Should I get a web page

[todd_reeves3]

<p>Ok here is a question I have been thinking about for some time... Should I get a web page? I have been photographing weddings and little leaque sports going on about two years now. I have many wedding bookings done with lots of happy clients. I have been using a picture hosting web site Flicker to showcase my images.. I also use exposure manager for my e-store where I sell all my prints from. Having these two seperate sites prebent problems unto themselves, but that is for another discussion though.<br>

I have been thinking of getting a web page done, I am thinking of the cost to return on investment aspect. A good wedding page to set up is between 1500 and 3000 dollars and then there is the added cost of maintaining it and hosting it. I do not have a retail business as I work out of my home. I have talked to a lot of people in the business some state that their web page has more than doubled their business and others say it was a complete waste of money only reason they keep it is for the tax write off at the end of the year.<br>

Can some one share their experience with a new webpage and if it is worth the additional investmant or not. Did it improve your business and if so by how much...</p>

[paul_serafini1]

<p>Todd, to answer your question in a single word; yes. you NEED a website. Even if you have been successful until now, the world is changing. With reagrd to cost and return on investment, you may be overlooking a possibility, and that i using a do it yourself/template website. For example I use photobiz.com and I have absolutely no knoweldge whatsoever of web design, yet I was able to build a website in a few hours. Now granted, it's not the best looking website in the world, but as a part-time photographer who does about 4-5 weddings per year and a few headshots here and there, it has worked well for me. It cost about $100 I think plus $15 per month. Also, photobiz.com is only one option, there are countless other vendors for this.</p>

[laura_kamler]

<p>It's not should you, but how fast can you get something good up.<br /><br />Your present set up works against you if you are looking to have a professional stance. A personalized professional website is considered key for may who are looking to verify your professional stance as a business. <br /><br />I think what you have priced is really high for what you need. You can start with something much more simple than a customized flash site. Just make sure it's classy and well linked. However, if you really want to go for the gold you should invest in a quality site.<br>

When talking to brides that have not yet seen my site (and most of them have, that's how they know what I do) that is the first thing they ask me. "Do you have a website?" It gives brides and other potential clients the opportunity to study your work, find out more about you and your style. They can get contact information too. Properly coded a website will also get you new potential business by people Googling for what you do.<br>

The best question is, are you ready to take that jump up? to do that much business?<br /><br />If you decide to do a site make sure you have someone proof all of your text, makes sure all links work, make sure it at least says what you do, where you are and how to contact you. <br />I've been doing simple html sites for 10 years they get a lot of attention. Make sure who ever builds it for you has proof that they know what they are doing. You could invest a lot of money in a product that doesn't work. <br /><br />Here is another idea. It will take much more time, but you can do it. Buy server space and get a Word Press blog. There are free templates all the time and it is getting extremely user friendly. Find a template where you can just change minor things and you will be up and running in to time. It can serve as your site easily. While I would never recommend this to someone who doesn't know any coding at all, if you really want to learn you can potentially save yourself a lot of money, especially if this is not your full time job and you never intend to make it that way. Many of the top photogs have went to blog only sites. I think I am leaning that way myself right now, even though I currently have both.<br /><br />Another option is to get a simple site and link your shopping cart and flicker to it.</p>

[todd_reeves3]

<p>No this is my fulltime business and that is why I am thinking of going to a webpage and get rid of Flicker and Exposure Manager altogether. It would be nice to have everything in one easy to use site. I guess I am just old school and I am not completely sold on the idea as a web page as my main store front per say. I know the times are changing and I have to change to keep up... <br>

Paul and Laura can you send me a link to your sites so I can check them out... Also the blog idea sounds relly good any other information on this... Like what exactly is a blog...Isn't a blog and a web page the same thing...</p>

[silverdae]

<p>I have the luxery of looking at this from both sides- photographer/designer and recent bride. I'm a 30 yr old 'young' professional, most people's target bride. Getting married out of town meant that I had to look for a photographer outside of my normal area and contacts (I'm not going into the details here about that, just about my quest for a photographer).</p>

