How to build a photography website that your business cannot live without
^^You’ve got the images— now let’s make a website that shows them off and books more clients.
Photographers? Get ready to raise your rates.
If you’re a photographer & you’ve been considering building your own website OR you already have one but you don’t feel confident about sharing the link (no judgement)— I wrote this for you 😚
Now, do you NEED a website for your photography business? Nope. All you NEED are clients and a camera. But you probably already know that a well-done website can only amplify your reach, showcase your talent, and provide a professional hub for potential clients to explore and book sessions….
… but you may not know what to include on your site, what NOT to include, where to build it, how to make it functional, and what’s even possible with it.
The good news? Creating your photography website is simpler than you might think, and yeah— you can absolutely DIY this puppy. So, if you're eager to learn the ins and outs of creating your own digital front porch to make your life easier… here ya go 👇🏼
Photography is more than just a passion—it's your artistry, your livelihood.
Make sure your online presence does it justice. Learn how to craft a stunning photography website that attracts clients and showcases your talent effortlessly.
Now, let’s dive in 🔽
You need a website builder to call home.
I almost didn’t include this topic, but I think it needs to be said. And I’d hate for you to randomly pick a place that doesn’t work well. It doesn’t matter where you build your site. It really doesn’t. What does matter is that you find a place that’s easy to use, allows all the integrations and functions your business requires, and doesn’t make you want to throw a chair out a window (looking at you Wordpress & GoDaddy 👀).
That being said, I’ve worked with my fair share of site builders, and there are definitely some that allow you more flexibility than others. Even if you want something simple and you’re using a template— the limitations can extend into functionality. Obviously, Squarespace is my favorite and preferred place to create. I’d also recommend ShowIt. Wix would fall somewhere in the middle between not terrible and not great.
I wrote a blog post comparing some of the more popular site builders and you can view that HERE.
Decide on Site Goals and Page Goals
Your photography website is more than just a digital portfolio; it's your online hub for attracting clients and showcasing your expertise. Begin by setting clear goals for your site and identifying the key pages needed to achieve them. You
Here are the pages every photographer needs on his/her website:
HOME PAGE—
This is a place to make introductions. Let them know they’re in the right place, briefly write about what you can do for them, and where they need to go next. Consider this page like a train station and give directions. Do you have multiple offers or require different service pages? Drip in a tiny about section and a place for them to join your email list.
ABOUT PAGE—
Welcome to the most likely read page on your site that’s also most often done wrong! This one is crucial for making connections. Honestly— most people do it all wrong. The trick here is to make it more about your ideal client than yourself… but sprinkle in your personality. Ya know the ‘know, like and trust factor’? This builds the LIKE. No long paragraphs, k?, K.
PORTFOLIO PAGE—
This is where you shine. Many photographers use a blog to create their portfolio. The portfolio can be super simple or as in-depth as you’re able to keep up with. Keep in mind though, that stories are amazing for drawing people in and making them care. If you can share special moments and mix in some session tips and tricks, you might have just found the magic formula.
Psst… This is ALSO a great way to gain some referrals. You know the bride who is so excited to show off her wedding images? Yep, let your clients send their friends right on over. Make sure to put a clause in your contract for sharing images publicly!
SERVICES PAGE—
Depending on your specific offerings, you may need just one service page, or you could have multiple for offerings that are very different from each other. If you have one core offer at different price points, you likely just need one page. If you do ‘pop ups’, like mini-sessions, I would keep that on it’s own page and allow booking straight from there without having to leave the page.
On this page, make sure to include a FAQ section and what to expect. This is also a time to overcome objections and ease hesitations. Show visitors how well you know them by using language that speaks to their desires and eliminates fears. Sprinkle in a testimonial or two.
CONTACT PAGE
The contact page is where visitors can contact if you if they’re interested in a consultation, or booking a service. The exact content of this page will depend on your specific offerings— if you’re a wedding photographer? Have a contact form or scheduler to book a consultation (if you choose a contact form, make sure you have an automated response just for this with a link to book a consultation). Family photographer? Allow them to book and pay for their session.
BONUS
This isn’t going to be it’s own page, but I didn’t want to leave it out. I HIGHLY recommend using an email service provider to build an email list. This will be so incredibly helpful for you to reach out to past clients when you have mini-sessions, a new offering, or even provide value through a weekly newsletter. Offer an incentive that they cannot say no to— like a discount or free download with helpful information (how to choose outfits, how to scout locations, etc). My recommendation is to have this section at the bottom of every page.
