Top tips

As many of my followers know I am a huge fan of SEO as a core pillar of my marketing strategy.   The marketing life of blog posts are longer than any other type of marketing media (see this recent evidence from Neil Patel below) plus I can actively see the views, clicks and sales as a result of the SEO work I do. I asked a number of other marketing expets and photographers why they feel SEO is important to them and you can read their expert insights below.  

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I asked “Photographers, how important is SEO as a pillar of your marketing strategy? How do you work on your SEO on a monthly basis and what areas do you focus on?” Here is what 5 thought leaders have to say on what they choose to focus on.

1. Run Monthly SEO Audits

2. Optimise Images and Build Backlinks

3. Generate Steady Organic Leads

4. Align Content With Relevant Keywords

5. Address Client Pain Points

1. Run Monthly SEO Audits

SEO is a key pillar in any photographer’s marketing strategy. Although it can seem intimidating at first, once you get the hang of it, SEO quickly becomes second nature. It’s all about driving organic traffic to your website and putting your work in front of the right audience—your potential clients.

Each month, I run an audit on Ubersuggest to catch any site errors and track my traffic patterns, keyword rankings, and backlinks. I focus on improving my keyword use, refreshing blog posts, and building quality backlinks. These consistent tweaks and updates are powerful in helping boost SEO and keeping my website visible and competitive.

Brian Holstein, Photographer & Business Owner, Scenic Vows

2. Optimise Images and Build Backlinks

SEO is crucial for photographers because it makes your work visible to people searching for specific photography services or styles online. In a visual-driven industry like photography, SEO ensures your website and portfolio reach potential clients actively seeking your expertise.

On a monthly basis, photographers can work on SEO by focusing on a few key areas. First, optimizing images is essential; this means compressing images for faster loading times and using descriptive file names and alt tags, which helps search engines understand the content. Second, updating portfolio and blog content regularly helps keep the website relevant and signals activity to search engines. Writing blog posts on recent projects or location-specific photography tips can also improve local SEO, drawing in clients from specific areas.

 Another area to focus on is backlinks, which build authority. This might mean collaborating with other local businesses or industry blogs to feature your work, leading to valuable links back to your site. By consistently optimising and updating these areas, photographers can build a stronger online presence, leading to increased inquiries and bookings over time.

 Shweta Upadhyay, Founder, Dreamfoot

3. Generate Steady Organic Leads

SEO is essential in generating steady, organic leads and establishing credibility in a competitive field like sports photography. Ranking at the top for terms like “Sport Photography Melbourne” and “Sport Photography Adelaide” is powerful because it means I’m right where potential clients are actively searching. When people see my website in the top positions, it immediately signals that I’m a trusted, relevant option in their area, even before they click through. This visibility builds an initial layer of credibility that’s crucial for converting searches into inquiries.

 SEO also allows me to create a lasting impact through targeted, quality content. By regularly writing blog posts that offer insights into sports photography or answer common questions, I’m not just adding keywords to my site; I’m demonstrating my expertise and approachability. These posts build trust with prospective clients, often leading them to view my work and reach out.

 Each month, I refine my SEO by checking which pages or posts are performing well and adjusting the less-visible ones. In addition to on-page optimization and social media engagement, this monthly fine-tuning ensures my site remains relevant and that clients continue to find me easily. For anyone working in photography, mastering SEO is like creating a digital storefront-it’s a steady, sustainable way to bring people in and make a strong first impression.

Luke Scorsonelli, Photographer, Baller Studio – Sport Photography

4. Align Content With Relevant Keywords

For me, SEO is a crucial pillar in my marketing strategy. It helps prospective clients find my work online, increasing visibility for my photography services in an organic way. Monthly, I dedicate time to keyword research that reflects what my target clients—typically mothers and families—are searching for. By aligning my content with relevant keywords, such as “La Jolla motherhood photographer,” I increase my site’s chances of ranking for those searches.

 Beyond keywords, I focus on optimizing my website content. This includes updating blog posts with new images, captions, and keywords. Adding detailed image descriptions and alt text ensures my photos are accessible and SEO-friendly, which can drive traffic over time.

 I also build backlinks through collaborations with other family and lifestyle blogs, which strengthens my site’s authority. By tracking analytics, I can see which keywords or pages are performing well, allowing me to adjust my SEO approach as needed. These efforts help ensure my photography remains visible and accessible to the families looking for it online.

Renata Lutz, Founder and Photographer, The Portrait Mama

5. Address Client Pain Points

I did Nina’s SEO course for photographers a few years ago, and it’s been a great investment to learn about the importance of SEO, as well as the nitty-gritty aspects. SEO goes hand-in-hand with creating a good customer experience: driving traffic to my website but also giving potential clients the information they are looking for to make an informed decision and book me. 

To work on my SEO on an ongoing basis, I first identify the pain points my clients may experience or the questions they may have: how to organize staff headshots for their company, what to wear for their professional headshot, and how to choose the best photos to increase their chance of PR coverage. Then, I write a comprehensive article to cover those points. Not only do the articles come up in organic searches, but I can also refer to them when responding to a client inquiry.

Stephanie Belton, Photographer, Stephanie Belton Photography Ltd