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?
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.
As a small business owner, it’s crucial to understand the difference between a landing page and a website. While many people use these terms interchangeably, they are wrong. These two web and marketing tools have key differences in functionalities and objectives. A website is a digital representation of your business, and acts as a gateway to your company’s entire range of services and offers. On the other hand, a landing page is a temporary page designed for a marketing campaign, focusing on selling one particular product or service. In this blog post, I will explain the key differences between landing page and a website and help you identify which one is suitable for your needs.
Landing page and Website Functionality: The primary function of a website is to provide an overview of your company and direct potential customers to other sections of your website. A website usually has multiple pages and they can include blog, online store and contact pages. It should be designed with clear navigation and provide easy access to different parts of your website. On the other hand, a landing page is a single page that has a distinct purpose to capture leads or sales by focusing on one specific offer. It includes a clear call-to-action (CTA) that encourages visitors to take a particular action, such as subscribing to a newsletter or buying a product.
Messaging: A website should feature a concise message highlighting your brand’s values and key offerings. It should address the needs of different user segments by providing a general overview of your company’s services. A landing page, on the other hand, should be laser-focused on one service or product. Its messaging should emphasize the unique value proposition of the offering and convince visitors to take action by using persuasive language and compelling visuals.
Design: The design of your website should reflect your brand’s style and visual identity while being clear, intuitive, and easy to navigate. It should have a consistent layout, color scheme, and typography throughout the website. A landing page design, however, has more freedom to be creative and unique, as it’s designed with a specific objective in mind. It should grab the visitor’s attention and convey a sense of urgency with bold visuals, crisp copy, and a prominent CTA or action button. Another difference between a website and a landing page is the structure. Websites have a hierarchical structure, with the homepage as the starting point and various sections and sub-pages branching out. In contrast, landing pages are singular web pages with a clear focus and a linear structure designed to guide visitors to take action. Landing pages also tend to have fewer links than websites, thereby reducing distractions and keeping visitors focused on a single goal.
Tone: One of the most significant differences between a website and a landing page is their tone. Websites are generally informational and designed to communicate a brand’s voice and style. In contrast, landing pages are sales-oriented and use persuasive language, engaging visuals, and a clear call-to-action. Landing pages are designed to elicit instant gratification from visitors and encourage them to act immediately. They are created to drive conversions and usually have a higher conversion rate than websites.
Traffic source: A website receives traffic from diverse sources, such as organic search, social media, or referral links. As such, it needs to be optimized for search engines, target audience, user experience, and accessibility for all types of visitors. On the other hand, a landing page is often linked to a specific marketing campaign or ad campaign, and the traffic that it receives is targeted and intentional. Therefore, it needs to be consistent with the ad’s messaging, design, and CTA, or action button. A landing page life cycle are different than a website. Landing pages are temporary, some are used for one day only, or one week or one month, depending of the marketing purpose they were designed for.
Analytics: Finally, the analytics for a website are focused on overall website performance, such as bounce rate, time on site, and user behavior across different sections. A landing page, on the other hand, has a more specific set of metrics that are related to its objectives, such as conversion rate, click-through rate, and lead generation.
Conclusion: As you can see, both home pages and landing pages are essential for a successful online presence. However, they have different purposes, audience, and functionality. Understanding how each of these pages works and how to use them to your advantage can make a significant difference in your digital marketing efforts. By having a clear objective, message, design, traffic source, and analytics, you can create a compelling online experience that engages your visitors and drives conversions. So, whether you need to boost your brand awareness or sell your latest product, choose the right type of page for your specific needs, and let your website do the rest!
I talk about the importance of Google Reviews all the time. If you read my newsletter, you know that reviews are a huge deciding factor for prospective clients when it comes to finding the right business. By reading reviews left by other customers, you can get a sense of what a business is like before you even step foot inside. Did you know that you can actually embed Google Reviews directly onto your own website or to your social media? It’s a great way to showcase your positive reviews and encourage others to leave their own.
If you are proud of your reviews, and I hope you are all, there are several different plugins that can be connected to your website and show your reviews like this.
With the variation of these tools, you can easily showcase your positive reviews and build trust with potential customers who visit your website or social media page.
