Instagram is taking over social media.. its the fastest growing social media site out there. Is your business on Instagram? are you struggling to get followers or people to interact. Here are a few questions to ask yourself about your Instagram account
Is your account private? If you want people to click the follow button, they need to be able to see your content! Followers want to be able to judge whether or not they are likely to enjoy the content you publish before they click the follow button. In addition, users tend to stay away from private accounts as they won’t be accepted straight away and the time it takes to approve can vary from minutes to hours or even days. Private profiles have a negative impact on potential new followers because Instagram users lose excitement when they land on a private account. Are you using #hashtags? Instagram will allow you to use up to 30 hashtags. But you don't have to use all the hashtags, just using a few good hashtags is all you need. Many people are saying that they won't follow an account if they use too many hashtags or click on a photo and its nothing but hashtags. If you’re using hashtags that are too broad, it’s the same as not using any hashtags at all. Nobody will notice you.And, finally, if you’re using hashtags that don’t compliment your actual photo, nobody will engage with that photo, either. Are you posting consistently? With so many social media accounts, it can be easy to let one fall through the cracks – especially when Instagram is different from other platforms you use.To stay front of mind, whether you are a brand or an influencer, you should be posting regular content. By posting on a consistent schedule, you will stay relevant and active among the community, Post daily.. anything about your business. You will notice after a little while more and more people following your account. Are you engaging with your followers? This is the secret sauce! Instagram is more than just a bunch of photos. Its also about interacting with your followers and building relationships with them. If someone takes the time out of their day to comment on your photo, use this to your advantage. Reply with a genuine comment and check out their profile (just make sure you follow up with something more creative than a ‘thank you for commenting’ phrase and you need to comment more than 4 words!). Not only will you leave a more lasting impression on them, but you will also increase your chances with the IG algorithm, boost your post’s visibility! Are you being human? Some of the most successful brands personalize their social media accounts. Customers feel as though they’re a part of the “family,” which prompts them to continue buying from them. It’s no coincidence that some of the best brands include people in their photos. you need to build relationships with your followers and they will earn your trust! To grow your Instagram it takes time and a little elbow grease. With these few tips you are grow your Instagram. It won't happen over night but if you post daily and showing your real side followers will come! One thing you should not do it buy Instagram followers or use the hashtag #followforfollow. Instagram will shadow-band you (Kinds like Facebook jail). Many of the followers you buy or use that hashtag are robots and Instagram wants real and authentic. Have fun growing your Instagram!
0 Comments
Are you using Facebook Live? Facebook live was introduced in 2016.Facebook Live is a live video streaming feature on Facebook that allows you to broadcast a live video out to your audience through your company page or personal profile. Having live events in social media will really help your business grow. Facebook Live is a great way to humanize your business. Since the introduction of Facebook Live businesses have reported that they have received 3x more engagement on their pages.
Promote your event Its important that you start advertising your event as early as you can. I do suggest the day before the event so it generates interest for the live. Don’t just repeatedly tell your audience you’re going to stream. Every time you remind your audience, share something new of value. For instance, highlight a tip you’ll share, or what kind of information you’ll be covering. Make sure you have a strong connection Nothing is any worse than when you are in a middle of a Facebook Live and you freeze! Make sure you test your signal before you go live Have a plan its really important you know what you are going to talk about during your live. Its ok to write down a few things that you are going to talk about. Also take a few mins and practice what you will say. It will just help you get out those ummm moments or the forget what your gonna say moments too!. Give some shout outs your audiences will be thrilled to hear their name or answer questions they may have. One of the best parts of Facebook Live is that questions and comments from viewers appear on screen, but you should know you cant to delete ones after the broadcast, and you can keep the conversation going responding afterward. If you think that there will be a lot of questions or comments you can have someone else on another device feeding you the questions. Have a good light Its really important to have good light. you don't want your face to be all blown out. Some people stand in front of a window or buy a light that connects to their phone. Pick a spot with good lighting or go outside, but don’t have the light directly behind you (it’ll wash you out). Be Creative and Be yourself It may be obvious to some, but the more real you are, the more viewers will identify with you and care about what you’re doing. Be relaxed and don't forget to smile! Make yourself comfortable. You don't have to start off by having a 30 mins live event. Start small with a 5 min live and go from there. Extra Tips Go live frequently, don't forget to promote, encourage comments, I hope these few tips will help you with your next Facebook live! 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! 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! Over the last few months I feel like every time I go on Facebook or Instagram there is a child affected by Cancer or other terminal diseases. It breaks my heart. These sweet, innocent, little souls are just that so little and so innocent. Recently close friends have had to face this horrible news of their little boy. I can only imagine what they are going through. All we can do is support them, be there for them and love them. At least once a week I am getting requests for different fundraisers or benefits that wonderful people are hosting for these amazing families. I am honored to donate to them! I believe that every little thing helps. The other day I recieved a message that this family was looking for a photographer to take photos of their daughter that just got released from the hospital after major surgery. I sent the mom a message and offered her a free session after all they had been through it was the least I could do. She thanked me and told me that another photographer had already gotten a hold of her and offered them a free session. She told me to pass it on to someone that really needed it. After talking with her it got my mind thinking. What if Storeybrook Photography started a photography program for children that had cancer or another incurable disease because there are so many out there, that we offered a photos sessions to these families for FREE. I went to Google, they always have an answer, and there are many different organizations like this. That offer FREE sessions to children with Cancer at ANY stage of their diagnosis even if they are survivors. So I started talking to my favorite team of people and we started working on this project. We are still ironing out the details but I really wanted to get the ball rolling. I would like to introduce: Storybook Photography: Photos of Hope Project
