight they hire you have they hired you do they just like your work Unless yoursquove segmented your list your audience probably includes a variety of people so keep that in mind when considering frequency

To find the best frequency for you we recommend a combination of going with your gut and testing You know your audience best Make decisions based on that but be willing to try new things Most email platforms offer stats reporting to help you gauge the effectiveness of your emails Check your stats and adjust accordingly

GIVE SOMETHING AWAY Itrsquos just true If you give people something for signing up they feel better about handing over their email address And you donrsquot JUST want their email addressmdashyou want their business Offering a coupon for a print or specialized content at signup is a great way to give your newsletter added perceived value

If yoursquore a bit more advanced drip campaigns are a great way to deliver free (or paid) stuff to people who sign up Whatrsquos a drip campaign Itrsquos a series of autoresponder emails You can use drip campaigns to deliver downloadable freebies welcome emails and coupons If yoursquore interested in sharing your expertise you can even use them to deliver photography e-courses Here are a few helpful blog posts on drip campaigns

5 Tips for Creating a Stellar Welcome Email Campaign6 (Incredible) Woman-Powered Drip Campaigns5 Tips for Gaining Subscribers with an Email Course21 Autoresponder Ideas to Grow Your Business

22HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I If you focus on these three steps yoursquoll be well on your way to increasing the reach of your photography business The Mad Mimi team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about getting started Email us at supportmadmimicom

23HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

arketing does not have to be your worst enemy but it does require you to carve out time and map out a gameplan Once you have a few strategies

in place - whether that be a workflow that includes post-ing to social networks blogging regularly or sending out a monthly newsletter - you will be more able to grow a strong presence online and establish awareness about your brand And remember before you start know cold what yoursquore providing and exactly who and where your target audience ismdashboth online and off If you can confidently define your target market then you will be in great shape to develop a strong marketing plan that can attract qual-ity clients and grow your business better than ever before

Conclusionamp Resources

ResourcesGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to FacebookGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to InstagramGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to TwitterGUIDE 11 Secrets to a Great Photography WebsiteGUIDE Creating a Successful Photography PortfolioGUIDE 10 Branding Secrets for PhotographersBLOG Developing a Better Photography Brand BLOG How This Photographer is Making Your LaughBLOG 10 Great Photographer PromosBLOG Tackling Google 3 Ways Photographers Can Improve Their SEOBLOG Building a Photo Brand From the Ground Up Tips From Art WolfeBLOG 4 Ways to Get More Work From Old ClientsVIDEO Tips amp Strategies To Grow Your Audience OnlineVIDEO Interview with Zack Arias If I Had to Start My Business Today VIDEO 11 Essential Tips for Freelance PhotographersTOOL Google AnalyticsTOOL Google Keyword PlannerTOOL Mad MimiTOOL Bitly

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 16: How to market your photography

18HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I between her clients to help reinforce her expertise and niche in this space

The more targeted your marketing efforts the more suc-cessful you will be at converting customers

GENERATING SALESYour blog can also function quite well as an indirect marketing tool for your brand including directly trans-lating into image sales or other revenue opportunities

If part of your business includes selling workshops your blog content should target the consumer who might be in-terested in your specific workshop Blog posts should em-phasize your expertise in your field and show who you are as a teacher and a photographer For example nature pho-tographer Greg Basco of Deep Green Photography sells nature photography workshops in Costa Rica through his website The ldquoBehind the Lensrdquo series on his blog shows images captured in the field and explains the technique and story behind getting the shot Gregrsquos tours now sell out quickly after being announced

You may also want to sell products through your web-site or directly on your blog The content should support why a consumer should buy this product from you and even show the value of the product

MANAGING YOUR BLOGGING WORKFLOWAfter you choose the best platform for you and identify your target audience you may find yourself about to hit the ldquoNow whatrdquo panic button If you do not have a plan for your workflow a blog can quickly become a burden But you can easily skip ahead of the whole overwhelming part of blogging by developing an effective workflow system

Here are a few tips to help tailor a system for your workflow

ORGANIZE YOUR IDEAS

An effective content strategy relies on careful planning If your blogging strategy is to wait for ideas first you will likely end up with an inconsistent blog and a con-stant feeling of pressure to come up with new topics If you blog every thought that pops into your head you risk burying the quality content with the extraneous stuffmdashand confusing your audience

Start a spreadsheet Google Doc or journal devoted exclu-sively to ideas for potential blog posts If you have a mo-ment of inspiration jot it down or type it up You may nev-er use half of the ideas or may take one thought in a totally different direction but keeping a list of thoughts will take the pressure off coming up with something to write about on the spotmdashand it will help you manage your workflow

CREATE TOPIC CATEGORIES

Have an understanding of the areas that you want to cover on your blog Think through questions like

gtDo you want to write at least one gear review a week gtDo you want to feature an interview with an industry professional once a month gtDo you want to have a video blog series

You donrsquot have to decide every area of interest before you start your blog and based on your audiencersquos re-sponse the topics you write about may evolve Having a few target areas in your pocket will help you focus your idea stream and keep the blog clear and on brand For inspiration check out the next page for 7 ideas to help inspire you when writing blog posts

