August 2018 - Photo Direct

Business: Do you know where to find your target market online?

Posted on August 30, 2018 by Photo Direct in Marketing with Comments Disabled Last Modified August 30, 2018

The internet is wonderful for searching — just a few keywords and you have millions of results at your fingertips. But what about businesses searching for the right audience? That’s a bit less cut and dried. Do you know if a majority of your target audience is on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter or Pinterest? Understanding where your audience spends most of their time can help boost your social media marketing, from ads to organic content. Here’s who’s on each of the top five social networks: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.

Facebook

Facebook is the largest social media network, boasting numbers in the billions. The size means that Facebook probably has some section of your business’ target audience, though there may be better networks depending on who your audience is. Around two thirds of the network is Gen Xers, so this is the primary network to use for reaching those born before 1980. That’s not the only generation on Facebook though — Millennials are more likely to hit the share button here. The network also has slightly more women than men, but not enough to be crazy significant.

YouTube

YouTube has a higher percentage of men than women — but the ten percent difference suggests not ignoring the platform entirely for female target audience. The video-focused platform is also the most popular among Generation Z, youth born between 1997 and the current day. That means YouTube should be a serious consideration for anyone targeting anyone under age 21. (Along with Snapchat, a network that’s heavy towards younger users.)

Instagram

Instagram is also more popular among the youngest demographics, though with a billion users, the network reaches many types of people. The network is also slightly skewed more towards women, but like most of the other networks, gender isn’t big enough to deter a business with products focused towards men. Remember, Instagram is a visual network — which makes the network well suited for visual ads and products.

Twitter

The micro-blogging platform is most popular among users between age 18 and 29. More than 90 percent of users on Twitter follow a business, so it’s a good network for creating organic content campaigns. The network is most popular in Japan, the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia. The short and sweet nature of the network is great for businesses that are witty or well-spoken.

Pinterest is likely the network where gender plays the biggest role — 45 percent of women in the U.S use the network while only 17 percent of men do, though the male demographic is growing. Pinterest’s idea board style makes it ideal for brands in home decor, fashion, weddings, parties and food, as well as anything that can be part of a DIY project. The age group most likely to look on Pinterest for something to buy are the millennials.

Social media marketing is a must, whether through organic, unpaid content or ads, the networks serve as a way to quickly get a message out to potential customers. Social media also helps consumers continually see a brand, rather than a one-and-done approach. For the best results, however, you need to determine what network is most likely to reach your audience.

5 Reasons to Print Your Photos

Posted on August 9, 2018 by Photo Direct in Education with Comments Disabled Last Modified August 9, 2018

A photo’s purpose is far from finished once the shutter has been pressed — after all, if we never really look at our images, then what are they for? Digital technology has made photography easier, allowing photographers to go ahead and take dozens of images to nail the perfect shot. But while digital is a great way to capture images, it’s not always the best way to store or display those moments. Here are five more reasons to print your photographs.

Photographs are irreplaceable.

Once you take an image, you can’t capture that exact same second in time again. Sure, you may be able to imitate a landscape photo again, but even with landscapes, changes in the weather and seasons means that second image won’t be the same as the first. This is especially true for images of people — we’re constantly growing up, growing old and changing in other subtle ways. An image’s irreplaceable nature only increases with time.

Print your photos because, if you loose those photos, you can’t replace them.

Images aren’t meant to be temporary.

Photographer Missy Mwac compares never printing photos to floral bouquets — if you never print your photos, you’re only enjoying them temporarily while they circulate your feeds. Printing your photos is like moving from a bouquet to a potted plant — they’ll be around much longer. (Of course, the metaphor only goes so far, it’s pretty hard to forget to water your pictures, so chances are, your printed photos will last way longer than the fern wilting on your windowsill).

Print your photos because, in electronic form, pictures are only temporary enjoyment.

You don’t truly see an image until you see it in print.

An image on a screen and an image on paper or canvas are entirely different. Yes, the same details will be there, but the quality of an image is best on a print. That’s when the true colours surface, when the details are easy to spot, and when you stop being distracted by the backlit glare of a screen.

Print your pictures because, on paper, you can truly see your images.

Printed images don’t suffer from hard drive failures.

Loosing images from a hard drive failure is devastating. Sure, you should also back up photos on cloud storage, but creating prints is one more layer of protection from loosing those memories. Printed photos aren’t hacked, accidentally formatted or lost in a technical failure.

Print your photos because the digital files may not always be there.

Printing images forces you to analyse the shots to find the best one.

As great as printed photos are, you’re not going to print every single image. That negates the benefits of digital, where you don’t have to pay to hold a bad photo, but only the best ones. Printing your photo automatically forces to to take a closer look at your work when choosing the images to make the final cut into print. Analysing our own work is something photographers should do often to grow, but it’s something we often forget to do.

Print your photos because your future photos will be even better because of it.

Potential clients silent after that first email? Here’s what to do

Posted on August 2, 2018 by Photo Direct in Marketing with Comments Disabled Last Modified August 2, 2018

You open your email and your heart rate picks up when you see an email asking for more information about booking a photo session. You maybe already imaging the images that could result when you send out an email with some details and, probably, a price sheet. And then — nothing. That client that seemed so interested never responded. What should photographers do about leads that don’t stay in touch? While some client-photographer matches just weren’t right, there are some things you can do that might encourage a potential client to take the next step.

Don’t jump to conclusions.

First, don’t just assume that because they aren’t responding that they hate your work or fainted when they saw your prices. Sometimes, these potential clients are sending out half a dozen emails to different photographers and are just starting their search for a photographer. Yes, sometimes, it could be your prices, but it could also be they emailed another photographer and they like that style better. Or, maybe your reply got lost in an inbox with hundreds of other emails.

Give them time.

Sending a quick reply to the initial message can actually increase the odds of getting a booking — but clients don’t have to be as speedy to respond to you. They may be thinking about it, waiting for other photographers to respond, discussing what you’ve already sent, or maybe they just don’t check their email that often. Wait about two days before following up — too long, and they may have moved on, too short and you appear rude and impatient.

Follow up, and be detailed.

Don’t just assume that because that potential client didn’t respond, they aren’t interested. Following up can show persistence and dedication (provided you’re not rude about it) and can bring a lost email back up to the top of their inbox.

If you just sent a quick response to the initial email, take some time to send details in the follow up. The more they know, the more reasons they might have to choose your work over another photographer’s. It may be helpful to put together a pre-written email so sending out details doesn’t take up hours of your time. Let them know why your work is different and what to expect.

Offer an invitation.

Emails are quick and easy — and impersonal. Include an invitation to hop on a phone call or meet for coffee to chat more. If you didn’t completely loose their interest, a chance to meet in person or chat on the phone may be what they need to get to know your work and feel more confident in their decision.

Don’t sweat the small inquiries.

Some people will reach out and find that you’re not the right photographer for the job. That’s just part of business. If you do get a “thanks but no thanks” kind of reply, make a mental note of the reason and move on. Rejections are part of every business and learning how to handle them is essential to building a successful photography business.

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