| SEO for photography websites is crucial for | | | | children's, senior portraits, weddings, etc.). Also use |
| promoting your business online. Local clients are loving | | | | words telling clients what cities you work. Place this |
| the added benefit of seeing a photographer's | | | | content in paragraph form on your splash page if you |
| portfolio and getting a feel for them before | | | | have a website. |
| contacting the photographer and are using the | | | | 6. Do not just stuff keywords on your site with no |
| internet more to find a photographer. If you market | | | | rhyme, purpose or reason. Also, do not do this in a |
| to tourists visiting your area, your online presence is | | | | color that will be hidden on your site. This is frowned |
| especially crucial to help potential clients find you. | | | | upon with the major search engines, and you could |
| Search engine optimization can be quite daunting if | | | | risk being penalized for doing it. |
| you have little or no experience in this area. It | | | | 7. Blog, blog, blog! Blogs are highly searchable and |
| doesn't have to be that hard, though. The biggest | | | | search engines like when they are updated regularly. |
| obstacle is learning how. That takes time - time that | | | | Use really great words in your blog titles and text. |
| you need to put into running your business. | | | | For added SEO, use a blog such as WordPress and |
| These 12 steps are written especially for | | | | place it on your own domain for your photography |
| photographers and break it down so that you can | | | | site. |
| take a little time each day to work on it without | | | | 8. Add a sitemap to your photography website and |
| having to spend hours researching before you can | | | | blog. This makes sure that search engines do not |
| get started. | | | | overlook any important pages. |
| | | | 9. Sign up for Google tools and submit your sitemap. |
| 1. Buy your domain name as soon as possible. Older | | | | It is free and will give you a little insight into your site |
| domain names tend to rank better than newer | | | | and its ranking. It also will make you aware of broken |
| domain names especially for the first few months. | | | | links which can hurt your search engine ranking. |
| 2. Place your website on as many photography | | | | 10. Update your site and blog regularly. It tells search |
| related and networking sites as possible. It also helps | | | | engines that it is an active site with new information. |
| to purchase top placement or additional advertising | | | | The more you update it, the more often search |
| on these sites if it is an option. Some places specialize | | | | engines will visit your site for new updates. |
| in search engine optimization and can help get you | | | | 11. When you add your site link to someone's page, |
| noticed. | | | | choose your link words and titles carefully. For |
| 3. Use an HTML site over a flash site, or at least | | | | instance, this would be better "Alexandria, Virginia |
| have an HTML splash to use for SEO. The splash | | | | Portrait Photographer - Jane Doe Photography" than |
| page acts as an introduction to your site and gives | | | | this "Jane Doe Photography. Omit the quotations. To |
| clients the options of entering your site, blog, or | | | | see what I mean, do a search for these two |
| perhaps even another site. It is also used to give you | | | | phrases: 1. Alexandria Virginia photographer 2. Virginia |
| a place to put solid content using good keywords to | | | | photographer |
| help search engines know what you have on your | | | | 12. When listing your site on a directory, always think |
| site. Simple splash pages can be designed quite easily | | | | about good solid keywords. If you list your website |
| with a little html knowledge. As we said, it is just an | | | | in a directory, use keywords in a paragraph that will |
| entry into your flash site. | | | | help clients find you in the search engines. Think of all |
| 4. Keep in mind when you are placing your link on the | | | | the words that someone may use...description and |
| internet, quality is more important than quantity. | | | | cities...and include those in a good solid paragraph. Just |
| Placing your your website information and link on | | | | write this out once and copy and past it wherever |
| more established sites with good page ranking are | | | | you list. |
| better than ones with many brand new sites with | | | | Remember, SEO does not happen overnight. It will |
| low ranking websites. | | | | take time, patience and perseverance. These are the |
| 5. Fill your site with good, solid content using | | | | secrets that are taking the top ranking |
| keywords for your business. Use words describing | | | | photographers to the top. Take 1-2 items and work |
| the many different types of photography you do (i.e. | | | | on this list every day. |