Whatever style of photography you offer – wedding, personal branding, family, maternity, boudoir, or pet, you are a visual storyteller. People trade their money for memories. It’s an emotional experience they purchase when they decide to hire you.
As your service is photography, it would make sense that your website is visually heavy. After all, people want to see your work. But photographers, who naturally appreciate the visual aesthetic of a site, often lack as strong a verbal presence. Starting (or restarting) your blog in 2023 is a way to get more eyes on your brand.
Why you need a photography blog
A blog on your website accomplishes two essential objectives. First, a blog connects your readers to you. They already like your pictures. Your Instagram post or a mention in a local magazine might have brought them to your site, so now they’re looking for more than pictures. Without words on your website, some clients will struggle to connect to your core values and personality. They’ll know you’re a great photographer from your images, but they may not know if you’re the best photographer for them. A blog offers your audience valuable content that connects your inspiration, expertise, and personality to them. And connection equals conversion.
The other reason you need a blog is for SEO ranking. Suppose someone in your area is looking for a photographer, and your competitor has a robust blog and website copy, while you’re taking a minimalist approach focused on aesthetics. In that case, Google won’t have any words to skim for SEO ranking of your site, and your competitor will rank higher. Google cannot read our images, but it can scan our words. In fact, Hubspot reported that companies who blogged received 55% more traffic to their websites and had 434% more pages indexed by search engines than companies who didn’t. Blogging is a powerful way to drive traffic to our sites more effectively.
Start (or pick up that blog you started two years ago), and you’ll grow your brand awareness while feeding the internet with content that gets you seen!
Simple blog post ideas your readers will appreciate
I’ve got you convinced you need a photography blog. Good. I’ve completed half of my mission.
The hard part for many photographers who decide to blog is what actually to tap out on their keyboard. So if you’ve come up blank before, the rest of this post is for you.
Before I give you a super bank of ideas, I want to remind you of something. Your audiences are not professionals in your field. They are not looking for a dissertation on editorial styles or backlighting. They want you to tell them information that will help them get better pictures when they hire a pro. That’s it.
Here are 23 simple photography blog ideas that your prospective photography clients will find tons of value within, leading them one step closer in their journey with you to hit “book now.”
- Your brand story. People want to know you and why you love what you do.
- Items you always keep on hand for your clients. Whether it’s blotting papers or snacks, sharing the “little things” will communicate an exceptional client experience.
- Your bucket list. Your blog doesn’t always have to do with photography. Give your audience something that inspires them.
- Recommended cosmetic products that make for better pictures. Of course, everyone wants to look “picture-perfect,” so give them recommendations for some of your favorite, tried-and-true products to show up their best.
- A bloopers list. Tell them about the time a photo bomber snuck into your wedding shoot or how you had to don a clown nose to temper a two-year-old’s tantrum. We all need a good laugh, and while your client wants to look perfect on camera, they’ll appreciate your imperfections and ability to laugh at yourself. Your bloopers will also give potential clients the insight that you can problem solve and roll with the punches, giving them confidence in you.
- What to wear. Anytime I get pictures done, I appreciate a photographer who will guide me in the wardrobe department. You know what shows up well on camera, and your clients will be happy to take your pointers.
- Where to shop. If you’re doing a glam or boudoir session, you can offer suggestions of places online or in town to pick up budget-friendly wardrobe pieces.
- The process. This one is simple. Your prospective clients want to know what to expect, so tell them all the steps they should expect.
- Behind the scenes. Same as the last idea, the more insider info your client has, the more comfortable they’ll feel on their shoot day.
- Why they should order prints over just buying digitals. Help your upsell by sharing with people why they’ll want that large canvas or a physical album.
- Photoshoot locations. If you shoot on-location, share your favorite spots.
- How to pose. No one wants to feel like an awkward turtle. Give people ideas to capture their best angles, and their confidence will translate to photos they love (and will want to buy more of!).
- Favorite props. Especially for brand photography, you’ll help your clients think of props that tell their brand story or communicate their processes.
- Photo wall arrangement ideas. People often want to buy prints but struggle to imagine how to use them and what areas of their home could be accented with images.
- A list of hair and makeup professionals in your area who do great work.
- Colors and trends to avoid. Many photography clients want pictures that withstand the test of time. Help them make decisions that will keep their photos from looking dated in a few years.
- Share how you developed your unique style. Your audience will be intrigued to know why you photograph the way you do, and you’ll add value to your photographic expression.
- Share a new technique you’re trying. Show people that you’re continually growing in your craft.
- Tell what valuable lessons you’ve learned over the years in business. Any content that creates transparency increases your likeability and relatability.
- Essential questions to ask a photographer before hiring them. Tell clients what they’ll want to get the scoop on before they invest their money.
- What goes into your pricing. This topic may sound scary, but by educating people on the hours that go into your work that they never see, they’ll understand why you cost what you do.
- Best selfie tips. Of course, you want people to take professional pictures with you, but this is a topic that everyone can find value in and could be a fun read.
- Life events that require professional photography. Let your readers know when they’ll want to invest in a pro to capture images for life’s most important moments.
There you have it! Work in geo-local terms and connect links between your blog to the pages of your website and relevant outside sources, and voila! You’ll boost your SEO and gain some street cred, too.
Need a writing hand?
And even if you love these simple blog post ideas, but you don’t have the time to write your blog or feel hives coming on you at the thought, let me help you realize all the ways blogging can help your website and brand awareness. Position yourself as an expert and stand out from the competition!
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