Are you a photographer having a hard time optimizing your photography website?
You are not alone.
Most photographers find it difficult and subsequently get lost trying to make their photo website Google friendly. These are some tips that you should take into consideration in order to make your photography site better.

How to optimize your images for SEO

A photographer portfolio consists of beautiful images, so big part of optimizing a photography website means optimizing images.

What about the Image Alt Tags

Every modern platform allows you to add Alt Tags. What is an Alt tag? It is a description of the image. It comes from the time of slow internet, when people did not automatically download images, but read the Alt text first. (Nowadays it is also an important part of optimizing a website for screen readers for visually impaired visitors. )
Why do you need to add it?
Simple, Google can’t understand your images; Alt Tag descriptions translate your images for search engines.

Let’s imagine that a new mom is searching for a newborn photographer and finds your photographs on Google because you had a great image description. She might then add it to her Pinterest board so other new moms will see your great photography skills. There is a high likelihood that she will go to your site and see the rest of your photographer’s portfolio. She might become a new client or just a new follower on Facebook or Instagram. This is one of the reasons why Alt Tags can be so useful to your portfolio

Optimize your image file names

It is easy just to use the automated file name when you upload a new image from your camera. But what would Google understand from this; cunningham-sm.jpg or 3444577893-2019-04-12.jpg?

Nothing, right?

So you should take time and add file names that help your SEO. For example, Cute-Baby-Photography-Boston.jpg file name is much more descriptive, right?

Confused about how to optimize your photography website?
Hire us for a 2-hours SEO consultation!

Optimize your image file size

If you upload your image in its original size or high resolution slowly but surely, it will destroy your website and user experience.
Why? Because the bigger the file size, the slower your page is. People are eager to see your page, but if it takes a long time to load, they may click elsewhere.
Photographers’ websites are image-heavy, so you should be careful of the sizes of the images you upload.
If you want to check out how fast your site is, use this website. https://gtmetrix.com

If your website loads slowly, you should check the sizes of the images and files. ( Here is an article how to edit your images on WordPress platform.)

Make your images as big as needed, but do not go way bigger. In Google Analytics, you can see the average screen size your visitors use, use that knowledge to speed up your site.

Create good content to read

Most photography websites’ mistake is the lack of content

One common mistake found on most photography websites is the lack of content. While it’s understandable to believe that your images can speak for your value and artistic prowess, the truth is they alone won’t attract visitors to your site.

Here’s where Google comes into play – it prefers websites with plenty of text. So, having a stunning full-screen image with your logo as the homepage won’t suffice for Google to recognize your photography business in Worcester County. To ensure Google understands your target audience and location, make sure to prominently feature the desired location on your website.

Now let’s talk about your target audience. Most photographers aim to attract people within a 50-mile radius or less, as they prefer not to travel too far. Create a list of the major towns and cities in your area and prioritize adding these names to your website.

Remember, engaging content and strategic targeting will help your photography business thrive online and reach the right clients.
How we could help a Boston Photographer to optimize her website, read this case study.

to Blog or not to blog, that is the question

When it comes to optimizing your photography website, regularly adding new content is key. But here’s the catch: it’s not just about uploading new images, it’s about adding valuable text too. Search engines don’t recognize new images as fresh content, so it’s crucial to find engaging topics that provide useful information to your audience.

For instance, imagine the curiosity of new moms wanting to know how early they should schedule a session with their newborn. And what about families pondering over how to dress for a photography session? Oh, and don’t forget those who are concerned about what happens if it rains during an outdoor photography session.

You see, there are endless questions waiting to be answered, and by addressing them on your website, you’ll add immense value. This extra content will not only engage your audience but also boost your photography website’s ranking in search results. Exciting, right?

Get a good website hosting company

Invest into a good website hosting company with great service. Don’t pick the cheapest shared plan that doesn’t use the latest technologies. Website hosting is more important than just the price.
Your hosting will affect your website loading speed and your website security.

Invest in an SSL certificate

Online security has gotten a lot more attention recently. Visitors are looking for the “security sign” in front of a domain name, especially if sensitive personal information is collected from users. An SSL certificate, which is noticeable by the “s” here https:// , guarantees that all data is encrypted and securely stored on your website.

In conclusion, photographer websites tend to lack content and be full of images which are not ideal for SEO. To make sure you are getting the most out of your website, you need good long content that is location-specific. Additionally, it would be beneficial to include a blog as well on your website. There are a lot of digital marketing tips out there that can help you optimize your website and get the best traffic result. If none of this works for you, then perhaps it’s time for an expert touch. If you are a photographer and need help optimizing your website, schedule a chat to learn more about how to optimize your website.

Complete SEO guide for how to optimize a Photography website