Many talented photographers take the next step in their careers by creating a website with examples of their work. However, many of these great photographers are being lost to the wind when it comes to search results. That is why it is important to learn more about SEO for photography websites.
Table of Contents
What Is SEO?
Search engine optimization, SEO for short, refers to the practices that result in preferred ranking on search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, and so on. If a great-looking photography website lacks text that search engines can pick up, nobody will ever be able to find the page organically. Each time someone searches for “local photographer in my area” or “best photographers in my city,” there are countless sites that will never see the light of day – or the top of the Google search results page.
Avoiding being stuck in an unreachable corner of the internet is important for anyone looking to build an effective web presence. After all, why put the time and money into developing a website that no one will ever find? Since it is clear that search engine optimization is an important aspect of any website, continue reading to learn more about how SEO for photography websites works and what you should do about it.
Why SEO for Photography Websites Matters
Now that you know what SEO is, let’s talk about why it matters for photography websites.
Targeting Your Audience
As a local photographer, you want the right people to find your work. Utilizing the principles of SEO will help to bridge the gap between you and the customers and the connections that you actually want to have. Every business would prefer to reach its target demographics over a completely random cohort, which is exactly what SEO for photography websites does.
Branding
Good positioning on search engines and having a well-curated web presence helps any local photographer establish themselves as a trusted expert. People expect search engine results to bring them to pages and websites that they can trust, especially when it comes to businesses. If every Google result came back to defunct, fraudulent, or otherwise sketchy operations, that would hurt legitimate businesses as well as the reputation of search engines. Since it is in everyone’s best interest, these issues are dealt with and managed very well, making SEO photographers reputable by virtue of their positioning in search results.
Financial Gains
For almost every aspect of advertising and generating business, you can expect to spend money. However, SEO for photography websites and local photographers can be implemented completely free, with astonishing results. Since there is no downside to search engine optimization, it is a must-have.
Considering how important SEO for photography websites can be, the “bang for your buck” makes it worth utilizing professional consulting regarding SEO strategies. With the ever-growing impact of the internet and search results, it is more than worth the money.
Get Ahead of the Competition
Although standing out from the competition is an aspect of branding, being the tallest tree in a forest of thousands matters in its own simple way. If you have multiple competitors all relying on similar avenues to direct potential clients to their door, you want to make sure yours has the best chance of being seen.
How SEO for Photography Websites Works
Interested in learning more about how SEO for photography websites actually gets you all of the things mentioned above? Keep reading!
Time Matters
Google automatically opts to show newer information and sites over older ones. It is important to update and make new blog posts when you can for many reasons, but having recent posts is a factor that can be important by itself when implementing SEO for photography websites.
Location Specific Results
When search engines recognize that you may be searching for a business or service, they automatically opt to present local businesses using your given location as a reference, calculating distances and bringing up results.
Since search engines present people with a “near me” list, it is important to use geotags for places you might be active, as well as in text posts mentioning local neighborhoods that might be searched for in particular. For instance, if your company is based in New York, you might want to also talk about working in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens.
Google Business Profile
Establishing your Google Business profile is crucial, especially when it comes to the local search feature. Having this profile will give your local photography business a chance to be listed above other websites. When your business is shown on the map as a local option, that significantly improves the visibility of your business!
Editing your information with Google is extremely easy. You can fill out and upload spreadsheets which allow you to make bulk information changes quickly. Google also provides tips for maximizing SEO for local photographers through support pages that make it clear how to improve your business’ rankings and visibility.
Although it is important to have a profile with Google, it is also crucial to remember that Google will suspend accounts if you make multiple for the same business in the same metropolitan area. Note that you can make more listings for the same business in other cities. Google will also require you to hide your business address if you do not have a “storefront.”
Keyword Optimization
The text on your website is crucial. It is where you need to include keywords related to your business. You can use a variety of online tools to research what keywords are most relevant. Plus, using different SERP checkers provides you with valuable analytics regarding what keywords generate the most web traffic.
Search engines have measures developed to prevent anyone from gaming the system by “keyword stuffing.” That is why you should always focus on writing in the same way that you would talk. This will ensure you do not accidentally participate in keyword stuffing, which will only hurt your business’s web presence.
Alt Text on Images
A picture may be worth a thousand words to a person, but to a search engine, they are worth exactly zero. As mentioned previously, your beautiful website may portray exceptional work, but that does not mean that people can find it. This is especially important for local photographers. So often, the emphasis on a photographer’s visuals can get in the way of factors that will let people actually find them online. For this reason, it is important to use meta descriptions and alt text so that images can actually have a role in your search rankings. The best descriptions are that: real descriptions. Labeling images with a number or random text is ineffective.
Backlinks
SEO for photography websites involves linking to other reputable websites and vice versa. When another business uses your work, making sure that they attribute it to you and link to your website both builds credibility from their website and impacts search engine results and preferences. Search engines like pages that connect to multiple other pages. Using these links between yourself and your clients will help all involved when it comes to local SEO.
Reviews
One of the oldest ways businesses create a good reputation for themselves is through customer reviews. Though word of mouth can be beneficial, it is hard to get people to do it. Utilizing online reviews is another key to good SEO for local photographers. Finding ways to incentivize clients to leave reviews makes building your reputation a team effort. It shows that others have good things to say about your business, not just you!
Other Websites and Social Media
There are many directories and host sites where people find out about businesses. Facebook business pages, Instagram pages, and other similar ventures can be found on search engines as well as organically through those applications.
How Do I Get Started?
There is an abundance of information going even beyond just the contents of this article. It includes many approaches and tactics that are far more rigorous and complicated than the brief explanations here. Professional usage of SEO principles can provide amazing results for companies looking to drive web traffic, sales, and bolster their brand’s recognizability and value.
Since SEO for photography websites is so important but not necessarily straightforward to implement, you should consider consulting with a professional company like SEO Design Chicago to hone your web presence and pursue the success you deserve.
FAQ:
- What is SEO?
- Should I use SEO for my photography website?
- How do keywords help SEO for photography?
- What is alt text?
- How do reviews help improve SEO?
Contact Us Today!