For photographers looking to grow and retain an online audience, a blog and the right blogging tips are absolutely essential. Not only is blogging a great tool for boosting the SEO of a site that could otherwise be too static to rank highly on Google search, it’s also a great way to develop a rapport with potential clients long before and after you actually may work with them. This is especially true for photographers who specialize in a kind of photography that centers around life’s monuments, like newborn, wedding, or senior photography; even before a customer is ever engaged or pregnant, showing up in their Facebook feed with a fresh new post is a great way to ensure that when the time does come, they’ll want you and only you.
But what to blog about is an ongoing issue for many photographers who will be the first to admit that they aren’t writers by trade. That’s why we got some blogging tips from pro wedding photographer Sue Bryce.
Her approach to blogging? Think of it like preparations for a wedding. “I always do old, new, borrowed, blue,” she explains. Here’s what that means:
Old
For a post about something old, you have your pick of topics. This could be a story about your first camera, or the relative merits of film vs. digital. Or, it could be a throwback post, says Sue.
“We take something old that’s from our past, we repost an image we took 20 years ago, we talk about an old style of photography…we talk about something old that’s relative to my industry,” she says. When you’re hunting for ideas, it’s a good idea to look back in time.
New
Or, you can look back to just a few days ago. For your new posts, share “something from a shoot we’ve just done,” or a recent experience. Talk about a new piece of equipment you’ve just added, or a new person you’ve just met.
Borrowed
This can also have a wide range of meaning, but mostly, Sue says, “something borrowed is inspiration. It’s a featured post, where you feature somebody else in a post.” Look to other photographers that you admire, then write about what it is that you like about their work.
Blue
“Blue is from the heart,” she says. “It’s when I write something personal.” Your personal content shouldn’t be the bulk of your blog — remember, your SEO keywords are probably more about photography than they are about your tastes in music or your emotions — but it’s great to pepper in every now and then.
Rotate through these ideas to keep your blog full of interesting, relevant content that’s surprisingly and delightful for your followers and readers. Include a mix, as Sue says, of advice and position opinions, as well as self-promotion and insight into who you are, both as a photographer as a person. Then, just remember: Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.
Want to learn more from Sue Bryce? Tune in now for a free stream of her course 28 Days of Wedding Photography.
