Portfolios From The Edge; Websites As Marketing Tools Page 2
DK: For photographers looking to keep their contact lists informed of recent projects and developments, our ePromo tools have proven to be quite effective. Many gravitate toward tools such as this as opposed to just the traffic generated through the website. Having a self-managed website (see Andrew Weeks' comment below) and access to the low cost ePromo is very attractive and provides added value.
SB: What are the biggest obstacles that photographers run into when transitioning to online portfolio websites?
DK: One problem is the expectation for immediate results. One must be realistic about the curve for this type of marketing channel. Most in the business would suggest that you should give at least one year to any online portfolio service to see results. This is a "time of need" business. If someone sees your work, but doesn't have an immediate assignment for you, make sure your portfolio is still there when the need arises. While many members have received great leads and jobs in their first few months of service, the norm is a longer cycle than that.
The other misconception is that online portfolios take the place of a sound
search engine optimization and search engine marketing strategy. We are not
here to rock your servers with referral traffic, just to send qualified leads.
If only a handful of leads come through in a year and you sell to most of them,
you will pay for the service many times over, not including repeat and referral
business from those clients. Finally, don't fall into the trap of thinking
that you are too busy to take on more work--plan for months ahead when
you might not be so busy. Prepare a budget for online promotion and make sure
you have enough allocated to online portfolios to enable you to spread your
wings across a few websites.
SB: I noticed that most photographers have their own website
portfolio and a portfolio on your website.
DK: With all of the online portfolio options that are currently
available, each with their own frequent user bases, today's photographer
needs to have a presence on multiple websites. The Portfolios Partner Network
is a means of placing our members' portfolios on several industry-leading
websites, expanding their reach to new buyers and into new markets. However,
we do not claim to own the market. We recommend joining a few portfolio websites
as different sites have different followers and it is a relatively small investment
in your career.
SB: When talking to photographers about website portfolios,
it has been said that the biggest downside is the constant need to update. This
was true, even before the web.
Andrew Weeks (http://www.portfolios.com/profile.html?MyUrl=AndrewWeeksphotography):
I update the content--both text and images--as studio news develops
and new work is created. For example, if I shoot a new campaign I am sure to
update the site with the news of it and, of course, my favorite images from
it. Updating the Portfolios.com site is quite simple; I love it. As soon as
the images from a given shoot are retouched and developed I can immediately
upload them. I do not have to wait for my web guy to update the page.
DK: True! Stale portfolios are not compelling and buyers
tend to bookmark pages to see what you are up to from time to time. Many websites
favor recently updated portfolios in search results. So, if you never update
your portfolio, you will find it slipping in search results, which reduces visibility.
SB: What other tips can you offer our readers to improve their
online portfolios?
DK: One needs to approach an online portfolio the same way
as a traditional portfolio--as a cohesive body of work that highlights
a specialty, with high-quality imagery, and frequent updates. Here are some
highlights:
· Be specific about your services. Don't highlight a specialty that
isn't reflected in your body of work. Who wants to hire a car shooter
who displays a portfolio of botanicals?
· Spend at least a month reviewing your portfolio to get it right.
· Ask for help and opinions from peers.
· Spend as much time on your online portfolio as you would to prepare
your physical portfolio for an interview.
· Finally, spend the most time on your biography/professional details.
Present a professional account of who you are, what you do, and your experience.
Make sure to include all the relevant keywords to be found in searches. You
could have a stellar portfolio, but if it is not searchable, what is the point?
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