Are you on Instagram? If you are a photography business, or any business, you need to be on Instagram. Why? Because its the fastest growing social media site with over 800 million users. Istagram is becoming so popular with businesses because there are 4 platforms one can use all in one app. There is Instagram Posts, Instastories, Instagram Live, and Instagram TV (also known as IGTV). I had always HAD Instagram but this last year I have been USING Instgram for my business and I have noticed some huge growth. Here are some of my favorite tips for using Instagram. 1. Post consistently every day. To help build your audience you need to show up every day. Your followers have a short attention span and if you don't post consistently your followers will stop seeing your posts and you will have less engagement. Don't post too much though! For every post that post on Instagram it competes with your other posts. I try to post only twice a day. Usually once in the morning and once another time during the day. If you have "right now" moments post them in Instastories. Plan your posts for your Instagram grid with captions. When you develop a rhythm and stick to it, it helps teaches your followers what to expect from you. 2. Use Hashtags Have you ever gone to a restaurant and seen their menus in the door or in a window? Thats kind of what hashtags are like. They are signs in the window letting your followers know what you are offering. Non Followers can click on a hashtag and photos will show up that use that hashtag. For example #weddingphotography If you click on that hashtag in Instagram a wide arrange of photos that use that hashtag will show up and you can click on the photos or follow the person using that hashtag. Instagram will allow you to use up to 30 hashtags on one post. My suggestion is use only around 5-10. The reason why is because if I go to a post and its got a ton of hashtags I probably am not going to follow that person especially if that's all that is on the photo. Also when you use hashtags do not hashtag #every #single #word. Its ok to hashtag a word here or there. It kinda gets annoying! Also do not use a whole sentence in a hashtag. Use just a few words. And don't over do hashtags it will attract spam accounts which you do not want! Try and use unique hashtags especially those with less than 2,000,000 because when a follower want to follow that hashtag there is a better chance your post will show up. 3. Interact with other Users Instagram was developed to build relationships with people through photos. When someone comments on your photo comment back. You will show the algorithms that yes you do have relationship with this person and they will see your posts. Also you should comment on other peoples photos too! The Instagram algorithms will register a relationship with someone if you comment more than 4 words on a post. You will have more success if you leave good heartfelt comments on posts. 4. Be Human As a photographer sometimes we can get so caught up in wanting to show our work that its all we show and we forget to show life behind the camera. I noticed when I started posting photos of myself and posting photos of behind the scene work that those did better than showing my photography. Tell personal stories with your photos...people love stories!! People will connect with you more! 5. Call to Action The difference between a story and a caption is that a story builds an emotional connection between you and your follower and a caption or questions builds a personal question between you and your follower. Your questions should be open-ended and create a space for your fans to contribute some of their own story to the community. Never forget, many Instagram users are new to digital photography and are looking for people to connect with, and this gives them the opportunity. I hope these few Instagram tips help you with getting your photography business on Instagram! With a little bit of work and planning you can have great success on Instagram!
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Way back in 2007 when Facebook was first starting, I was just posting photos on Facebook and someone asked me to take photos of their little boy because they liked my photos. Then people on Facebook started liking my photos and people started sending me a messages asking me to take photos of their children or families. Then I created "Paige Hambrook Photography". I built my whole photography business on Facebook. To this day I am thankful for Facebook because I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for Facebook. Over the last 10 years I have accumulated lots of Facebook tips and tricks. Here are my favorite tips to help you with your photography business on Facebook.
