In the digital age, wedding photographers have a unique advantage: with picture and video quality higher than ever before, the work can speak for itself. Potential customers have to be aware that the photographer exists, though, and modern wedding photography marketing can do precisely that.
Gone are the days that photographers had to put together portfolios and travel to people's homes or invite them to their studios. At the same time, both are still important, and many betrothed couples complete the entire transaction online.
SEO for Wedding Photographers
The most successful wedding photographers have well-planned and designed websites that incorporate SEO best practices. This website is the place to showcase the work, and it is best to include a wide variety of indoor and outdoor venues for different kinds of weddings and guests. You will want sections for stills, films, montages, services offered, and contact information.
An "About" section can detail your background and expertise, and a blog can help your target audience get to know you better. Also, make sure that you are listed on Google Business Profiles (formerly known as Google My Business) and wedding sites like The Knot before moving on to SEO and social media.
To create keywords for your site, FORMAT recommends thinking about what your target audience types into their Google search bars. Make a list of these, shooting for 10 to 15 total. Use general and specific ones, and make sure that you include your location. An example would be "traditional wedding photographer in Boise, Idaho." You should add these keywords into website page titles, blog posts, captions, text, website URLs, and the file names for your website images. Also, use your business name frequently throughout your content but like keywords, only use it where it fits in naturally.
Backlinks are also crucial for SEO and high search engine rankings. Jeff and Michele Photo explain that this is when other people link to your website from theirs, giving you more exposure. You can do the same thing on your website and hope that the favor gets returned. You shouldn't overload your content with backlinks, though; look for a small number of authoritative, trustworthy ones like TheKnot or Brides.com. These can be good sources for articles about wedding photos and video trends.
How Social Media Fits into the Picture
If you want to get more wedding photography clients, learn how to make the most of the social media platforms. Envira Gallery writes that the top channels for wedding photographers are Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Periscope. You can use them to link to your site, and that's where you want your potential customers to go. Be sure that you have permission from the venue, bride, or groom before posting and be vigilant about keeping the images and text fresh.
You can post a few times a week, but feel free to engage with comments and reviews more often. In addition to those fabulous, high-quality images and links to your site, you can share blogs with SEO keywords after every event you work. Alina Thomas shares some more social media wedding photography marketing ideas to enhance your SEO efforts.
Audiences like to see behind-the-scenes photos, so include some of the mother-of-the-bride on her phone laughing or the caterers setting out food. Post welcome messages to new clients who have recently booked with you and highlight any vendors you work with. Also, be sure to answer frequently asked questions and include testimonials from happy clients!