Here in the digital age, social media is a lot more than just a way we keep in touch with our friends and family. It’s become an important part of how people build brands and generate interest in the work they do as well. This is just as much the case for landscape photographers as it is anyone else.
Even so, there are still many artists – including but not limited to landscape photographers – that haven’t yet embraced social media to the extent they should. Here’s how you can make sure your social media presence is hitting all the right notes.
- Understand it’s not just about selling.
Whether you’re hard at work building a network on Facebook or tweeting your heart out over Twitter, the importance of understanding what captures people’s interest can’t be stressed enough. Even when people follow big brand names, local businesses, or independent artists looking to make a name for themselves, they expect more for their commitment than a 24/7 feed full of advertisements and sales messages. They expect a personal connection.
Intersperse messages about your services and products for sale with other content that’s just plain good. Post entertaining, solid content that is relevant or helpful to your target audience. Be funny, witty, thoughtful – whatever makes you unique. Treat your followers to windows into your life. Get people interested in you and they won’t be able to help but be interested in your work as well.
- Establish multiple presences.
When you’re not that into social media on a personal level, it can be difficult to understand the importance of multiple platforms. Every landscape photographer should establish presences on all of the major platforms out there today because each has its own unique benefits.
Facebook is great for connecting with multiple demographics, while Twitter is super for reaching people on the go. Google+ is great for getting you noticed by the search giant itself, as posts are indexed and searchable. Pinterest is perfect for landscape photographers, as it’s built for showcasing eye candy like beautiful nature photography. Each platform allows you to connect with a different slice of the general public in its own unique way, so make sure you consider them all.
- Be interactive.
Regardless of the platform you favor, social media success is about a lot more than posting spectacular images and witty status updates on your own profile. Make it a point to comment on other people’s posts as well. Join and actively participate in groups designed for photography enthusiasts.
You’ll also want to make sure you engage people that comment on your own posts. Answer questions that people have about your work or your posts in a polite, friendly manner. Participate in casual conversation with those that take the time to reach out to you. If you have trouble keeping up, consider hiring a freelance social media expert to help you with your correspondence and social media strategy.
At the end of the day, making the most of social media is far from rocket science. However, it does require a little finesse and a lot of participation. Explore the possibilities today!
