SEO for photographers means helping Google to help the people who are looking for you…
Once the question of “how to start a photography business” has been answered, the next monster to rear its head is photography marketing, which inevitably leads to the subject of SEO for photographers…
Yes, I know, if you want to send a roomful of professional photographers to sleep, just mention “SEO for photographers” or “website marketing”, and the air will be soon be full of the sound of snoring!
But, it’s those who remain awake who will beat the rest when it comes to finding new clients.
Or, more accurately, having their clients find them…
Right there, at the top of the search results.
You see, the simple truth of SEO (search engine optimization) is:
If they can’t find you, they can’t hire you…
SEO For Photographers: It’s Not Automatic!
All too often, photographers mistakenly assume their photography website will automatically appear in the search engines, and that people will be able to find them easily, so they don’t make any SEO efforts of their own.
I see this mistake being made mostly by photographers with template-based websites, who assume that the hosting company is going to be responsible for the website marketing, or that it’s somehow “built in” to the template.
Advertisements, and claims that templates “come with great SEO” only add fuel to the fire, and the situation gets even worse if the template is based on Flash.
Granted, SEO for photographers is not as exciting as actually photographing clients, or working in Photoshop. But – if you don’t optimize your website to attract the right kind of paying clients, you won’t get to photograph very many of them!
It’s easy to think that SEO is a lot of work, that it’s technically very difficult, or just plain impossible for the average person, which is just not true.
Instead, stop and think about what a successful SEO program will really mean for your business, and how it will ultimately affect your bottom line further on down the road.
Now, it is true that SEO does require work, but it needn’t feel like a drudge, nor should it take all the time in the world…
SEO For Photographers: A Definition
So let’s get started with a quick definition of what SEO for photographers is:
In a sense, search engine optimization really means giving Google a helping hand to better understand what your website and content are all about, and how relevant it is to the people in your community who are looking for a photographer.
SEO For Photographers Is No Parlor Trick!
If you think like so many others, that SEO for photographers means trying to “brainwash” Google into thinking your site is more useful than it really is, or that it means “gaming the system” to trick the search engines into giving you higher rankings, then that’s a huge mistake that will soon get you penalized.
It should be pretty obvious, then, that you must be found in the search engines.
Google is usually the number one way that people will first discover your website, and, for that to happen, you must be high enough in the rankings for it to actually matter – preferably on page 1.
This series of articles on SEO for photographers is designed to help you do just that – and it’s going to be a whole lot easier than you might think.
SEO For Photographers Article Index
Just take these one at a time, and if you get stuck just ask!
- Why is SEO important For Marketing My Photography Business?
- How Does SEO Work? The 5-Minute Guide To Search Engine Optimization For The Professional Photographer
- Local SEO marketing
- Free SEO tools
- Managing your internet presence
- SEO keyword research
- What’s your current search engine ranking?
- What changes are needed to your photography website?
- Additional internet assets: Web 2.0 properties
- Update and complete social media profiles
- Identify keyword targeting patterns
- Appropriate SEO plugins & settings (WordPress)
- Make the necessary on-page SEO changes
- Develop a content marketing strategy
- Develop off-site and link-building SEO strategies
Focus On The Photography You Love And Waste Less Time Worrying About SEO
I understand the complex search engine optimization challenges facing professional photographers, just like you. Get the simple marketing answers you need, when you need them, to help you save valuable time and money…
