6 Branding and Marketing Strategies for Photographers to Gain a Competitive Edge
As camera technology constantly develops — from unfathomable images from the James Webb telescope, to more camera brands going mirrorless, etc. — photography business basics also continue to transform over time. Being strong as a photographer alone no longer guarantees success; therefore we’ve collected some overall trends we’ve observed over 15+ years as part of this guide for those just getting started or wanting to reassess priorities within their business.
This list is an excerpt from our free resource, The Photographer’s Guide to Branding and Marketing in a Distracted World, updated to include recent insights and advice from some of our award-winning members. From here you’ll gain valuable knowledge as well as actionable steps for getting ahead in business. Download it below or read further for our top branding and marketing tips.
Business acumen is key. Being an artist means having your own point of view; but remembering you are also running a small business requires many other considerations as well. Get acquainted with your costs of doing business; attend courses related to them; acquire insurance when appropriate; read up on local contracts and tax laws as well as contracts in your region, hire an accountant for advice, learn negotiation techniques – these skills are integral for success!
Photoville hosted several online courses this summer covering critical business topics for freelance photographers. Here is our recap of their “Crafting Your Career” series; gain knowledge from top pros on handling contracts and negotiating client agreements.
Blogs and newsletters may no longer be necessary in building or maintaining your personal brand; however, keeping everyone updated is still key for developing or maintaining it. With social media becoming so ubiquitous nowadays, you can use it much like photographers used blogs five to ten years ago to keep in contact with clients or followers – or create newsletters if that is your preference – without worrying that updates won’t happen or that people won’t remember. Social trends show most news comes via social networks so take advantage of it by keeping all accounts current on what projects or adventures lie ahead for you or photography adventures await you!
Social media platforms now make it easier than ever for those wanting to combine these efforts! Twitter now offers tools that make their newsletter easily accessible from your profile with their Revue integration, making your newsletter easily accessible right from Twitter itself. Readers interested in subscribing can easily do so from creators’ profiles – see above example at Black Women Photographers account as one great example…
Social media is key, but there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. From daily posting to biweekly updates, just make sure your content builds your brand and demonstrates its personality – be genuine and use Instagram Stories for sneak peaks behind the scenes! Create Instagram Reels to showcase each step in your creative process (and game the algorithm!). Hold live conversations through Twitter Spaces for further discussion, knowledge-sharing and connection between you and your followers in an authentic manner. Post editing tutorials or time lapses of your setup and execution on TikTok or YouTube. If a post doesn’t serve a purpose, don’t force it – use that time wisely by concentrating on other areas related to photography or business instead.