Post Consistently I use to only post on my photography page whenever I had a session and show a preview of those photos. Sometimes especially in the winter months I would go weeks if not a whole month without posting. Due to the Facebook algorithms my page was only going to small percent of my fans. This year I started posting on Facebook every single day and I noticed a huge growth of people on my page and generating more and more likes. You don't need to post a hundred times a day you just need to post at least once whether its a preview, a tip, or something personal. I also have been posting more personal posts about my successes and my struggles as a photographer. I have noticed that these personal posts and showing fans behind the scenes are doing better than sneaks peeks of my clients photos. - post every day - find a rhythm - get personal - stay positive -encourage your fans and other photographers -be you! Comment on fans comments and comment on their posts Facebook is all about creating relationships, that's why people are your "friends" on Facebook. Facebook wants you to create relationships with your friends. The algorithms don't believe that if you have 4000 friends or fans or followers that you interact with each one. So when fans comment on your photos take a few mins each day and go back and comment back. It will show the algorithms that you have a relationship with the person who commented. Also try and make your comment more than 3 words. The algorithm rule says that if you have a relationship with a person you are going to say more than 3 words with that person. Also it goes both ways.. you need to comment on your friends page too! and yes with more than 3 words per post. This way it shows that you have a relationship with these people. I know you are saying I don't have time to comment on peoples posts. I think you do! In the morning I know you are laying in bed checking out Facebook, your at the doctors office waiting for your appt you are on Facebook, and when you are watching Big Brother you are on your phone too! When I am watching my favorite show I comment on peoples Facebook during commercials! -respond to comments and questions -take a few mins and comment on friends and followers Have a call to action when you are posting on Facebook every once in awhile at the end of your post leave a question for your audience to answer. A few weeks ago I post about when I was growing up my family would sometimes just get in the car and go. We would never know where we were going and that we were discovering NB today. I asked my audience what there favorite place in NB was? I received about 12 comments from my followers telling me their favorite spots and I commented each one back. Due to those comments my Facebook post will show that its trending and it will show up more in my friends news feed. Plan your posts A few months ago I took a a Social Media Course, one thing they mentioned was to take the time each month to plan their Facebook posts. It would help to keep your posts consistent and not so impulsive. I thought they were crazy! I don't have time to sit there and plan my posts I have too many other things to do. So I tried it for one week! I took about an hour and planned my posts for a whole week. I noticed during the week how much less time I was spending trying to find something to post. In the mornings I use to waste my time trying to find a quote to post for the day and now I know exactly what I am going to post and what I am going to say. I use to the program Hootsuite to plan my posts but Facebook has stopped 3rd party websites posting on your personal Facebook. However on my photography page I can plan my posts and schedule them. That saves me so much more time. I have them planned and scheduled for one month. It just took me about 2 hours to plan my whole month. My personal Facebook page most of my content is planned. It just helps me not to spend so much time on the computer. Celebrate If you haven't noticed I celebrate every crazy holiday on Facebook. The other day I celebrate Cheeseburger Day. I love cheeseburgers!! Never miss a chance to publish a photo to celebrate every crazy/wacky holiday. Over the years I have shared about National S'more Day, National Ice Cream Day, and even National Watermelon Day. You can Google monthly holidays. Also don't forget to post about First Day of Autumn, Black Friday, Christmas, and the many other special days or holidays through out the year. Share your favorite memory of those days. Your followers will love the personal connection! These are just a few of my favorite tips for using Facebook. I use these Daily to help me with my social media. These tips can also be used for Instagram! When September started I was sad to see September arrive. I had such a wonderful summer and loved the weather we had and I just didn't want it to end. I noticed the last few days as I drive to work each morning the leaves are changing a little more every day. I then started to get excited. I am excited to see those gorgeous fall colors, I love photographing this time of year. There is just so much beauty every where! A question I receive ALL the time is when is the best time for fall photos? The end of the end of September until about Oct 15th, I think is the best time for the prime time for colors. After that date I usually don't book to many sessions after then I usually kind of wait and see what Mother Nature has planned. I also perfect to take photos in the late afternoon early evening because that is the golden time because the light is perfect. The sun is usually filtered by trees so the sun beams right through them and makes the leaves look more vibrant. My favorite thing to do in the fall is to take photos of details. I love details. Like pumpkins on a step, a single bright red leaf, or a bucket full of apples. There is so much that you can take photos of. My plan this year is to take some photos when Fall just begins, then when the leaves are at their brightest, when they start to fall and then when there are no leaves left on the trees. Another question I get a lot is do I do a lot of post processing of my fall photos. Yes sometimes I do. I find sometimes the leaves just need a little something something. So I will make a red brighter or a yellow softer. I am not a big fan of enhancing a photo too much especially when I shoot nature. But when it comes to fall I do like adding just a little more vibrant. There is so much that you can photograph this time of year. I hope you get out and go on a nature walk and capture some of this gorgeous time of year! When I started out as a girl with a camera and a dream of becoming a photographer I messaged a photographer that I loved and ask her if she could help me or give me advice. Not only did she answer me back she took me under her wing and got me to second shoot not only one wedding but two. I was forever thankful for her help. Today she is one of my best friends and she is always there for me.. especially when I have photography problems.
New photographers message me all the time. I love helping them out just like the photographer I looked up to. One question I get from new photographers is "How do you stay motivated in a saturated market?" When I started in photography I wanted to photograph everyone family and everyone's wedding. I was jealous of other photographers, I would compare myself to them. I would be in competition with them. Then an experience photographer told me "Paige, you can't photography every family or every wedding. There are just too many. Don't be in competition with others work with them because some day you may need them! " Then my mindset changed. I started to support, help, and encourage other photographers. It really helped me mentally. You will never catch talking bad or putting down another photographer. There is room for all of us! I work very hard as a photographer. I am always trying to out do myself and try something new. The only person I am in competition with is myself!! I am always taking online courses or webinars about photography, social media or photography business. So new photographers if you ever feel like you need some inspiration send me a message! I will help you anyway I can! Sometimes you just need a little inspiration! The world has enough hate already! Work together and support each other! |
PaigeI am just a girl who stands behind a camera who takes way to many photos asking the world to love my vision. Archives
January 2020
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