Advice please

Dan Cattermole

Dan Cattermole

Dan Down - The Steampunk Womble
Right, I'm looking to promote and target my work out in the World Wide Web in hope to give me the best chance to get full time with photography.
As it stands, the whole world seems to be glued to ... Dare I say it.. Facebook.
I've just joined and have created a page for photography (I think I have), which is no where near complete. I don't want to use FB with intent to 'socialise', and find out what people are having for breakfast or when they've been to the loo. I'd like to cut all that jargon out and predominantly concentrate on my page.
Fb has changed so much since the last time I've been anywhere near it over 4 years ago. I closed my account down as my daughter wanted me to play with her and I realised my error by dismissing her as daddy was 'too busy'. FB has also been a over abused contributer to a loss of passion, apathy, and communication in my marriage so needless I have a few deserved things to say about it. However, I'm willing to move away from that and not allow myself like my wife did to be continually glued to this site, and focus on business...
So then, how would I/do I set up a page just for my photography business?
Many many thanks everyone.
 
i have a fb business page, but, apart from the initial setup and finding friends, i rarely go on facebook itself. instead i'll leave fb signed in and share blog posts and photos via the share buttons on my webpage. as for setting up the fb page, it was easy enough, just make a new page and choose the business page option that doesn't require a brick and mortar store address. the photos look like crap on fb cause of how they resize, but it does link back to my webpage.
 
I have 2 pages ... one personal one and by personal i have met or conversed with everyone on it and a business one (well 2 but one isn't live yet) and the business one is devoid of any shenanigans and IMO facebook is great for this kind of thing
 
as for starting up there is a it under the arrow at the top right that says 'create page' and go from there
 
Several people I follow online actually do have their own websites and are using the social media to gain audience and it seems to be working. Personally I think that face book's layout is not well suited for a photography webpage. Just my 2 cents. In any case one might need to try to do both and then you will see, if it works for you or not.
Will have fingers crossed for you :)
 
Dan I know nothing about face book. Had it a short while one of my daughters was in Auckland for 12 months, but then found better and improved communication.
From what I see many businesses use face book as an add on , a link to a site which as a format can deliver a more unique and personal experience for the customer. That site will have doorways leading to it from such sites as mentioned and Google, Tumbler, and all manner of social sites. A hub site though I'd think is a good idea, there are lots of Free or low cost sites that can be had , ok they are generic but can be built very simply and put your own touches. I have a weebly free site. Although I have found better and starting a new one. But this weebly one even though not aimed at selling and been stagnant a while does bring in a few enquiries. Had one yesterday from a gallery in Chelsea New York, so it shows there are people scanning the web, but having said that the offer was more favourable to them than myself plus I am not looking to sell.
I have no idea what you wish to promote, be it a general photographer or someone who does what you do, which I see as your work you post here. Quite niche but I'd have thought that niche is quite strong and those who like it would be devoted to that genera of work. How big that market is , no idea but not insubstantial I'd have thought. Personally faced with wishing to sell style genera of work and not skittle of doing weddings, newspaper work or the such, I'd get a portfolio together, maybe , find galleries which show a diverse genera of work or in that area you choose to work in, actually take the portfolio in person in the hope of getting some sale or returns, it is how a lot of art galleries work . Don't expect a great return galleries are 30% / 50% to you on a good day. But their out lay is large so expected.
I'd also find a space in a good busy town or city, Preferable a high street or location close to other gallery outlets, hire the space for a week or two and hang your work and advertise it very well. Its something that is used a lot here, the local spaces offered by the local authorities, such as libraries and art centres are hit and miss, they do need to be well attended. It can be fairly low cost this way, probably framing is the biggest expense money and time. Would not stress enough on how important it is to have people know it is happening. Have an opening night, so invite all the friends.

Now I may have all this wrong and you wish to sell yourself in person as a photographer to do anything asked to do so what little I know of above is not the greatest advice. But fun to do. I know you have the energy.
 
As with everything there is a nak to doing social media well.

The best approach is to have a website that contains a blog, write content on that blog, then use social media to promote it.

This approach has a couple of benefits

Firstly, the content on your website gets validated by the social media interactions. We call this "social signals" - Neil Patel, who's basically at the top of my industry has a nice info graph here http://www.quicksprout.com/2014/01/31/how-social-signals-impact-search-engine-rankings/

Secondly, and more obviously it gets your content out there.

Thirdly, not just Facebook, but all social media sites can be good for localising you. ie if you want to offer wedding photography to Worcester, then having a local business page on Google plus, using local hashtags on Twitter and even ppc advertising on Facebook that targets the local area all tied to a website that has relevant localised markup ... It all just works together

I could go on for days... But the normal rate is £99 (inc vat) for 1.5hrs social media training ... So I won't ;)
 
Hamish Gill said:
As with everything there is a nak to doing social media well.

The best approach is to have a website that contains a blog, write content on that blog, then use social media to promote it.

This approach has a couple of benefits

Firstly, the content on your website gets validated by the social media interactions. We call this "social signals" - Neil Patel, who's basically at the top of my industry has a nice info graph here http://www.quicksprout.com/2014/01/31/how-social-signals-impact-search-engine-rankings/

Secondly, and more obviously it gets your content out there.

Thirdly, not just Facebook, but all social media sites can be good for localising you. ie if you want to offer wedding photography to Worcester, then having a local business page on Google plus, using local hashtags on Twitter and even ppc advertising on Facebook that targets the local area all tied to a website that has relevant localised markup ... It all just works together

I could go on for days... But the normal rate is £99 (inc vat) for 1.5hrs social media training ... So I won't ;)
Click to expand...
Didn't realise you came so cheap H ;)
 
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