Local SEO Tips for Photographers

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Are you a shutterbug? Then there are chances you have pulled any (or probably a thousand) all-nighters editing just a couple of shots. We know finding customers in a competitive profession such as photography is a task! But with the tips we have, your website will stand a chance to rank on your local search queries.
Every business needs a marketing strategy. In earlier times, people used to rely on yellow pages and TV ads. But to keep up with the digital era, you need new ways to reach a larger audience. No doubt, modern digital marketing is efficient. But to effectively use it, you need to know about Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Introduction to Local SEO

Websites go live every second. So, the search engines have to decide which ones are more relevant to a particular search query.
A website with more relevant content ranks higher on the result page. This entire process of becoming visible and obtaining a higher rank in a Search Engine Result Page (SERP) is called SEO.
Why do you need to rank higher on SERP? Ranking high on SERPs will fetch you more potential clients. People tend to see only the first few results to get to what they need. So, this sort of SEO is vital for your photography website’s rankings. Local SEO will get you the foot traffic you require.
Incorporate Local SEO in your Digital Marketing Plan. It will give you a competitive edge over other photographers. Local SEO helps the searcher with results related to their current location or services that are local to the area they are searching in.
For instance, If you want creative angles for your marriage album, you will search “wedding photography ideas”. However, if you are looking for a wedding photographer, a more suitable search is “Wedding photographers near me”.
Search engines have become smarter. They understand your intent and rectify the results accordingly. If someone is looking for “Best photographers in Denver” then search engines will use your business’ location to give search results.
These can be in the form of a Map Pack that is placed even above the organic search results. Thus, Local SEO is crucial for your photography website.

SEO for Photographers: Here’s How You Can Reach the Maximum Audience

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We know that creative shooting and editing takes a lot of time. So, to save you some time, we have listed some organic ways that might boost your footfall.

1. Keep Your Keyword Prioritization Game ‘Local’

If we consider SEO as the human body, then keywords are like bones. These are the phrases that people use when they’re looking for something online.
To differentiate yourself from the other photographers, you need to make your Keywords game strong. Keywords are a bit tricky to choose from, but Google’s Keyword Planner can help you narrow down your research.
If you still face difficulty finding keywords, study the ones used by your competitors. Alternatively, you can use some long-tail keywords which will help you with local SEO.
For example, “Drone photography in Naples”. In this phrase, “Drone photography” is the principal keyword, but “in Naples” adds location, which is very important when it comes to Local SEO.
Pro Tip: At the bottom of SERP, Google suggests some related terms to your search. You can pick some words from these suggestions and add them to your keyword list. Search for the “Best photographers” and find some relevant keywords of your niche.

2. On-Page SEO Tips That Photographers Need to Keep in Mind

Once you’re ready with the optimized keyword list, start putting them on every possible page of your photography website. Search engines give priority to significant page titles and descriptions.
Make sure each page of your website has a header and a short description that includes localized keywords. These headers and meta descriptions will appear as snippets on SERP. And your browser tab will show the page’s title. Try to make these snippets interesting to draw more traffic.
If you are a videographer, then your home page description should read: “A creative videographer from Boulder yearning to capture your weddings, birthdays, farewells, and other special occasions.”
This snippet mentions your location and forte along with the right keyword. So the chances of this appearing on the Google keyword result page are huge.

3. Google My Business (GMB) Profile Suggestions for Photography Websites

The best way to boost your local presence is by filling a Google My Business profile. It is very much essential for photographers like you.
Why? It is because it offers a lot of benefits.

• Firstly, you don’t have to spend a single penny, only some time and effort.
• Second, it helps you stand out as only a few businesses have claimed their business on Google.
• And lastly, it is the only possible way to claim your place in the ‘Local Pack’- the small window that appears on top of every search result page.

Filling a GMB profile can be overwhelming. You need to know what necessary information to put and what to avoid. Here’s a quick guide that will help you:

• Do not miss a single field. Fill in your entire profile precisely. That way, Google will consider your profile genuine.
• Don’t forget to mention photography in the category section. Also, try to add a subcategory where you could mention your genre of expertise. It will let Google know about your specialities and can fetch your business as a result for someone looking for a certain type of photographer.
• Try to showcase your creativity as much as possible. What better way to do it than uploading clicks from your recent shoot!
• If you have a logo, then upload it without fail. It will make you look professional.
• Tell your previous customers to add positive reviews. And you make sure to leave a reply to these reviews.

4. Necessary ‘NAP’ Details That Photographers Should Provide

Would you risk losing potential clients just because you forgot to mention Name, Address, and Phone Numbers on your Photography website?
Of course not! Mentioning NAP on your homepage and “About” page is crucial, especially when you’re seeking exposure to more customers. If it’s possible, ask your developer to design a footer with your NAP.
Another keep-in-mind point for Local SEO is to provide the local telephone number instead of a 1-800 one. It will help the audience in determining your locality.
To help Google determine your business better, use the same address, and info throughout the entire world wide web. And in case you change any of your NAP info, change it everywhere online.
Are you moving your business to a new location? Then, check this article on how to Update Local SEO & Maintain Rankings.

