I recently wrote about my love for writing, a love which sprouted from the seed of my passion for photography and subsequently writing about it (I’ve been spending wayyyy to much time in my vegetable garden!)
If you are a photographer and wish to attract visitors to your photography website, the best way is to write about it.
But we all know it can be a challenge to find the right photography blogging ideas as well as the drive to write consistently and regularly for an indefinite period of time.
The number of photographers’ websites I visit who only feature photos but no words, it isn’t hard to understand why they regularly ask me how to get their work seen.
I’m probably shooting myself in the foot here by telling people to write, as in effect I’m creating more competition for myself, but hey… giving someone the answer is only one step to success, how well and persistently they apply your advice is what will set them apart from the rest.
Sure, you can label your images well in order for Google to find them and feature them in Google image search results but that’s not quite enough to send signals to Google saying “This is great photography website”.
When you write in length about your favourite subject, you’re in fact writing adverts for your website or blog, like little fishing nets ready to catch the passing Internet search fishy.
You also will, with time, stand out if you write well as someone people go to for answers, it give you a level of credibility.
Trust me when I say that it’s thanks to blogging I now get over three quarters of my website’s traffic which currently totals over ¼ million views a year. Sure it’s not world domination figures but not bad for a one man band.
Photos alone would not do that, however great they are.
Then there’s the question “But how do you find things to write about on a regular basis?”
It’s true it’s tricky and a bit exhausting at times, probably why most bloggers give-up after 2 years.
I’ve been blogging for 6 years but really a lot more seriously and regularly since July 2014.
Here are a few examples of things you could write about:
- Gear reviews
- Tips on how to shoot better images
- Interviewing other photographers
- Write about how photography makes you feel
- Write about your favourite photography locations
There are so many ideas relating to photography that once you get into the swing of things, it isn’t that hard to find inspiration, provided photography truly is your passion.
Little tip:
You see how in this short list of ideas I included “interviews with other photographers”.
Anyone in their right mind would think “Why should I promote other photographers when all I want is to get people to look at MY photography?”
Well my friend look at it this way:
- One: It doesn’t hurt to be nice to others and featuring others means you are not completely self-centred and people respect that in many areas of life.
- Two: They may very well return the favour somehow for promoting their work.
- Three: That’s the good one… Imagine someone looking for the work of a specific photographer and end up on your website as you interviewed them and Google suggested your site when they searched the name of that photographer… See where I’m going here? Yes, you’ll attract people who may not initially exactly look for your photography but may enjoy seeing more now they’re on your website.
There’s so much more to blogging which I can’t cover in a single article but if you want to succeed as a photographer, aside from producing beautiful photos, don’t forget to write a little, if anything... do it for its therapeutic value.
Nico