Since the memorable day that Instagram entered our lives, photographers gained the perfect platform for sharing their creations with the online world. So why does your photographer persona need to establish itself on Facebook as well? The answer is simple: if Instagram is your gallery, Facebook is your community. And just like a sensor and a shutter, you can’t have one without the other. Facebook is the best platform for making those priceless contacts with new clients, and branding yourself on the go.
Whether you’re in the very beginning stages of your professional journey, or had the honor to shoot a thousand and one weddings, you’ll find more than one way to benefit from promoting yourself on the most popular social platform today – in addition to your stunning photography website, of course. And if you already have a Facebook page as a photographer, then rest assured that this article will help you take it to the next level.
Here are 10 steps to create a successful Facebook page for your photography business:
Look like a pro
Show where you are
Get reviewed
Post wisely and regularly
Celebrate
Add a caption
Go vertical
Stream the feed
Promote to reach new clients
Always be reachable
01. Look like a pro
Photographers often tend to use their personal account for professional purposes as well. Photo albums from weddings and events are mixed up with pictures from your last camping trip in the wild. Clearly, it’s a mistake: if you want to be seen as a professional, you have to look like one. As beautiful as your children, spouse and pets may be, they’re not part of your image as a pro. This is why you should create a dedicated Facebook page for your photography activity. Put one of your most striking images as a cover photo, and add a neat profile picture of your photogenic self. Your business page title should be short and concise, giving only the most important details: in most cases, your name followed by the words “Photography” or “Photographer” will do (and hopefully bring) the job.
02. Show where you are
This feature is especially useful for professional photographers, who rely on the Internet to attract potential clients and commissions. Facebook allows you to put all your professional contact details straight on your page (in the “About” section), including your photography website, phone number, and a Google-like map that helps future clients understand where you operate out of – an opportunity not to be missed! Take inspiration from the very talented Wix photographer Andrea Brooke, who made the most out of her contact widget:
03. Get reviewed
Another “must” for professional photographers – Facebook allows your clients to place a review of your services, whether just with a 1 to 5 grade, or a textual testimonial. If your clients love what you do (and we’re sure they do), then this is a great opportunity to make an unbeatable impression that will land you the next job. Simply make sure you ask your clients to submit a Facebook review when the job is done, by sending them a warm email or even a simple but cordial Facebook message. Next step? Sit down with a good cup of coffee, and brace yourself for the influx of calls (or Facebook messages).
04. Post wisely and regularly
On Facebook, you can post basically everything, from your photos (of course), to a backstage video or your latest blog article. All types of content are recommended, and mixing is always a good idea, since it will optimize your organic reach (number of people who see your publications) and chances of grabbing more hearts, thumbs up and comments.Saying that, a few rules should be kept in mind. First, just because you can share anything, doesn’t mean you should post everything. Select wisely what you want to show, since you don’t want to overfeed your contacts’ timeline with excessive content. The question you should ask yourself is: “Is this content something I’d be happy to see appearing on my feed?”. Second, post regularly, but not too much. Never less than 3 or 4 times a week, but no more than twice a day. Finally, some hours of publication have better impacts. Surprisingly, lunch hours between 1pm and 4pm get noticed the most, but you’ll have to do some trial and error to see what works best for your followers.
05. Celebrate
Be it Christmas, Valentine’s, or Squirrel Appreciation Day: never miss a chance to publish a photo, a blog article or a post according to a trending topic. Just like Wix photographer Emily Olivia, who jumped at the New Year opportunity to promote her wedding photography services. If you play it right, likes, comments and shares will become your close friends. Nothing better than that to let Facebook’s algorithms grant you with even more exposure.
06. Add a caption
Writing not your thing? Lucky you: on Facebook, you don’t have to write a lot – as long as you do it wisely. Try to be witty, funny and accompany every single picture that you post with some memorable words. Texts shouldn’t be very descriptive of the image, but rather completing the image to provide the full package. On top of this, tag every person who was involved in the picture, from the model and the stylist, to the client that commissioned it and the resort where you took it. Your photo will appear on all their friends’ Facebook feeds – who knows, maybe one of them is looking for a professional photographer!
07. Go vertical
Looks like the discrimination against portrait-sized images is a thing of the past. For years, photographers were told to use mostly landscape photos, as they fit neatly and beautifully in people’s feeds. Now the wind has changed and vertical images seem to be treated equally by Facebook’s algorithms. Since portrait images occupy such a large space on the screen (especially on mobile view), it would be a shame not to use them as a tool for a greater impact. Look how this stunning photo by Wix user Edge of the Map performed on our Facebook page:
In any case, and because it’s always useful to have them somewhere, here are the recommended images sizes for posting on Facebook in 2017:
Cover photo: 828px in width by 315px in height;
Profile picture: 180 by 180;
Image post: 1200 by 1200;
Link preview image: 1200 by 627 or 764 by 400.
08. Stream the feed
If you have a stunning Facebook feed, why not show it off on your website? The Wix App Market has got your back covered with free apps like Social Media Stream, that will display your freshly updated Facebook stream in a neat and customized design.Another important connection to make is the Facebook social icon in your footer or “contact” page. Don’t forget to link your Facebook page and vice versa, make sure to add a link to your photography website on your Facebook page. You deserve that extra traffic!
09. Promote to reach new clients
Yes, it costs money, but if you do it right, you might get much more in return. Don’t know where to begin? Think thoroughly of the image and text you want to use in the promoted post – you only have one chance to make a good first impression. Make sure the message is clear and that the Call To Action will eventually lead people to your contact details, be it on your Facebook page or your website.The best practice is to start with a small amount of money (a few dollars or dozens) and raise it when you feel you’re starting to grasp the right voice and target. By the way, make sure to target people in your area in order to raise the chance of getting real clients from your hood.
10. Always be reachable
Like it or not, in today’s online world, “available” stands as a synonym for “reliable”. And since Facebook Messenger is the most popular way to contact people in the US, you can only benefit from it. Keep your page’s messaging open – this provides potential clients with a smooth, quick and informal way to get in contact with you. So much better than a corporate email! Once the discussion starts, give as many details as you can about your services, show that you are available to meet and try to demonstrate how passionate you are about your work. You can also get potential clients excited by sending a link to your online portfolio or a few images as you speak. Keep in mind that this method is great for a first-time convo: avoid closing deals on Facebook, since the risk of misunderstandings (and thus frustration) is quite high. Keep the negotiation for a real meeting, with a real contract, and a real cup of coffee for the perfect atmosphere.