Content marketing can seem like a buzzword and just something you’re supposed to be doing if you run a business with any sort of online presence, and at this point what viable business doesn’t? If you’re a photographer, you might throw some images on Instagram or maintain a blog, but are you really getting the most out of your marketing aside from empty likes and filler text? Content marketing is more than just writing to write, tweeting to tweet etc. Instead, focus your efforts on putting out content that will actually help your client and make you a resource for them. Here are a few things to get you started.
Create a Plan and Follow it
You have an abundance of tools at your disposal that allows you to easily put content out into the world for your clients. However, you can write all of the blogs posts and updates you want, but without a dedicated plan of attack, it’s just going to be disjointed, ineffective and a time waste. Take time to sit down and think about what you want to accomplish, your brand’s voice and develop a step-by-step structured marketing plan and stick to it.
Identify Your Target Market
This is something you should have already been thinking about the moment you decided to start a business. If not, it’s time to start. Content marketing is all about providing valuable resources to your client. Regardless of what type of photographer you are, take a look at the steps your client will be taking throughout the process. Use your knowledge of this to create content and resources that will make the process easier.
Content Marketing is More Than Blogs and Tweets
While social media and blogging are vital components of content marketing for photographers, content creation can be in the form of guides, checklists and other resources for your client. Since you’ve identified your target market, you know their pain points. Create content that is catered to them, solves their problems and further builds their trust in you. For example, if you’re a wedding photographer, create a guide that walks your client through the entire wedding process for a particular aesthetic they’re interested in. Share this through your blog and social channels. Remember, it doesn’t need to be long, just helpful and valuable.
For more insight into content marketing specially geared towards photographers and templates in creating guides, tune into to my class on CreativeLive, Content Marketing for Photographers.
