We love sharing tips for photographers and this week we are focusing on ways to make your website stand out. Many new photographers put a lot of focus into their social media platforms and forget about the importance of having a website. Social media is a great place to start, but definitely has it’s limitations. What if Facebook or Instagram goes down (which it totally has before) – do you have a way for your leads to connect with you and learn about your business? Your website is a great tool for finding your ideal clients and converting them – but there are a few important things to make sure you have on your website to make you stand out.
When was the last time you updated your website? It’s important to keep your website updated with correct information. Here are our top 5 things to make sure you have on your website and keep updated:
1. Location
A lot of times, your clients are going to be local to you. However, the internet world is small and connects people from all over. If you have a potential lead that is from out of town who wants to book you (whether its to travel to them or while they come into your town) make sure that you have your town and state listed. Whether that’s in the about section, contact page, footer of your website… whereever! Make sure it’s easy for clients to find where you’re based.
2. Contact Information
While most photographers are protective of their numbers and emails, it’s really important for potential clients to have a way to reach you if needed (other than a contact form). How many times have you visited a web site and become frustrated when you don’t have a way to contact a person or have to dig through their website to find it? If you are hestiant to put your number on your website, be sure to have a direct email address listed that someone can use to contact you. Include this on your about, contact, and/or footer of your website. Also make sure your contact form is easily accessible, which means making sure it’s clickable on from a mobile device. With our Leads Page you can easily add a contact form to your website, get notified when a new lead comes through, and also set up an automated email response to your leads.
3. Blog
It’s important to keep your blog active and up-to-date. If it’s been months since you’ve blogged, clients may wonder if you’re still working. You don’t have to blog every image from a shoot, but frequent posts showcasing your favorites from each session is a great way to keep potential clients engaged. Plus, blogging is an amazing way to boost your SEO rating and rank higher on Google! Here are some great tips for blogging.
4. A photo of you and about me section
We are in a business that can be very personal. And although our skills and talent as a photographer are important, so is our ability to connect with our clients. Put some thought into your ‘about-me’ page, and give your clients a bit of insight into you and your personality. It can be hard to write about yourself, but by doing so you may grab that ideal client of yours that you may not have otherwise booked. Make sure you have an updated profile photo too in there too!
5. Pricing Page
I know this one may be a bit of a personal preference. But like I said, coming from experience – it will save your client time and you time (and headaches) if you include your pricing on your website. First, you’ll immediately be rid of any clients who are not in your price range. This is where you’ll avoid those headaches. Someone who isn’t in your price range is either going to try and talk you down on price, flat out complain about it, or bum you out because they tell you you’re priced too high for them and they go elsewhere. PS – if you’re worried about putting your prices on your website because you think you’re priced too high, that’s another conversation!
Easy Ways to Stand Out From Your Competition
Along with making sure your website has the key things mentioned above, you can do a few extra things to really set your website and business apart from your competition.
Give your clients an easy way to book online
Many clients prefer online booking for many services and photography is no different. Clients want a quick and easy way to book with you. Iris offers an online booking feature that allows you to set up calendars with your availability and include these links on your website to give your clients access to booking. It helps eliminate some of the back and forth between your clients. If they’re ready to book – they can simply click on your calendar link and book – even sign a contract and pay a retainer at the same time! No need for them to wait for a response from you about your availability.
Keep it simple
You don’t want anything to take away from the content and images on your website. If the design has too much going on, the viewer could easily get distracted. Your website should be easy to navigate so that your clients can find the information they need. Make sure there are clear call to actions for people to book and how to contact you.
Show only your best work
Don’t overload your galleries by posting too many images. Narrow it down to your absolute best of the best. If people want to see more, that’s what your blog and/or Facebook page is for. Also, make sure your gallery images are large. You’re doing your images a disservice by using a website that displays them small.
Let us know what you have done to make your website stand out!
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