3 Tips For A Boudoir Photographer To Grow On Social Media
Think your best performing social media platform as a garden. The soil is your content, filled with the rich nutrients of eye-catching imagery and desired information. You’re ready to plant more seeds and share your art with the world. And just as you want your daisies to sprout, you also want your content to flourish.
Sure, you can throw a bunch of seeds in the ground and hope for the best. However, the most successful brands on social media ... like the most beautiful gardens ... thrive on constant nurturing and some good old TLC.
One thing I always tell our boudoir photographer clients is that social growth really isn’t rocket science. The theory behind it is simple. Although, while it’s not complicated, growth on social media is time consuming and requires consistency and great content.
Our agency specializes in marketing for boudoir photographers so I’ve come to learn that y’all are crazy busy all the time. The luxury of the extra time that’s needed to nurture social media growth is simply non-existent for many photographers. Psssst … that’s where we come in! [Queue superhero music.]
I’ve handled social media management for many boudoir photographers and in this quick post, I’m going to share the three things I consistently do to grow the accounts.
1. Identify your target audience.
This step is extremely important. Clearly identifying who your ideal client is will make it a million times easier to connect with them on social media. When developing your target client persona, write a profile or backstory about them. (Then keep this information very handy because it will come in useful for all of your marketing endeavors.)
When writing your client persona, get specific on these things:
Their name
Their age
Where they live
Their relationship/family status
Their education level
Their occupation
Their annual income
Websites they like / what blogs or YouTube channels they subscribe to
Magazines or books they like to read
Podcasts they listen to
Their hobbies
Brands they like
Social media platforms they spend time on
TV shows they watch
Creating a detailed client persona will not only help you focus on the best social media channels to invest time and energy in, but set the tone for your imagery and messaging, too.
2. Use hashtags wisely.
If you’re on Instagram, then you know the importance of hashtags. So where to begin? Well, for most of my boudoir photographer clients, I leverage their ideal client persona to identify hashtags that will be relatable to the people who fit the description.
To give you an example, let’s say we have a boudoir photographer based out of Charleston, South Carolina. This photographer’s target client is a career woman in her 30’s. I’ll seek out popular hashtags in the Charleston area that would apply to this woman. #charlestonmom #charlestonrealtor #southcarolinaliving #charlestonlifestyle #charlestonfitness are a few that come to mind. Don’t be afraid to venture out and get creative.
If you’re focusing on a specific geographical territory, you can take a look at other hashtags that are less obvious but may still yield results that lead you to your target lady. For example, if you’re close by a major city that’s known for some hot foodie destinations, plug in a foodie hashtag with the city attached to see what pops up. The same can apply if there’s a significant landmark that’s popular with your target age bracket.
My point is, we don’t live in a bubble and neither do your ideal clients. Get creative and think outside the box with your hashtags.
3. Engage, engage, and then engage some more.
Growing your brand on social media means more than just posting content. A large piece of it actually involves responding to comments and engaging with other accounts. I know … you’re on a time crunch and this is asking a lot! However, if you tackle it with a plan, you can conquer it. Here’s what I do. I’ll either:
Dedicate a certain amount of time to commenting/engaging or (i.e. 30 minutes) OR
Set a certain number of accounts to engage with per day (i.e. 20 accounts)
Whatever fits into your schedule or works for you. The point is, make it a point to engage regularly!
Now, this next tip is SUPER important:
Likes will not quench your seedlings thirst. You should absolutely like posts but you need to make relevant comments that pertain to the post as well. A generic “Nice job” or “Cool dog” will not suffice. Your comments should be at least four words in length. Emojis are fun but do not count. Sorry.
Example: You found an account of someone who fits your ideal client persona and see a picture she posted of her two kids at a local taco spot. You could post “Cute kids!” but you SHOULD post “Your kids are too cute! I definitely want to try the tacos there. How did you like them?”
Granted, this is a very specific example but my point is that you need to be specific and show legitimate interest in the content. Refrain from sounding like a bot at all costs! Bot-like comments are not going to give your followers the warm and fuzzies. Sound like an actual person because you are an actual person. Appear approachable and genuine.
Last but not least, make it a priority to nurture the comments that people make on your posts! It’s easy to get wrapped up in trying to engage with new clients but never forget about your existing circle. Show your peeps some love and don’t leave them hanging!
There ya have it. Not rocket science but definitely a labor of love. You got this and if you don’t, you got us. Peace out, pineapples! ✌🏼🍍
-Katie