From Headlines to Timelines

From Headlines to Timelines       

         30 years ago something became news when you woke up in the morning,  grabbed the paper from out front, sipping your coffee to read what happened in the world yesterday.  

   YESTERDAY!!

       Yesterday is no longer relevant in today's digital age. Artists or Photographers who make headlines today, might be lost in the shuffle of what is current or trending. Make it a daily effort to put your work out on a daily basis, you never know who will pick up on it in their Timeline! One post can change your life forever. Be diligent in your digital battle, if know one knows about you. How can they hire you?

Brian Farnum~ Vermont Wedding & Portrait Photographer
B. Farnum Photography

Vermont Brides

Alexis: 7 Months

B. Farnum Photography

Google Plus a Photographers Wonderland

Ever take a photo, then wonder what other people will say about the photograph? Want a place to learn about new gear, the latest editing software or a hot new plug-in? Google Plus has created a photographers wonderland. You can post a photo, within seconds or sometimes minutes will start getting feedback from your peers. Constructive criticism most of the time, but all valuable insights into what others might be thinking about an image you created.

Many times other photographers will +1 the image or even share the image.By sharing the image it will go in front of many more sets of eyes, everyone that's in their circles. But the greatest thing about when someone shares your post! You can see the comments that are being added to the original post. Something that Facebook does not do or doesn't want to do.

From a marketing standpoint this is flipping amazing, you can show off your work to that many more sets of eyes. This will help your work be seen around the world, it might not bring extra business your way initially but you never know who can potentially see your images. Director of photography for a magazine, a curator for a museum, or a buyer for an ad agency.

Website:
B. Farnum Photography

Circle Me: Photographers
Google+

A Recession Is Not An Excuse To Be Lazy

I keep hearing on the news that we are in a recession or the next recession will be far worse than one we are currently in. You can make your photography business recession proof, don't just sit on the couch with the mindset that everyone is experiencing a down turn in their business. Get off your ass, and start something. Nothing is going to happen if all you do is watch re-runs.

Instead take a pro-active approach to start craving out your place in photographic market. When many of your fellow photographers are feeling the same pain that you are. What you have to do is increase your hustle. Start making sure you are consistently posting on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Linkedin, Flickr and Tumblr to make sure that your name is fresh in the minds of all the potential clients out there.

You really need to increase you hustle on your social media streams, be active in the community where you work and play. Instead of thinking and sitting, take action. I have been increasing my business when everyone is complaining about not having enough clients, how things are only going up in price.

These are the FREE powerhouses that you can harness to increase the number of people who see your name on a daily basis. You might not be able to compete with a higher end photographer in your area dollar for dollar when it comes to revenue. But you do have time, the ability to type and a hunger that many photographers have lost.

I use Facebook because I have to reach a number of my Senior Portrait clients, they are a captive audience. They love to comment, like and share content that I post on my wall. It's easy to start gaining the "likes" needed to really start drawing in clients.

Another way to use Facebook is to go after newlyweds and their friends. Brides are a marketers dream, you become friends with the Bride and her Bridemaids this will insure that you will get referrals. Make sure to tag them in some of the photos that you post from their wedding.

You need quality of quantity ALWAYS, when you are trying to sell someone a look or feel.
When posting an image, remember this: "Well this make the person post a comment, like it, or share it with others." If the answer is no, then move to another image that will capture the attention of the audience that you are going after.

Hope this helps.

B. Farnum Photography
Brian Farnum
Facebook

Increase Your Presence, Increase Your Business

I have been working hard to obtain all of the links for page 1 on Google for my photography business B. Farnum Photography. I have finally achieved that goal. Here are some steps to help you obtain Google, Yahoo and Bing nirvana for your business.

Just having a website will no longer get you all of the links that you will need to show up everywhere in Google. You need to expand your marketing all around the web. This does not mean that you will have to spend money, I have spent very little over the past year. I use twitter, facebook, blogger and tumblr to take up more real estate on the web.I think of it kind of like the game Monopoly, if you have more properties and can branch of to railroads and utilizes. You will win the game!

Twitter:
I generally use twitter for posting links, and re-tweeting things I deem important information on photography. You should keep personal thoughts, opinions and religion off from your tweets if you don't want to offend people. Posting images links on Twitter can be helpful, you can target who you want with "#", example #portrait, #wedding, or a certain region like #Vermont, #NewEngland.

Facebook:
There is a lot of controvery surrounding Facebook and their photo usage policies, but if you are marketing to high school seniors or young brides than you really should be posting photos and useful content on a facebook fan page. I am really upset however, that currently Facebook took away the "suggest to friends" link on all fan pages. This was a great way to ask people to help market your photography business.

Blogging:

A Blog is a place where the content should always be changing, this is important because search engines rank sites higher when the content of the blog changes on a frequent basis. Make sure to include back links for all of your sites that you are trying to promote. Blogs also let you share information, that you would not want to include on your professional website.


Social Bookmarking and its coolness.

One of the best ways I have found to get people that wouldn't normally see or visit your website or blog is StumbleUpon if you are looking to increase traffic to a specific page, you can "like" on Stumble Upon and you get to use 5 tags to categorize what it is you are posting. I have used this in great success on my Flickr account to gain more views of a certain photo, it does work you should try it.

If you consistently post to each of the vehicles that you choose to market your business you will be surprised how the links will build up and you will gain rank in Google and other search engines. This can only help you get your name out there, which is the ultimate goal in all types of marketing.