147 Quality Marketing Ideas For Photographers

(Last Updated On: December 12, 2016)

Photography Marketing

I have an urge to share a boatload of marketing ideas. I created lists in the past, however, I think the last large list is over five years old. Much has changed in five years — many of the following opportunities were not even an option back then.

Today we have more opportunities to combine different types of marketing to make an even better marketing strategy. Many of the social platforms popular today didn’t even exist when I first created 189 business ideas for photographers and 505 marketing ideas.

I don’t offer explanations for each option. The main reason is many of these options and marketing techniques require a long blog post to explain. However, if I have more information, a short answer or related blog post, I’ll share the info.

So, here we go. If you like the list, make sure you share it on your favorite social media.

1. Keep a theme to your Instagram account and post daily.
2. Write a focused 2000+ word blog post on a topic related to your photography niche. This is excellent for SEO.
3. Start a YouTube channel and post on a regular schedule.
4. Guest post on a photography blog.
5. Create a community in SnapChat, tell your story.
6. Use the Yoast SEO plugin for your WordPress blog and website.
7. Go live on Periscope. Share behind the scenes of your photography life.
8. Create a regularly scheduled Facebook Live update.
9. Use Google Tag Manager for script management and improve the performance of your Website.Use Google Tag Manager for script management and improve the performance of your Website. Click To Tweet
10. Use Lucky Orange website heat maps and video tracking to see how people use your website.
11. Create an offer to collect emails on your website.
12. Host an event or celebration for your clients.
13. Update your e-mail signature and make it interesting.
14. Champion other photographers in your social media.
15. Schedule a regular newsletter for your best clients.
16. Open a BeBee.com account and network with people around the world.
17. Return all emails within 3 hours.
18. Create an AdWords Display campaign to create awareness of your photography.
19. Create a twelve-month marketing calendar.
20. Register your business with Yelp.
21. Register your business with foursquare.
22. Write a how-to ebook, give it away for 72 hours (collect emails) and then share sell it on Amazon.
23. Create a new logo.
24. Start a podcast for your target market.
25. Do a search engine optimization (SEO) audit.
26. Sort through your old business cards. Keep the ones with possibility.
27. Create a reward program for photography referrals.
28. Create a name for your style of photography and use it in a blog post.
29. Increase your rates.
30. Don’t fall for the concept of automated marketing. It’s helpful for companies with a lot of data, not the average photographer. Customize. Don't fall for the concept of automated marketing. It's helpful for companies with a lot of data, not the average photographer. Customize. Click To Tweet
31. Update your LinkedIn account. Chances are it’s missing some important information.
32. Create a direct mail campaign.
33. Create a video intro in Adobe After Effects.
34. Learn to golf and invite prospects to join you.
35. Teach your friends and family to prospect and refer business to you.
36. Sponsor a charity event.
37. A/B test the front page of your website. A/B test the front page of your website. Click To Tweet
38. Create custom landing pages for your pay per click campaigns.
39. Create a Retargeting campaign with Facebook.
40. Create a Retargeting campaign with Twitter.
41. Leave helpful comments on photography blogs.
42. Read anything by Seth Godin.
43. Subscribe to helpful marketing blogs and keep them organized using Feedly. 

44. Use Google Analytics URL Builder to keep track of shared links. Use Google Analytics URL Builder to keep track of shared links. Click To Tweet

