Instagram for Photographers: is it worth it?
February 2, 2020
Can I tell you a secret? Okay… it’s not that big of a secret. But it is a pretty big deal in my opinion. I built my photography business to the six-figure level without ever using Instagram. So… that begs the question, is Instagram for photographers REALLY necessary?
The answer: MAYBE!
I know that doesn’t sound too helpful but the truth is… Instagram isn’t for everybody OR every photographer, and if I can be totally honest, and please know that I’m saying this out of love, the way some photographers are using Instagram… it’s a STRAIGHT UP WASTE OF TIME!
Instagram for Photographers:
yes or no?
Before we dive in to whether or not YOU should be on Instagram… here are some things you need to know…
Instagram for Photographers:
pros
#1- Humanize your Brand
It’s clear that Instagram isn’t just for teens and their dogs anymore. With over 100 Billion Users every single month, Insta has turned into SO MUCH MORE. It is now a platform for businesses all over the world to connect with their audience on a WHOLE NEW LEVEL! Before Instagram, marketing was cold and disconnected. But now, with Instagram and other platforms, brands have been able to become human. Meaning that we are able to show up as a person with a real personality, a real life, a real family, real emotions, and a real voice.
Because the truth is, people don’t invest in businesses, people invest in people.
This kind of genuine human connection leads to a clients trusting us quicker and easier which means that they will invest in us at a quicker pace and if we create the right kind of content, for a better price! Not to mention that because we attract people to who we are as a person and not just our photos, it leads to better brand loyalty!
#2- Spread Brand Awareness
Social media is where people (in general) like to waste time. So if we can put content out there that interests them, adds value to their life and makes them WANT to know more, we have the potential to spread our brand faster than if we didn’t have Instagram.
Not to mention that instagram makes it nice and easy for our users to share our content with their followers! Which of course means that getting your name out there has never been easier!
#3- Inspire Others & Make a Difference
We all want to make the world a better place but what is it that YOU are out to change specifically? Social media has allowed photographers to no longer be JUST about photography. Instead, because of social media, we have an opportunity to make our brand about so much more than that! If you are interested in turning your brand from “a good ________________ (wedding, newborn, senior) photographer” to “a one-of-a-kind, life-changing experience” then check this out: CLICK HERE.
Instagram for Photographers
cons
#1- Audience
While Instagram does have over 100 million user’s a month, 89% are outside the U.S. and almost 70% are between the ages of 18-29. And as someone who is certified in inbound marketing and social media marketing, I’ll be the first to tell you that YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE ON EVERY PLATFORM. Instead, focus on which platforms are the best fit for your message and your audience. So if your ideal client falls out of that age range, Instagram may not be worth your time.
However, I also teach my More than Marketing Students that be where your ideal clients are now but also be where they will be tomorrow.
#2- Visual
While this might seem like a pro, one of the MAJOR components of my brand is my words, and in the eyes of Instagram, words aren’t pretty. So sometimes I felt as if Instagram didn’t highlight my brand best with the heavy amount of written content.
#3- Time Killer
Like all social media, it takes time to manage, update, post to our stories, add hashtags, and all that jazz. One thing I’ve found to be helpful in keeping social media in its places is setting a designated time of day for me to log-on and interact with my community (read more on this HERE) and planning and scheduling my content ahead of time.
Still not sure?
Here’s the bottom line… there’s a lot of people on IG and studies have shown this will only increase. So if you think these people are your ideal client right now or will be in the next 5 years, then Instagram might be an awesome choice to make a connection with them. ALL social media platforms give photographers everywhere a chance to really create brand loyalty. It’s up to us to find our clients and serve them by adding value to their life on this platform regularly.
To learn more about Instagram, Stay tuned the rest of this week for a new blog post all about how photographers should specifically use instagram to grow their business and GET CLIENTS!
