71. Top 6 photography website mistakes in 2023 (and how to avoid them)

Your website isn’t good enough. There. I said it!

It’s time for you to work on building a beautiful (and functional!) website for your photography business. Websites are the easiest way for your clients and people to see your work and know your brand. 

By building a good website for your brand, you can worry less about getting bookings, and spend less time marketing. And it can help you book more of the right clients. It can be what helped you to increase your prices, to stand out, and to be you. 

What makes a good website? 

The content on your website is forever. Your posts from ages ago can still be found and bring your clients. It can also get you more clients. And this can lead you to get more bookings even without much effort on a daily basis. 

So if you’re not working on your website, you’re missing out on so much. For a website to work for you, it has to be built well. It has to be quick to load and use. There are quality platforms that let you customize and make it user-friendly and search engine friendly.

Here are some of the things to remember:

1. Set aside time regularly to create blog posts.
2. Make sure to update content (or outsource it). Make sure you share high-quality content on your website.
3. The better quality your website is, the better it can serve you.
4. Analyze how many visitors your website gets, how many leave straight away, and how many get in touch.
5. Put your prices on your website. 

Learn how to use your website to book dream clients.

Episode 15

Your website might be invisible

​​Your website can do great things for your business. You’re missing out on a great opportunity if you’re not trying to get your website to show up in organic search results.

A bad website won’t get you many bookings. It will limit your chances of getting found and booked. Quality matters, and paying a little bit more can save you a lot of money in the long. 

Think of it this way, your website might be invisible. Oftentimes photographers’ websites all look the same. You should avoid looking at other photographers’ websites when you’re making your own. It’s so likely that you’ll end up with something that looks similar and that is not what you want.

To stand out, make sure your website reflects your brand.

6 common website mistakes

The biggest mistake is that you’re making your website too complicated. Maybe your website is all photos and no text and no buttons. This is so common. Of course, you need to show your photos. That’s a given, but you need context. You need to make it clear what you do and how it’s possible to book you.

If your website is all quotes and nothing is clear about the fact that you’re a photographer, that’s not helpful for your business. This may confuse your clients. So make sure that you talk about how to book and what your process is like, and of course, who it’s right for.

Here are the 5 other website mistakes:

• You’re ignoring your website and you think that social media or ads are the only solutions to getting booked. 
• Your website lacks quality. 
• Your website needs either to be updated or built from scratch.
• The website you have is too complicated. Your website is all photos and no text and no buttons.
• You are wasting your time doing it yourself. Get professional help to build your website. 
• You’re talking about yourself and not your client.

Website mistake #1: You’re ignoring it

A well-built site can bring you clients for years to come. 

Blog posts I wrote years ago are still bringing me inquiries, and my website has been on top of google for the search terms I’ve aimed for the longest time. That’s led to me getting bookings even without putting in an effort on a daily basis. 

If you’re ignoring your website and think that as long as you have one, your job is done, you’re really missing out. 

So take your business and your website seriously and make sure your website is working for you. Set aside time to create blog posts and update content, or outsource. 

Website mistake #2: Your website is not matching the quality of your photography

For a website to work for you, it has to be built well. It has to be fast to load and use. There are quality platforms that let you customize and make it user-friendly and search engine friendly. 

The better quality your website is, the better it can serve you. 

Maybe it feels like any website is better than no website. But not necessarily. If you share high-quality content on social media, and your website is terrible I would say that hurts your brand and makes it less likely that you’ll get booked. If you have a bad website, you can put up a temporary coming soon cover with your favorite image and contact info and leave it at that until you have something of quality that can match your photography skills and brand. 

A quality website, with quality content, can also do wonders for you to get found. And reversely – a bad website will limit your chances of getting found – and booked.

The invisible quality matters because your website needs to work well. But the visible quality also matters. If you’re a high-end photographer with a homemade website, that’s a mismatch.

Website mistake #3: Your website is invisible

Your website can do great things for your business even if no one finds it through google. But you’re missing out on a great opportunity if you’re not trying to have your website show up in organic search results. 

Sometimes it’s a matter of a few simple tweaks, like getting a better website host, or changing a few settings – other times you need to start blogging (in a strategic way) and even make a new website from scratch because the one you have just can’t make it.

Often photographers’ websites all look the same. And I want to urge you to NOT look at others’ websites when you’re making your own because it’s so likely you’ll end up with something that looks similar and that is NOT what you want. You want your website to reflect your brand and not be a copy of someone else. Another reason not to make a website like another photographer’s is that most photographers’ websites suck. They are badly made sometimes both in terms of user-friendliness and quality. Even though they often look pretty, they are not effective. 

Website mistake #4: You’re making your website too complicated and too vague.

Maybe your website is all photos. And no text or buttons. This is so common. Of course, you need to show your photos. But you also need words. You need to make it clear what you do, and HOW to book you. If you’re just talking about what you like to do, and not how your (potential) client can be a part of it, you’re missing out, because they are missing out. If your website is all quotes and you are not clear about the fact that you’re a photographer that’s not helpful.

So make sure you talk about how to book, what your process is like, and of course who it’s right for.

Maybe you’re also making it too complicated to navigate your website. It’s important that it’s easy to book you and to find the information needed before hitting send on your contact form. I also recommend having prices on your website. In Norway, it’s required by law. It’s hard for someone to determine if you are a good fit if they have no idea what price level you’re at, so you could be missing out on a lot of inquiries if you’re hiding that important information. 

Website mistake #5: You’re wasting your time on DIY. 

Having a good website can be so great for your business. Even if you’re already going well, you could be doing even better. 

So often I hear of those who are getting help from a friend or partner to make their website, but nothing happens. Because when you are relying on someone else’s goodwill to help you out, it’s usually on their terms, not on yours. Therefore It takes months or even years, and for every day you are losing out on money and fun shoots. 

Most photographers make their own websites. And I understand the urge to save money. But by making your own website you are most likely losing out on a LOT of potential income because you’re not a professional website designer, so you’re not creating a website that is getting found and working in the best possible way to get clients. And you’re spending a lot of time doing something that you’re not that good at – and that time is SO much better spent working on your business and making money. 

Very often saving money is costing you money. 

Website mistake #6: You’re talking about yourself – and not your client.

Finally. This one is SO common – but you’re writing all about yourself on your website – and not about your clients. You’re talking about what you love and what you want to do and well.. You you you. 

Your website is so much more effective if you talk about your client’s needs and wants and dreams and what they get from working with you. 

Avoid these website mistakes

Having a website can be so great for your business, and even if you’re doing well as a photographer, you could be doing a lot better. Very often saving money is costing you money so get professional help in building your business. Do your best to avoid these website mistakes so you will get found and booked by your dream clients.

Want more?

Ingvild Kolnes is the host of the Sustainable Photography Podcast, an educator for photographers, and is ready to help you with your photography business.

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