The Place of Blogs in Wedding Websites?

<p>I spent the day checking out the competition in the area. The most popular wedding photographer sites and the not-so-popular to kind of gauge where they were, how my site could improve and compete. I noticed about 80-90% of the popular photogs had blogs linked to their sites that were updated pretty regularly.<br>

I have a blog linked to my site as well, and the traffic on the blog is nearly double that of the regular site. I think people like to have a personal link...to get to know you a bit. I think in this age of instant information it's an important aspect when people are checking out wedding photographers.</p>

<p>Thoughts? Just thought it would be an interesting discussion.</p>

<p>If I was looking for a wedding photographer, I would not be interested in their blog or much about their personal life. I would look for a vendor that was capable, and offered the style of photography I prefer at a price I thought reasonable. However, I'm not the typical person hiring a wedding photographer, and I suspect of the prospective brides out there searching are less pragmatic than me. To many of them a blog would be a nice draw. It seems to be successful for others.</p>

<p>The other thing you need to consider is if you have the creative talent to write, and the consistency to do it often. I think I would fail on the consistency part.</p>

<p>It's the sign of the times. Blogs work. It's as simple as that.</p>

<p>For many brides, their wedding is a very personal milestone and a multi-month intense experience that is emotionally involving.</p>

<p>I recently spoke with a previous client who made many friends during her planning period that she has remained in contact with over a year after her wedding. She still participates in forums and blogs. Another client that was picking up her album yesterday said she was suffering from "Post Wedding Depression." After a year of planning and anticipation, it was over. </p>

<p>Just read some of the on-going discussions on sites like The Knot. Lots of previous Brides advising new Brides.</p>

<p>That said, blogs are a fair mount of work to keep it current and involving. I do not have a blog yet for this reason ... but will bite the bullet and get into it soon.</p>

<p>The real up and coming resource is Face Book ... my 20 year old neice is "educating" me on that "Brave New World". Gotta go where the business is ... and it's fast becoming a whole new ball game if you want to stay in business and develop new leads.</p>

<p>I've also stumbled across a new e-marketing tool that was actually suggested by a potential client when she was making an inquiry. Something no one has ever mention on any wedding forum. I cannot believe that I, or anyone else, never thought of it before.</p>

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<p>Facebook is a GREAT resource. I have my own "page" for the business over there and former/future clients can add me and get instant updates, picture examples, and it's completely free advertising. I've gotten a ton of work through it.</p>

<p>Jim - Part of the value of the blog is that the bride can see 10-20 photos from EVERY wedding you photograph (and post). Having a great portfolio with 50 photos taken over the course of 3 years is easy! Having 10-20 photos you want to share from every single wedding is a different story.<br>

My blog also gets FAR more traffic than my website and is the first point of contact for many of the brides that book my services.</p>

<p>A lot of it really goes back to search engine optimization and web 2.0. I am a web designer and internet marketer and I can vouch that blogs help you on the internet in ways that many do not understand. Sure it takes time, but marketing your business and yourself can pay off if you are willing to learn how to do it properly.</p>

<p>I find blogs on so called 'professional' web sites to be anything but. They have no place there. Save that for myspace.</p>

<p>Blogs serve an essential purpose - informing potential customers that the photographer is active and working. A website can be a collection of photos from ten years ago, maybe from one or two weddings. The blog shows activity, in the same way that tear sheet scans do for publishing photographers.</p>

<p>For corporations, press releases can serve the same purpose. People look to see what a company has been doing. Same thing with photographers.</p>

<p><em>I find blogs on so called 'professional' web sites to be anything but. They have no place there. Save that for myspace.</em><br>

Do you think this turns off younger, "hipper" couples at all. Being that they are used to that sort of marketing...do you fear that they may see you as old-school?</p>

<p>I have noticed that some high end people no longer maintain their blogs. <br>

My website is extremely simple- nothing but html, so it is easy to change the pictures.<br>

Call people up and say hi, or send a postcard. That would be different these days.</p>

<p>I personally hate blogs. However, I recognize their potential value in reaching certain markets. If you are trying to reach certain markets, then I guess you should at least try them to see if they generate more interest/business. Again--it all comes down to analyzing your market, although there is something to be said for not doing something that is totally foreign to your nature, and not doing something just because everyone else is.</p>

<p>I just really prefer clean, professional web design...and having a link to a photographer's vacation, and other personal stories is, in my opinion, very unprofessional...no matter the age of the person viewing the website. People really only do it to increase their search engine hits anyway. Not because they feel it adds to their website.</p>

