If you’re a freelance photographer or run a small photography business, a strong marketing strategy is going to be essential for attracting more clients. The two most important aspects of that marketing strategy will be a great website and a strong online portfolio.
Clients will hire you based on the quality of the work you’ve done in the past, therefore, you need to compile the best photography portfolio possible. You want to be able to back up what you’re telling clients you can do for them with visual proof.
When it comes to hiring a photographer, potential clients do actually need to see to believe. Below, we’ve put together a few tips for compiling a photographer’s online portfolio that you’ll be proud to show to potential clients. Read on to learn more.
- Show a Range of Work
If you’re creating one standard online portfolio to use at meetings and show to prospective clients, you should include as broad a range of work as possible. Clients don’t always know exactly what they want. More often, they’re looking to you to be inspired.
Keep in mind that range can mean a lot of things. Try to show off different events, locations, and times of day you photographed. Plan to also include a mix of black and white and color photography.
- Be Organized
When you’re choosing photos to include in your portfolio, try to put yourself in the mind of a potential client. Everyone values their time and they want to be able to get answers to their questions as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Select a method of organizing your online portfolio that will make sense to a client, even if it isn’t what makes the most sense to you. For example, you might want to organize your portfolio by the style of photography or by which camera you shot on.
Those technical distinctions are likely to be lost on a client. Organizing your portfolio by different types of events–weddings, corporate events, etc.–will make more sense for others and will go a long way in building a strong client relationship.
Displaying organization in your work is a great way to make a lasting impression with potential clients, in particular when they may be hiring you for a busy event. Remember, you’re creating a visual journey. The easier the layout and navigation for your online portfolio, the better.
- Stay Up-to-Date
If a potential client is going to hire you based on the strength of your online portfolio, they need to trust that what they’re seeing is what they’ll get. No customer is going to hire you based on work that you did years ago because there’s no guarantee that your work has maintained that style or quality.
That being said, you don’t have to update your online portfolio every day or eliminate older photos. Showing clients how your work has evolved over time can be a powerful tool. Just make sure that the bulk of your photos are recent enough that your clients will feel confident in what you’re promising them.
Consider juxtaposing some photos to show different techniques you’ve used over the years as well.
Ready to Start Putting Together a Photographer’s Online Portfolio?
The strength of a photographer’s online portfolio can be the difference between business success and failure. It’s the best representation of your talent and professionalism. Take the time to carefully consider each photo you select. You should feel confident that your portfolio is the best representation of your work.
For more information about growing your photography business, please contact us at any time.
MorePhotos offers online solutions that include professional websites and a powerful e-commerce shopping cart. With our friendly and knowledgeable staff, we can assist you in creating an online presence that will attract traffic to your photography website.
