One of the best ways to get your photography business found is to create an online presence. This can include a website, social media, email, email marketing, and the list goes on. We’ve created five simple steps to walk you through creating, and protecting, an online presence for photographers.
Choose A Domain Name
You can’t begin capturing those special moments in life if people can’t find you. That’s what makes your domain name so important. It’s your address for the web. It’s how people find your website, but it’s also the address to your inbox. Pick a name that is simple and easy to remember. Consider using a domain such as .photography or .photos to reinforce your name.
Manage
Your business will get nowhere if you can’t manage your time and money. If you don’t already have a way to keep track of appointments or other obligations it is worth purchasing an online calendar. Make sure it is private and that it can travel with you. You may already have one with Microsoft Outlook or Microsoft Bookings included in your Microsoft 365 plan.
After the photo session is done and over, how will your client get their pictures? How will they pay you for all your hard work? There are many payment systems that you can use to accept online payments, keep track of who has paid, and even allow clients to download or preview their photos. An e-commerce site can allow clients to purchase sessions or photo packages.
Communicate
Why advertise for an email provider? You have a domain. Use it to increase your brand visibility every time you send an email. In fact, why not send out a newsletter or new promotion to your clients? An email marketing service can help you sign-up interested clients to receive updates from you and manage your contacts. Email marketing services can also help keep your emails from being flagged as spam.
Promote
You probably already have a business page on some form of social media (if you don’t , then you should!), but do you have your own website? Social media can enhance your online presence, but it should not replace your website. Having your own website helps you get found with search engine traffic and gives you more control over how you interact with your clients. You can build it yourself with a website builder or content management system, or you can hire someone to build your website for you. The important thing is that you have a site that you can control. Then use search engine optimization and/or pay-per-click ads to make sure that your site gets found.
Protect
So you have an effective online presence and your business is booming. Now it’s time to protect your investment. Ask yourself, “What am I doing to protect my website? My clients? My business?” What happens if your website becomes infected with malware? Do you have a plan for detecting and removing cyber threats?
If you clients pay online, how do they know their credit card information is safe? Do you have an SSL certificate to encrypt data as it travels from their computer to yours?
You’ve spilt coffee on your laptop and it won’t turn on. Do you have online backups in place so that you can recover those wedding photos you were working on? Can you really afford not to protect your investment?
Still not sure how to get started? Contact our web team about how you can get your photography business up on the web!
