Ok, so I am all set up with an etsy.com store and a personal web site now I need to build traffic. What do you do to increase traffic to your web stores.
EDIT:
Ya, that's kinda what I was thinking in not putting the link but then again, can you ever put it out there too much?
http://www.dajdesignsphotography.com
Right now the only place I participate besides here is answers.yahoo.com (a place full of idiots btw)but I can drive people to my site from there, just need more places like that to drive more people consistently.
Posted by Luke Ormand on June 10, 2010 at 10:48 PM
You could start by providing a link and some basic info to your prospective audience (us)....
I'll pick up on Luke's drift, but deflect it a bit. It's very important to identify your target clientele, then develop your strategies around them. Here's the deflection: Photographers are not your market. I've never identified a group less likely to buy photos. Sure, they'll generate traffic to your site out of curiosity, but it's more rubber necking than a stop and shop. Lotta fun certainly, but a thin soup to pay bills with.
Posted by Luke Ormand on June 10, 2010 at 11:31 PM
This will set off a whole different debate but I think the use of a blog along with good keywording will increase traffic. This all relates to a concept called Search Engine Optimization (SEO) which is how you get your website to climb up in search results.
I still have a long road to go but I have seen more traffic to my website and blog due to this.
To get specific about my recommendation of "know your clients," here's what we do. We get as specific as we can about just who we are trying to sell to and why they should buy our photos.
We target a particular set of potential clients, then study how they do their work and who they work with, as well as how they use photos.
In recent years we've made serious contributions to our income stream through industrial photography, for example. But rather than try to do a big global outreach to all industrial photo users, we started with the companies doing work close at hand. We looked at which ad agencies they use, which publications they advertise in, which engineering firms they work with, which trade shows they go to, and especially who they seek as clients. It took a while to ferret that out, but knowing all that, it was very easy (and profitable) to make ourselves known in their world. After the first couple of contracts, lots more have followed.
I'd do much the same if I wanted to photograph lighthouses in North Carolina, endangered species, or bicycling in the Southwest. The more you know about the lives and activities of specific client groups, the more you can focus your marketing. And the more money you will make. Over 20 years of success in the photo business has made me really skeptical about "traffic" as a goal and measure of success. If it's just the right people coming to buy, that's one thing. But if it's "tire kickers" in the parlance of a car lot, they're just killing time on their lunch hour.
Benjamin, thanks for posting this question, I think it is one that many of us would like to post but most feel somewhat embarrassed (for lack of a better word) to ask.
And Hank, your answers on this subject are always extremely insightful and your sharing of years of experience and personal endeavors are very much appreciated. It is that experience from fellow professionals that provides the positive influence that is actually helpful on a subject that most seem to avoid. Thanks Hank.
Discussion
7 repliesEDIT:
Ya, that's kinda what I was thinking in not putting the link but then again, can you ever put it out there too much?
http://www.dajdesignsphotography.com
Right now the only place I participate besides here is answers.yahoo.com (a place full of idiots btw)but I can drive people to my site from there, just need more places like that to drive more people consistently.
I still have a long road to go but I have seen more traffic to my website and blog due to this.
Good luck!
Steve
We target a particular set of potential clients, then study how they do their work and who they work with, as well as how they use photos.
In recent years we've made serious contributions to our income stream through industrial photography, for example. But rather than try to do a big global outreach to all industrial photo users, we started with the companies doing work close at hand. We looked at which ad agencies they use, which publications they advertise in, which engineering firms they work with, which trade shows they go to, and especially who they seek as clients. It took a while to ferret that out, but knowing all that, it was very easy (and profitable) to make ourselves known in their world. After the first couple of contracts, lots more have followed.
I'd do much the same if I wanted to photograph lighthouses in North Carolina, endangered species, or bicycling in the Southwest. The more you know about the lives and activities of specific client groups, the more you can focus your marketing. And the more money you will make. Over 20 years of success in the photo business has made me really skeptical about "traffic" as a goal and measure of success. If it's just the right people coming to buy, that's one thing. But if it's "tire kickers" in the parlance of a car lot, they're just killing time on their lunch hour.
And Hank, your answers on this subject are always extremely insightful and your sharing of years of experience and personal endeavors are very much appreciated. It is that experience from fellow professionals that provides the positive influence that is actually helpful on a subject that most seem to avoid. Thanks Hank.