How to Sell and Market Your Photography on Instagram
Instagram has become a hub for photographers to showcase their work and reach potential clients. With over 1 billion active monthly users, the platform offers a massive opportunity for photographers to sell their work and market their services. Here are some tips for selling and marketing your photography on Instagram.
While we are discussing Instagram, you can follow mine now. Also, whilst we are talking about social media, read my guide to marketing your photography on Twitter now.
At a high level, the following list is a series of points on how photographers can use Instagram to build exposure and market their prints.
Define your niche
Create a professional profile
Utilise hashtags
Engage with Your Audience
Share behind-the-scenes content
Offer exclusive deals
Collaborate with Other Photographers and Influencers
Use Instagram Stories
Utilise Instagram Ads
Post consistently.
Let's unpack and look at these points in more detail now.
Define your niche
Defining your niche is an essential step in marketing your photography on Instagram. A niche is a specific area of photography that you specialize in and have a particular interest or expertise in. For example, your niche could be portrait photography, landscape photography, wedding photography, or even a specific type of portrait photography such as pet photography.
Having a defined niche allows you to focus your marketing efforts and target the right audience for your work. When you know your niche, you can tailor your content to cater to the specific needs and interests of your target audience. This can result in more engagement, more followers, and more potential clients.
For example, if you specialize in wedding photography, you can focus your Instagram content on showcasing your wedding photography portfolio. In addition, you can share tips and insights into the wedding photography process. You can also engage with other wedding photographers and influencers in the wedding photography community to expand your reach and network.
When defining your niche, it's helpful to consider your skills, interests, and expertise, as well as the market demand for the type of photography you want to offer. Take the time to research your competition and the needs of your target audience, and make sure that your niche is unique and distinguishable from others on the market.
Defining your niche is a crucial step in building a successful photography business on Instagram. By focusing on a specific area of photography, you can attract the right audience, increase your reach, and ultimately, grow your client base.
Create a professional profile
Creating a professional profile is an invaluable aspect of marketing your photography on Instagram. Your profile is the first thing that potential clients will see when they visit your page, and it's crucial to make a positive first impression. Here are some tips for creating a professional profile:
Profile Picture: Use a high-quality profile picture that accurately represents you and your brand. Consider using a professional headshot or a logo that represents your photography business.
Bio: Write a clear and concise bio that accurately describes your photography business and the services you offer. Use keywords that are relevant to your niche and include a link to your website or portfolio.
Contact Information: Make it easy for potential clients to contact you by including your email address or phone number in your bio. You can also include a link to your contact page on your website.
Consistency: Make sure your profile is consistent with your brand and the overall look and feel of your website and portfolio. Use the same color scheme, font, and style across all your platforms to create a cohesive brand image.
High-Quality Content: Only post high-quality images that accurately represent your photography skills. Make sure your images are well-lit, in focus, and composed in an aesthetically pleasing manner.
By creating a professional profile, you can effectively communicate your brand and attract potential clients on Instagram. Make sure your profile accurately reflects your brand and showcases your finest work to make a strong first impression.
Tips for writing an Instagram bio for photographers and examples
An Instagram bio is a crucial aspect of your Instagram profile, as it helps give visitors a brief overview of who you are and what you do. Here are some tips and examples for writing an Instagram bio as a photographer:
Be clear and concise: Keep your bio short, sweet, and to the point. Avoid using too many hashtags or emojis, as this can make your bio look cluttered and unprofessional.
Highlight your niche: If you specialize in a specific type of photography, such as portraits, landscapes, or wedding photography, make sure to mention this in your bio. This will help potential clients quickly understand what you do and if you're the right fit for them.
Include a call to action: Encourage followers to take action, such as visiting your website or contacting you for bookings, by including a clear call to action in your bio.
Show your personality: Use your bio to showcase your personality and let followers get to know you on a personal level.
Use keywords: Include keywords that describe what you do and what you specialize in, as this will help increase your visibility in Instagram's search results.
