Does your photography website help you attract clients? Or just the opposite? If you are dedicated to photography, your website is your most important digital tool.
However, there are still websites and online portfolios that instead of making the booking process easier, make it more difficult.
No matter what you photograph, your website needs to answer your customers’ questions first: they want to know what kind of photographs you take, your location, and how to contact you. If they can’t find this information within seconds, you’re likely to lose them.
That’s why we’ve compiled six tips for creating a photography website that converts and attracts clients.
Pick a goal and stick to it
When potential photography clients visit your website, the first thing they want to know is what you excel at. If they are looking for a wedding photographer, they will be looking for wedding photos.
More specifically, if you are looking for a wedding photographer to photograph your rustic summer wedding, you will be on the hunt for photographers who have an abundance of high-quality photos taken at rustic-style weddings.
Make navigation easy
When a new client visits your website, they ask themselves one question: “Can this photographer take the photos I need them to take?” Chances are, that same client will hire a photographer who can convincingly answer that question with a resounding “Yes!”
The trick is that you only have a few seconds to answer that question, and your website has to speak for you. Make sure your website structure is well organized and make it simple for customers to find what they are looking for.
Share only your best images
It seems obvious, but many photographers unintentionally share low-quality images. Sometimes it’s an attempt to expand your portfolio to get a greater variety of work. But you should always go far high contrast images.
They often convey to clients that they can capture anything they need. Although many photographers can technically photograph various niches well, your clients are only looking for the best images that fit their needs.
If you dilute your portfolio with a variety of additional images in a wide range of niches, it will be difficult for your clients to find what they need.
Sometimes photographers are drawn to share unexceptional work because they have an emotional attachment to an image. They may have had to walk for hours to capture the image, or they may have a personal connection to the people in it.
Create a functional About Us page
Your business About page should instantly summarize your specialty, where you live, and why they should hire you. As we’ve said before, clients want to know if you’re going to be able to take the images they want, so if you’re in wedding photography, you need to talk about that.
People don’t want to know what your first camera was, or your story from 20 years ago, all they need to know is why you’re great at doing what you’re doing right now.
Share some social proof
Never underestimate the power of a good testimony. Although your customers can easily find reviews on Facebook or Google, you should use your website as a one-stop shop.
Your customers should be able to find all the information they need to decide on your website, including testimonials.
Facilitates contact
Your contact information needs its page. Your customers shouldn’t have to search for it in the “About” section. Add a button in the main navigation menu that takes them directly to your contact information.
Once there, the first information they should see is your email address and phone number, not a form. Although forms provide a lot of information for your files, they are impersonal and only act as a barrier between you and the client.
