Why All the Best Photographers Are On Pinterest
Wondering how to find photography clients without spending all of your free time on social media marketing yourself? One simple word can answer that: Pinterest. Read on to discover why Pinterest is a crucial platform for photographers, and why mastering it can deliver dream clients to your doorstep.
I’ll say it. Being a Virtual Assistant for Photographers absolutely kicks ass. Pardon my French, but if you’re into art, like I am, this is one avenue to be up close and personal with artists.
When I’m picking out shots to include in a featured blog, I marvel at the photojournalistic storytelling I get to see. I’m a Virtual Assistant and a fangirl.
However, I've also seen firsthand how overwhelming it can be to manage all the moving parts of a thriving wedding photography business. Managing the business is a full-time job outside of actually shooting photography sessions.
Beyond knowing how to capture beautiful images, photographers are instantly launched into a crash course on how to master digital marketing, delivering great customer service, operations management, and more!
Which customer relationship management platform should I use? Do I even need one? Should I charge sales tax? Which is the better online gallery for my clients? I NEED A BLOG?!
I’m sure you get the idea. For the creatively-centered photographers I’ve known, these issues are not where they want to be spending their time, but it’s a necessary evil for building a thriving photography business.
Effectively managing the non-photo-related parts of your business, through automation and repeatable processes, is what lets you spend more time taking and editing the photos that make you an artist and a sought-after commodity.
Why You Need Pinterest
So, where does Pinterest play into all of this?
Isn’t it just another headache social media platform to manage that you already don’t have tons of time for? You wouldn’t be alone if this is your knee-jerk reaction.
TLDR: Pinterest is the best marketing tool for art-based businesses.
Does that surprise you? There are two unique things about Pinterest that make this the case.
First, let me show you the numbers on this:
This first column on the left side of the graph represents all Pinterest users and the most popular categories for the platform. Anyone can see this information and how it trends over time.
Want to see for yourself? On your Pinterest homepage, go to Audience Insights. This graph will greet you.
Art is the most searched master category.
Now here’s the kicker. On the right side of the graph you’ll see the most popular subcategory of art. PHOTOGRAPHY!
That means the majority of Pinterest users are looking at photography when they open that app. Does that thrill you like it does me? Those are my people right there.
Why might this be? Well, Pinterest is a visual search engine, not a social media platform.
It functions like Google, not Instagram, so when users are on it, the majority of the time they are actively looking for something.
The subtext? They are shopping! Pinterest users, more than any other app, are looking to spend money when they go scrolling. While they might not purchase directly on the platform, they are looking for inspiration or the site to visit where they will make their purchases.
Sprout Social ran the stats on this that say 83% of weekly Pinterest users make purchases based on the content they see from brands on the platform.
In the world of marketing, purchasing intent is how serious your potential buyer is. Anything above 80 is generally considered someone who is serious about laying down some cash when they find something that checks off their boxes.
This is the perfect storm for photographers, but it’s really great for all artists, whether you paint, write or sew!. Your audience is on Pinterest.
Pinterest is where you get into that sweet spot where the leads come to you!
Supercharge Your SEO
A secondary part of this, and this is more of a tech-nerd pro tip, is that Pinterest can be a powerful SEO tool.
Search Engine Optimization is a fancy way of saying that Google likes your website and wants to show it to people more than your competitor’s. I see you playing favorites, Google.
The way that Pinterest does this is by being a source of backlinks. Backlinks are simply links on the internet that lead back to your website. The more you have on the internet, the more you please Master Google, and the higher your website will rank when people look for photographers in your area.
I know, it’s not sexy, but it’s important.
SEO can be the difference between people finding your business, and worrying about how many views your Instagram Reel got when you’re lying in bed at night. No one wants to stress out about finding high-quality leads.
When your ideal client is cruising through Pinterest on their lunch break, something about your image catches their attention, and boom, they’re on your website looking at packages and how to contact you.
That’s the dream, right? To have your images convince your customer before they even get to speak with you.
Pinterest is a win-win situation in my book. Clients can effectively come to you from pins that never fall down the algorithm black hole. One pin can send a client to your website YEARS after putting it up. It’s what they call evergreen content, something that is always relevant, and can send you leads far on down the road from the day you posted it.
Can Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok say that?
All that being said, there is a method to the madness! It’s not as straightforward as posting up your photos or art and hoping they reach the right people, but having a dedicated business account just for your photography is a step in the right direction! If that’s all you have time for right now, do that!
If you are interested in a little more help with your Pinterest strategy, whether you’re a photographer, blogger, artist, or e-commerce shop, let me know. I’m happy to help!