Are you bothered because your earnings as a photographer are quite low? Or do you feel your painstakingly developed skills are compensated by a few customers? Skill and professionalism are important for a photographer but that's not all there is to make some good money from it.
Have you lingered in this situation long enough? Count today a happy day, because this article will show you simple steps that can help you get more customers and make more money as a photographer.
Here is a list of simple and a bit more challenging steps that can make your hobby into a well-paid job:
- Increase Your Skills
Before we talk about the others, this is the most important step. You don't want to have all your customers saying things like ‘only if you had put this here or there…,’ or ‘Why did you do it this way? It's very poor!’ or ‘You better get some more training, else, I won't come here again!’
You have to know the best angles, edits, and frames so you start building your confidence with time and achieve the highest goals.
It is important you build much professionalism so that whoever comes wants to come back for another round of photos. Go for more training, conferences on photography, learn from very successful photographers. Ensure each day ends, leaving you a better photographer.
Instagram is literally a photographers platform, follow accounts like Nat Geo and check how their photographers are editing their pictures and what topics they discuss under their uploads. Start gaining traction that way.
You can also learn from sites like udemy.com and skillshare.com, tons of people offer their knowledge for a reasonable price.
- Increase Your Online Influence
Many years ago, social media was majorly for connecting with people; over time, it has become useful for other things — marketing being the most common. If you use social media a lot, you will find that many people advertise their brands using these social media platforms. They do it in creative and attractive ways.
Why is this important? The world now lives on the internet. An analysis by statisca.com shows that about 4 billion of the total 7.6 billion world population now use the internet. In fact, Europe and North America are said to have about 80 and 95 percent internet users respectively.
Take a lot of amazing pictures and showcase them online. Get talking with online folks, mention one or two customers in your social media posts, and let them talk about you too. Building a brand online is much work, but it pays. Imagine people commenting positive words under every single upload of yours. You will gain social proof through that and increase your audience size. Make sure to answer to every comment and do some shoutouts regularly to satisfy your following.
Start working today and watch your social media friends to become your customers quickly.
- Create a Website and a Blog
It is also a good thing if you have a personal website that gives information about your skills and services. People need to be convinced to use a product and/or service. So, your website should contain such information that will replace every iota of doubt with confidence, and will make them come to you for their photo sessions.
Many Nat Geo photographers have started with online journalism and in magazines. Organizations like them come forward to you and show interest, not the other way around.
You can also add a blog section on your website. Get a good blogger who would help you come up with interesting topics and articles. Also, give room for comments so that people can talk about what they've just read. The interesting thing about blogging is that you will not only make people aware of your services, but you will also make more money from the traffic generated by people who visit your site.
The people who read your articles are more likely to buy from you in the long term because they already got to know you and your site. With time you will learn how to write interesting articles yourself. Share your knowledge and provide value and you will be rewarded.
- Get a Good Writer to Write Guest Posts
Look for a good writer who can help you create guest posts on top photography sites. After writing such posts, he should leave a do-follow backlink that can direct people to your website. This will also help to increase your online awareness.
You spread your brand message and skillset this way and gain social proof by other like-minded people. Who knows, you might even meet a new collaborator who will constantly recommend your content to his/her audience.
- Build Your Brand off the Internet too
You can make banners, signposts, fliers, and so on, and paste them where they are allowed. People always read such things; therefore, you can't tell if a person reading it might become your next customer. Also, print business cards and give to people as they patronize you. Ask them to tell others about you if they like your services.
Word of mouth has always been very powerful and still is.
Although online marketing is very effective these days because everyone is part of social media and you can reach a large audience all over the world, you should not let real life slip out of your planning. After all, that’s what you take pictures of and where your life and passion always will be.
So these are our Top 5 Tips on gaining traction and earning money as a photographer, we hope you enjoyed our list and start planning your future endeavors.
Even when starting out you have the possibility to submit your photographs to stock-photo sites. You basically allow people to use them and the better they are the more money you can earn -
More Info here:
http://bit.ly/GetPaidForSubmittingPhotos