MAKE A CALENDAR AND STICK TO IT

Is it realistic for you to blog everyday Probably not and it might not be smart for you to do it either Just make

1

2

3

sure you have a plan for when you want to blog It does not necessarily have to be a set number either The key is to be consistent so your followers can expect and look forward to your posts If yoursquore a wedding photographer your blogging strategy might involve doing a post after every wedding Even if your blogging pattern follows gigs having a set deadline will help you stay consistent (ie never wait more than 72 hours to publish a post about a job) and meet audience expectations

The best way to stay on top of your self-made blogging deadlines is to keep a calendar exclusively for your blog It could contain upcoming shoots and personal events or you could plan each month out specifically based on what you will be posting about on a given day Looking at an upcoming calendar will help you manage the time you need to complete each desired blog post and may also provide you with new or thematic inspiration

HAVE AN RSS FEED

Your idea diary not cutting it for you Keep an RSS feed like Feedly of photography blogs that inspire you blogs of prospective clients the musings of your competitors andor the Twitter feed of your favorite vendor An RSS feed consolidates all of the sites and accounts your go-to for inspiration into one place which will help cut down on time spent going between each sitemdashand the dis-tractions Internet surfing can bring

MANAGE YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS

If writing does not come easily to you and you cannot in-vest the resources into outsourcing the work travel pho-tographer Matt Brandon advises setting boundaries for yourself Writing can easily consume your day and setting unreasonable expectations as to what you can accomplish is setting yourself up to fail

Set goals you know you can meet The great thing about blogs is they are totally malleable If you dis-

4

5

19HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I cover you love blogging and can ramp up your pro-duction as long as itrsquos in-tune with your target audi-encemdashgo for it But if you try to do and say too much right out of the gate you may be shooting yourself in the foot Building an audience can take time so set up a sustainable workflow system for yourself that can support the process

7 BLOG TOPICS TO INSPIRE YOUHere are 7 ideas off the bat to inspire you when plan-ning out your blog posts

TOP 10 LISTS

Top 10 list (or top 9 top 7 etc) are highly clickable and easy to share ndash a list provides quick easily understood context for exactly what the reader will find in your blog post Added bonus lists donrsquot need to be copy-heavy or heavily researched Go ahead and give your own opinion on the 5 female photographers who changed the indus-try and watch the hits roll in

STIR THE POT

If yoursquore not afraid to ruffle a few feathers bucking tradition or authority with a controversial statement is a great way to get the community buzzing How-ever donrsquot just say something provocative for the sake of getting a rise out of people It is better to put forth your opinion on a topic about which you genuinely have something to say and back that statement up with facts and illustrative examples Prepare yourself for a helping of haters and make sure to respond to naysayers with the same intelligent clarity with which you crafted the article

WRITE A REVIEW

Clearly there is no shortage of photography gear re-views on the Internet That should not discourage you from writing one yourself Many photographers carve

out a niche for themselves based on their reviews It might be what you say it might be how you say it but if you write a great gear review someone will definitely be reading

COMPILE RESOURCES

Everyone loves to discover that all the information they need on a topic already exists in one place If you donrsquot mind doing a little legwork then try assembling a specific relevant list of online resources This may be a particularly useful option for photographers who do not consider themselves strong writersmdasha resource list is more about supporting the topic and writing need not be heavily involved

CROWDSOURCE COMMENTARY

In a recent PhotoShelter blog post we asked four ma-jor photo editors from Rolling Stone The New Yorker Vogue Italia and Esquirecom how theyre using Insta-gram to develop new talent Their responses are here As a photographer consider sourcing your colleagues posing a question to your readers or blasting your social media platforms No matter the route you will end up with content created for you that also proves to your community that you value their opinion

INTERVIEW PEOPLE SMARTER THAN YOU

The world is full of smart interesting people with an experienced viewpoint An interview with them can add depth to an issue and will likely bring new people to your blog that might not have found it oth-erwise You could also email a photographer whose work you admire or a prospective client that yoursquod love to work with one day As long as the interview is not a thinly veiled request for work promoting them with an interview on your blog will at least get you on a few radars

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Behind-the-scenes content usually resonates well with an audience especially photographers who love to learn the story behind an image Practically any photo assign-ment yoursquove done has the potential to become a behind-the-scenes blog

20HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Three Easy Steps to Use Email Marketing to Your AdvantageBy Mira Mad Mimi email newsletter coach

hether yoursquore looking to sell more prints or book more photography sessions email marketing is an efficient low-cost way to build up your client

base As an email newsletter coach at Mad Mimimdasha simple lovely email servicemdashI help lots of photographers reach a wider audience While our collective superpower at Mad Mimi is email marketing (as nerdy as that is) many of us are aspiring photographers as well so Irsquom thrilled to share these tips with you

STEP ONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EMAIL MEDIUMUSE A BONAFIDE EMAIL MARKETING PLATFORM If yoursquore a PhotoShop whiz you may be tempted to build an email in that formatmdashimages and text included But image-only emails tend to have worse reader engagement and inbox delivery rates To ensure that your emails get delivered and opened use a tool designed for creating marketing emails Both people and inbox robots will be able to understand this format Mad Mimi is a great option for photographers Here are a few photographers using our service