45. Learn how to use microdata with schema.org.
46. Make sure your website is responsive, so it works on every size screen.
47. Use Google Search Console. It’s an important SEO tool.
48. Review your search analytics in Google search console for new keyword ideas.
49. Add or update your social sharing buttons on your website.
50. Review your Analytics bounce rate and time on site to see if your visitors find your website valuable.
51. Test headlines with Twitter advertising.
52. Calculate the lifetime value of your average customer.
53. Create a social media poll.
54. Use Hootsuite or a similar service to organize and post to social media.
55. Create an affiliate program.
56. Create website descriptions which encourage people to click your website in the search engines.
57. Submit your websites to relevant quality online directories.
58. Use Google trends for blog ideas.
59. Ask your best clients for referrals.
60. Use Google Alerts to keep track of trends and your brand reputation.
61. Post privacy policies on your website.
62. Join a networking group.
63. Join your local chamber of commerce.
64. Speak to groups and organizations about your photography.
65. Post your blogs on Facebook, Twitter, and other relevant social media.
66. Develop an awesome community on bebo.com.
67. Watch Casey Neistat videos to learn how to tell video stories.
68. Listen to photography marketing podcasts.
69. Survey your customers about your company.
70. Awesome service.
71. Describe your ultimate client and plan your marketing around such a target.
72. Test every new idea on a small-scale first.
73. See how your competition ranks with SEMrush.com and Spyfu.com. See how your competition ranks with SEMrush.com and Spyfu.com. Click To Tweet
74. Ask a photographer you respect to review and give an honest opinion of your portfolio.
75. Have a studio reopening party in the new year.
76. Create an intro video (host youtube or vimeo) and share it in your email signature.
77. Compare competitor links with moz.com open site explorer.
78. Sponsor a local sports team.
79. Create an awesome booth for a target industry trade show.
80. Offer a guarantee.
81. Create a 30 day or 365 project and share the daily results on social media.
82. Review your website using website.grader.com.
83. Update your website about page and make sure it’s full of interesting information.
84. Create an about.me account.
85. Dress appropriately.
86. Introduce people, even if you just met them, to others at an event.
87. Send a follow-up e-mail to every person who gives you a business card.
88. Don’t hand out a business card unless someone asks you.
89. Send clients cards on their birthday.
90. Make sure your contact information is on every page of your website.
91. Practice writing better headlines.
92. Cross promote with other businesses related to your area of photography.
93. Offer a free webinar.
94. Create a welcome kit for your new photography clients.
95. Create interesting boards on Pinterest.
96. Record videos of happy customer’s talking about their great experience.
97. Post your happy customers testimonials on your website.
98. Set you preferred page audience for your Facebook business page.
99. Give a framed photograph to your best clients.
100. Be Positive around clients.
101. Sell the experience of working with you.
102. Create a photography event with Eventbrite.com.
103. Give clients more than they expect.
104. Analyze your website using Raven.
105. Make sure you link relevant pages inside your blog and website. It does help SEO.
106. Tag your YouTube videos well.
107. Use your smartphone to dictate new marketing ideas as you think of them.
108. Make sure each web page on your website only has one focus.
109. Segment your emails lists. Send the best message to the right people.
110. Keep your promises.
111. Track your social influence with Klout.com.
112. Respond to all comments on your blog.
113. Make sure your website front page as a call to action. “call now”.
114. Write blog posts about local venues and businesses related to your work.
115. Compress your photographs to increase your website speed.
116. Create a VR (virtual reality) experience of your studio or favorite photography locations.
117. Think Mobile first. Google does.
118. Don’t take the social out of social media. Automate as little as possible.
119. Discover your combination to separate you from the competition.
120. Enter photography contests and promote your best results.
121. Join LinkedIn groups and develop relationships with possible clients.
122. Use iBeacons and RFIDs to send messages and offers to people near your studio.
123. Create information and content based on the questions people ask you about your business.
124. Create your own specialty stock photography site.
125. Tag event photography photos on Instagram and Facebook.
126. Just do something different!
127. Create a social media challenge, cause, photo related charity.
128. Use a hashtag for your business.
129. Comment on blogs. People work hard on their blogs and people you want know may take notice.
130. Ask your happy clients to leave reviews on Facebook, Google and/or Yelp.
131. Host guest blog posts from other photographers you know, trust and will share on their social media.
132. Become a source and photography expert for journalists at HARO.
133. Create a meetup group for photographers or your target market.
134. Define the persona of your target market.
135. Create an app for your photography business. Make it very useful.
136. Test new social media tools.
137. Make sure Twitter cards are set up for Twitter shares.
138. Use YouTube cards on your videos.
139. Create awesome custom thumbnails for your YouTube videos.
140. Engage in sub- Reddit communities.
141. Link out to quality information (SEO).
142. Use your phone to capture b-roll for promotional videos.
143. Think beyond your town – think nationally.
144. Create and give a way cool wearable to your clients.
145. Be your own media company. Be your own media company. Click To Tweet
146. Make it easy to do business with you. Don’t punish new clients due to past clients actions.
147. Say Thank You. 

Thank you for reading my list. I hope you found a few ideas which will help you grow your photography business. If you want more business and marketing ideas please subscribe to my blog (Here) or for daily business and marketing ideas follow my YouTube channel.