There are a bewildering number of social media platforms available to the modern photographer, ranging from rising stars like Tik Tok to established image sharing platforms like Pinterest.
However, there is one social media platform that stands head and shoulders above its rivals when it comes to its ability to help professional photographers showcase their work.
That platform is Instagram.
Boasting over 1 billion users around the world, Instagram is the only major social media network built exclusively around sharing and engaging with images.
While it’s undoubtedly the best social media network to focus your marketing activities on, getting meaningful results on Instagram requires an informed, clear strategy.
Here are seven simple things you can do that can assist you in finding photography clients on Instagram.
Set up a profile for your business
Careful curation of images is critical to building a high-quality audience on Instagram, and that starts with not mingling your personal Instagram content with your professional shots. If you haven’t done so already, set up a separate page for your photography business.
Ensure that you submit all your business information when you do so:
1. Use a short, clear description of your business in the name field – for example, John Smith Wedding Photographer.
2. Add a longer description clearly defining what your business does, ensuring you are speaking to your ideal target market.
3. Provide a link to your website or portfolio.
4. Submit your location details.
Quality control
Your Instagram profile acts as your portfolio on the platform and should be treated as such. This means you should ensure it reflects your best quality work.
1. Try to stick to using the same filters and styles for your images, this establishes a consistent look and feel for your brand.
2. Only post your highest quality images. Do not post images just for the sake of keeping the account active.
3. Use captions and keep these engaging – tell a story around every image you post. This can improve engagement and lead to more comments on your posts.
Use hashtags
Hashtags make your Instagram images visible in searches for these hashtags as well as in the listings that appear when users click on hashtags on other images.
These can be valuable when used correctly:
1. Be descriptive in your hashtags rather than vague or general.
2. Include your location in some hashtags, focusing on either the location you are in , or on the location you would like to work in.
3. Steer clear of highly competitive hashtags where your image will disappear almost instantly. Any hashtag with over 1,000,000 posts is not going to secure a large audience for your image. Instead, it will bury your image without a trace.
4. Try to target hashtags where you can appear in the ‘Top posts’ section. This will be much easier if you keep your hashtags focused and descriptive.
5. Tag people, businesses and locations featured in your image. This builds engagement with your image and increases the likelihood of your image being shared by others.
6. Create a unique hashtag for your business and use it whenever posting images. This will make images using your brand searchable and shareable.
Go for quality over quantity
This rule applies to many elements of Instagram marketing, and to building up your following in particular.
What would you prefer? 3000 followers who ignore most of your content, or 100 followers who actively engage with and share your work?
The biggest mistake people make on Instagram is thinking ‘big is better’.
Instead, you want your work to be seen by people who are more likely to engage with it meaningfully, support your work and help you to grow your photography business.
Make connections
Don’t be tempted into thinking that Instagram is a big social media soapbox that was designed for you to stand on and flash your images at random passers-by.
Rather see and interact with Instagram as a community. Find other creator pages that produce content you appreciate and interact with them by commenting on and liking their posts.
You can drive engagement by:
1. Commenting on Stories at other accounts, which will deliver your comment to their inbox.
2. Replying to any comments made on your posts.
3. Respond authentically to captions on Instagram posts rather than simply liking the post or leaving Emojis in the comments.
Be sincere when doing the above and you will find that you are able to build new relationships and uncover new opportunities on the platform.
Combine your Instagram profile with a specialized photography marketing platform
Be prepared to look beyond Instagram when marketing your work.
Cherrydeck is a popular professional photography platform designed to connect professional photographers with new clients.
Signing up is quick and easy, and as a member of our busy community you will enjoy access to:
- New commissions and collaborations made available on our platform.
- Tools to boost your Instagram reach and following.
- Discounts on software for creative professionals via our Partner Deals program.
- The ability to present your events to our large creative community.
Visit Cherrydeck now to sign up.
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