2023 is fast approaching, and with it comes new opportunities for photographers to take advantage of the ever-evolving digital landscape. With so many different tactics, it can be hard to know which ones will work and make a difference in your business.

I have been into the industry for over 10 years now. I have seen the industry from very close quarters, and I can tell you that certain tactics work no matter what.

Here is a list of 15 easy photography marketing strategies that really work. All these strategies are proven to get results, so why not give them a try?

1) Identify the Target Market:

Photography isn’t a small domain, and you need to identify who your target market is. Ask yourself questions like “What kind of photography do I specialize in?” and “Who am I targeting?”. Knowing your target audience will help you craft the right marketing strategy.

For instance:

Are you a child photographer? Are you targeting families with young kids, or do you specialize in wedding photography?

Are you wedding photographer? Are you targeting brides and grooms, or do you specialize in destination weddings?

Are you a landscape photographer? Are you targeting nature-lovers, or do you specialize in panoramic shots of cities and skylines?

Are you a fine-art photographer? Are you targeting galleries and collectors, or do you specialize in street photography?

Are you a commercial photographer? Are you targeting businesses or specializing in editorial and fashion photography?

Point is you need to identify your target market and tailor your marketing strategies according to them.

The photography business is all about trust and relationship building. So, it is important to understand your target audience and craft your marketing message accordingly. And since it’s a lifetime investment for the clients, it is important to develop a good relationship with them.

2) Connect with Your Target Market:

Now that you know your target market, the next step is to find a way to connect with them. You can do this by attending relevant events, networking with people in your industry, joining online communities related to your target market, or using social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

I love Instagram for this. It is the perfect platform for photographers to showcase their work and connect with potential clients.

Hundreds of millions of users use Instagram every day, and if you know how to get creative with your content, it can be a great way to connect with potential clients.

How would you utilize Instagram for photography marketing?

1) Showcase your work: Your Instagram account should be like a portfolio. Share your best photos, behind-the-scenes stories, and sneak peeks of upcoming projects.

2) Run contests: Contests are a great way to attract people to your account, get more followers, and get potential clients. There are 100s of ideas for photography contests; you just have to be creative. For instance,  you can ask followers to upload their best photos with a certain hashtag.

3) Use relevant hashtags: Hashtags can help you reach a wider audience and get your photos discovered by potential clients. This is especially true if you use relevant hashtags related to the topic or location of your photography. Let’s say you’re a wedding photographer in New York City; use hashtags like “nycweddingphotographer” or “loveinthebigapple” to help potential clients find you.

4) Engage with your followers:

Don’t forget to interact with your followers. Reply to their comments, like their posts, and ask them questions. This will help create a stronger connection and build trust with your potential clients. Think of it as having conversations with your followers.

Offer free services and share on your social media:

Now, it’s time to start marketing. Offering free services is a great way to attract potential clients and get your name out there. You can offer free headshots or engagement photos, for instance. Once you’ve done that, share it on your social media accounts, and don’t forget to use relevant hashtags so that it reaches more people.

Let me give you an example. Do you know street photographers have been using this strategy for years? They offer free photoshoots and let their clients post the photos on their Instagram accounts, usually with a hashtag.

Over time, hundreds of photographers would use this strategy and build a loyal following.

There are numerous accounts on Tiktok where photographers showcase their work and get a lot of engagement. They would politely ask a  stranger to take random yet creative photos of them and post it on Tiktok. This helps them to get a good reach and potential clients.

Following are some unique ways you can use this strategy:

Firstly, have a high mega-pixel camera for better quality images and let people see your previous work and the quality you offer. Since you are offering free services, try to post an interesting storyline with the photos and ask your clients to add their oouch of creativity. Share these photos on multiple social media platforms and show how your clients have taken it to the next level. This way, you can reach more people and attract potential customers.

Second, you can also use video marketing to showcase your work. Short videos are a great way to show off your talents in a creative and fun way. Create a montage of your work, or recreate a scene from a famous movie and share it on social media.

Collaborate with other photographers and influencers.

Communities always help in growing. Collaborating with other photographers and influencers can help you to reach more people and get more potential customers. You can join photography groups or start a hashtag challenge with other photographers. This will help you to build relationships and expand your network.

You can also offer to shoot for influencers and get your work shared on their social media accounts. This will help you to get more followers, generate more leads, and get more customers.

