In the past twenty years or so, photography has boomed. Thanks to the internet, and the ready availability of smartphones, we have more images than ever before at our fingertips.

But while there are obvious benefits to this, the fact remains that professional photographers need to make more of an effort to market themselves. With so much competition, both from agencies and freelancers, you need to hone your marketing skills if you want to stay on top.

Fortunately, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about the key tips for photography marketing.

Tip 1 - Stay at the Top of Search Results

Before we get started on the specifics of photography marketing, it’s worth mentioning the key role that SEO plays in all online marketing. Search engine optimization refers to the techniques used to get your homepage to the top of Google search results. There are a few ways to do this, but one of the most important factors is keywords.

By adding relevant keywords that reflect likely search terms, your site text becomes far more likely to move up the search results. You can use a tool like Google Analytics to work out what brings people to your site or simply decide what is most likely to attract attention. Either way, it’s one of the core principles of online marketing and something you need to take into account.

Tip 2 - Social Media Increases Visibility

Where are the majority of today’s photos displayed? Social media, of course. And as a professional photographer, it’s crucial that you make use of social media. Set up professional accounts that are dedicated to promoting your work as a photographer. Using a personal account will simply make people assume you’re an amateur.

Instagram is the most effective tool for social media marketing, but it’s worth having other platforms as well - Facebook remains the most popular social media platform for the over-40s. Not only does social media let you display your work. It also gives satisfied customers the opportunity to put up endorsements and thank you for your good job.

Tip 3 - Stay in Touch with Satisfied Customers

While social media is a fantastic form of pull marketing, you nevertheless need a way to stay in touch with satisfied customers. A mailer list is an ideal way to offer discounts and promotions and ensure that your previous customers don’t forget you. Mailing lists are obviously easy to set up and are an unintrusive tool for staying in touch with people.

Especially around particular times of the year, such as Christmas, promotions, and discounts delivered via email are a great way to promote your work and give happy customers the chance to enjoy more of your work. With the right strategies, you can boost email campaign conversion rates without any requirement for a financial outlay.

Tip 4 - Make the Most of Video Marketing

As a professional photographer, you already have all the tools you need to prepare effective marketing. Surveys have shown that many people are particularly receptive to video marketing. While you may generally be focused on static photography, creating a promotional video for yourself is a great way to stand out from the crowd and generate interest.

Given that photography is a visual medium, videos are the ideal way to put together a showcase of your work. On top of that, they give you the opportunity to present potential customers with a curated depiction of yourself, leaning on your strong points and making your brand come alive.

Tip 5 - Promotional Giveaways Can Reach Your Customer Base

Obviously, the goal of your photography business is to turn a profit. At the same time, you can do wonders for your marketing via promotional giveaways. Apps like Gleam give you a way of providing a limited number of free giveaways to anyone interested.

This is a great way of building up a new customer base, who will then go on to become loyal paying customers. As a photographer, it’s also a fantastic way of getting people to see your work. Shared via social media, a giveaway promotion can get a lot of attention, and your customers are guaranteed to share the work they receive, providing you with another visibility boost.

Tip 6 - Showcase Your Talent with Awards

One of the most striking demonstrations of your talent is an award. By winning awards, no matter how great or small, you can show people that you’re at the forefront of your industry and capable of delivering great photos.

Thanks to the internet, there’s a huge amount of awards up for grabs, many of which are highly specialized. Whatever your specialty, odds are that you’ll be able to find an award that corresponds to it.

By entering competitions and gaining awards, you can boost your CV and marketing potential while also developing top-quality work that speaks for itself. While awards themselves do not automatically lead to bookings, they do boost your credibility and increase your visibility.

Tip 7 - Make Sure People Can Find You

While most photographers need to be versatile and apply themselves to a range of different styles and settings, the reality is that you probably specialize. Whether it’s sports, weddings, or professional headshots, you will benefit massively by making sure that you’re listed in the relevant online directories.

Obviously, a Google business profile is a start, but you should look at sites specific to your lines of work, like Weddingwire or Model Mayhem. These online directories are often a potential customer’s first port of call when looking for a freelance photographer to hire, such as, for example, Kalan Jones. A good online profile at one of these sites, with a select portfolio, will let you get straight to your customers.

Tip 8 - Paid Advertising Is Always an Option

All of the above are effective ways of marketing your photography, and they don’t require any financial output. At the same time, if you have a decent budget for your marketing, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t consider investing in paid advertising.

Facebook and Google adverts are both decent ways of boosting your visibility. However, as we’ve said, these are only really worth getting involved with if you’ve met limited success with other methods.

While adverts certainly do improve your chances of booking new customers, it’s difficult to guarantee that they’ll be worth the outlay. Think carefully about whether or not they’re suitable for your business.