Social media is a unique way to quickly share your work as a photographer with the whole world. After all, besides your fan base, everyone can see your images! And you have to take advantage of this, money does not have to cost it, time does. Building a good community where followers interact with you – the conversation – requires time and a strategy. After all, as a (professional) photographer you don’t want to keep it to Nellie and neighbor Jan.
Ways of Interaction
What you are always looking for is interaction with your fans, with your audience or in English: an audience. Make sure they respond and start a conversation with them! Whether it’s friends, family or aliens who have found you through a hashtag that you used, or otherwise. Find the conversation, share your passion and interest. An upcoming tool for this is Instagram. You can easily ensure that your target group sees your messages through targeted tags. Do not use the bulk hashtags such as ‘#photooftheday’, ‘#bestphoto’ or ‘#love’. Put yourself in the shoes of your fans and audience. What is your photo about, what does your photo express? Who or what can be seen in the photo? Tag those users, use hashtags that are customary for that. Then it becomes much more specific and the link becomes smaller. Imagine yourself in the person who will see your photo. If you are looking for inspiration or would like to look up this photo, what hashtag or what means would you use? Walkthrough the route of your fan to a successful social media account.
There are various easily accessible ways in which you can interact with your audience. You generate leads through this interaction and mutual, serious interest. A lead is a request for more information about a product or service. They show that they want to know more about you as a person or your photos. Hook in on that! A lead is the first step to a (potential) customer or a new fan who can deliver you money, exposure or interaction via social media. Remember: social media is a means and not a goal.
- Ask a question and respond back!
- Encourage your immediate environment to participate: hobbyists, friends of the photo club or grandfather Piet, who also photographs!
- Alternate with material that you post: do not post photo after photo, but also share. behind-the-scenes photos and videos. On average, something that moves does better than something that stands still.
- Hold a competition together with your colleagues!
- Host a live stream where you can get interested in it! A kind of online webinar in which you exchange knowledge, but then on Facebook for example through Facebook Live.
- Create value!
