Posted by Cory Grassell on Fri, Jun 05, 2009 @ 06:56 PM
With the advent of the Internet, marketing your photo business took on a whole new meaning. The days of print advertising are quickly being relinquished to the past. Now, business owners need to integrate the Internet into their marketing agendas. Online marketing can incorporate many fascinating features from the Web and technology that even the smallest photo studio or independent photographer can compete. Since Web 2.0, the Internet has become more engaging and interactive, paving the way for social media networking. Social media, one of the most fascinating features on the Web today, has taken the Internet by storm and is revolutionizing the way professionals and people of similar interests can relate and network. Best of all, most social sites are free.
It seems new social sites are appearing weekly, so it's difficult to stay abreast of what's new (visit KnowEm for a long list of current social media sites). And it's impossible for busy photographers to be active on every site, although applications such as Flock allow users to update various social media accounts from one platform. As a pro photographer, you need to decide which sites hold practical value and application for your marketing objectives, but I strongly encourage looking into the "Big Four": Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and MySpace.
Since Apollo joined Twitter, a mobile-based application that is basically real-time updates, we have successfully networked with over 100 photographers. Using Facebook, we have created a fan page and an online community of photographers who need pro lab products and services. The creation of online communities also facilitates the exchange of ideas, tips, resources, and more. Facebook also allows photo sharing (up to 200 photos per album and an unlimited number of albums) and basic photo editing; in fact, this free service hosts approximately 15 billion photos each day. Since photos stored on Facebook are low resolution, I do not recommend printing these files; however, several downloadable applications exist for easy transferring photos to other social sites like Flickr, which actually tells you the kind of camera used for a particular uploaded photo (look for "Additional Information" with each uploaded image).
Since photo sharing has erupted in popularity, it's easy to see the value in this application for your studio. Social media sites allow you to publish your name and images on the Internet, where you can gain free exposure for your work and be discovered by fellow photographers. In addition to the "Big Four," consider social media sites that directly relate to photography. For example, a new site called PhotoSpace is a photo-sharing community that allows you to join specific communities and get active in discussion forums segmented by specific interests.
Let's recap the benefits of engaging in social media websites:
- Network with fellow photographers for the exchange of ideas and resources.
- Network with current and potential customers and keep them up to date with your studio's promotions, products, and services.
- Follow others and stay current with what they're doing so you can model your business accordingly.
- Gain exposure for your best work by posting your images online and inviting others to view them.
- Easy accessibility: fellow site users can contact you without major hassle.
- Engage in online conversations about photography and gain feedback from those experiencing similar issues.
- Participate in photo contests and other ways to build your reputation.
- Offer exclusive promotions for your social media followers.
- Hear about upcoming tradeshows, seminars, events, and more.
- Embark on link-building exercises between your studio and other photographers, organizations, etc.
- Discover blogs (Technorati is a great place to start getting introduced to new blogs and social media content) and widgets that give you up-to-the-minute industry news.
-Cory Grassell
Marketing & SEO Specialist
