Using social media to enhance your photography brand

Most of us have a Facebook, Twitter or Instagram account. However, have you thought about setting up one for your photography business?

For professional photographers, your work is your brand. In the same way that people wouldn't purchase a car before taking it for a test drive, your clients want evidence of your past photography successes. Whether you work at weddings, schools or anywhere in-between, showcasing your talents is the best way to grow your business image.

In the 21st century, this process has certainly become easier with the advent of social media. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram - all great examples of social media platforms which provide the opportunity for photographers to post their stunning work, drawing attention to their brand and increasing their customer base.

However, if you are new to this world, it can seem daunting. As such, take a look at the PhotoKing guide below to see how you can use social media to your advantage!

Facebook - customer engagement

Is your photography business on Facebook?

If you don't have the luxury of your own website, Facebook can help drive your business ambitions. One of the key points to remember is that you shouldn't use your own personal profile as only your friends will able to spot your handy work. Instead establish a business page where anyone on the platform can like, share and comment on your posts.

While your focus might be on sharing recent shoots, Facebook as a business tool can provide much more. You could create content such as articles, competitions and videos that showcase your entire business and establish brand dominance. The more inventive your content, the more shares and more potential customers viewing your beautiful shots.

Twitter - brand awareness

With only 140 characters to work your magic, setting up a company Twitter profile might not seem like the biggest priority. However, when used in tandem with Facebook, sharing through Twitter is easy and can reap some great rewards.

Firstly, you can closely follow photography trends from leading figures around the world. Perhaps photographers are producing interesting designs with canvas or exploring the merits of metallic print - you will see these processes first and can apply them to your own work. As your followers increase, you can build an engaged and connected audience who see value in your offerings.

Instagram - visual advertising

A photo posted by Instagram (@instagram) on Aug 25, 2016 at 11:21am PDT

Saving the best for last, Instagram is made for professional photographers. According to Social Media News, there are more than 5,000,000 monthly active Australian Instagram users - each one interested in the visual medium whether fashion, food, sport, photography, travel or more.

As one of the easiest photo sharing platforms, you can simply upload a photo with appropriate filters, tags and a caption and you're good to go. As users are on Instagram to see beautiful images, your work should resonate well, draw emotion and lead to some level of engagement such as a like, share, comment or a business enquiry.

Of course, as with any social media, the trick is consistent posting. Instagram is full of similar photography professionals all trying to connect with an audience and if you don't post, you could soon be forgotten. To avoid this, there are applications available where you can schedule photos to be posted - allowing you to concentrate on other areas of your marketing.

Social media - the future

Photography, like social media, is aimed at appealing to the senses - creating and telling stories for its audience. This is why social media is so important. If you can capture the imagination of the audience online, they will be more likely to work with you offline - growing your business in the process.

For more information about establishing your photography enterprise, contact the team at PhotoKing today.