Photographers are making some terrible mistakes with their TikTok and Instagram Reels content.
Are you a Photographer or an Influential Photographer?
This blog post and video is for photographers who want to monetize their business, accumulate traditional customers, and don’t rely on branded posts for revenue. There are “influential photographers”, and for them likes and followers are both valuable, but that’s a different model altogether.
Taking photos of TikTok Mistakes to avoid
- Before/after photos: A friend of mine said to me, “Walid, what’s the trend with the before and after photos on social media?” And when I asked why it bothered her, she said, “It makes me think they’ll post my previous pictures so people can see too.” That is a valid concern.
- Quick Edit Video: Many photographers on TikTok or Instagram Reels showcase before and after photos. They are great for engagement. Although, one should ask, “engagement from whom?” It can’t just be engagement from the wrong person; it can make them think that the edits are quick and require little effort, and that reduces the value. Customers are often not creative. They may not understand the amount of time it takes to do post-processing. They understand phone apps take seconds. What I fear is that they assume your ad editing is coming from an app, the same app they can buy and use. Don’t destroy your ratio this way.
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The client took the wrong ideal photo: I talked about the ideal client in the previous example, but many of those likes and followers are from other photographers. Peer support is important, but you have to understand they are not your ideal customers, which means they will never buy from you. They just want to learn your style and then use it in their own business to make money. All those likes don’t equate to revenue.
The Right TikTok Way for Your Photography Business
I wanted a smaller audience who were actually potential customers. And this is what will motivate them to hire you and give you their hard earned money.
Create videos that showcase how hard you work for each client. Are you a geek looking for the perfect lens for that fashion shoot? Give us an insight into that and talk about your process. Do you drive aimlessly to find the perfect spot for your next photo shoot? Take us on a trip; We’d love to know how much time you spent on our photo session.
Tell us what makes you unique and helps you stand out from the crowd. It’s what gets you hired and someone they’d love to work with, not chase the latest trends on TikTok. Use this platform to help you grow your bankroll, not your engagement.
