{"id":69180,"date":"2017-11-13T08:49:48","date_gmt":"2017-11-13T16:49:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=69180"},"modified":"2017-11-13T08:49:48","modified_gmt":"2017-11-13T16:49:48","slug":"photography-content-marketing-101","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2017\/11\/13\/photography-content-marketing-101\/","title":{"rendered":"Photography Content Marketing 101"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Eric<\/p>\n

How to succeed as a modern photographer: master marketing. The type of marketing I am a master at is \u00e2\u20ac\u02dccontent marketing\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and in this article, I will share with you everything I personally know. My hope is that you can use this information to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153get your name out there\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, to build more followers, and also how to build your platform.<\/p>\n

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DOWNLOAD PDF: Photography content marketing 101<\/a><\/p>\n

PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP 101 ><\/a><\/p>\n

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HAPTIC INDUSTRIES<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

HAPTIC INDUSTRIES<\/strong><\/a>: Creative Tools to Empower You.<\/p>\n

See products in SHOP<\/strong><\/a> and AMAZON<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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What is content marketing?<\/h2>\n

Let me be the first to say that I hate the term \u00e2\u20ac\u02dccontent\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00e2\u20ac\u201d it is like putting all of our creative and artistic work, and squeezing it into a grey paste, to be consumed by the masses.<\/p>\n

In a marketing sense, \u00e2\u20ac\u02dccontent\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 is what you wrap around the advertisements. \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcContent\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 is the candy that makes the bitter medicine of advertising more palatable.<\/p>\n

For example, let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s say that I want to sell you a La Marzocco espresso machine. In order to market my espresso machine to get you to buy it, I might do \u00e2\u20ac\u02dccontent marketing\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 by writing articles such as:
\n– 5 Reasons Why Drinking Espresso Everyday is Good For Your Brain, Creativity, and Productivity
\n– The Secret Behind Pulling a Perfect Shot of Espresso
\n– The Benefits of Drinking Espresso and Intermittent Fasting<\/p>\n

And at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of the post, the La Marzocco espresso machine is mentioned. It is kind of like product placements in movies \u00e2\u20ac\u201d Will Smith wearing a pair of All Star Converse in \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcI Am Legend\u00e2\u20ac\u2122, James Bond driving an Aston Martin, or ET eating Reese\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Pieces.<\/p>\n

Anyways, the benefit of \u00e2\u20ac\u02dccontent marketing\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 over traditional forms of marketing and advertising (like billboards, banner ads, etc) is that the educational \u00e2\u20ac\u02dccontent\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 can help inform, educate, or convince why<\/em> your customer needs a certain product.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u02dcContent\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 can mean:
\n– Articles
\n– Blog posts
\n– Social media posts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, etc)
\n– Pictures
\n– Videos (YouTube)
\n– Any media that can be created or consumed digitally (on a phone, laptop, tablet, etc).<\/p>\n

How I do content marketing<\/h2>\n

For myself, I started this blog in 2011, with the hope of sharing information on street photography.<\/p>\n

I remember when I started shooting street photography, I couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t find any practical or instructional information on how<\/em> to shoot street photography, how to conquer my fears of shooting street photography<\/a>, the \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcbest\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 technical settings for street photography, how to know what makes a good street photograph, or information about the history of street photography<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Therefore, first principle:<\/p>\n

\n Make content that you would like to consume.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I saw a need for information on how to shoot street photography, and therefore I started to fill the gap in my personal curiosity. I started to write blog posts, make free ebooks<\/a> on street photography, giving out free Lightroom presets<\/a>, and making YouTube videos on how to shoot street photography<\/a>. I was very dedicated from 2011-2017, and in that time period, rose to #1 on Google<\/a> for \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcstreet photography\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 and wrote over 3,000 blog posts.<\/p>\n

When one teaches, two learn<\/h2>\n

I originally intended to start blogging as a way for me to share everything I was learning (in the hope that others would also find it useful). Also I found that as I wrote and explained what I was learning, I retained and understood it better.<\/strong><\/p>\n

For example, I never went to art or photography school. I had no idea who the masters of photography were.<\/p>\n