Example 1: "Portrait & wedding photographer capturing love and memories. Bookings available. Let's create something beautiful together. 📸✨"
Example 2: "Adventure and landscape photographer capturing the beauty of the world. Prints available. Let's explore. 🌍📷"
Example 3: "Fine art photographer exploring the world through a lens. Limited edition prints available. Follow along for the journey. 🎨📷"
Your Instagram bio is a crucial aspect of your profile and helps give visitors a brief overview of who you are and what you do. By being clear and concise, highlighting your niche, including a call to action, showing your personality, and using keywords, you can create an effective Instagram bio. This will help grow your photography business on the platform.
If you want to learn more about writing social media bios, you can read my in depth guide to writing social media bios for photographers.
Utilise hashtags
Utilising hashtags is a key component of marketing your photography on Instagram. Hashtags are a simple way to increase your reach, reach new audiences, and get your work in front of potential clients. Here are some tips for using hashtags effectively:
Research Relevant Hashtags: Research popular and relevant hashtags in your niche and include them in your posts. You can use tools like Hashtagify to find popular hashtags and see how they are being used by other photographers in your niche.
Create custom hashtags: Consider creating custom hashtags specific to your brand or business. You can encourage your followers to use these hashtags when sharing your work, which can help increase your reach and visibility.
Use a Mix of Popular and Niche Hashtags: Include a mix of popular and niche hashtags in your posts to reach a wider audience. For example, you can use popular photography hashtags like #photography, #photographer, and #photooftheday, in addition to more specific hashtags related to your niche like #weddingphotography, #landscapephotography, or #petphotography.
Keep Hashtags Organized: Keep your hashtags organized and use them in a way that is easy to read. Consider using a tool to schedule your posts and keep track of the hashtags you post.
Monitor Your Hashtags: Monitor your hashtags to see what people are saying about your work and engage with those who are using your hashtags. Respond to comments and share user-generated content to build a strong community around your brand.
Using hashtags is a crucial part of marketing your photography on Instagram. By researching relevant hashtags, creating custom hashtags, and using a mix of popular and niche hashtags, you can increase your reach. This will get your work in front of potential clients, and build a strong community around your brand.
Engage with Your Audience
Engaging with your audience is an important aspect of growing your photography business on Instagram. Here are a few tips on how to effectively engage with your audience:
Respond to comments: Responding to comments on your posts shows your followers that you value their engagement and are interested in what they have to say. This can help foster a sense of community and encourage more engagement with your posts.
Ask questions: Asking your followers questions can help encourage engagement and start a conversation. You can ask questions about their interests, what they'd like to see more of, or how they'd like to see your photography evolve.
Run contests: Running contests or giveaways can be a great way to engage with your audience and increase your following. You can ask your followers to share their favourite photos, tag friends, or submit their own photos for a chance to win a prize.
Share user-generated content: Sharing user-generated content, such as photos taken by your followers, can help build a sense of community and encourage more engagement. This can also help showcase your photography to a wider audience.
Use Instagram Live: Instagram Live allows you to interact with your followers in real-time. You can use this feature to answer questions, showcase your photography, or give a behind-the-scenes look at your work.
By engaging with your audience, you can build a strong community of followers and create a more personal connection with your clients. This can help increase your visibility on the platform and drive more traffic to your website, ultimately helping you grow your photography business on Instagram.
Share behind-the-scenes content
Sharing behind-the-scenes content is a great way to engage with your audience and build a strong community around your photography business on Instagram. Behind-the-scenes content provides an intimate look at your creative process, allowing your followers to see the work that is put into creating your stunning photography. Here are some tips for sharing behind-the-scenes content:
Showcase Your Workflow: Share the process of how you plan, set up, and execute your photo shoots. For example, you can share images of your equipment, your studio setup, or the location scouting process.
Highlight Your Personality: Use behind-the-scenes content to highlight your personality and the values that drive your photography business. Share your personal story and the reasons why you love what you do.
Collaborate with Other Photographers: Collaborate with other photographers in your niche and share behind-the-scenes content from photoshoots you work on together. This can help increase your reach and build new relationships in the photography community.