Remember to encourage your customers to leave reviews and respond to any negative ones in a professional and helpful manner. Happy reviewing!
I hear clients especially service providers and trade businesses complain about having difficulty getting clients’ reviews. So there is a trick to get more reviews easily.
Generate a QR code, and keep it on your phone as an image, or print it on a special business card, or add it to your last invoice. Scanning an image, that brings up your review page makes it easy to do it. i am sure your clients are happy with your service and would be happy to leave you a review but they are busy and forget it. So let’s make it as convenient as possible.
This is a short video on how to generate the QR code. Let me know if you have any questions or need help!
A privacy policy is an important legal document that outlines how a website collects, uses, and protects user data. While it may not be legally required for all websites, having a privacy policy in place can offer several advantages for businesses, including building trust with customers, ensuring compliance with regulations, and reducing liability.
Personal data, that most average small business collects through their website, includes names, phone number, email address, and mailing address, an e-commerce website collects payment information, billing and delivery addresses.
Advantages of Having a Privacy Policy
Build Trust
One of the key benefits of having a policy on the website is that it can build customer trust. According to a survey 91% of Americans agree that people have lost control over how personal information is collected and used by all kinds of entities. Being transparent towards users is the most essential factor. Showing your clients a clear picture of why and how you use their information.
Being transparent towards your users is possibly the most important moral reason. Providing your clients and customers with a clear picture of why and how you process their personal data makes them feel secure.
Make more Profit and Money
Making more money is a top priority for every business. One of the most effective ways to achieve that goal is by ensuring that customers feel secure and protected when they do business with you. By having an up-to-date Privacy Policy in place, you can instill this sense of security in your customers, allowing them to trust you and feel comfortable while doing business with you. Research has proven that people are more likely to take the desired steps on your website or app if they feel assured their personal information will be properly used and not shared without their consent.
Compliance with regulations
Another important advantage of having a policy is that it can ensure compliance with relevant regulations. Depending on your industry and jurisdiction, you may be required by law to have a privacy policy in place. For example, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union mandates that all websites that collect user data must have a privacy policy that complies with the regulation’s requirements.
Additionally, having a privacy policy can demonstrate professionalism and help to reduce liability. By having a clear and comprehensive privacy policy in place, business owners can show that they take user privacy seriously and are committed to responsible data practices. This can be especially important for companies that rely on user data to provide personalized services, such as e-commerce sites or social media platforms.
When creating a privacy policy, it’s important to include key information about how user data is collected, used, and protected. This can include details about the types of information collected, how information is used, disclosure of information to third parties, security measures in place, and user rights. According to the Federal Trade Commission, a privacy policy should be “clear, conspicuous, and easy to read and understand.”
Consequences of Not Having a Privacy Policy
Not having a privacy policy in place can have serious consequences for businesses, including legal ramifications, loss of customer trust, negative impact on business reputation, and potential loss of revenue. In some cases, failure to comply with relevant regulations can result in significant fines and legal fees. For example, in 2019, the FTC fined Facebook $5 billion for violating its 2011 consent decree related to user privacy.
Creating a Privacy Policy
Creating a privacy policy, a legal agreement can be a complex and time-consuming process. While hiring a lawyer to draft a policy can be expensive, there are several resources available to businesses that can help simplify the process. These include privacy policy generators and customizable templates that can be tailored to meet the specific needs of a business.
Conclusion
In today’s digital age, user privacy is more important than ever before. Having a privacy policy in place is a crucial step in protecting user data and building trust with customers. By understanding the advantages of having a privacy policy and taking steps to create one, businesses can establish themselves as responsible and trustworthy organizations in the eyes of their customers.
Small business Hassle-free solution for Policies
If you’re looking for a hassle-free solution to creating a privacy policy for your website, Turek Design can help. I learned it from my own experience the importance of legal documents, and how difficult and expensive it can be. So I searched for a easy and affordable way to create a privacy policy that meets my client’s specific needs. And i found a solution that is good and affordable.
Believe me, if you have a client and something goes wrong, they will not hesitate to share their negative experience, write a bad review and tell the world about it. However, this can be offset by having a balanced representation of positive, satisfied, and happy client reviews.
