Do I really need a blog?

**Plonk** · 27-10-2011, 2:02pm

Im getting closer to having my business out there and have been talking to some other photographers and asking advice on blog/websites. One has told me that I dont really need one as the popularity of facebook is huge and I could use that to get my business out there. But another one told me that I should have one so clients can go to my website to see my work.
Im a little confused on which way to go with this.

**William** · 27-10-2011, 2:10pm

I guess it depends on what images your trying to sell , And what your daily blog will be about , It will have to appeal to everyone to make it work

**Plonk** · 27-10-2011, 2:22pm

I will be selling newborn and family shots. I dont think I would do a daily blog as such. Could I get away with just a facebook page or is it much more professional to have the website?

**Xenedis** · 27-10-2011, 2:23pm

Blog? No.

Web site? Yes.

Facebook page? Maybe.

Establishing your own Web presence under a domain name which reflects your business name, and representing that business in a clean, clear, uncluttered, easy-to-navigate manner (which highlights your work, products and services) will be most beneficial.

Facebook might be immensely popular, and perhaps you could establish a business presence there as a supplement to your professional Web site, but IMO you really need a proper Web site which identifies your business, rather than hanging off some other site (in this case, a popular social networking site).

I'd also recommend you establish email addresses within your own domain name rather than using Gmail, for instance.

It looks more professional if a prospective client can visit www.yourdomain.com and email you at enquiries@yourdomain.com rather than going somewhere like Facebook and contacting you at a Webmail-based address.

I've noticed on TV ads lately a trend for large companies to list a Facebook URL at the bottom of the screen. I cannot say I understand why they'd want their businesses to be represented by a Facebook address.

While I'm not on Facebook, even if I were, I'd still prefer to see (and visit) a www.company.com address than some profile page hanging off Facebook.

To me, a URL representing a company name is more logical and meaningful, and caters for those of us who aren't on Facebook.

Anyway, that's just my opinion.

**Plonk** · 27-10-2011, 2:32pm

WoW when you put it that way Xenedis I have made up my mind on it all. Thanx for you great advice. A website it shall be.

**reflect** · 27-10-2011, 2:35pm

Everytime I have tauted my work to prospective clients, without fail they have asked "can I see your website", so much to my disgust I had a friend who is "IT" savy build a website. What a disaster, I couldn't navigate my way around the setup menus, it looked bad and I quickly stopped giving out the web address and reverted to showing clients my portfolio the old way. They kept asking for the website, so I bought one of the many template based sites that are for photographers, set it and the associated blog up within in a day ( most AP members could do it in far less time, but computers have SOOO many buttons!!) and now boldly advertise the site with quite considerable success. Do you need a blog...IMO no, however linked to social media it can and does promote what you and your business is about. Embrace this new fangled and a whole new world might embrace you

**kiwi** · 27-10-2011, 2:40pm

Been a member for 6 months and you haven't posted a single photo or given a single critique and yet you say you're operating professionally ?

I think maybe contribute here a little.

**Plonk** · 27-10-2011, 2:40pm

Thanx Reflect. Are you allowd to share in here the place you got your website template from?

**Plonk** · 27-10-2011, 2:48pm

Sorry Kiwi, I havent been around here for a while and I made a thread reinstating my account for here that I havent been here for a while. I had been working for a another company and that company no longer runs. I had been doing some sessions around the place with newborns and familes also I had done some bereavement baby sessions. I have shown some of my work on facebook to a photography group too. I am sorry if I have ticked you off. I didnt know that for me to be a professional photographer that I needed have posted a photo or given some CC. I do apoligise. I am trying to get to the next level with my job and I thought asking here I could get there.

**kiwi** · 27-10-2011, 2:52pm

Every day lots post here asking advice, get it, then bugger off for 6 months until they are stuck again

It doesn't take much to participate, so, why not today spend some time helping other members who do post photos since you're pro

**Xenedis** · 27-10-2011, 2:54pm

How about helping the guy rather than judging him based on assumptions and personal expectations?