Provide Behind-the-Scenes Access: Offer your followers a behind-the-scenes look at special events, photoshoots, or other unique experiences. You can use Instagram Stories or Instagram Live to give your followers a real-time look at your work.
Share Your Inspirations: Share the things that inspire you, whether it's other photographers, works of art, or even nature. Use behind-the-scenes content to provide insight into your creative process and show how your inspirations inform your work.
In conclusion, sharing behind-the-scenes content is a great way to engage with your audience and build a strong community around your photography business on Instagram. By offering an intimate look at your creative process, you can build relationships with your followers, increase engagement, and ultimately, grow your business.
Offer exclusive deals
Offering exclusive deals is a smart way to increase engagement and build a loyal following on Instagram for your photography business. Exclusive deals can take many forms, including special discounts, early access to upcoming products or services, or privileged content. Here are some tips for offering exclusive deals:
Use Instagram Stories: Instagram Stories are a great way to share exclusive deals with your followers. You can use the "swipe up" feature to direct your followers to a landing page where they can learn more about the deal and make a purchase. I will talk more about Instagram Stories later on in this article.
Run Contests and Giveaways: Run contests and giveaways to engage your followers and offer exclusive deals. For example, you can offer a discount code or a free photo shoot to the winner of a photo contest.
Create a VIP Group: Consider creating a VIP group on Instagram where you can offer exclusive deals to your most loyal followers. This can be a really cool way to build a community around your photography business and reward your most dedicated followers.
Offer Early Access: Offer early access to upcoming products or services to your followers on Instagram. This can create a sense of exclusivity and increase engagement among your followers.
Provide Personalized Offers: Use Instagram's direct messaging feature to provide personalized offers to your followers. For example, you can offer a discount code or a special deal to followers who have followed you for a long time. This will also enable them to make a recent purchase.
Offering exclusive deals is a great way to increase engagement and build a loyal following for your photography business on Instagram. By using Instagram Stories, running contests and giveaways, creating a VIP group, offering early access, and providing personalised offers, you can engage your followers, increase sales, and grow your business.
Collaborate with Other Photographers and Influencers
Collaborating with other photographers and influencers can be a very effective way to reach new audiences and grow your photography business on Instagram. Here are some tips for collaborating with other photographers and influencers:
Find complementary niches: Look for photographers and influencers who have a similar aesthetic to your own but who are not direct competitors. This way, you can reach a new audience while still maintaining your brand identity.
Participate in Joint Photoshoots: Collaborate with other photographers and influencers on joint photoshoots. This can be a helpful way to network, share ideas, and reach a wider audience.
Cross-promote Each Other's Content: Share each other's content on your respective Instagram accounts to reach new audiences. You can also consider doing a joint Instagram Live session to engage with both of your audiences.
Offer Guest Posts: Offer to guest post on each other's Instagram accounts to reach new audiences and share your work with new followers.
Leverage Influencer Marketing: Partner with influencers in your niche to promote your photography business on Instagram. Influencer marketing can be a powerful tool for reaching new audiences and growing your business.
Collaborating with other photographers and influencers can be a very effective way to reach new audiences and grow your photography business on Instagram. By finding complementary niches, participating in joint photoshoots, cross-promoting each other's content, offering guest posts, and leveraging influencer marketing, you can build relationships, increase exposure, and grow your business.
If you wanted, I’d be more than happy to discuss collaboration. Drop me a message on Instagram or contact me.
Use Instagram Stories
Using Instagram Stories is a great way to reach and engage with your audience on Instagram, especially for photography businesses. Here are some tips for using Instagram Stories to market your photography:
Show Behind-the-Scenes Content: Use Instagram Stories to show behind-the-scenes content, such as your setup process, editing techniques, and daily life as a photographer. This can help humanize your brand and build a deeper connection with your followers.
Highlight Your Work: Use Instagram Stories to showcase your latest work, including finished photos and sneak peeks of upcoming projects. This is a great way to keep your followers updated on your latest work and projects.
