Photographer’s Corner: Six Ways to Make Your Blog a Selling Tool Powered By Zenfolio
August 20th, 2014
Aside from having a beautiful website to showcase your photos, there’s another special ingredient to gain new clients and keep them coming back: having a blog, which can be apart of your website. No, you do not have to be a professional writer to have a blog. And no, you do not need to write that much on your blog–flood it with photos! Most businesses have a blog now, and with good reason: it provides engaging, relevant and regular content for visitors so you can display your latest shoots, show off your personality and excite customers. But there are strategic ways to utilize this tool to sell more. And that’s why we decided to re-post this blog post, about blogs, just as the kids are going back to school.
The term blog is a shortened version of the word weblog, which is essentially a digital journal. However, rather than just acting as a journal, modern blogs have become a way for photographers to expand the type of content they offer as well as allow their visitors to get to know them better. In this article we offer a few ways to make your photography blog dynamic and effective.
The best photography blogs are the ones that are easy to follow yet interesting enough to keep visitors on the page. When designing your blog, make sure that the text is easy to read and that you don’t have too many distracting elements. Try to imagine what potential clients will think when they view your blog. Are they able to find the most recent entry? Is it easy for them to navigate to older posts and find info about you and your business? 
It’s also important to make sure that your blog matches the design and aesthetic of your main website. Do your best to make sure that your logo, fonts and general design carries over from your site pages. It’s distracting for viewers to land on a page that doesn’t have the same feel. In general, if you are able to manage your website and blog in the same place you will find that it is easier to keep things consistent.
One major benefit of being a photographer is that you have many images at your disposal to help your blog make a statement. When putting a post together, consider featuring your best images first to achieve the wow factor you want. Interesting images will help to encourage visitors to stay on the page and explore further.
Try breaking up blocks of text with compelling images and graphics whenever possible. The human brain is able to process visual information very quickly, so having a catchy title and an eye-catching image at the start of each post is a good way to engage visitors from the get-go.
In order to keep your blog viable it is important to post new content on a regular basis. It can be tough to come up with articles if you are not a seasoned writer, so consider posting articles with a variety of content. Blogs are a great way for your clients to keep up to date with your new work, but you may want to also consider other subjects within the genre of photography. Some photographers post articles on subjects like, “The importance of preserving memories for future generations” or “How to best prepare for a portrait photo shoot.” The great thing about a blog is that you can really have fun with it and highlight different aspects within your business.
Blogs can be a great way to show more of your personality and let visitors know what you are like when you are not behind a camera. Your blog is a great place to post behind-the-scenes style stories and images. Some photographers run contests on their blogs to grow their following and get their clients more involved. You can even consider posting some vacation photos to show that you have interests and hobbies outside of what people already know about you from your main website.
Videos and slideshows are also a great way to break up content and keep visitors engaged. Many photographers offer a glimpse behind the scenes, but you can also try topics such as a tour of your studio, a slideshow of your latest images or video testimonials from recent clients. Your blog is a reflection of you and your work so feel free to have fun with it and see what types of content your clients respond to the most.
Most blogs come with the ability to allow comments from readers. If you allow comments, it is very important to monitor these and answer any questions that may come up. This can be a great way to get a discussion going and also to gauge interest regarding which posts have the most interaction.
It’s important to remember that potential clients will be checking out your blog pages before contacting you. If they see unanswered questions or a discussion happening that you are not involved in, they may get the impression that you are not responsive, or that you don’t care. Think of your blog as a garden that needs steady but gentle attention: you have to keep up with it.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is just as important for blog pages as it is for the rest of your website. Be sure to take the time to enter relevant keywords and phrases that will help search engines find your blog entries. It’s vital that keywords are visible on your pages and not hidden.
Promote, promote, promote! It’s important to advertise your blog posts as much as you can across social media outlets. As you build a following for your blog, social media efforts can help you to gain momentum and take advantage of free word-of-mouth advertising.
One benefit of working in a creative field is the freedom it offers to be your unique self and thrive in the process — enjoy the ride. Your blog can be one of the many ways that you put your unique stamp on the photography industry, and clients will appreciate getting to know you before they hire you. Don’t be afraid to shine!
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