Blogging has changed for Photographers over the last 10 years and you may have not even known about it. In this post I want to share how to blog in 2022 to increase traffic to your photography business.
Photography blogs started out as a place to show your client’s family photos, their weddings, engagements, maternity and newborn sessions. Because search engines have gotten smarter and potential clients are not just typing in “wedding photographer” anymore it is harder to get found in a search and actually have someone click through to your site. Actually with a keyword as general as wedding photographer, you are competing with larger directory sites like Wedding Wire or The Knot
I see it all the time in Facebook groups, Photographers asking for help with blogging and publishing, but they feel that they have to blog every single session or wedding they’ve photographed over the year! It’s just not true anymore. Families and brides are searching for answers to their problems and they want to see that you have those answers.
When you blog a session, it’s usually just some text about the couple, family, etc. You link out to the other vendors, and add in a ton of photos from the day. Plus when you blog a newborn session after newborn session (for example), you lower your SEO, because using the same keywords over and over can actually make you compete with yourself. It’s not helping you at all.
I am just going to call it like it is, your blog is not Instagram, or what Instagram used to be. Save those session photos and content for your socials and start to provide value on your blog with tips, trends, and ideas that will answer the questions that your future clients are asking and searching for.
If you are not going to blog a session, what do you need to write? Let’s look at a few examples:
Google and Pinterest both love content like Listicles.
Lists are a great way to summarize content and show off some of your best images.
You could also share your story, maybe a memory that was triggered during wedding or maternity session. Share with your reader about it! This makes you real and relatable. You are helping capture memories, and clients want to work with someone that understands them and makes them feel emotion!
Your blog posts need to be at least 300 words for best SEO practices! Your audience is coming to read your blog, so give them something to inspire them with a blog they will read and stay onstie for a while. Use your voice when you write, like a conversation you would have with a potential client. They are looking for that perfect photographer to capture their memories. They are letting you into their lives and speaking to them on your blog will help them learn more about you and how you can work together.
No, but there is a strategic way to do this. Instead of text about the couple, the venue, the gorgeous flowers, you need talk about the day. Bring your reader in with emotion. How the bride was feeling? How the mom-to-be felt nervous about her session and what you did to reassure she is in good hands. Did you laugh about something that happened during the session, maybe the kids all stuck out their tongues.
True story, we did a cousins session when my youngest was 3. He wouldn’t smile, pose, sit still for anything. He fought with his sister, pushing and shoving most of the day. My photographer friend was so chill about it, she brought out an Elmo doll and made him make fart noises. Needless to say he laughed his head off and we got the pics.
See what I mean, little stinker!
You want to make these session blogs, personal. People buy from people! Marketing is relational, and blogging is a form of marketing! And don’t worry about going back and moving those blogged sessions already on your site, unless you want to update them with better SEO tactics.
Do you need to put every photo in the blog post…no! Actually SEO experts suggest adding in about 8- 10 of the best photos to highlight the post. Lots of image slows your speed and make it easy for a visitor to hop off quickly if it takes a long time for that post to load. Plus, reader experience they don’t want to scroll through an endless feed of images. Choose the best to highlight and go from there.
If you want to share lots of photos, place them in a Portfolio section on your site and compress your images. Yes you can have a Portfolio and a blog! They are not the same thing. Blogs educate, inform, inspire, and show your personality and expertise. Portfolios show your work.
Please don’t shoot the messenger…your blog is place to show your best images…not all your images. Neil Patel is a genius with SEO and blogging, he is definitely one to follow for more info and use his amazing tool, Ubersuggest to really know what’s working or not!
People are going to Google to find answers, inspiration, and ideas. Blogging needs to be for that purpose. Having unique-to-you content will give you a higher ranking than, for example, Engagement Photography Session in Orlando, like I mentioned before, you are going to compete with directory listings for that phrase.
Blogging consistently is another way to increase traffic. Fresh content is preferred by Google and it’s users. It is considered to be up to date and more accurate than an older piece of content. Plus, if you publish blog posts frequently you can build up an audience that keeps coming back for more. Search engines take time to build traffic, but the more content, the more visitors, which increases your authority online and is great for SEO!
Pinterest is also a boost to your SEO, because Pinterest searches happen year round and on the daily. Pinners are planners and they come to Pinterest to get inspired and gather ideas for their photo sessions, weddings, engagements, all those big life moments! The great thing about Pinterest is that is doesn’t take as long to show authority like Google. In just a few short months instead of many months you will start seeing traffic from the content you put out now.
Consider Pinterest as a boost to your Google SEO! Plus, your a photographer…you have the amazing images pinners are looking for!
Blogging has come a long way, and knowing how to blog in 2022 will get you ahead of your competition. Now is the time to get your blog ready and primed for driving the right traffic to your photography business. How do you know if your blog is currently working for you? Let’s make it easier for you, make sure you sign up for our content planner, I already have the top 75 Keywords for Pinterest and Google, I give you content ideas.
Bloom has a Photography Blog Audit service that can can another set of eyes on your blog, your SEO, and to see if you are primed to start marketing on Pinterest for 2022!
Still feel like you don’t have time to blog and be successful? Bloom offers blog management, blog writing, and Pinterest marketing all in one. Check out our Grow Service Package which is blog and Pinterest in one. We truly feel they go hand in hand to drive traffic, grow your brand awareness, and will bring in quality leads to your business.
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This is such great content Amy. I agree, I did this change a couple of years ago with my blog, answering more questions than just posting sessions and it’s made a huge difference to my ranking in Google and with your help for my Pinterest, it’s quite the duo!
I now rank in the top 5 for brand photographer in my area thanks to my blogging tactics. This totally works friends!!
Thank you Becca! The dynamic duo of content for Google and Pinterest! It really is a game changer and I see so many photographers stuck in the “sessions” blog mode. I am here to help those who need it!