Whether you’re a professional who has no idea how to promote yourself as a photographer or you just need to upgrade your marketing skills, we have a few tips for you.
Rule number one is: regardless of how professional a photographer you might be, clients won’t just come running because they’ve “heard about you”. You need to make yourself known.
The best of all? You don’t need to be a marketing whiz to make that happen.
Here are our best tips on how to showcase your work and reel the right clients in.
If You Haven’t Already, Pick a Niche
What are you most passionate about photographing? Newborns? Weddings? Dishes? Choose a niche based on your talent, as well as demand. It’s okay if this step takes a lot of thought and research.
Of course, picking a niche isn’t strictly necessary. However, it makes it a lot easier to make you an authority in your field.
There are a lot of generalist photographers out there. Choosing a niche will not only help you stand out from this crowd, but it’ll give you a bigger chance to be one of the best in your job.
Moreover, potential clients who are looking to hire the best of the best for a niche photoshoot will make a specific search rather than a general one (i.e., newborn photographer near me). Take note.
Create a Unique Logo
There’s an interesting science behind logos. The colors, the design, and even the typography used in them are never by chance. They have the power to capture your clients by the mind.
A logo is more than just part of your brand. It’s THE most powerful part of your brand. Don’t believe us? Think of a major brand. Coca-Cola. Pepsi. Twitter. Instagram. Even if a bit sketchy, the logos popped in your mind. The colors, the illustrations, and even the fonts.
Now, for that to happen to your brand (in this case, yourself), you need a powerful logo. Trouble is, you might not be able to design it yourself. You’re a photographer, not a designer.
The good news is, you can hire graphic designers who can do an amazing job. Etsy is a great place to start.
Organize a Portfolio
If you already have one, feel free to skip this step. If you don’t, you can either create a website or an Instagram account to showcase your work. Or both. We’ll tell you how.
In platforms like Wordpress, Squarespace and Wix, you can create a website in minutes and have all kinds of templates ready to use. Yes, even photographer portfolios. You can always customize them later.
On Instagram or other photography-centered social media, you can post your work and a bit more, if you’d like. You could use stories to document your creative process, show before and after pictures, record live Q&As, and more.
Show Your Expertise
This is a crucial step to build credibility and get found on search engines.
Before hiring you, potential clients would like to know if you’re an expert. Needless to say, no one would hire an amateur for serious work.
That’s when a YouTube channel and a blog make an entrance. You can use one or both of them to post tutorials, go in-depth about your career, or write informative articles as resources for your audience. You already have a high-quality camera and editing skills. What are you waiting for?
Also, these platforms make a great pathway for your services and pricing. People may find you online thanks to a blog post or YouTube video and, if your content is top-notch, they might end up in the “contact me” page.
Don’t Forget to Watermark Your Photos
Not only is this a great strategy against plagiarism, but it’s also helpful to build your online presence. Add your logo to the corner of each and every one of your photos and people will recognize your work at a glance.
Adding your logo to photos can be drag-and-drop/resize easy with Fastwatermark. Speed up your workflow and have your watermark ready in seconds. Sign up, it’s free!
On a final note, your photographer marketing is just as crucial as shooting and editing your work. Think of it this way: being an expert means nothing if people can’t see it for themselves.
Don’t worry, though. The above tips have got you covered.