**Plonk** · 27-10-2011, 2:56pm

Advice taken. Thank-you. I will make sure to participate regularly.

**reflect** · 27-10-2011, 3:40pm

Plonk, I am not sure if it is okay to share the names of website providers, however if you do a google search with something like "photography website templates" forget the first one but the next two are worth a look.

**geoffsta** · 27-10-2011, 4:27pm

Hello Plonk.
It's my belief that a facebook page is not very professional. Some of the best members on here have their own web page, with their own domain and email address.
If you take a look at some, they are spectacular. I personally only use flickr.com. But I'm no where as good as most on here.
Some members sites to look at are: piXelatedEmpire, reflect and dtoh. All are a bit different, but very professional looking.
You want to sell yourself, and your business and to appear to be very professional. I believe that is the way to go.

I see you have already posted an image, and taken Kiwi's advice.

Keep it up.

Geoff.

**KLi** · 28-10-2011, 1:27am

Search engine LOVES blogs! Even just a simple paragraph and a few "preview" photos works great in boosting SEO.

**ricktas** · 28-10-2011, 7:48am

Originally Posted by reflect

Plonk, I am not sure if it is okay to share the names of website providers, however if you do a google search with something like "photography website templates" forget the first one but the next two are worth a look.

Yes you can, you have over 30 days membership and 50 posts so you are free to name businesses, put up website links etc.

**Dan Cripps** · 30-10-2011, 8:46pm

Blogs are certainly not required. I find them so stale and same/same that it takes something quite amazing to stand out from the dross. They also need to be updated regularly, as soon as you drop the ball on posting they lose whatever value they might have had.

It's becoming increasingly important to find reliable offline marketing methods, to be honest. Online is too accessible and competitive.

**Xenedis** · 30-10-2011, 9:35pm

Originally Posted by Zeke

It's becoming increasingly important to find reliable offline marketing methods, to be honest. Online is too accessible and competitive.

I'd consider online marketing to be as important, if not more so, as offline marketing.

Remember, there are people out there who have probably never looked in a printed copy of the Yellow Pages. It's much more convenient for many these days to search online, and if you're easy to find, your chances of landing business are arguably better.

That's not to say that traditional print-based marketing should be excluded; but online marketing is the way of the present and the future.

**ricktas** · 31-10-2011, 8:05am

Originally Posted by Xenedis

I'd consider online marketing to be as important, if not more so, as offline marketing.

Remember, there are people out there who have probably never looked in a printed copy of the Yellow Pages. It's much more convenient for many these days to search online, and if you're easy to find, your chances of landing business are arguably better.

That's not to say that traditional print-based marketing should be excluded; but online marketing is the way of the present and the future.

I reckon things like Wedding/Bridal Expo's are probably more important these days than print, and possibly more so than online. Directed marketing that is targeted towards the clients you want seems to me, to be the best form of marketing. In the yellow pages (paper or online), or online at all, you are competing against every other wedding photographer (and wanna-be) in your area. Your best marketing tool, is yourself, getting out there and getting your name, face and photography known in the demographic you are targeting. Whatever price you decide to charge is not worth a cent, if people do not know who you are, or how to contact you.

**William W** · 31-10-2011, 12:10pm

Marketing is different to Advertising.

Re: "online marketing" and "offline marketing" - sure we could broadly classify them as two streams, but doing so, in and of itself is destructive to what "MARKETING" is about and dilutes the meaning of "Marketing" per se.

Marketing is an holistic being; multifaceted, interwoven and harmonious within the one main Theme and Branding.

If a Blog is to be one part of the marketing strategy, then my advice is that it (the Blog) needs regular (probably daily) attention.

In considering if a Blog is necessary or not, then one method is to evaluate the value-ad for the input costs.

I don’t have a Blog, because, (in simple terms), rather than tending to a Blog (or paying someone to do so) each day, I can pull more $ with: a business card; a coffee and an hour’s face to face chat with a decision maker who most very likely would NOT have come to me, via the Blog stream in the first place.

Other business models are different to mine.

WW

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