Are you a photographer looking to improve your business? If so, you need to focus on SEO for photographers! Search engine optimization can help you boost your website traffic and get more customers.
In this blog post, we will discuss seven tips that will help you optimize your website for the search engines and improve your ranking. Follow these tips and you will see a big difference in your business!
Tip 1: Optimize your website and blog for search engines
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the visibility and ranking of your website or blog in search engine results pages (SERPs).
There are a number of ways to optimize your site for SEO, including choosing keyword-rich titles and descriptions, creating compelling content, and building backlinks. By taking the time to optimize your site for search engines, you can increase your chances of being found by potential customers. In turn, this can help to boost traffic and sales. As such, SEO is an essential part of any online marketing strategy.
Google Search Console
To correctly optimize your website or WordPress site, you'll need access to a tool called Google Search Console. Free for site owners, Google Search Console allows you to make sure your content is discoverable, track website performance data and fix any errors that appear in the SERPs.
Google Search Console is my first weekly stop during my search engine optimization review. I check that my traffic and clicks are working as expected, and then I review SEO efforts and tips from SurferSEO.
Tip 2: Create a keyword strategy
Once you’ve set up Google Search Console, the next step is to create a keyword strategy. A keyword strategy will help you determine which words or phrases customers use when they search for a photography website like yours.
SurferSEO is a great keyword research tool. SurferSEO helps you by giving you a “brief” for any given focus keyword. For example, if you want to write about your sunset photograph, SurferSEO will identify terms related to that topic, like:
- lake sunset
- sunset photographic print
- professional photographer
And then SurferSEO will tell you how many times to use those terms in order to appear higher in Google search results. SurferSEO is the number one paid SEO tool that I use for my SEO efforts because it works.
This is different from other SEO tools, and very different from any WordPress SEO plugin. A WordPress SEO plugin like Yoast only has one focus keyword, and does not suggest any others. In contrast, SurferSEO provides a whole series of keywords based off of your initial focus keyword, giving you a chance to write a well rounded article.
You can definitely do keyword research manually, or use other tools to do keyword research for you. But I've had the most luck with Surfer, and I strongly recommend it to anyone trying to boost their SEO for photographers websites – or anything else, for that matter. Your search engine rankings matter, so you need to get to the top.
Try SurferSEO today!
Tip 3: Use keywords and phrases in your titles, descriptions, and tags
If you're trying to optimize your website for search engines, one of the most important things you can do is use keywords and phrases throughout your content. This includes your titles, descriptions, and tags.
By including relevant keywords in these areas, you can significantly improve your chances of ranking high in search results. Furthermore, you'll be more likely to attract visitors who are actually interested in what you have to offer. So if you're not already using keywords and phrases in your web content, now is the time to start. With a little effort, you can see a big payoff in terms of increased traffic and better search engine rankings.
WordPress SEO Plugin Options
If you're running a WordPress site, you have a few options for WordPress SEO. To be honest, I'm not a big fan of the popular SEO plugin Yoast SEO or even All-in-one SEO. While each SEO plugin is free, like most WordPress website plugins, you'll need to pay to access all options.
Yoast SEO Plugin
My problem with the Yoast SEO plugin is that while AI has advanced dramatically, the Yoast SEO plugin has not. Many of the features are exceedingly basic. If you need help with your meta tags, for example, the Yoast SEO plugin is a good fit.
AIOSEO For WordPress SEO
AIOSEO (All In One SEO Pack) is similar to Yoast but has a slightly different feature set. Of the two, I do prefer AIOSEO, but I did not renew the year of premium that I purchased because I just didn't feel like I got good WordPress SEO value out of it.
SurferSEO For Your WordPress Site
SurferSEO leaves all WordPress SEO plugin options in the dust, even though it doesn't interface directly with your WordPress website. If you're looking to maximize your WordPress SEO results,
I'd strongly recommend that you rely on Google Search Console and SurferSEO. You'll go up faster in the search results and you can even track your progress. Also, Surfer isn't WordPress site specific, so you can use it on any other framework, even a website builder like Wix.
Tip 4: Create an effective social media strategy
In today's world, social media is an essential tool for businesses of all sizes. Not only does it provide a platform for promoting products and services, but it also helps to build relationships with customers and connect with new audiences. However, with so many different platforms and options available, it can be difficult to know where to start. The following tips can help you create an effective social media strategy:
Define your goals.
What do you hope to achieve through social media? Whether you're looking to increase brand awareness, generate leads, or drive sales, it's important to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve.
Identify your target audience.
Who are you trying to reach with your social media content? Once you know who your target audience is, you can better customize your content to appeal to their interests.
Choose the right platform.
Not all social media platforms are created equal. Depending on your business and your target audience, some platforms will be more effective than others. Do some research to determine which platform will work best for you.
Create great content.
Once you've chosen a platform and defined your goals, it's time to start creating content. Focus on creating high-quality, engaging content that will resonate with your audience and help you achieve your goals.
Monitor and adjust.
Be sure to monitor your social media activity regularly and adjust your strategy as needed based on the results you're seeing. With a little trial and error, you can find the perfect formula for success on social media.
Tie it back to SEO for Photographers
Remember, social media isn't just fun and games. Social media exists, for your business, to get your blog post, products, or photography website in the search results of major search engines.
While search engines don't directly reward social media activity, social media activity can lead to backlinks through other methods. For example, someone who is on social media sees your post, and then shares a link on their personal WordPress site. Suddenly, your blog post looks way more official and it may appear higher in search results – not only in Google, but in other search engines too.
Tip 5: Connect with other photographers and collaborate on projects
As a photographer, it can be easy to feel like you're working in a vacuum. But there are plenty of opportunities to connect with other photographers and collaborate on projects.
Joining a photography club or online group is a great way to meet fellow photographers and learn from each other. You can also look for opportunities to collaborate with other photographers on projects, such as exhibitions or photo books.
Working with other photographers can help you push your creative boundaries and produce some truly stunning results. So don't be afraid to reach out and connect with other photographers – you never know what amazing things you might create together.
Tip 6: Submit your work to photography directories and online galleries
Promoting your work as a photographer can be a challenge. In addition to traditional marketing channels, such as print advertisements and word-of-mouth referrals, photographers now have the opportunity to reach a global audience through the internet. One way to promote your work online is to submit it to photography directories and galleries.
By doing so, you will increase your visibility and reach potential customers who might not otherwise be aware of your work. In addition, many online directories and galleries offer features that can help you to market your work more effectively, such as the ability to showcase your portfolio in a professional manner or to sell your images directly to customers. As a result, submitting your work to online directories and galleries is an effective way to reach a larger audience and to promote your photography business.
Tip 7: Write guest posts for popular photography blogs
Photography blogs are a great way to showcase your work and connect with other photographers. However, it can be difficult to get your work noticed among the sea of blogs out there. One way to increase your visibility is to write guest posts for popular photography blogs.
This will not only give you exposure to a wider audience, but it will also help you build connections with other photographers. When writing a guest post, be sure to submit high-quality images and content that is relevant to the blog's focus. With some effort, you can secure guest spots on some of the most popular photography blogs out there, increasing your visibility and ensuring that your work is seen by a wider audience.
Final thoughts
These are just a few of the many ways you can increase traffic to your website and blog. If you want even more ideas, or if you need help implementing any of these strategies, contact us. We’re here to help you grow your business and reach new heights in your photography career. What strategy are you going to try first?