Jennifer Clare PhotographyDana Smith PhotographyHeather Evans Smith Photography

ALWAYS LINK Include at least one link in each email you send Itrsquos easy to turn any text or image into a clickable link Before you send preview your email as your recipients will see it Links ldquoabove the foldrdquo of the screen perform better than links readers must scroll down to see What to link to Think about linking out to your website a specific photography portfolio a recent blog post or even one of your social networks if yoursquore trying to grow your following

21HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE VISITS TO YOUR WEBSITE Get folks out of the email and onto your site Thatrsquos where they can have a richer viewing experience learn more about your photography and potentially make a purchase or email you to inquire about your services The point of your email is to invite them to engage with youmdashhopefully on your site

If you use Google Analytics to measure your web traffic you may be able to see how many visits come from your email newsletters (this depends on your email platform Mad Mimi integrates with Google Analytics)

STEP TWO BE YOUR SHINY SELFDONrsquoT BE AFRAID OF MINIMALISM Let your photography communicate on its own in your emailsmdashjust as you would in another medium Showcase your photographs with lovely wide image modules Even one image alone can make a powerful impact

KEEP YOUR TEXT SHORT Email can be a very intimate (and interactive) environment Donrsquot distract your recipients with too much content Simple emails get shared Make sure you can answer the question ldquoWhy am I sending this emailrdquo If your own answer is muddled or hidden in the text you will struggle to engage

SPEAK YOUR OWN STYLE Design your emails to reflect the personality of your brand The colors fonts and layouts you use should reinforce the branding on your website and complement (rather than compete with) your photography

MAXIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL REACH Find new fans by maximizing the shareability of your emails Not into Twitter So what Some of your photography fans probably love it So make it easy for your fans friends and family to share your emails on their favorite social networks

Many email platforms (including Mad Mimi) let you include social sharing buttons in your emails These allow your fans to share your email with just one click You can also include links to your own social profiles making it easy for readers to click right to your businessrsquo Facebook page for instance

STEP THREE BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR AUDIENCETHE GOLDEN RULE You wouldnrsquot load your photography prints into a T-shirt cannon and run up and down the street firing shots into peoplersquos dining rooms So donrsquot do

that in email either Be respectful of peoplersquos inboxes and be sure that yoursquore delivering relevant content to the right people At Mad Mimi we review your first email before it goes out and give you any technical tips or design feedback if needed

COLLECT SIGNUPS Practice permission-based marketing which means only sending to people who have opted in to receive your emails whether by using a signup form on your site signing up at an event or making a purchase Only send to people yoursquove interacted with recently (say the past 18 months) You donrsquot send your business card to your high school teachersmdashitrsquos essentially the same thing

Many email marketing platforms (including Mad Mimi) offer customizable signup forms and integrate with top third-party form builders

DONrsquoT SEND TOO MANY EMAILS Donrsquot send too few The ideal frequency depends on your audience Itrsquos worth thinking about why you are emailing your audiencemdashmight they hire you have they hired you do they just like your work Unless yoursquove segmented your list your audience probably includes a variety of people so keep that in mind when considering frequency

To find the best frequency for you we recommend a combination of going with your gut and testing You know your audience best Make decisions based on that but be willing to try new things Most email platforms offer stats reporting to help you gauge the effectiveness of your emails Check your stats and adjust accordingly

GIVE SOMETHING AWAY Itrsquos just true If you give people something for signing up they feel better about handing over their email address And you donrsquot JUST want their email addressmdashyou want their business Offering a coupon for a print or specialized content at signup is a great way to give your newsletter added perceived value

If yoursquore a bit more advanced drip campaigns are a great way to deliver free (or paid) stuff to people who sign up Whatrsquos a drip campaign Itrsquos a series of autoresponder emails You can use drip campaigns to deliver downloadable freebies welcome emails and coupons If yoursquore interested in sharing your expertise you can even use them to deliver photography e-courses Here are a few helpful blog posts on drip campaigns

5 Tips for Creating a Stellar Welcome Email Campaign6 (Incredible) Woman-Powered Drip Campaigns5 Tips for Gaining Subscribers with an Email Course21 Autoresponder Ideas to Grow Your Business

22HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I If you focus on these three steps yoursquoll be well on your way to increasing the reach of your photography business The Mad Mimi team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about getting started Email us at supportmadmimicom

23HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

arketing does not have to be your worst enemy but it does require you to carve out time and map out a gameplan Once you have a few strategies

in place - whether that be a workflow that includes post-ing to social networks blogging regularly or sending out a monthly newsletter - you will be more able to grow a strong presence online and establish awareness about your brand And remember before you start know cold what yoursquore providing and exactly who and where your target audience ismdashboth online and off If you can confidently define your target market then you will be in great shape to develop a strong marketing plan that can attract qual-ity clients and grow your business better than ever before