Each page should serve a distinct purpose in guiding visitors towards your desired action—whether it's booking a session or exploring your services.
>>> I have a free workbook to help you find and write the content for your website. Want it? Click HERE.
Show off your past work work and talent
Your portfolio is the heart of your website, where potential clients get a glimpse into your photography style and expertise. Don't just display images; tell compelling stories behind each shoot. Share insights, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and client testimonials to add depth and authenticity.
Additionally, leverage Pinterest to repurpose your portfolio content into engaging posts that offer valuable tips and inspiration to your audience. You can do this by creating ‘pins’ in Canva, adding them to each portfolio page (or blog post) and then placing them on Pinterest boards. Even if you’re not into ‘blogging’, this little move can really expand your reach with not a lot of effort and no more than 10 minutes of work.
Most website builders allow you to connect your site straight to Instagram, so if social media is your marketing plan of choice, you can automatically share images to your website.
Make it functional
Seamless functionality is key to a successful photography website. There are many apps you can integrate with your website, and these definitely fall in the ‘must have’ category:
Schedule appointments—
whether it’s straight-up booking a session, or a consultation, make it easy. And make it automated.
Manage client inquiries—
your typical contact form. But… not your typical contact form. Get some intel. Ask what if they have any concerns/what they’re dream session would look like/. Don’t ask more than 1, maybe 2 market research questions, and follow it up an automated response and link to book a consultation (if you don’t have that from ^^, you don’t need both).
Whatever you do here— just promise me you will NOT have a pop-up email box where they can write whatever. It’s awkward for them and they’re likely to find someone else before you write back— if it doesn’t get lost in la la inbox land.
View client galleries and purchase images—
This is obvious but crucial. More on this in the next section 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼
Take payments—
Ok this one is sort of optional because it would depend on when you like to take payments in your client processes. If you book sessions, you can take a down payment, payment in full. Or you can allow clients access to a
Automate inquiry responses, schedule appointments effortlessly, and manage client communications—all from one centralized platform.
Of course, Dubsado is my favorite by far because nothing else compares to it for managing client communication, and it takes the place of multiple other tools that are typically hodge-podged together. By simplifying the booking process, you create a frictionless experience for your clients, boosting their satisfaction and loyalty.
>>> Want to see how I use Dubsado to streamline my entire inquiry process? Click HERE
An online gallery.
This here goes without saying… You’re a photographer. You sell images. Provide clients with a dedicated login area where they can access their albums, select images, and make purchases with ease. This personalized portal enhances client convenience and fosters stronger relationships.
Your clients will undoubtedly LOVE sharing your portfolio page with their friends and family (hello, referrals!), but a password-protected gallery will allow them to make purchases and order albums.
Side note— but whenever I see a website with a LOGIN or CLIENTS ONLY button— I get fomo. Anyone else??
Optimize Your Site for SEO
Enhance your website's visibility and reach by optimizing it for search engines. This topic can get super complicated, so let’s break it down into 2 parts that are very doable:
KEYWORDS
Identify relevant keywords specific to your niche and strategically incorporate them into your content, metadata, and image alt tags. Find what people are searching for on Pinterest, Google and on social media when it comes to your niche. Use those words in your titles, headings and name your images with these.
One of the BEST things about being a photographer is your are location based— yes, even if you travel for work. Lean HEAVY on your location when you use those keywords.
IMAGES
Pay attention to image optimization, ensuring that images are compressed without compromising quality to improve site speed and SEO performance.
SIZING YOUR IMAGES: The majority of images need to be UNDER 150KB. There could be a few "hero" or banner images on your site. Try to keep those under 500KB.
Google considers a "poor" site anything that takes over 2.5 SECONDS to load. High loading time is almost entirely due to size of images.
NAMING YOUR IMAGES:
Use unique names for each image
Name them for the blind- alt text is designed for the visually impaired and SEO. Alt text isn’t necessary for every image.
Use dashes between words
Regularly monitor your site's analytics and make adjustments to refine your SEO strategy for optimal results.
There ya have it!
Crafting a photography website that captivates your audience and drives business growth requires careful planning and attention to detail. By following the best practices outlined in this post, you'll be well-equipped to create a standout online presence that showcases your talent and attracts your ideal clients.
If you need any more help with this, I’m just a click away!
Need more help?
>>> Launching your site soon? Grab this free website content workbook
>>> Check out my web design service packages by clicking here
>>> Want to get another set of eyeballs on your site? Sign up for a web audit right here
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Use the code PARADISE for 30% off your first year or month when your trial is over!