Leveraging my content strategy degree to build a photography business

Embarking on the journey of establishing a photography business has been a dream come true for me. As a photographer with a deep-seated passion for capturing moments and telling stories through my lens, I knew that turning this passion into a successful venture required more than just creative talent. My content strategy background is valuable and essential in laying the groundwork for success. From conducting quantitative surveys to crafting targeted personas, and from optimizing for SEO to shaping my photography style, every aspect of my content strategy degree is proving to be a cornerstone in building my photography venture.

Surveying the landscape

One of the first steps I took in this endeavor was conducting a quantitative survey to gain insights into my potential clientele. By gathering data on preferences, demographics, and behavior patterns, I obtained a clearer understanding of the market I aimed to serve, targeting people living in and around my town in Styria.

Personifying the audience

The survey results were key to creating personas to serve as archetypal representations of my target audience, allowing me to tailor my content and marketing efforts to effectively resonate with them.

There is a wide variety of persona templates that one can use, and I decided to base mine on the one created by Buffer and expanded upon it by adding a customer journey.

Here, as an example, one of the resulting personas:

Streamlining the service via content

The customer journey in particular is key to ensure that I can provide the right content at the right time (for example, providing an outfit guide before the photoshoot). The whole user experience with the photography service is important to ensure a happy customer, it’s not just about the final product.

Optimizing for online and offline discovery

Thanks to my research and the personas I created, I can shape the digital presence of my photography business as I see fit. I can meticulously plan the structure and content of my website and social media accounts and ensure that is perfectly tailored for SEO.

However, the survey also showed me that online visibility is only part of the equation of a successful photography business. Most people hire photographers through recommendations, so it’s imperative that my content strategy extends beyond the digital realm. Therefore, I must devise strategies to leverage offline recommendations effectively. This might involve networking with local businesses, collaborating with event planners, or participating in community events where word-of-mouth referrals thrive.

Ensuring a top-notch service with happy customers is key in this endeavour, because if a customer is happy with you, they are obviously more likely to recommend you to others.

Recognizing photography as an art form

All in all, it’s crucial to acknowledge that photography, at its core, is an art form — a deeply personal expression of creativity and vision.

While a robust content strategy can undoubtedly enhance visibility and attract potential clients, it’s essential to understand that success in photography extends beyond strategic marketing tactics. Even the most finely tuned content strategy won’t guarantee that you’ll be hired if your style and preferences don’t resonate with those seeking your services.

Fortunately, as someone who pursues photography as a side job, I am not beholden to the pressures of commercial success to the same extent as full-time professionals. This affords me the freedom to prioritize artistic integrity over financial gain. While I am committed to leveraging my content strategy skills to grow my business, I refuse to compromise my photographic vision solely for the sake of increasing revenue. By staying true to myself and my artistic principles, I am confident that I can attract clients who appreciate my unique perspective and value my authenticity.

The advantage of content strategy

In essence, my content strategy degree serves as the guiding force behind the scenes of my future photography business. From conducting market research to crafting personas, and from optimizing for SEO to shaping my photography services, every decision is informed by a strategic approach rooted in my academic background. As I continue on this journey, I am confident that leveraging these skills will propel my business toward success in the competitive world of photography.

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While our website is underway, you can check out our work here:

• Our portfolio: giuandtom.lightfolio.com
• Our Instagram: @giuandtomphotography