We will be offering FREE photo sessions to Children and their families that have Cancer or another incurable disease at ANY STAGE of their diagnosis whether they have just been diagnoses, in the middle of treatments, or are survivors. - It will be an application process (Click here for the link). -Only Parents or Guardians can apply. -Each application will be reviewed and Paige will contact the Parents -Each session will be 20-30 mins in length -Each family will receive 5-7 edited photos emailed - Families must be in the Miramichi - Doaktown Area. -We will try our hardest to get each session as soon as possible however worse comes first We are still working out the details of this project and this post will be updated as we work things out. Please bare with us as this is a new adventure and learning curve. A email or message I get a lot is from people asking me "What camera should I buy?" The answer I give people is whatever one is good for you. Or some people will send me links to photos of cameras and ask "is this a good camera, I am thinking of buying it?" To be honest I don't know. I dont know because I dont know what you want it for or what you will be doing or what your price range is. I have decided to compile a list of tips to help you choose the right camera just for you :) 1. Where should I buy my camera? There are lots of great places where you can buy your camera. I first suggest Amazon. The reason why is because you can usually get them pretty cheap and you can usually get bundles from people. And if you are an amazon prime member you can get free shipping and your camera here in 2 days. I also suggest Costco... they have a really good return policy and again you can usually bundles with your camera. I also like Best Buy because they have an amazing warranty on all their products especially if you buy the extended warranty. 2. What brand of camera should I buy? I am a Canon Girl. I have shot with a Canon Rebel and I now shoot with a Canon 60D. I am a Canon girl. Nikon is also a great camera. I have never shot with a Nikon but I have heard they are really great cameras. Personally I would stay within Canon and Nikon because they are the world leaders in Cameras but there are some great companies coming out with great cameras. If you are looking for a good camera that is not a big camera or DSLR Canon does make a great Powershot Camera. Its a little better than a point and shoot but its not a a Canon Rebel and its nice and light. It also takes good photos. Canon Rebelare a great intro camera to buy. I started off with a Rebel and I loved it. I still have a Rebel as my backup camera. They are great cameras to buy when you are looking to grow. Nikon also has an equivlant to the Rebel its the Nikon 3200D. Keep in mind that DSLR camera's are getting more affordable but not for everyone. Remember they are bigger, heavier, harder to keep clean, comes with lens and can be more complicated. 3. Determine what you need Ask yourself some questions before you buy your camera. Like: - what do you need a camera for? - what type of features are you looking for? - what is your budget? - are you going to travel with it? - are you taking sports photos with it? 4. Megapixels are not everything. Once upon a time the more megapixels the better but not now a days. Most camera's come with at least 5 megapixels. Just remember the more mega pixels, the more space on your memory card and computer it will take up. If you are looking to blow images then yes more mega pixels the better. 5. Keep in mind the extra's When you buy your camera from Amazon, Ebay or even at a store sometimes (Most times) they come in a bundle. Which yes its great you are getting all this stuff with your camera for a low price. But do you really need all that stuff? Are you really going to use that fish eye lens when you barely know what the kit lens is that came with your camera? Look at what you would like -memory cards -extra batteries -tripod -lens -camera case 6. Zoom Lens Its great if your camera comes with a zoom lens. To be honest I barely use my zoom lens. In the last 4 years I have had it I might have used it a few times. Its not my favourite lens and its great to have it but I don't use it. Just remember that not all zoom lens are the same and are created different. One might be a fixed lens or one might not zoom as far as you want it too. 7. READ REVIEWS READ REVIEWS READ REVIEWS When I go to buy a new camera I research and check reviews. Don't always rely just on the sales person. Most sales persons don't always know anything about cameras and some are paid or have an incentive to make the sale. I usually Google what camera I am looking at and read the reviews that are posted. I also check out Youtube and watch videos. I like Jared Polin he has a lot of videos on different cameras and reviews them. 8. Don't assume a high price camera means quality. To be honest.. its all about the person behind the camera. When I started in the photorgaphy business I shot with probably was the first Canon Rebel and I would see people at weddings with these big huge cameras and get scared. But at the end of the day.. I probably knew that little rebel better than they knew their camera. 9. Look at the battery type and price of battery When I first started I just assumed that cameras used regular ole batteries that you buy at store. NOPE I was wrong. Each and every camera I own comes with a different battery and a different charger. Yes there are a lot of chargers and batteries floating around my house lol 10. Check out the memory card Not all camera's use a regular SD memory card. Most now a days do but there are still some out there that use mini, macro or even a compact flash card. Read up on which card you will need for your camera. Overall, the main this is to make sure its a camera you really want and why you want it. Do the research and check it out. Most camera stores now have ones you can go and look at. You are able to hold it and see if it feels right for you. I hope this helps you make the right choice camera and feel free to message me anytime and I will try and help you out the best I can. Happy Shooting Paige Grad Photo Packages ~ $125 |
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
Categories |