5 Principles of a New Photography Website
When you’re ready to bring your photography to the next level, you’ll need a website. With a website you will be able to showcase your work, build your brand and gain clients.
Having a clean website that is easy to navigate is essential to a photog looking to start a business or even a hobbyist who wishes to sell a few images.
When creating a website for your online portfolio there are a few things to consider:
- website hosting (Recommendation: Bluehost)
- website frame-work (Recommendation: PhotoBlogger)
- 5 P’s of a new photography website
Let’s dive into the 5 P’s
Portfolio
A portfolio is a must! It is crucial to have a portfolio and one online! Your portfolio is a reflection of you and an online portfolio is working for you 24 hours a day. It increases your visibility and people have a chance to understand you. It’s even an opportunity for you to stand out among the rest.
Not only will potential clients be able to see your work anytime and anywhere, but it will greatly boost your chances of getting the gig. Plus, when your clients see their photographs on your site, they’ll share it! And word of mouth is the best form of advertising.
Personality
Visitors to your website aren’t meaningless robots. They are specific individuals hoping to connect with you and use your services. With that in mind, your website should be welcoming and an extension of you and your personality.
When you list your services and packages, make sure to type the descriptions in a simple yet detailed and personal manner.
Another great way to display your personality is through the eyes of others. I’m referring to testimonials. Testimonials are huge and are often the tie breaker when clients find themselves in a difficult spot choosing between two photographers they really like.
Promise
You need to convey a certain level of commitment and dedication to your passion, your clients, future clients, and even visitors to your website. The goal is to follow through with your promise and deliver in a way that exceeds satisfaction.
This may take a few times to get right but you want your promise to shine through your website, even before you speak to a potential client. Then, confirm it through your voice when you talk with them.
Price Point
Price will always be a top factor for potential clients trying to come to a decision. When you set your session and package pricing, you need to make sure they’re fair and what you’re worth. Your price should cover all your expenses, taxes, and necessary profit.
After you have figured out the price point you are willing to accept, it’s important to be confident and comfortable with that amount. Confident so that you will not back down if someone balks at your prices and tries to talk you down [which by the way, is not the type of client you want. If they don’t see your worth, you shouldn’t have to undercut yourself when there are plenty of potential clients who will see your worth and pay your set price in a heart beat].
Another thing to consider is deciding whether you will post your pricing for all to see or have people e-mail you for it. You could also possibly do both. Below are 2 articles to help you form your decision.
Post Or Not To Post
- To Post: 5 Reasons Why You Should Post Pricing On Your Photography Website
- Or Not To Post: 3 Reasons Why You Should Not Post Your Photography Prices online
- The Compromise: On your pricing page, share with your visitors and future clients that your packages are “Starting At $XXXX”.
Professionalism
This one should be a given. You need to make sure you use all the correct grammar and punctuation but beyond that, you need consistent branding. What that translates to is: a clean logo, easy to navigate website and classy social content.
Don’t get too carried away because you also need to keep everything “you”! Everything from the about page, blog posts and even the way you respond to emails, needs to be a direct yet professional reflection of you.
At first, you may find it challenging to incorporate everything, immediately into your business but as you progress, you will begin to see the different aspects emerge.
Still hesitant
Having a website and online portfolio is an absolute must these days. For those still unsure, I want to share a video with you. It’s about 3 Reasons You Must Have Your Own Professional Website. It’s about 17 minutes long and you’re sure to learn something from it so grab some coffee and click the link!
