Create a photographer’s website

Follow these steps to create your photography website

1. Choose a domain name: Find a short, memorable and easy-to-spell domain name that reflects your brand and grabs attention. You could even check if a .photo domain name is available. Ideal for photographers, this decision is key for the identity of your site.
2. Select your content management platform: Opt for a platform like WordPress when you place an order with OVHcloud. With its photography-specific themes and plugins, this CMS offers flexibility and multiple customisation options. WordPress is a robust solution that makes it easy to create and manage your web pages.
3. Customise your design: In WordPress, choose a template that showcases your work and matches your brand image. Customise it to create a unique user experience tailored to your photographer portfolio, making each page of your site captivating.
4. Create a photo gallery: Set up an attractive and well-organised photo gallery to professionally present your best work. Make sure this section uses gallery templates that optimise the storage and quality of your photos.
5. Add an “About” page: Connect with your visitors and potential customers by telling your story and showcasing your artistic approach. This page enriches your website content and provides a personal perspective on your work.
6. Set up a contact form: Increase interactions and job opportunities by making sure your visitors can easily contact you, ask questions or request quotes through a dedicated page.
7. Promote your site: Use social media, email promotions, and other digital marketing strategies to attract traffic to your photographer website. Each mention of your site on these platforms increases your chances of gaining visibility and capturing a wider audience.

By following these steps and leveraging the tools and resources offered by OVHcloud and WordPress, you can build a photographer’s website that not only presents your photos effectively, but also serves as a powerful platform to grow your professional photography business.

The advantages of a dedicated photography website:

• Increased visibility: an SEO-optimised website helps you to appear higher in search engine results, increasing your online visibility and attracting more customers. The visibility of your website is a very important factor to develop, particularly in the UK market, where competition can be intense.
• Creative control: unlike social media, a website gives you complete control over the layout of your photos, allowing you to highlight your unique style without the constraints of standardised formats. This freedom is essential for creators who want to maintain a consistent and professional brand image.
• Business opportunities: a website can be used as a platform to sell your photos and services directly to customers, offering better management of your offers and customer interactions while cutting out the middle man. This can become a valuable solution for monetising your business.
• Professionalism: a personalised website reinforces your professional image and can serve as a primary point of contact with potential customers, galleries and other business partners.

How can I attract customers as a professional photographer?

To attract customers through your photography website, you can adopt different effective strategies while you build it.

1. Optimised SEO: make sure your site is optimised for search engines, a key solution to improve your visibility and increase traffic.
2. Quality portfolio: show off your most beautiful works in a well-organised portfolio that showcases your style and expertise, using page templates that add value to each photo.
3. Testimonials & reviews: include testimonials from satisfied customers to build credibility and show the quality of your work.
4. Blog and valuable content: post regular blog posts that demonstrate your expertise and attract organic traffic, which is crucial for effective SEO.
5. Social media: use links to and from your social networks to engage your audience and direct traffic to your site.
6. Special offers: offer seasonal promotions or discounts to encourage bookings, an appealing strategy for wedding photographers and other events.
7. Contact forms: make sure potential customers can easily contact you or request quotes through dedicated pages on your site.

Together, these elements can make your website a powerful tool for attracting and converting visitors into customers. Also, consider collaborating with other creators and taking part in local exhibitions or events!

The different types of websites for a professional photographer

There are several types of website that photographers can build, depending on their specific needs.

• Online portfolio: perfect for showcasing samples of your work, attracting new customers and serving as a professional “shop window”. A portfolio website highlights the quality and diversity of your photos, offering an important visual choice to visitors.
• Photography blog: ideal for photographers who want to share the stories behind their images, technical tips or travel stories. A blog built into your website will boost your online presence and improve your SEO, increasing the content available to your visitors.
• Online shop: use plugins like WooCommerce to sell photos, books, courses or workshops directly from your website. This option turns your website into an efficient online store to reach your customers directly and facilitate transactions.
• Booking website: include photo session scheduling features, making it easy to manage your and your customers’ schedules. An online booking website simplifies contact as well as the customer service process, improving the user experience and your efficiency.