<p>First, I looked online. Second, I looked online. Third... get the picture? I would have never considered hiring a professional photographer based off of a flicker account. NEVER. Sorry to be blunt, but a website is your first impression to a potential client, especially your 20- and 30-somethings. We have blackberries you can't eat and know that bluetooth is not a medical condition and is more than just that thing hanging from your ear. We were the first generation to actually grow up using the internet. The internet is the portal to the whole world- I don't call a pizza place, I order onilne. I don't look up a phone number in the phone book, I do it online. I have no idea how much a stamp costs. I managed to order EVERY christmas present this year online. I didn't have to step into one single store (and I didn't pay a cent in shipping)!! What if I was shopping for a photographer- I wouldnt have made it into your brick-and-morter store.</p>

<p>I guess my point is that you should know your customer base and how they tick. I'm passionate about people having a proper website(that doesn't mean expensive). It will connect your tech-savy brides to business in a way that wasn't possible before.</p>

[art_tatum]

<p>It's a no brainer.</p>

[William Michael]

<p ><strong><em>"I am thinking of the cost to return on investment aspect. A good wedding page to set up is between 1500 and 3000 dollars and then there is the added cost of maintaining it and hosting it. I do not have a retail business as I work out of my home. I have talked to a lot of people in the business some state that their web page has more than doubled their business and others say it was a complete waste of money only reason they keep it is for the tax write off at the end of the year."</em></strong></p>

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<p >I am thinking you should look at the similarities and differences between your business and the business owned by those giving you this advice.</p>

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<p >Further, if a colleague told me they were keeping a liability simply for the tax write off at the end of the year, I would suspect any further business advice they provided.</p>

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<p >Additionally what does "doubled their business" mean, precisely? Twice as many Weddings? Twice as much turnover? Twice as much gross profit? Twice as much net profit? </p>

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<p >Weddings are a TIME consuming business - I do not know if you need a Web Page or not - most Wedding Photographers do have one - I doubt many have the facility or the time to do a cost analysis study of the value (or not) of the Webpage vs. other means of a front door / window display.</p>

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<p >Then as you mention there is the upkeep of the web page and you wish to measure that in a return / cost analysis . . . there are many issues to consider. </p>

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<p >Doing a cost analysis might actually send you crazy - likely it is better to set up web page make it look nice and basically leave it be, just as a means to draw inquiries . . .</p>

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<p >I always enjoy Art's comments, and I agree on one hand it is a no brainer. </p>

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<p >But on the other hand, to have a website well run, up to date and very disciplined - and then to measure the cost effectiveness of it as a means of advertising / marketing (compared to other methods), I think one might find that a slick up to date and well maintained website is NOT always the most efficient form, even in this changing world. </p>

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WW</p>

[todd_reeves3]

<p>Ok I got me a web page check it out it is a bit rough but I think it works.. I have posted elsewhere on the forum requesting a critique of my page I hope you all take the time to check it out and give me your feedback...</p>

[twatkinson]

<p>To answer your question, yes you should get a web page. As Jen said, our generation (presumably your target clients, the twenty to thirty somethings) look online first. I don't even remember the last time I cracked open the yellow pages. If a photographer didn't have a site with a portfolio and enough basic info (contact info, area you service and price range) I would keep looking. </p>

<p>Here's my experience. After doing a couple weddings for friends I was playing around on my mac and the iWeb program that came with it, and put together a basic site in about 2-3 hours. I posted a link on ONE (free) directory/listing of wedding photographers in my area. Soon after I started receiving inquires and booked 18 weddings my first year. My second year I am completely booked through to October 2009 and have some bookings for 2010. I have also turned down multiple inquiries for dates that have already been booked. I don't do any other advertising besides this and word of mouth. MOST of my clients found me through the online directory and my website prompted them to contact me.</p>

<p>Since my first mac site I've updated to a more professional looking site by CMD. I purchased the template (on sale) for $150. Hosting for the first year was free ($200/yr after that) and domain registration through godaddy was like 10 bucks. Right now CMD (creative motion design) has a sale on - 50% off everything. You can check out my site if you'd like: <a href="http://watkinsonwedding.com">http://www.watkinsonwedding.com</a> I also like having my portfolio, contact info and client proofing/ordering all in one location. Like Paul said though, there are LOTS of other companies out there that offer site templates and hosting. </p>