Conclusionamp Resources

ResourcesGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to FacebookGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to InstagramGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to TwitterGUIDE 11 Secrets to a Great Photography WebsiteGUIDE Creating a Successful Photography PortfolioGUIDE 10 Branding Secrets for PhotographersBLOG Developing a Better Photography Brand BLOG How This Photographer is Making Your LaughBLOG 10 Great Photographer PromosBLOG Tackling Google 3 Ways Photographers Can Improve Their SEOBLOG Building a Photo Brand From the Ground Up Tips From Art WolfeBLOG 4 Ways to Get More Work From Old ClientsVIDEO Tips amp Strategies To Grow Your Audience OnlineVIDEO Interview with Zack Arias If I Had to Start My Business Today VIDEO 11 Essential Tips for Freelance PhotographersTOOL Google AnalyticsTOOL Google Keyword PlannerTOOL Mad MimiTOOL Bitly

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 17: How to market your photography

19HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I cover you love blogging and can ramp up your pro-duction as long as itrsquos in-tune with your target audi-encemdashgo for it But if you try to do and say too much right out of the gate you may be shooting yourself in the foot Building an audience can take time so set up a sustainable workflow system for yourself that can support the process

7 BLOG TOPICS TO INSPIRE YOUHere are 7 ideas off the bat to inspire you when plan-ning out your blog posts

TOP 10 LISTS

Top 10 list (or top 9 top 7 etc) are highly clickable and easy to share ndash a list provides quick easily understood context for exactly what the reader will find in your blog post Added bonus lists donrsquot need to be copy-heavy or heavily researched Go ahead and give your own opinion on the 5 female photographers who changed the indus-try and watch the hits roll in

STIR THE POT

If yoursquore not afraid to ruffle a few feathers bucking tradition or authority with a controversial statement is a great way to get the community buzzing How-ever donrsquot just say something provocative for the sake of getting a rise out of people It is better to put forth your opinion on a topic about which you genuinely have something to say and back that statement up with facts and illustrative examples Prepare yourself for a helping of haters and make sure to respond to naysayers with the same intelligent clarity with which you crafted the article

WRITE A REVIEW

Clearly there is no shortage of photography gear re-views on the Internet That should not discourage you from writing one yourself Many photographers carve

out a niche for themselves based on their reviews It might be what you say it might be how you say it but if you write a great gear review someone will definitely be reading

COMPILE RESOURCES

Everyone loves to discover that all the information they need on a topic already exists in one place If you donrsquot mind doing a little legwork then try assembling a specific relevant list of online resources This may be a particularly useful option for photographers who do not consider themselves strong writersmdasha resource list is more about supporting the topic and writing need not be heavily involved

CROWDSOURCE COMMENTARY

In a recent PhotoShelter blog post we asked four ma-jor photo editors from Rolling Stone The New Yorker Vogue Italia and Esquirecom how theyre using Insta-gram to develop new talent Their responses are here As a photographer consider sourcing your colleagues posing a question to your readers or blasting your social media platforms No matter the route you will end up with content created for you that also proves to your community that you value their opinion

INTERVIEW PEOPLE SMARTER THAN YOU

The world is full of smart interesting people with an experienced viewpoint An interview with them can add depth to an issue and will likely bring new people to your blog that might not have found it oth-erwise You could also email a photographer whose work you admire or a prospective client that yoursquod love to work with one day As long as the interview is not a thinly veiled request for work promoting them with an interview on your blog will at least get you on a few radars

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Behind-the-scenes content usually resonates well with an audience especially photographers who love to learn the story behind an image Practically any photo assign-ment yoursquove done has the potential to become a behind-the-scenes blog

20HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Three Easy Steps to Use Email Marketing to Your AdvantageBy Mira Mad Mimi email newsletter coach

hether yoursquore looking to sell more prints or book more photography sessions email marketing is an efficient low-cost way to build up your client

base As an email newsletter coach at Mad Mimimdasha simple lovely email servicemdashI help lots of photographers reach a wider audience While our collective superpower at Mad Mimi is email marketing (as nerdy as that is) many of us are aspiring photographers as well so Irsquom thrilled to share these tips with you

STEP ONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EMAIL MEDIUMUSE A BONAFIDE EMAIL MARKETING PLATFORM If yoursquore a PhotoShop whiz you may be tempted to build an email in that formatmdashimages and text included But image-only emails tend to have worse reader engagement and inbox delivery rates To ensure that your emails get delivered and opened use a tool designed for creating marketing emails Both people and inbox robots will be able to understand this format Mad Mimi is a great option for photographers Here are a few photographers using our service

Jennifer Clare PhotographyDana Smith PhotographyHeather Evans Smith Photography

ALWAYS LINK Include at least one link in each email you send Itrsquos easy to turn any text or image into a clickable link Before you send preview your email as your recipients will see it Links ldquoabove the foldrdquo of the screen perform better than links readers must scroll down to see What to link to Think about linking out to your website a specific photography portfolio a recent blog post or even one of your social networks if yoursquore trying to grow your following

21HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE VISITS TO YOUR WEBSITE Get folks out of the email and onto your site Thatrsquos where they can have a richer viewing experience learn more about your photography and potentially make a purchase or email you to inquire about your services The point of your email is to invite them to engage with youmdashhopefully on your site

