In one of our recent blogs, we looked into the popular online advertising options available for professional photographers. While certain options like the Yellow Pages have been around for a long time, and others like Oneflare are still emerging, the predominant trend has seen Photographers opting to use Facebook (and Instagram), often in place of a dedicated website. While the rise of social media has been notable in recent years, with everyone just about owning an account, do photographers still need their own dedicated website?
In answering this question, we need to consider that despite the growing importance of social media for businesses, its use will always be angled towards an informal approach. While there are enthusiasts and followers who are likely to find it easier to browse your photography work via social media, they’re not necessarily the clients who will lock you in for a shoot without any prior relationship. Sure, return customers may follow your social media profiles, but to generate new business, a website, designed correctly, will offer a professional look that is more likely to attract new customers.
Your website is also another medium by which you can express and showcase yourself in detail, without being restricted by funding – so long as you’re able to develop the website with SEO in mind. And of course, if you so choose, you have the option to promote yourself via photography directories, where you can list your business under a particular specialty.
Facebook’s posts are often lost in time by the sheer fact that it’s a chronological system, where one may be forced to fit square pegs into round holes. Websites on the other hand, allow you to: detail your accomplishments and experience, provide more depth to the ‘stories’ behind your work, and link to partners or clients.
Because Google has become so entrenched in our lives and our pursuit for knowledge, there is every chance a prospective client will first start their hunt for a photographer via the search engine. And with dedicated websites far more likely to return ‘hits’ for any given search, your website often takes on the important role of functioning like a business card or resume. Adding social media to support your website is certainly valuable, but people generally appreciate a professional summation of one’s career before exploring them in further detail.
One of the previous barriers with websites was the development component. However, websites can now be built for very low cost, or with only your time as commitment. DIY website builders have become very popular, while a knowledge for programming is no longer essential. In building a website, a photographer can understand things from their clients’ point of view, while also affording customers ease of use to navigate your business. On the other hand, you, the photographer, have far greater control to promote your own business and develop a brand.
Most of all, a custom built website provides personality to your business. And with personality, prospective clients and customers are often able to form an opinion about your work and whether you suit the type of photographer they’re looking for. Remember, after all, as a professional photographer, you shouldn’t be trying to capture the whole market, only those who fit your desired profile.
