3 Marketing Tips for New Photographers

Marketing a photography business can oftentimes feel overwhelming for photographers at every level but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done.

If you are currently avoiding a marketing plan, you can start implementing these three tips to help build up your marketing game! 

#1) Schedule Facebook & Instagram Posts

Say goodbye to feeling pressured to post something on social media every single day. When you are starting to dip your toe in the social marketing pool it is important to know that you don’t have to do everything all at once.

Done is better than perfect (repeat that).

Start with a simple social media calendar of 3 or 4 posts a week to find what works for you. Assigning topics like engaging questions, past session highlights, or fun facts is an easy beginner method you can start using right away! Once you have a game plan for what you want to post on the days you pick, it’s time to make a content plan!

Making a library of social media captions is a task you can work on as you go or devote a few hours a week to get a headstart. Platforms like Airtable are a wonderful resource photographers can use to plan out their social marketing calendar or a free resource like Google Sheets works too. After you have created a few captions and your images are ready to go, it’s time to schedule! That’s right, you don’t actually have to post something every single day of your life, instead you can schedule them out!

In the beginning you can use a free resource like Facebook Meta, which can link to your Facebook and Instagram page! Meta provides its users with a social scheduling tool for users to step up their marketing game. Start by posting the same image and caption on your social accounts to keep things simple! As you continue to grow your social media marketing plan, you may want to upgrade to a platform like SmarterQeue or Coschedule which is something I breakdown in the Master Your Mind & Money course portal.

Social Media marketing can make you feel like you are running backwards but if you start applying these beginner methods, you will be well on your way to a simple and happier social marketing calendar! 

#2) Blog Once a Month

Are you currently posting blog posts for past and potential clients to read? Blogs are such a wonderful resource for photographers to use in their marketing strategy. Not only are you highlighting the images you have created, but you are also placing yourself in front of potential clients again. In the beginning, I recommend photographers keep things simple by posting one blog each month.

You can blog about past sessions, a topic that ties what you do in with something you are passionate about, or maybe a learning resource for your clients! The best part about blogging is that you can find multiple social media captions inside one individual blog for future use! As you begin to feel comfortable with a monthly blog, you can start adding another into your schedule until you get to a point you are most comfortable with!

Pro Tip: when you are writing a blog, don’t forget to include links when you talk about other people or businesses! Back linking is a great way to boost that SEO (search engine optimization aka where you show up online). Don’t forget, done is better than perfect! 

#3) Schedule a Quarterly Email

The last beginner marketing tip for photographers is to start collecting emails! If you aren’t collecting emails it’s time to start building your list! Social media is a great resource but it’s never guaranteed, that’s why we have to market in multiple different ways. Email newsletters are a wonderful way to let clients know what you are up to and get in front of potential clients again. Remember, the purpose of marketing your business in multiple ways is to build trust with potential clients with a final outcome of scheduling their session.

When you are starting out with an email newsletter you can keep it very simple with a quarterly newsletter. Your newsletter is completely yours and can be designed exactly how you like it! Your newsletter could give an update on what your business had been up to, upcoming promotions, blogs, and informational sections! I recommend building a simple template of 3 different topics for your first year and add more when you feel ready!

Email schedulers like ConvertKit, Mailchimp or possibly your website provider makes email newsletters extremely simple and efficient for both you and your audience! Once again, done is better than perfect! Getting yourself out in front of potential clients with a newsletter will build further on the trust you’ve started in your new marketing plan! 

Marketing is something every business owner has struggled with, but there are a few easy ways you can dip your toe in the pool. The first step could be creating a simple social media plan, starting a blog and providing your clients with an email newsletter!

Did you enjoy reading our blog today and want to learn more about how you can build a full understanding of marketing in your portrait business? I have a variety of educational resources available for photographers from our free Facebook Community, a weekly educational podcast and my coaching program dedicated to helping photographers build profitable and successful portrait brands.

Make sure you check out our amazing resources and feel free to let us know your favorite part about reading our blog today!