Promoting your photography website online?

[gladbags]

Hi Everyone!

I'm looking for some guidance and information about promoting my photography website online.

I understand that the best way to generate business is through word of mouth but I'm wondering specifically about online promotion.

Where do you focus your online efforts? Is social media the best way you get traffic to your website? Is Search Engine Optimization (SEO) something you do on a regular basis? Do you build backlinks to your website on other websites around the internet?

I'd love to know your answers to the following two questions:

1. What's the one thing that gives you the most success with promoting your photography website online?
2. What's the one thing that you'd love to do more of but is too time consuming, too difficult or too confusing?

I'm on the hunt for better ways to promote my own photography website and I'm also writing a blog post as I go to document what I find.

I'll put up a poll question as well, it would be great if your could answer that too!

Thanks so much everyone and happy shooting!

Glen

 

[.SimO.]

1. What's the one thing that gives you the most success with promoting your photography website online?

Most success I would say is promoting your online business offline. I personally don't care about someones photography business unless I have some type of connection. Facebook likes are great but the key individuals and organizations that I have helped and supported in person are the main ones spreading the word like gospel. I just created a Facebook page because a few charity organizations wanted to see my work and requested it so other than a small ego boost every time someone likes it, it doesn't really distribute work like actually going to events and participating in functions.

2. What's the one thing that you'd love to do more of but is too time consuming, too difficult or too confusing?

In regards to promoting a photography business, I would love to actually spend a couple weekends and visit charities and organizations to make contacts. Emails and phone calls are usually tedious and get little to nowhere.

 

[JenR]

What type of photography do you do? Who is your target market and where are they located? Are your clients local to you (people photography) or all over (say, fine art photography)?

 

[KmH]

As JenR alludes to. We need more info about the business you are wanting to promote.

Social media does not substitute for advertising.

 

[dmunsie]

I used to think Facebook would be a great place to promote your photos, but based on all of the research I've done, it's a great place to show off to friends, family, etc, but a horrid place to actually try to make any money from your photos.

 

[.SimO.]

If you are utilizing facebook, may I suggest find local photography groups and pages, events and functioins and get out there and start socializing.

 

[jasonkip]

1. What's the one thing that gives you the most success with promoting your photography website online?

In regards to promoting a photography business, I would love to actually spend a couple weekends and visit charities and organizations to make contacts. Emails and phone calls are usually tedious and get little to nowhere.

This sounds like perfect advice and I need to kick myself into gear to actually do that. First of all I enjoy working with kids and already want to find an organization that I can volunteer some time to.

What holds me back is my fear of sales (and/or rejection). Working on that.