As a photographer, a big part of your job is not just capturing timeless moments but also showcasing your work online and connecting with potential clients. The majority of photographers spend a good chunk of their time on Instagram for this reason.
You may be asking, how to use Instagram Stories to get more clients as a photographer?
Unlike working on the grid which showcases most of the time very polished and excellent work, Instagram Stories is the place to get more casual, personal and authentic. This increases the personal connection with your audience and establishes "know, like, and trust" with potential clients.
It also increases visibility, because when you post on your stories there is that little circle around your profile photo showing up at the top of the feed. This makes it a lot easier for other Instagram users to keep up with you and your content. A regular post on the grid can easily get lost to your audience, but when you have stories at the same time that you're posting - more people will end up seeing your post.
Here are some tips on how to use Instagram Stories to boost your photography business:
1. Share Behind the scenes content
This one may be obvious, but share the behind the scenes of shoots! People love to see what happens behind the camera and are interested in your process. (Ex, scouting locations, making mood boards, setting up equipment, joking around with your assistant, etc)
2. Editing process
You can show the before and after of an image you've edited. It's always intriguing to see the transformations you've created. Similarly, you can also share a little bit of how you edit your photos in Lightroom or Photoshop. Let people see the process of how you convert photos into the beautiful and final result.
3. What you do when you're not working
Feel free to include any hobbies, interests, or moments of your day - however mundane or casual you think they are. People enjoy seeing and getting to know the person behind the camera! This is where you get to just be yourself and let others get to know you better. From recommending a book that you're reading, an inspirational quote that touched your day, walking your dog, or venting about something etc. It helps your audience see you and connect with you on a more personal level outside of your work.
4. travel
If you travel for work, show that side of things for people to see! You can even create short videos about the cities you're exploring and the amazing photography I'm sure you are taking when you travel somewhere new. Almost like a super mini travel vlog on Instagram stories. This can be captivating for people to see and they can explore along with you.
5. Engage with your audience
Remember to engage with your audience on Instagram Stories. You can use the poll or question sticker to gain more insight from your audience and get to know them better too.
6. Use hashtags and location tags
Using location tags and hashtags in your stories can help you with increasing your reach, and in turn gaining new followers. You can use popular or niche photography hashtags and use location tags for the places you are shooting in. Using these tools can help your stories be discovered by people who are also engaging in the same spaces on Instagram and are already interested in your photography niche.
7. Show your portfolio and testimonials
Instagram stories is a great way to show more of your portfolio and showcase testimonials from happy clients. You can create a slideshow of some of your favourite photos, add text overlays or use the boomerang feature to bring them to life. You can also include client testimonials that give insight about what it's like working with you - the quality of your work, your style, attention to detail and more. You can save this at the top of your Instagram page as a story highlight and these encouraging words can inspire the right people to become your clients.
Using Instagram stories is a powerful way for photographers to show more of their personality, their creativity, and connect with their audience. It can be a great way to attract more photography clients, because what goes into hiring a photographer? People search for those who are talented, reliable, and professional, but most importantly, they hire people that they like.