Whenever I went to an art exhibition, I felt frustrated when all these other snobby photographers would \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcname drop\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 the names of these famous photographers, like William Eggleston<\/a>, Martin Parr<\/a>, Stephen Shore<\/a>, etc. I started to Google around, and couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t find any practical information from these photographers. My main intention of learning from the master photographers was to learn practical lessons to apply to my own photography. So once again like the first principle, I started to research and write in-depth articles on these master photographers, and I made the \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcLearn From the Masters of Photography<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 series.<\/p>\n

Be generous<\/h2>\n

I found a hidden benefit of writing and blogging \u00e2\u20ac\u201d as I started to expand my personal wisdom on photography and sharing that knowledge with others, I became more famous and well-known.<\/p>\n

Principle 2:<\/p>\n

\n The more I gave, the more I received in return.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I started to write free ebooks, and kept all my information \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcopen source\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00e2\u20ac\u201dmeaning, anyone could download, translate, remix, share, or access any of the information I created (words, articles, pictures, videos, etc).<\/p>\n

As I built my popularity, I was able to benefit by:
\n– Selling out more workshops
\n– Selling products (Henri Neck Strap and Henri Wrist Strap, via HAPTICINDUSTRIES<\/a>)
\n– Selling print and ebooks (via HAPTICPRESS<\/a>)<\/p>\n

That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a brief intro on me, my blog, and how I have personally benefited. Now, let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s talk about you.<\/p>\n

Do I need to start my own photography blog?<\/h2>\n

First of all, you gotta ask yourself,<\/p>\n

\n What are my personal goals in photography?\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For example, do you wanna make your photography a full-time living? Do you want to become \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcdiscovered\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 by a publisher and get a book deal? Do you want to become \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcfamous\u00e2\u20ac\u2122, travel the world, and hold solo exhibitions?<\/p>\n

What do you really want? There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s no good or bad or right or wrong answer. Just be brutally honest for yourself.<\/p>\n

If your goal is to build a name for yourself, having a photography blog is the best way you can market yourself on the Internet.<\/p>\n

The benefits of having a photography blog<\/h2>\n

In content marketing, having a blog is the best platform to get your name out there.<\/p>\n

Let me just freestyle some of my ideas with you:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. If you upload pictures on Facebook or on Instagram, you should have a photography blog as well. Why? With a photography blog, you have more control over your content \u00e2\u20ac\u201d in terms of how to display, order, and arrange your pictures, words, and videos. <\/li>\n
  2. Also, by having a photography blog\/website, you will rank higher in Google. I still think that ranking high in google is the #1 secret to success in digital marketing in photography, instead of Facebook or Instagram (which are the same company). Why? Facebook\/Instagram are \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcclosed\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 platforms \u00e2\u20ac\u201d which means you can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t really interact with the platform without having a specific app. Whereas Google is \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcopen\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00e2\u20ac\u201d anyone with any device, or web browser, can search and find you. <\/li>\n
  3. Building your marketing on a social media platform is like building your own kingdom on quicksand. Social media platforms come and go (remember MySpace?) but websites will remain. Even today, young people don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t use Facebook anymore (that is only for \u00e2\u20ac\u0153old people\u00e2\u20ac\u009d). A lot of those young people started to use Instagram instead. But funny story \u00e2\u20ac\u201d even younger kids now don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t use Instagram, they prefer Snapchat. And of course, the next generation will use some new new app after Snapchat. <\/li>\n
  4. If you own your own photography website\/blog\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you will always own the content to your pictures and posts \u00e2\u20ac\u201d Facebook\/Instagram or any social media platform retains the right to delete or remove your content at any time For example, in the past, I got some pictures on Instagram removed because they didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t follow \u00e2\u20ac\u02dccommunity guidelines\u00e2\u20ac\u2122. The picture in question was an image of a KKK member with a Nazi Swatstika illustrated on top, as a social-political critique I made. Anyways, it got removed. <\/li>\n
  5. In summary, you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcfreedom of speech\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 on social media. Social media companies (Facebook\/Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat) are corporations, not governments, entities. They have the legal right to delete any of your pictures or profiles at any time). <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    How to start your own photography blog<\/h1>\n