5. Get Your Photography Website Listed on Business Niche Directories

Google is too friendly if you are a normal user, but if you are a photographer willing to promote your services, Google becomes very strict. You need to register on highly authoritative websites to make sure Google notices you.
Start by signing up on local directories. There are numerous directories on the web. You can either go with general directories such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Yellow Pages, and more. Else, choose from photography business directories like photographersindex.com, the-photographer-directory.com, and more.
It is advisable to go with the local directories first, which allows you to list your business free of cost. If your desired directory is offering only paid listings then check with Google Analytics for their conversion rate. And, spend your if you find it worthy.

6. Build a Strong Backlink Profile

Inbound Link or a Backlink is a page link of one website cited on another website. These backlinks are like money; the more, the merrier. Pages with a higher number of backlinks are more likely to have high organic search engine rankings.
To build a strong backlink profile, connect with other businesses that provide other related services. In your case, you can ask top party planners, makeup artists, fashion bloggers, or event organizers to trade website links.

7. Your Photography website MUST be mobile-friendly

Smartphones are taking the lead when it comes to search. So make sure the landscape clicks of your websites are compatible with the different screen sizes.
You must be thinking that where comes the role of Local SEO here? Well, phones can track a searcher’s geographic location. So, if a mobile user is in the proximity of your studio, your optimized website has a larger chance of showing up as a result.
One more important tip is to focus on Load Time. The ideal load time for mobile websites is 1-2 seconds. Even two more seconds of delay in this time can make visitors impatient and leave your website. Which will not only cost you potential customers but also adversely affect your indexation.
Pro Tip: Take Google’s mobile-friendly test to know how smoothly a visitor can load your website’s pages on a mobile device.

8. User-Generated Content (UGC) Works Best for Photographers

When people search for photography websites, a key aspect for any of them will be ‘what others have to say about you’.
For instance, before going to a restaurant to eat, people read reviews from fellow visitors and look for the highest-rated places. Similarly, photography services require client testimonials, ratings, and few such clients generated content.
Google reviews are highly reliable, and people trust them before trying anything new. Apart from the testimonials, you can ask your clients to reshare your photos or tag your business in their posts and writing.
UGC works as social proof and gives you an edge over your competitors. When Google returns search queries, the reviews and ratings play a vital role. It boosts the trust factor among the searchers.

Relevant : Important of User-Generated Content on eCommerce

9. Optimize Every Photo on Your Site

An important aspect of on-page SEO is providing HTML ALT Attributes to the images present on your website. As a photography website, your shots are your most reliable resource. For search engines to understand what is there in the picture, provide ALT tags to each photo, you upload.
Differentiate the photos using unique and concise tags that describe the image content in a simple form. E.g., if a wedding ritual photo is there, you can use the ALT tag as ‘bride and groom performing wedding rituals at Tuscany’.
Image searches also play an essential role, and thus, when people search for photos, there are chances that your image might rank at the top.
Pro Tip:

• Do not just write the tags for search engines.
• Be human, and avoid adding keywords in it.
• Only describe what is in there in the picture.

10. Content Suggestions for a Photo-Focal Website

Having a blog section is one of the crucial SEO best practices. Search engine crawlers crawl the website pages from time to time, and pages with updated content have higher chances to rank better in SERPs.

Read : Importance of Blogging for Local Businesses & Its Effects on Local SEO

Moreover, having a blog section can help you build a strong base for relevant backlinks. Social Media profiles are yet another medium on which you can show your creative side and pull the visitors to your site.
You can create click-worthy content to reach out to a larger audience base by sharing them on Pinterest, Instagram, and more.

11. ‘Social’ Exposure to Your Photography Skills

Social media is an excellent medium for photographers to flaunt their skills and reach more potential consumers. Moreover, you can tag locations on your social posts, which plays its part.
Show your social media feed on your website and give your visitors one more reason to trust you!
Provide website URLs on socials and use their business page features to connect with your existing and potential clients.
Putting social media page links on your websites also helps you gain validation from search engines. The active profiles give you extra exposure to your work as well.

12. UI/UX Enhancements That Complement Your Photography Theme

Presentation is the key. The more fascinating your website is, the more engagement you are likely to receive from the users. Try to lure your visitors by putting your best clicks on your website, and don’t just stop there!
Have a responsive website, add some graphics, make it engaging and colourful- try every possible way to elevate the User Experience (UX). If you find the work tedious, you can always opt for a minimalistic design.

Relevant : The Role of UX in Local SEO

Google Analytics speaks the language of numbers. It will tell you how your website performs - the more’ time on page’, the better for SEO. The more ‘Pages viewed’ - the more is your content liked by viewers.
However, more ‘bounce rate’ indicates that people are leaving your site in seconds. And you need to work on that area. In short, taking small steps towards UI/UX can go a long way in SEO.

13. Utilize the Schema Markup to perform better

‘Schema markup’, such a fancy word for a newbie! But it is just a code that helps the search engines understand and represent your content better. It powers rich snippets that often have more click-through rates than the regular search results. It means you can draw more traffic to your photography website.
When we say code, it doesn’t mean you need to be a techie and write a JavaScript. Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper does the most work.
To get started on that, you need to select the data type, paste the URL, and start tagging. Once you get the HTML code, paste it into the header of your website.
Pro Tip: Remember to mark up all the necessary fields and keep your data consistent.

Concluding Lines

In a nutshell, optimizing your photography website with local SEO best practices helps you rank better and increase your website footfall.
Implement these tips and work upon your on-page and off-page SEO aspects to rank and stay ahead in the search results.
Happy clicking, happy ranking!
Are you a photographer looking to grab traffic through Local SEO? Drop your details here to get started.