More than ever, a strong social media presence is vital for the success of your wedding photography business. Do you have a plan in place for how you will maximize social media this year to reach ideal clients, increase awareness about your brand, and book more weddings? To get you started, here are 14 tips to help you build a strong social media plan this year.
1. Identify Where Your Audience Is
Although having a presence on each social platform is ideal, it can be helpful to know where the majority of your audience is. If, for example, you find that most of your clients come from Facebook, this is where you want to spend a bit more of your time and efforts.
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Related: How can you find your ideal client on Facebook?
2. Build a Strategy
Once you identify where your audience is, you can then start to build a strategy for each social platform, and how you will connect with ideal clients. Keep in mind that the strategy you create should differ slightly for each, especially because most platforms have a different algorithm.
Related: What are the fastest ways to work on tasks for your business?
3. Create Instagram Stories
In your strategy, make sure you create Instagram Stories on your Instagram account. They allow you to incorporate more of your personality into your account and are a great tool to help you create excitement for your followers. Read more about how to use them here.
4. Share Top Images
With every platform you use, you must share your top engagement and wedding images from past shoots. As a photographer, your images are one of the best ways to showcase your style. Use each social platform to highlight your images and show clients what you will provide them.
Tip: Don’t forget to send your images to a wedding photography post-production company to ensure you share consistent photos on your social platforms.
5. Include Hashtags Everywhere
As a part of your social strategy, do you include hashtags on every platform? In the past, we have talked a lot about hashtags for Instagram and Twitter, and you should also use hashtags with your Facebook posts. Make sure when you use hashtags, they are geared specifically at ideal clients.
6. Use a Content Calendar
Since you will share about your business across multiple platforms, a content calendar can be useful to keep you organized. A content calendar simply lists out where and when you will post certain images or content on each platform, and allows you to stay consistent.
7. Invest in Live Video
Similar to Instagram Stories, live video has become a popular option for many wedding photographers to connect with ideal clients. With live videos on both Facebook and Instagram, you can stay top of mind and create interest for your followers.
8. Connect Each Social Platform
Even though you may use different strategies for each platform, it is optimal to connect each social platform. Some of the platforms, like Twitter, are less ideal to share full images. Instead, link to your Instagram account on Twitter and inform your followers about the new post.
9. Use Analytics
One of the best ways to maintain a strong social media plan is to understand what works for your followers and what does not. There are plenty of tools that allow you to track your performance on each social platform. Use these analytics to make adjustments or changes as needed.
10. Utilize Pinterest
As a platform where a majority of brides spend their time, Pinterest is an ideal platform to utilize. Take the time to organize your Pinterest boards to showcase your style and allow brides to envision their wedding day with you as their photographer.
11. Add Social Share Buttons
When you encourage visitors to your website and blog to share your images on social media, you reach a larger audience. Make it easy for visitors to share with social share buttons that allow them to post on their social platforms. Take a look at some helpful plugins to use here.
12. Link Back to Your Website
With every post you share on your social platforms, make sure you link back to your website and blog. Each platform allows you to incorporate a link in some way, so be aware of how to use the link and encourage clicks from your followers.
13. Share Your Brand Message
Because your brand message is necessary to attract the right clients, share it on each platform. This means each platform should have similar color schemes, font, profile pictures, and style. Every social media channel should relate to your brand, as well as your website.
14. Incorporate Tools and Apps
Since social media can take up a lot of time, make it easier on yourself and incorporate tools and apps to speed up your time. From tools that allow you to schedule your posts in advance to apps that create hashtags just for you, include these in your workflow to maximize your time.
These 14 tips are perfect to ensure you have a strong social media plan this year. For more about how to use social media for your business, download our Comprehensive Guide to Social Media for Wedding Photographers!