If you use Google Analytics to measure your web traffic you may be able to see how many visits come from your email newsletters (this depends on your email platform Mad Mimi integrates with Google Analytics)

STEP TWO BE YOUR SHINY SELFDONrsquoT BE AFRAID OF MINIMALISM Let your photography communicate on its own in your emailsmdashjust as you would in another medium Showcase your photographs with lovely wide image modules Even one image alone can make a powerful impact

KEEP YOUR TEXT SHORT Email can be a very intimate (and interactive) environment Donrsquot distract your recipients with too much content Simple emails get shared Make sure you can answer the question ldquoWhy am I sending this emailrdquo If your own answer is muddled or hidden in the text you will struggle to engage

SPEAK YOUR OWN STYLE Design your emails to reflect the personality of your brand The colors fonts and layouts you use should reinforce the branding on your website and complement (rather than compete with) your photography

MAXIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL REACH Find new fans by maximizing the shareability of your emails Not into Twitter So what Some of your photography fans probably love it So make it easy for your fans friends and family to share your emails on their favorite social networks

Many email platforms (including Mad Mimi) let you include social sharing buttons in your emails These allow your fans to share your email with just one click You can also include links to your own social profiles making it easy for readers to click right to your businessrsquo Facebook page for instance

STEP THREE BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR AUDIENCETHE GOLDEN RULE You wouldnrsquot load your photography prints into a T-shirt cannon and run up and down the street firing shots into peoplersquos dining rooms So donrsquot do

that in email either Be respectful of peoplersquos inboxes and be sure that yoursquore delivering relevant content to the right people At Mad Mimi we review your first email before it goes out and give you any technical tips or design feedback if needed

COLLECT SIGNUPS Practice permission-based marketing which means only sending to people who have opted in to receive your emails whether by using a signup form on your site signing up at an event or making a purchase Only send to people yoursquove interacted with recently (say the past 18 months) You donrsquot send your business card to your high school teachersmdashitrsquos essentially the same thing

Many email marketing platforms (including Mad Mimi) offer customizable signup forms and integrate with top third-party form builders

DONrsquoT SEND TOO MANY EMAILS Donrsquot send too few The ideal frequency depends on your audience Itrsquos worth thinking about why you are emailing your audiencemdashmight they hire you have they hired you do they just like your work Unless yoursquove segmented your list your audience probably includes a variety of people so keep that in mind when considering frequency

To find the best frequency for you we recommend a combination of going with your gut and testing You know your audience best Make decisions based on that but be willing to try new things Most email platforms offer stats reporting to help you gauge the effectiveness of your emails Check your stats and adjust accordingly

GIVE SOMETHING AWAY Itrsquos just true If you give people something for signing up they feel better about handing over their email address And you donrsquot JUST want their email addressmdashyou want their business Offering a coupon for a print or specialized content at signup is a great way to give your newsletter added perceived value

If yoursquore a bit more advanced drip campaigns are a great way to deliver free (or paid) stuff to people who sign up Whatrsquos a drip campaign Itrsquos a series of autoresponder emails You can use drip campaigns to deliver downloadable freebies welcome emails and coupons If yoursquore interested in sharing your expertise you can even use them to deliver photography e-courses Here are a few helpful blog posts on drip campaigns

5 Tips for Creating a Stellar Welcome Email Campaign6 (Incredible) Woman-Powered Drip Campaigns5 Tips for Gaining Subscribers with an Email Course21 Autoresponder Ideas to Grow Your Business

22HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I If you focus on these three steps yoursquoll be well on your way to increasing the reach of your photography business The Mad Mimi team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about getting started Email us at supportmadmimicom

23HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

arketing does not have to be your worst enemy but it does require you to carve out time and map out a gameplan Once you have a few strategies

in place - whether that be a workflow that includes post-ing to social networks blogging regularly or sending out a monthly newsletter - you will be more able to grow a strong presence online and establish awareness about your brand And remember before you start know cold what yoursquore providing and exactly who and where your target audience ismdashboth online and off If you can confidently define your target market then you will be in great shape to develop a strong marketing plan that can attract qual-ity clients and grow your business better than ever before

Conclusionamp Resources

ResourcesGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to FacebookGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to InstagramGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to TwitterGUIDE 11 Secrets to a Great Photography WebsiteGUIDE Creating a Successful Photography PortfolioGUIDE 10 Branding Secrets for PhotographersBLOG Developing a Better Photography Brand BLOG How This Photographer is Making Your LaughBLOG 10 Great Photographer PromosBLOG Tackling Google 3 Ways Photographers Can Improve Their SEOBLOG Building a Photo Brand From the Ground Up Tips From Art WolfeBLOG 4 Ways to Get More Work From Old ClientsVIDEO Tips amp Strategies To Grow Your Audience OnlineVIDEO Interview with Zack Arias If I Had to Start My Business Today VIDEO 11 Essential Tips for Freelance PhotographersTOOL Google AnalyticsTOOL Google Keyword PlannerTOOL Mad MimiTOOL Bitly

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 18: How to market your photography

20HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PART II

Three Easy Steps to Use Email Marketing to Your AdvantageBy Mira Mad Mimi email newsletter coach

hether yoursquore looking to sell more prints or book more photography sessions email marketing is an efficient low-cost way to build up your client

base As an email newsletter coach at Mad Mimimdasha simple lovely email servicemdashI help lots of photographers reach a wider audience While our collective superpower at Mad Mimi is email marketing (as nerdy as that is) many of us are aspiring photographers as well so Irsquom thrilled to share these tips with you

STEP ONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EMAIL MEDIUMUSE A BONAFIDE EMAIL MARKETING PLATFORM If yoursquore a PhotoShop whiz you may be tempted to build an email in that formatmdashimages and text included But image-only emails tend to have worse reader engagement and inbox delivery rates To ensure that your emails get delivered and opened use a tool designed for creating marketing emails Both people and inbox robots will be able to understand this format Mad Mimi is a great option for photographers Here are a few photographers using our service

Jennifer Clare PhotographyDana Smith PhotographyHeather Evans Smith Photography

ALWAYS LINK Include at least one link in each email you send Itrsquos easy to turn any text or image into a clickable link Before you send preview your email as your recipients will see it Links ldquoabove the foldrdquo of the screen perform better than links readers must scroll down to see What to link to Think about linking out to your website a specific photography portfolio a recent blog post or even one of your social networks if yoursquore trying to grow your following

21HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE VISITS TO YOUR WEBSITE Get folks out of the email and onto your site Thatrsquos where they can have a richer viewing experience learn more about your photography and potentially make a purchase or email you to inquire about your services The point of your email is to invite them to engage with youmdashhopefully on your site

If you use Google Analytics to measure your web traffic you may be able to see how many visits come from your email newsletters (this depends on your email platform Mad Mimi integrates with Google Analytics)

STEP TWO BE YOUR SHINY SELFDONrsquoT BE AFRAID OF MINIMALISM Let your photography communicate on its own in your emailsmdashjust as you would in another medium Showcase your photographs with lovely wide image modules Even one image alone can make a powerful impact

KEEP YOUR TEXT SHORT Email can be a very intimate (and interactive) environment Donrsquot distract your recipients with too much content Simple emails get shared Make sure you can answer the question ldquoWhy am I sending this emailrdquo If your own answer is muddled or hidden in the text you will struggle to engage

SPEAK YOUR OWN STYLE Design your emails to reflect the personality of your brand The colors fonts and layouts you use should reinforce the branding on your website and complement (rather than compete with) your photography

MAXIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL REACH Find new fans by maximizing the shareability of your emails Not into Twitter So what Some of your photography fans probably love it So make it easy for your fans friends and family to share your emails on their favorite social networks

Many email platforms (including Mad Mimi) let you include social sharing buttons in your emails These allow your fans to share your email with just one click You can also include links to your own social profiles making it easy for readers to click right to your businessrsquo Facebook page for instance

STEP THREE BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR AUDIENCETHE GOLDEN RULE You wouldnrsquot load your photography prints into a T-shirt cannon and run up and down the street firing shots into peoplersquos dining rooms So donrsquot do

that in email either Be respectful of peoplersquos inboxes and be sure that yoursquore delivering relevant content to the right people At Mad Mimi we review your first email before it goes out and give you any technical tips or design feedback if needed

COLLECT SIGNUPS Practice permission-based marketing which means only sending to people who have opted in to receive your emails whether by using a signup form on your site signing up at an event or making a purchase Only send to people yoursquove interacted with recently (say the past 18 months) You donrsquot send your business card to your high school teachersmdashitrsquos essentially the same thing

Many email marketing platforms (including Mad Mimi) offer customizable signup forms and integrate with top third-party form builders

DONrsquoT SEND TOO MANY EMAILS Donrsquot send too few The ideal frequency depends on your audience Itrsquos worth thinking about why you are emailing your audiencemdashmight they hire you have they hired you do they just like your work Unless yoursquove segmented your list your audience probably includes a variety of people so keep that in mind when considering frequency

To find the best frequency for you we recommend a combination of going with your gut and testing You know your audience best Make decisions based on that but be willing to try new things Most email platforms offer stats reporting to help you gauge the effectiveness of your emails Check your stats and adjust accordingly

GIVE SOMETHING AWAY Itrsquos just true If you give people something for signing up they feel better about handing over their email address And you donrsquot JUST want their email addressmdashyou want their business Offering a coupon for a print or specialized content at signup is a great way to give your newsletter added perceived value

If yoursquore a bit more advanced drip campaigns are a great way to deliver free (or paid) stuff to people who sign up Whatrsquos a drip campaign Itrsquos a series of autoresponder emails You can use drip campaigns to deliver downloadable freebies welcome emails and coupons If yoursquore interested in sharing your expertise you can even use them to deliver photography e-courses Here are a few helpful blog posts on drip campaigns

5 Tips for Creating a Stellar Welcome Email Campaign6 (Incredible) Woman-Powered Drip Campaigns5 Tips for Gaining Subscribers with an Email Course21 Autoresponder Ideas to Grow Your Business

22HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I If you focus on these three steps yoursquoll be well on your way to increasing the reach of your photography business The Mad Mimi team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about getting started Email us at supportmadmimicom

23HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

arketing does not have to be your worst enemy but it does require you to carve out time and map out a gameplan Once you have a few strategies

in place - whether that be a workflow that includes post-ing to social networks blogging regularly or sending out a monthly newsletter - you will be more able to grow a strong presence online and establish awareness about your brand And remember before you start know cold what yoursquore providing and exactly who and where your target audience ismdashboth online and off If you can confidently define your target market then you will be in great shape to develop a strong marketing plan that can attract qual-ity clients and grow your business better than ever before

Conclusionamp Resources

ResourcesGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to FacebookGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to InstagramGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to TwitterGUIDE 11 Secrets to a Great Photography WebsiteGUIDE Creating a Successful Photography PortfolioGUIDE 10 Branding Secrets for PhotographersBLOG Developing a Better Photography Brand BLOG How This Photographer is Making Your LaughBLOG 10 Great Photographer PromosBLOG Tackling Google 3 Ways Photographers Can Improve Their SEOBLOG Building a Photo Brand From the Ground Up Tips From Art WolfeBLOG 4 Ways to Get More Work From Old ClientsVIDEO Tips amp Strategies To Grow Your Audience OnlineVIDEO Interview with Zack Arias If I Had to Start My Business Today VIDEO 11 Essential Tips for Freelance PhotographersTOOL Google AnalyticsTOOL Google Keyword PlannerTOOL Mad MimiTOOL Bitly

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 19: How to market your photography

21HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE VISITS TO YOUR WEBSITE Get folks out of the email and onto your site Thatrsquos where they can have a richer viewing experience learn more about your photography and potentially make a purchase or email you to inquire about your services The point of your email is to invite them to engage with youmdashhopefully on your site

If you use Google Analytics to measure your web traffic you may be able to see how many visits come from your email newsletters (this depends on your email platform Mad Mimi integrates with Google Analytics)

STEP TWO BE YOUR SHINY SELFDONrsquoT BE AFRAID OF MINIMALISM Let your photography communicate on its own in your emailsmdashjust as you would in another medium Showcase your photographs with lovely wide image modules Even one image alone can make a powerful impact

KEEP YOUR TEXT SHORT Email can be a very intimate (and interactive) environment Donrsquot distract your recipients with too much content Simple emails get shared Make sure you can answer the question ldquoWhy am I sending this emailrdquo If your own answer is muddled or hidden in the text you will struggle to engage

SPEAK YOUR OWN STYLE Design your emails to reflect the personality of your brand The colors fonts and layouts you use should reinforce the branding on your website and complement (rather than compete with) your photography

MAXIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL REACH Find new fans by maximizing the shareability of your emails Not into Twitter So what Some of your photography fans probably love it So make it easy for your fans friends and family to share your emails on their favorite social networks

Many email platforms (including Mad Mimi) let you include social sharing buttons in your emails These allow your fans to share your email with just one click You can also include links to your own social profiles making it easy for readers to click right to your businessrsquo Facebook page for instance

STEP THREE BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR AUDIENCETHE GOLDEN RULE You wouldnrsquot load your photography prints into a T-shirt cannon and run up and down the street firing shots into peoplersquos dining rooms So donrsquot do

that in email either Be respectful of peoplersquos inboxes and be sure that yoursquore delivering relevant content to the right people At Mad Mimi we review your first email before it goes out and give you any technical tips or design feedback if needed

COLLECT SIGNUPS Practice permission-based marketing which means only sending to people who have opted in to receive your emails whether by using a signup form on your site signing up at an event or making a purchase Only send to people yoursquove interacted with recently (say the past 18 months) You donrsquot send your business card to your high school teachersmdashitrsquos essentially the same thing

Many email marketing platforms (including Mad Mimi) offer customizable signup forms and integrate with top third-party form builders

DONrsquoT SEND TOO MANY EMAILS Donrsquot send too few The ideal frequency depends on your audience Itrsquos worth thinking about why you are emailing your audiencemdashmight they hire you have they hired you do they just like your work Unless yoursquove segmented your list your audience probably includes a variety of people so keep that in mind when considering frequency

To find the best frequency for you we recommend a combination of going with your gut and testing You know your audience best Make decisions based on that but be willing to try new things Most email platforms offer stats reporting to help you gauge the effectiveness of your emails Check your stats and adjust accordingly

GIVE SOMETHING AWAY Itrsquos just true If you give people something for signing up they feel better about handing over their email address And you donrsquot JUST want their email addressmdashyou want their business Offering a coupon for a print or specialized content at signup is a great way to give your newsletter added perceived value

If yoursquore a bit more advanced drip campaigns are a great way to deliver free (or paid) stuff to people who sign up Whatrsquos a drip campaign Itrsquos a series of autoresponder emails You can use drip campaigns to deliver downloadable freebies welcome emails and coupons If yoursquore interested in sharing your expertise you can even use them to deliver photography e-courses Here are a few helpful blog posts on drip campaigns

5 Tips for Creating a Stellar Welcome Email Campaign6 (Incredible) Woman-Powered Drip Campaigns5 Tips for Gaining Subscribers with an Email Course21 Autoresponder Ideas to Grow Your Business

22HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I If you focus on these three steps yoursquoll be well on your way to increasing the reach of your photography business The Mad Mimi team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about getting started Email us at supportmadmimicom

23HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

arketing does not have to be your worst enemy but it does require you to carve out time and map out a gameplan Once you have a few strategies

in place - whether that be a workflow that includes post-ing to social networks blogging regularly or sending out a monthly newsletter - you will be more able to grow a strong presence online and establish awareness about your brand And remember before you start know cold what yoursquore providing and exactly who and where your target audience ismdashboth online and off If you can confidently define your target market then you will be in great shape to develop a strong marketing plan that can attract qual-ity clients and grow your business better than ever before

Conclusionamp Resources

ResourcesGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to FacebookGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to InstagramGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to TwitterGUIDE 11 Secrets to a Great Photography WebsiteGUIDE Creating a Successful Photography PortfolioGUIDE 10 Branding Secrets for PhotographersBLOG Developing a Better Photography Brand BLOG How This Photographer is Making Your LaughBLOG 10 Great Photographer PromosBLOG Tackling Google 3 Ways Photographers Can Improve Their SEOBLOG Building a Photo Brand From the Ground Up Tips From Art WolfeBLOG 4 Ways to Get More Work From Old ClientsVIDEO Tips amp Strategies To Grow Your Audience OnlineVIDEO Interview with Zack Arias If I Had to Start My Business Today VIDEO 11 Essential Tips for Freelance PhotographersTOOL Google AnalyticsTOOL Google Keyword PlannerTOOL Mad MimiTOOL Bitly

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 20: How to market your photography

22HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

II

I If you focus on these three steps yoursquoll be well on your way to increasing the reach of your photography business The Mad Mimi team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about getting started Email us at supportmadmimicom

23HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

arketing does not have to be your worst enemy but it does require you to carve out time and map out a gameplan Once you have a few strategies

in place - whether that be a workflow that includes post-ing to social networks blogging regularly or sending out a monthly newsletter - you will be more able to grow a strong presence online and establish awareness about your brand And remember before you start know cold what yoursquore providing and exactly who and where your target audience ismdashboth online and off If you can confidently define your target market then you will be in great shape to develop a strong marketing plan that can attract qual-ity clients and grow your business better than ever before

Conclusionamp Resources

ResourcesGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to FacebookGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to InstagramGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to TwitterGUIDE 11 Secrets to a Great Photography WebsiteGUIDE Creating a Successful Photography PortfolioGUIDE 10 Branding Secrets for PhotographersBLOG Developing a Better Photography Brand BLOG How This Photographer is Making Your LaughBLOG 10 Great Photographer PromosBLOG Tackling Google 3 Ways Photographers Can Improve Their SEOBLOG Building a Photo Brand From the Ground Up Tips From Art WolfeBLOG 4 Ways to Get More Work From Old ClientsVIDEO Tips amp Strategies To Grow Your Audience OnlineVIDEO Interview with Zack Arias If I Had to Start My Business Today VIDEO 11 Essential Tips for Freelance PhotographersTOOL Google AnalyticsTOOL Google Keyword PlannerTOOL Mad MimiTOOL Bitly

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 21: How to market your photography

23HOW TO MARKET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

arketing does not have to be your worst enemy but it does require you to carve out time and map out a gameplan Once you have a few strategies

in place - whether that be a workflow that includes post-ing to social networks blogging regularly or sending out a monthly newsletter - you will be more able to grow a strong presence online and establish awareness about your brand And remember before you start know cold what yoursquore providing and exactly who and where your target audience ismdashboth online and off If you can confidently define your target market then you will be in great shape to develop a strong marketing plan that can attract qual-ity clients and grow your business better than ever before

Conclusionamp Resources

ResourcesGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to FacebookGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to InstagramGUIDE The Photographerrsquos Guide to TwitterGUIDE 11 Secrets to a Great Photography WebsiteGUIDE Creating a Successful Photography PortfolioGUIDE 10 Branding Secrets for PhotographersBLOG Developing a Better Photography Brand BLOG How This Photographer is Making Your LaughBLOG 10 Great Photographer PromosBLOG Tackling Google 3 Ways Photographers Can Improve Their SEOBLOG Building a Photo Brand From the Ground Up Tips From Art WolfeBLOG 4 Ways to Get More Work From Old ClientsVIDEO Tips amp Strategies To Grow Your Audience OnlineVIDEO Interview with Zack Arias If I Had to Start My Business Today VIDEO 11 Essential Tips for Freelance PhotographersTOOL Google AnalyticsTOOL Google Keyword PlannerTOOL Mad MimiTOOL Bitly

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 22: How to market your photography

CHECK OUT PHOTOSHELTERS library of free photo business and marketing guides

Get them all wwwphotosheltercommktresearch

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online

Page 23: How to market your photography

wwwvimeocomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter

wwwfacebookcomPhotoShelter

PhotoShelter guides

wwwPhotoSheltercom

wwwinstagramcomPhotoShelter

FIND PHOTOSHELTER online