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If you are a new photographer, you may get a photography website to capture human connection in the age of coronavirus.
CNN reported last month that amid a global pandemic that is forcing vast swathes of society to stay at home, photographers around the world consider what this means for visual storytelling.
Why I Need a Photography Website
First, a photography website allows your potential customers to find you more easily. Even when they already know about you through referral because it is likely that they will Google you in advance.
Secondly, you showcase your very best works on your photography website.
Thirdly, you can sell your digital or printed artwork which your customers can pay for on your website.
Fourthly, an online booking system on the website allows your followers to book your photoshoots online 24/7.
Fifthly, folks can find fan reviews on your home delivery website.
Sixthly, a photography website with the right content can keep your site at the top of search results pages i.e. higher SEO ranking on search engines like Google.
Seventhly, a photography website allows you to build credibility and brand awareness.
Additionally, you can share your posts on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, etc. This can funnel your social media visitors and followers back to your website.
Lastly, a website can tell your audience a lot of information about your work and service, special events on your calendar, etc. It can educate, qualify, and convert leads into customers.
What Options are Available
Deciding which content management system (CMS) to use to create a photography website is the very first and yet the most critical step. However, there are tons of options available. Below is a summary of the most popular CMS you may use to create a photography website.
- Hosted platforms catering to photographers like Photoshelter
- Hosted platforms like Wix, Weebly, Squarespace and WordPress.com where you can find photography website templates
- Self-hosted platforms like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal
Top Photography Websites Use WordPress
WordPress is the world’s leading content management system (CMS) trusted by over 35% of all the website users worldwide.
The following are among the 16 Best Photography Websites using WordPress to power their websites.
- Cambridge in Colour is a learning community for photographers. As well as tools and tutorials, it has an active online forum where you will get answers to the most obscure of your questions. There are over 20,000 active participants everyday so there will always be someone there to help you out.
- Photography Life is an excellent source of news, articles and reviews. It’s also a fantastic place to find plenty of how-to guides, from beginners’ tips through to more advanced tutorials covering things like heavyweight technical matters and even running a photography business.
- Camera Jabber offers up an enticing mix of news, reviews and buyers’ guides, on everything from phone cameras and DSLRs up to the latest action and 360 cameras.
- The British Journal of Photography has been around since 1854, and it’s kept up with the times since then. Its website is a great accompaniment to the venerable magazine, serving up thought-provoking photography and fresh perspectives every day.
- DIY Photography is a great place to pick up expert advice and read about the latest kit. Again written by photographers for photographers, it’s heavy on the tutorials with hundreds of useful how-to articles online, plus a whole load of DIY articles that’ll help you build your own gear rather than splashing out on expensive kit.
- iPhone Photography School has one simple aim: to help you take better photos with your iPhone than most people can with a DSLR. It does this with plenty of in-depth tutorials covering photography techniques and photo editing, as well as inspiring articles and regular competitions so you can pit your newfound skills against others.
- Digital Photography School aims to help photographers get the most out of their cameras. With sections including photo tips, gear and post-processing, all the essentials are well covered.
- The Photo Argus is an online resource for photographers – from novice users to advanced pros. The site provides useful information, inspiration, techniques, photographer showcases and more. Find what you’re looking for using the organised topic sections or browse through the Popular Posts and the most up-to-date articles on the homepage.
- PetaPixel is a website offering tutorials, news and kit. The tutorials are imaginative and practical, offering videos and screen grabs to guide you through each step.
Main Features of a WordPress Photography Website
- Simplicity
- Flexibility
- Publish with Ease
- Publishing Tools
- User Management
- Media Management
- Built-in Comments
- Fully Customizable
- Browser Compatibility
- Multilingual Blogs
- Own Your Data
What Should a Photography Website Have?
First, to serve the aforesaid purposes, a photography website should include the following pages.
- Home
- A slider of promo photos
- A call-to-action button to buy your work
- A brief bio with images
- A newsletter sign-up form
- Social media icons
- About
- Portfolio
- Pick your very best photos
- Curate and showcase them
- Update regularly
- Easy social sharing
- Reviews
- Store
- Sell digital or printed artwork
- Manage all orders using WooCommerce
- Blog
- Share creative and inspirational projects, gear tips, and behind the scenes anecdotes
- Contact
Secondly, you may consider using more content to market your services. They include videos, podcasts, whitepapers, case studies, eBooks, webinars, guides, checklists, and quizzes.
Last but not least, you should also ensure the following in your photography website.
- Good UI/UX in terms of design, colors, fonts, and navigation
- Short and concise calls-to-action that stand out with compelling words
- Website performance optimization
- Mobile-friendly responsive design
Conclusion – The Best Solution
Which is the best solution to create a photography website? If you are just starting up with zero marketing budget, you may try DIY hosted solutions like Wix.
If you are serious about your photography business and looking to get a website or revamp the current one, you may want to scale up your web project with customizations and add-on features using WordPress. This makes search engine marketing, social media marketing, and content marketing a lot easier later.