At the end of the day, it’s all about being creative and finding unique ways to market yourself. There are endless possibilities – from creating a stunning portfolio to giving free photoshoots or collaborating with other photographers.

Start a YouTube channel.

YouTube is a great way to showcase your work, share behind-the-scenes footage, and connect with potential customers. You can create tutorial videos, discuss your photography process, and post client testimonials.

You can also host online Q&A sessions, upload live-streaming videos, and create a portfolio website to get more views and followers.

My strategy is to post at least one video every week and use relevant keywords in the description so that more people can find your videos.

Utilize TikTok

Hands down, TikTok is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms today. It’s a great place to showcase your work and interact with potential clients.

You can create fun, educational, inspirational videos showcasing your photography skills. Post behind-the-scenes of how you capture a particular shot and engage with your viewers.

Most importantly, use relevant hashtags so more people can find your content. This will help you to get more followers and generate leads.

Following are some strategies for using TikTok for photography marketing:

• Post creative videos of your work on TikTok

• Use relevant hashtags and engage with potential clients

• Create tutorials and share tips on how to take great photos

• Leverage influencers and collaborate with other photographers

• Post behind-the-scenes and show how you capture a particular shot

• Host Q&A sessions and share your photography process.

Start Teaching Photography:

They say, “Teach someone and you become an expert.” And this statement is so true when it comes to photography.

Teaching photography is a great way to build credibility, showcase your work and expertise, and reach more potential customers. Start by creating online courses, e-books, tutorials, or webinars on photography and get your work noticed.

You can also offer one-on-one coaching and mentoring for budding photographers. This will help you to establish yourself as an expert in the industry and attract more customers.

At the end of the day, these are just some of the strategies you can use to market your work, attract potential clients and grow your business. The key is to be creative and find unique ways to show off your talents. Keep experimenting, have fun, and be consistent in your efforts. Good luck!

Build an email list

Email marketing has been around for a long time and still works like a charm. Building an email list is one of the best ways to keep in touch with your customers and send out updates about your services.

You can collect emails by offering free photoshoots, running contests and giveaways, or offering discounts. Make sure you create compelling content and design attractive email templates to draw in readers.

You can use tools like MailChimp or Constant Contact to manage and monitor your email campaigns. You can send newsletters, promotional offers and discounts, customer testimonials, and more. It’s a very personal and effective way to nurture relationships with your customers and keep them engaged.

Create a referral program:

Now, this is a very creative way to market your work. A referral program can help you to get more customers and increase sales.

If you follow this program, you would be the first to offer or recommend your services to prospective customers. If a client brings in a new customer, you can offer them discounts or freebies. This is an excellent way to get more business and build customer relationships.

I would suggest creating an incentivized referral program, where you reward your customers for referring new customers and getting them to sign up for your services. This will give them a reason to spread the word about your services and make you more visible in the market.

Spread the words in your friends and family circle:

Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the oldest and most effective marketing techniques. This method will help you to get more leads and attract potential clients.

You can start by telling your friends and family about your photography business. Ask them to spread the word and get more people interested in your services. This is a great way to get visibility and increase leads for your business.

You can also ask your existing clients to provide feedback about your services and share it on social media platforms. This will help you to get more traction and reach more people interested in your services.

I would also suggest creating referral cards or flyers and distributing them to people in your local area. This is a great way to reach out to potential customers who may be interested in your services.

Use GMB (Google My Business):

Google My Business is one of the best tools for marketing your business. It will help you to get more visibility and reach more potential customers.

Google My Business allows you to create a profile for your business and list it on Google Maps. This will help you to get more visibility and reach out to more customers in your local area.

You can also use GMB to share updates about your business, post offers and discounts, list events, and much more. This is a great way to make your business more visible in the market and get more leads.

Conclusion:

These are just some of the photography marketing strategies you can use to market your work, attract potential clients and grow your business. Try to be creative, think of unique solutions, and find new ways to show off your talents. This will help you to stand out from the crowd and reach more customers.

You should also keep track of your progress and measure the effectiveness of each strategy. This will help you to identify what works best and adjust your marketing strategies accordingly.

Remember, marketing your photography business isn’t something you can do overnight. It takes time and effort, but with the right strategies in place, you’ll be able to build a successful business.