Building a Photography Website For More Financial Stability

In today’s economically turbulent times, you may be searching for creative avenues to augment your income. Even if you have a steady, nine-to-five job, the risk that you’ll be downsized or laid off is always present. Or, perhaps your employment isn’t as sure, with your hours fluctuating from one week to the next.

One way you can bring in some additional money, is by marketing your photography skills on the side. Picking up some freelance work can allow you to increase your monthly income - without having to change jobs, transfer to another state or disrupt your routine in any meaningful way. Yet, it can provide you with some additional financial stability and give you a creative outlet at the same time.

Where Do You Begin?

Building a successful freelance enterprise is typically slow-going at first, but if you’re persistent this can steadily increase over time. In times past you’d have to rely on word-of-mouth referrals and things like print ads to get the word out about your services. Now with the power of the internet at your disposal, creating a photography website gives you the potential to reach a vast number of clients.

Even if you have limited technical knowledge, it is possible to build a polished freelance photography website - to put your services in the best possible light. After all, a client will be hesitant to hire you for their photography job, if your site is amateurish or unattractive. Since they’ll be retaining your services for your style and vision, it’s essential that your website have these characteristics in spades.

Using Website Builders

Fortunately, many online website building services now have impressive programs, which enable you to create a professional looking site with very little skill. Using templates, you can quickly create pages and upload your own images to build out your online portfolio. This gives you a powerful marketing tool, which can help get your freelance photography service off the ground.

Properly Utilizing Your New Site

A Combination Approach.

Once your new photography site and personal portfolio are finished, you can’t expect new clients to flock to your pages automatically. It’s best to use a combination of online marketing strategies, coupled with real-world promotion to drum up business. For example, you could send out a short post to all of your current social media contacts, to let family and friends know that you’re available for photography work. This puts your current network in play, and may yield word-of-mouth referrals almost immediately.

Offer Free Service to Get Started.

In addition, you can offer to provide photography for an event for free or low cost, in exchange for testimonials or referrals to the client’s friends. This tactic will also allow you to bolster your portfolio, if it’s on the slim side. You should also print up cards with your new site listed on them, to hand out at any event that you work. This gives potential clients an easy way to review your portfolio, and this can go a long way towards landing future jobs.

Bid For Jobs Online.

You may also want to submit bids on various online sites, which list jobs from clients looking for freelancers. While your own website isn’t required for this strategy, include your site address in your proposal, as this is an excellent way to impress prospective clients with your professionalism. Finally, you can begin posting some of your personal photographs on social media on a regular basis, as a way to promote your service even further.

All told, these strategies - when coupled with a stellar website that properly showcases your talent - can have you filling your schedule with bookings in no time at all.

The opinions expressed in this article do not represent the views of EconoTimes.