Use Interactive Features: Take advantage of interactive features like polls, quizzes, and questions to engage with your followers and encourage interaction.
Use Instagram Story Highlights: Create Instagram Story Highlights to showcase your work and content for an extended period of time. You can use Highlights to create themed collections, such as a "Portfolio" or "Behind the Scenes" highlight, to showcase your work and give your followers a glimpse into your process.
Collaborate with Other Instagram Users: Collaborate with other Instagram users, such as other photographers, influencers, and brands, to reach new audiences and create content together.
Using Instagram Stories is a powerful tool for reaching and engaging with your audience on Instagram. By showing behind-the-scenes content, highlighting your work, using interactive features, creating Instagram Story Highlights, and collaborating with other Instagram users, you can build relationships, increase exposure, and grow your photography business on Instagram.
Utilise Instagram Ads
Utilising Instagram Ads can be a powerful way to reach wider audiences and grow your photography business on the platform. Here are some tips for using Instagram ads effectively:
Define Your Target Audience: Before you start creating ads, it's important to know who your target audience is. Use Instagram's targeting options, such as demographics, interests, behaviours, and location, to reach the people who are most likely to be interested in your photography.
Choose the Right Ad Format: Instagram offers several different ad formats, including photo ads, video ads, carousel ads, and stories ads. Choose the format that effectively showcases your work and will be most effective at reaching your target audience.
Use High-Quality Visuals: Make sure the visuals you use in your ads are high-quality, eye-catching, and professional. This will help your ads stand out and make a lasting impression on your target audience.
Write Compelling Ad Copy: The text you use in your ads is just as important as the visuals. Write compelling ad copy that highlights the unique features of your photography and entices your target audience to learn more.
Monitor Performance: Regularly monitor the performance of your ads to see which are performing well and which are not. Use this information to optimize your ads and improve their performance over time.
Utilising Instagram Ads can be a powerful way to reach new audiences and grow your photography business on the platform. By defining your target audience, choosing the right ad format, using high-quality visuals, writing compelling ad copy, and regularly monitoring performance, you can create effective ads that drive results and help grow your business.
Post consistently
Posting consistently is an imperative aspect of growing your photography business on Instagram. Here are some tips for posting consistently and effectively:
Establish a posting schedule: Decide on a posting schedule that works for you and stick to it. This could be once a day, a few times a week, or any other schedule that works for your business. The key is to be consistent and post at the same time each day or week.
Mix up your content: While it's helpful to post consistently, you don't want to bore your followers by sharing the same type of content all the time. Mix up your content by posting a combination of finished photos, behind-the-scenes content, and other types of content that are relevant to your business.
Use Instagram's features: Take advantage of Instagram's features, such as filters, tags, and location, to make your posts more visually appealing and to reach a wider audience.
Post at optimal times: Timing is crucial when it comes to posting on Instagram. Post at times when your followers are most active and when your posts are likely to receive the most engagement. This can vary depending on your audience and location, so it's important to experiment and find the right times for your business.
Engage with your followers: Engage with your followers by responding to comments, liking and commenting on their posts, and using Instagram's features like IGTV and Reels to create content together. This will help build relationships and increase engagement with your posts.
Posting consistently is an invaluable aspect of growing your photography business on Instagram. By establishing a posting schedule, mixing up your content, using Instagram's features, posting at optimal times, and engaging with your followers, you can create a strong presence and reach a wider audience on the platform.
In conclusion, using Instagram to market and sell your photography is a very effective way to reach a wider audience and grow your business. By defining your niche, creating a professional profile, utilising hashtags, sharing behind-the-scenes content, offering exclusive deals, collaborating with other photographers and influencers, using Instagram stories, utilising Instagram ads, posting consistently, and writing an effective Instagram bio, you can build a strong presence on the platform and attract new clients. Remember to be patient and consistent, as growing your business on Instagram takes time and effort. With the right strategy and approach, however, you can succeed in building a successful photography business on Instagram.