    To start your own photography blog, you need:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Website Host<\/strong>: They host your website. I recommend 1and1.com or bluehost.com.<\/li>\n
    2. Blogging CMS \u00e2\u20ac\u02dccontent management system\u00e2\u20ac\u2122:<\/strong> WordPress.org is what I prefer, because it is open-source, and is the dominant platform used \u00e2\u20ac\u201d most free plugins, and free online resources on how to use it. <\/li>\n
    3. Domain name<\/strong>: www.yourfirstnamelastname.com is what I recommend (like erickim.com) or www.yourfirstnamelastnamephotography.com (like erickimphotography.com). Having a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153dot com\u00e2\u20ac\u009d(.com) domain name makes you look more legitimate and trustworthy. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Why not a free blog?<\/h2>\n

      Now, there are other free options like wordpress.com or medium.com. They are good too, for an easy \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcturn-key\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 start. They are like Apple\u00e2\u20ac\u201d very easy to start, setup, and everything \u00e2\u20ac\u0153just works\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n

      The downside is that they are usually subsidized by advertisements, and you need to pay money for your own unique \u00e2\u20ac\u02dc.com\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 domain name. Also, you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have much customization or flexibility.<\/p>\n

      However you can start with a free account, then upgrade to a \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcpaid-premium\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 version, which allows you to create your own custom domain name, and also customize more options on your blog.<\/p>\n

      Another benefit of using a platform like WordPress.com or medium.com: they are less prone to crashing, and you can stress less about backing up data, etc.<\/p>\n

      Own your own website and blog<\/h2>\n

      The benefit of using your own website and host, allows for more long-term flexibility and control (the Android approach). The downside is that initial setup is more complicated, and you require to maintain your website.<\/p>\n

      If you want to succeed long-term as a photographer utilizing content marketing, my recommendation is to build your own photography blog with your own host, with WordPress.org.<\/p>\n

      \n

      Photography content marketing strategies<\/h1>\n

      If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re new to photography blogging, or need some creative ideas, here are some personal strategies and tactics I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve employed, with good success:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Focus on educational \u00e2\u20ac\u02dchow to\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 information: Write blog posts which are practical, like my guide on \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcHow to zone focus in street photography<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u2122, or \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcHow to shoot film photography<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/li>\n
      2. Focus on writing practical and actionable<\/em> information: Information that encourages people to DO SOMETHING. For example, my \u00e2\u20ac\u02dc15 Tips and Techniques in Street Photography<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 article which include practical assignments<\/strong>\u00e2\u20ac\u201dassignments are good because they concretize the next \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcaction steps\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 (a lot of this information is distilled in our book: STREET NOTES<\/a>)<\/li>\n
      3. Fulfill your personal curiosities in photography: What information or advice do you wish someone gave you (either today, or in the past?). For example, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m personally curious about what makes a good photography composition, and therefore I started a \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcPhotography Composition 101<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 series sharing principles I discovered on dynamic photography<\/a>, on the Golden Triangle<\/a>, on figure-to-Ground, and color theory<\/a>. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        How to motivate yourself to make content<\/h2>\n

        Also, it is hard to motivate yourself to blog or make content.<\/p>\n

        Practical advice:<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t force yourself to blog or create information that you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have passion for<\/strong>: For example, I only write and make videos about things which genuinely interest myself on a personal level. Marketing, branding<\/a>, and entrepreneurship<\/a> is a personal fascination and passion for myself, therefore I started this epic \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcPhotography Content Marketing 101\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 guide. <\/li>\n
        2. Coffee and good music: I prefer espresso, no cream or sugar. Also, I like having good upbeat music which gets me in the zone. Nowadays, I like Kanye West, JAY Z, and \u00e2\u20ac\u02dctrap\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 music. Also, I find that I write and product information\/content the best when I am in a \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcfasting\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 state (meaning, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m most productive producing information when I haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t eaten anything yet). Nowadays, I only eat one meal a day<\/a> (massive dinner) and only drink water and black coffee during the day to stay productive. <\/li>\n
        3. Physical fitness: When I need a break, I walk around the block, take some pictures, do chin-ups at the park, or hit the gym and do squats\/deadlifts<\/a>. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          How to find inspiration to blog about<\/h2>\n

          To find inspiration, I recommend to \u00e2\u20ac\u02dccross pollinate<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 your interests. My best blogging and photography insights have come from a mix of:<\/p>\n