Online reviews from customers are important for businesses because they provide valuable insights into customer satisfaction and can help increase the credibility of a business. Google reviews are big deal for businesses, those are the social proof that they provide a great service. And let’s face it, we all want to know if a business is worth our time and money before we try it out. Plus having a bunch of positive reviews can help boost the business’s online presence, making it easier for potential customers to find them. And as a cherry on top, Google pays attention to how many and what kind of reviews a business gets, which is actually affects where is shows up in search results.
How to ask for reviews?
In working toward the goal of reviews on Google, the first step is to request reviews from your happy clients. Aim for quantity, and quality as the reviews should be new, unique and previously unpublished anywhere else. They can be displayed on your website, or other trusted review sites. When placed on your website, there should be a different one on each relevant page or practice area.
Here are a few ideas for how a business can ask for reviews:
After providing great service: You could say something like, “We’re so glad you had a great experience with us! If you have a moment, we’d love it if you could leave us a review on Google. It helps others see just how much they can trust us too.”
In an email follow-up: You could write, “Thanks for choosing us! We hope you loved your experience. If you have a second, would you mind leaving us a review on Google? Your thoughts mean the world to us.”
Email signature: Place your direct review link to your email signature, which is one of the most viewed marketing tool for a business.
Send a text message: Write a nice email with your direct link and send it as text message. Most people submit reviews via mobile devices and due to various technologies, including dictation typing, clients can often do this more easily than via email.
On social media: You could post, “Hey everyone! If you had a great experience with us, would you mind leaving us a quick review on Google? It would mean the world to us! Thanks in advance!”
On your website: You could add a simple call-to-action such as, “Love our products/services? Let others know by leaving us a review on Google.”
These are just a few examples, but the key is to make the request in a friendly, non-intrusive way. Making the request in person increases the chances that customers will be willing to leave a review.
In conclusion, asking for Google reviews is a great way for businesses to increase their online visibility and credibility. By providing excellent customer service, following up with satisfied customers, and including calls-to-action on your website and social media, you can encourage customers to leave a review and improve your online reputation.
Increase Your Google Five Stars Ratings
Boost Quantity
The more four and five star ratings you have, the better your average will be. If you are starting to acquire reviews, focus on quantity. Ask for a review when you are finishing a project, or when the customer is at a big milestone.
Keep Providing Great Client Service
As with any service-based business, great service often leads to great reviews. Do not forget to share this with your employees, especially if they are interacting with the customers.
Do Not Ignore Negative Reviews
Although they can be discouraging, everybody receives a negative review once in a while. This is normal and nothing to worry about. Resist the temptation to freak out, and do not ignore the negative review. Consider the following tips for responding to negative reviews:
Do not respond immediately. Take time and think it over to avoid responding out of emotion or defensiveness.
Gather the facts related to customer concerns.
Proceed with empathy.
Compose your thoughts and write out a draft before posting anything.
Be as brief as possible. Three or four sentences might be best.
Realize that some people cannot be satisfied, so after trying your best, simply move on.
Note, that Google reviews can be changed by the reviewer. If you resolved the issue with the client, ask them politely if they would change the 2 starts rating and update their review.
What To Do When a Google Review Is Not Showing Up
Because too many fraud reviews were on the Google Business Pages, right now Google is more strict about publishing them. Many times the reviewer sees the review on his own account, but it is still not published. Even real client reviews can be flagged.
Below, you can find out what to do when a Google review is not showing up:
Gather evidence. If a Google review is not showing up, gather any evidence you can that relates to the new review you cannot see on your GBP listing. This typically involves getting screenshots of both the email notification you received of the review and the reviews currently listed on your GBP profile to demonstrate that a review is missing.
Seek support. If Google recently suspended your GBP listing, speak to their support team and use your reinstatement details and case number to transfer any missing reviews to your new listing. In contrast, if Google did not suspend your listing, ask Google’s support team to help with locating your missing reviews. Try this link first to get support
Ask the online community. If Google’s support team does not resolve the issue, consider posting your issue on Google’s community forums. Doing this, you may attract the attention of a helpful Google employee who might assist with this matter further.
Summery
Reviews are very important for clients and therefore they are important for businesses. The main thing is that your should start doing it. Don’t be shy! Reviews are an important part of your marketing and growing your business.
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