How do you write a good blog post as a photographer?

How do you write a good blog post as a photographer? I just got done listening to the webcast from Michael Hyatt on writing a good blog post. There were a lot of keys that I am going to put into effect immediately in order to see if they make an impact.

If you didn't know, I am a successful blogger that still has not been able to find my voice in the photography blogging world. It is a different beast in comparison to the sports and news type blogs that I have been doing.

I currently write about the San Diego Chargers on a successful blog called Bolt Beat. The engagement is high there and I helped build that thing from the ground up. The world of photography blogging is different.

First, I still am trying to figure out my audience. I know that I have the content to make the blog spectacular. The content is the photos. That is what we do as photographers. We just need to find a way to reach people and get people to open up our posts. Who is the target audience that I am trying to reach?

I have struggled with that question for a while. Of course I want it to be brides and clients, but I tend to write more to other photographers on the blog. Potentially, this blog will be for both audiences. I will treat it in that manner and see what comes of it.

The generic titles that I had in the past were not grabbing attention, so I am going to have to switch that up. When I want to get the attention of clients, I have to get a title that will get them to click in. All I want is for people to click in and see what we do as photographers. The headline will be the way to do it.

Just as Michael Hyatt said, you can have the fanciest fish pole in the world, but it is the bait that will bring them in. Our bait has to be the headline. Get that headline out there and maybe someone will make their way into the post.

Some of the principles that were taught will be used on my Chargers blog and I will see how the growth works there. I will be also keeping track of what happens around here. I am expecting some big things to open up.

Time to see some explosion in the photography blogging world.

Blogging with SmugMug... Not so hot

I tried to work with creating blogs through SmugMug and I just don't see it working out in the same manner as WordPress. I have been working with WordPress for so long and know how to quickly get something posted on the site and just didn't want to deal with customizing each page to make it look the same on SmugMug.

SmugMug will still be the spot where I hold images and such, but it will not be the location where I will have the blog running from. Wordpress has this thing on lock and is what they specialize in and will be the way that I continue to post. It is so much easier to get found on google with wordpress posts as well. Have to stick with the right tools if I want the proper results.

Sorry I left you for so long WordPress... .and by so long, meaning not that long at all!

Blogging... it is important

Photo from wedding at Grand Tradition in Fallbrook this weekend. Still needs to clean up the random guy on the right side, but it was shot yesterday.

I have known the importance of blogging as a marketing tool for a while but for some reason I keep slipping on the blog for our photography site. Partly it is because of the madness of the day-to-day of family, photography and my other job and my other blog that puts this on the back burner.

I also run a couple of NFL sites called NFL Spin Zone and Bolt Beat and know how much traffic that can be brought in for blogging. I know how to do it and can do it well, but I still seem to push it on the backburner. It needs to go to the front of the priority list.

Working on a wedding this weekend and met with this DJ named Earl Henry from My DJs and he was telling me about his business and the marketing that he gets just from blogging. There was important pieces that he included on those blogs that I didn't even think much about. I was in sports blogging and know my way around that world, but in this blogging environment in photography I am still trying to find my way.

List out the vendors of events. List out the location. All these people deserve credit for the things that they do and search results for certain venues can have you linked to them. I am not sure what people that are getting married put in google when they are looking to find photographers, but I could imagine them writing "Grand Tradition Fallbrook Wedding Photographer."

I imagine that customers try to find a place to get married first and then figure out the rest. If you already have the experience at a venue, it is going to put you ahead of the line.