In the competitive world of wedding photography, social media is a fast and effective solution for you to find, attract, and book clients for your business. Because there are so many platforms available to you, which platform is best for you and your photography business? To help you discover which platform is best for you, I reached out to ShootDotEdit to provide insights into each social media platform.
At ShootDotEdit, we love to help you eliminate the stress of post production from your wedding photography business. In the bigger picture, though, we are here to help you grow your business, including how to maximize your social media presence. Let’s be honest – social media can be a very effective way to grow your business, but it can take a lot of time. There are numerous social media platforms, ranging from Facebook and Twitter to Instagram and Snapchat. Below, we share tips on how to tell which social media platform is best for your business, so you can focus your efforts on which one will have the biggest impact for you!
Consider focusing on Facebook if…
You know your target audience.
Facebook is a great platform for you to use to attract ideal clients to your website and blog. Of the advanced features Facebook has for business owners, one of the top features is you can set custom audiences to place specific content in front of your target audience.
Image Compliments of Custom by Nicole Photography
In the Advertising tab, choose the objectives for your campaign, including your ideal client’s age, gender, relationships status, and connections. Set the qualifications for your target market based on what you know about them. For example, do you find a lot of your ideal clients get married at vineyards? You can target your posts toward people who are engaged and like the Facebook Page of various wineries in your area. Facebook also lets you retarget your posts toward people who have already visited your website and blog. So, when one of your couples shares their blog post images from their wedding with all of their friends and families, you can use this traffic in Facebook for a future audience.
Does using Facebook in this way involve a learning curve? Yes, no doubt. Understanding who you want to reach can help you effectively utilize Facebook, and help direct what content you share with your audience.
Consider focusing on Instagram if…
You have a unique and recognizable style.
Instagram is an entirely image-based platform, which naturally lends itself perfectly to wedding photographers. Instagram is best used to showcase your unique and recognizable style in front of specific audiences.
Image Compliments of Custom by Nicole Photography
Because Instagram is so image-focused, the unique attributes of your style are on full display. When you share images on Instagram, you show potential clients what type of work you do and who you are as a photographer. Ensure you share the best and most unique images from your engagement sessions and wedding shoots. These are photos that are consistent to your style, and showcase your skills as a photographer. Don’t forget to use relevant hashtags [http://shootdotedit.com/2016/02/19-hashtags-you-need-to-use-on-instagram/] to place your photos in front of clients who are perfect for you. Hashtags allow you to target your unique images to specific audiences.
Consider focusing on Snapchat if…
You incorporate your personal life into your brand.
Snapchat is ideal for the photographer that incorporates their lifestyle into their brand. The platform is built on ongoing video stories for high levels of engagement. For the busy wedding photographer, it is ideal. The reason for this is because it doesn’t require you to schedule anything out in advance or create a content calendar.
Unlike Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, Snapchat can be used effectively at your convenience. You can send individual messages to your followers, and also build stories with your videos and images. When you build a story, your videos and images are available for view for at least a day, meaning many of your followers can view it and get to know you more. Use Snapchat to share about the things you do outside of your wedding photography business, but relate to your target market. Going back to our winery example above, Snapchat would be a great platform to share your wine tasting adventures with your ideal clients!
Consider focusing on Twitter if…
You probably shouldn’t focus on Twitter at all. :)
Twitter’s effectiveness to market personal service business’ like photography has always been questionable. It’s not that Twitter can’t work for your photography business, but more that it provides you less return for your time.
Image Compliments of Custom by Nicole Photography
If you use Twitter, make sure you link out to your other social platforms and (of course) your website and blog. With Twitter’s specific image requirements, it can be difficult to have your images displayed exactly how you envisioned.
Rather than including an image on your Tweets, link out to your Instagram or Facebook page for your followers to see the photo there. Not only do you give followers the chance to view your unique photography style, you also encourage them to follow you on those sites. Use this opportunity to also link out to your website and blog, so followers can see other examples of your past work.
There are benefits to each of the social media platforms, so it is important to focus on one that allows you to easily attract and create connections with ideal clients. Above all, focus on the platform where your potential clients are. If you receive the most interaction and bookings from Facebook, place the majority of your energy into the strategy for your Facebook business page. Or, if you notice most people visit your website and blog from Instagram, focus on a strategy to increase the number of bookings you receive from the platform. Discover additional ways to maximize social media for your business with our Comprehensive Guide to Social Media for Wedding Photographers!
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