Photography Marketing: The number one thing you need to check on your website

In my line of work, I visit a lot of photographers’ websites. Whether it be for inspiration, to find wedding referrals (no, I still don’t photograph weddings) or just browsing the ‘net, I undoubtedly visit photographers’ websites on a pretty regular basis.

If I like their work, I usually want to check out their social media feeds, specifically on Facebook and Instagram.

But nearly half the time, I encounter the same problem.

You haven’t updated the placeholder links on your website

Yep, it sounds silly, right?!? But I come across a ton of websites from photographers that all have this problem. They have Facebook, Twitter and Instagram buttons. But when you click on them, it takes you to the homepage of the said social network.

Or even worse, it takes you to accounts that have nothing to do with you. This is usually the case if you’re using a theme that you didn’t build (or in this case, customize).

And you wonder why your number of followers isn’t growing …

Get a second set of eyes

This is when having someone else check over your website is important. Whenever I update the content, tweak the design or make any other changes to my website, I have a friend look it over for me. They test the links and I have them read my text. I have them check the images on smaller devices that I might not have access to.

Why bother with this? Well for one, it’s always good to have a second opinion. But most importantly, you want to come across as professional as possible to your potential clients. If they want to follow you on social media, they should have no problem doing so!

Routine maintenance

Yes, social media links want to be correct. But there are a handful of other things you should check on your website, and update on a regular basis:

• About page: Make sure your bio is up-to-date. Did you just work with a really big client you want to show off? Make sure you add them to your client list. Is your headshot representative of who you are now … and not who you were in high school? If not, get a professional headshot taken by a fellow photographer.
• Portfolio: Check your galleries on a quarterly basis. Does the work represent what you’re doing? Are there new photos that should be added? Are there other photos that should be replaced or removed?
• Blog: Are you updating your blog on a regular basis? Start as you want to finish. Don’t publish every day if you can’t keep that up 365 days of the year. Hold your content, and schedule it on a pattern that gives your readers some expectations.
• Homepage: Is your homepage clear and concise about what you offer? Are your photos eye-catching and representative of the different galleries on your website?
• Other links: Are there any broken links on your website? A tool like brokenlinkcheck.com will help you catch these.

Like anything else we use for marketing, a website is a tool. We need to keep that tool sharp and up-to-date in order for it to perform at its best. Doing so will ensure that you’re seen as relevant, and professional and show that you care about your business.

For more on Photography Marketing, see my weekly column.