<p>Here is my take on blogs - they are dynamic portions of a business' website. If you set up a business blog, and blog from a business perspective then you don't get too personal. I do think there is a need to include a bit of a personal touch, but certainly it should be a minium.<br>

If you decided to blog you want to keep it interesting and entertaining. Most people don't want to read about tedious business stuff - in fact I doubt as photographers you want people 'READING' your blog at all. You probably want people 'SEEING' your blog. If you are a writer then write, if you are a photographer then show off your images.<br>

Jim - it isn't about writing (as I mentioned above) it is about showing your recent work. If you include 10-20 images from each wedding and 5-10 images from other events ( I just made up those numbers you can make up your own), then potential clients can get a feel for your ' style of photography' as well as your consistency.<br>

Depending on the blog software people can 'subscribe' to your blog and see when you have updated. We often get blog 'stalkers' who after they hire us tell us they have been following our blog for months, or even years. It also creates a relationship of sorts between us and potential clients. We do include a bit of happy, some what business related personal stuff on our blog. Potential clients feel like they get to know us before they hire us and get to know us better after they hire us. Our couples often tell us its great to finally meet us in person because they feel like they already know us.<br>

Since we started blogging we have had fewer couples feel the need to meet with us in person before booking us. It goes back to the 'relationship', they feel like they know us, they have seen our work over the past several months or years, and they know what to expect in terms of style and consistency.<br>

Blogs help spread the word in 'old fashioned' (forget about SEO for a minute). We have had people contact us (to hire us) because their friend showed them our blog post from a wedding they were a part of or attended. We have also had clients who found us through non-wedding/photo blogs that linked to our blog. Blogging takes time, but not money, we cut back on our advertising budget because our blog brings in more business than our other advertising combined. Our blog also gets more hits than our website, and is the number 1 referrer to our static (traditional) website.<br>

Rick - I would suggest checking out more blogs and see if you still think they are all unprofessional. I can send you some suggestions if you like. Its not just to add hits, it is to help create relationships - which are the core of business.<br>

Steve - some people do have them and maintain them, some don't. But you won't know how effective they might be unless you try them.</p>

<p>LE- I agree with you. I actually started my blog before I started my business and basically posted pictures I had took and spoke about my family. I got a following and when I started the business I evolved the blog along with the website. I have plenty of "blog stalkers" and people who get to know me through the blog. They ask about my daughter, I write not only about my work but a bit about motherhood, shopping, art, and grief( I recently lost a family member). It may be MORE personal than some people like to get, but I've gotten a lot of good feedback on it.<br>

People want to feel like they have someone they can trust and relate to on their side for their big day or photographing their family. I've found if I let a bit of myself out, I get a good reaction in return</p>

<p>"pictures I had took"<br>

eeek, sorry for the failure in English there....</p>

<p>My assistant and I have discussed this several times. To date, I have no blog and have no plans for one. I sometimes am troubled by even adding captions to my images.<br /> <br /> Maybe "Old School Purist" would be a good description of how I feel about a portfolio. The pictures should stand on their own - tell a story and inspire feelings in the viewer without more. This is also why I don't have music on my site.</p>

<p>I absolutely think one should Blog. Just keep it business-related and do not to add make it a blog about your personal opinions and views. it's a great way to show clients your latest and greatest. You can announce your latest weddings, you can announce that you have been published, add some fun photography tips, promote your favorite vendors, etc etc. Business-related. I have about 3 postings out of 40 that are personal. Perhaps it was a few photos from one vacation or a shot of my son here or there. But it is still photography....and if you have people that visit your blog regularly it is away to give them a sense that you are actually human. But limit that stuff and concentrate on the business. </p>

<p>Christopher - you don't have to put any words on a photo-blog. Not even the first caption - just let the photos speak for themselves (like you said).</p>

<p>LE- OK, I'll buy that. ...But isn't that pretty much what a "portfolio" is?</p>

<p>Jill- I had kept my blog strictly business until this past October when my Grandmother died...and I started talking a bit about grief and loss. It got a pretty good response from readers...and I'm glad I did it. I expanded the blog a bit to include some personal stuff (nothing TOO personal) and people seem to have taken to it.</p>

<p>Sorry to hear that Betty. Like I said ... there is nothing wrong with straying from the strictly business aspect and putting a few personal things in it for your followers. I am due with my 2nd baby soon and when the big day finally comes, you bet that will be on my blog. :)</p>