The low-key SEO guide every photographer needs (Podcast with Rebecca Rice)
Let’s be honest: SEO is no fun.
It's one of those things we swear we’ll “get to later,” because UGH! do we really have to deal with metadata and whatever “alt text” is supposed to be??
I mean, you already spent countless hours making your website pretty; choosing the best images for your site, being intentional with your web design, tweaking every little detail… Can’t that just be enough?
Sadly, no. You don’t magically get found just because your website is gorgeous (trust me, I wish it worked that way).
Google only discovers you when you actually speak in SEO language. So basically, if you don’t put in some SEO effort, then only you and your mom will visit your website; and no, you don’t want that.
So let’s get to [as minimal as possible] work!
In this blog post, I’m breaking SEO down in a way that doesn’t make your eyes glaze over. No techy language or complicated strategies.
Note: I’m not an SEO expert myself, but I do work with them a lot and have a solid understanding of the basics as it pertains to healthy web design. These are the exact things I’ve used on many of my clients’ sites that significantly increased traffic and bookings. It’s simple stuff, honestly!
If you’re on the move, you can listen to my podcast interview with Rebecca Rice below or just keep reading for the easy tips!
SEO in a nutshell
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It’s like the secret language of Google, and if you wanna get clients from your website, you need to be able to speak that language and play the game.
Three things Google wants to know:
If your website is legit. That it's not a scam.
If you’re active. They wanna make sure that you’re operational- that you didn’t go out of business like a decade ago.
If your site actually provides value. It needs to be useful for the website visitor and easy to use.
When your site is properly optimized for those things, Google rewards you. You get bumped higher up in search results and that gets you more views.
Keywords: what are they, exactly?
Keywords really aren’t that complicated. They’re simply the words and phrases people type into Google.
So all you need to do is think about what your clients might be searching for when they’re looking to hire someone like you.
Examples:
“Boston portrait photographer”
“Family photos in Chicago”
“Professional photography studio”
“Seattle lifestyle photographer near me”
Keywords are the foundation of SEO. If you can get a solid grasp on this, you’re already most of the way toward showing up higher in Google’s results.
Quick Tip: Not sure what people are searching for? Type a phrase into Google and look at the “People also ask” box for instant keyword ideas.
Four Keywords You Absolutely Need on your Website
1. Your business name
This one feels obvious, but a lot of people don’t actually do it. They leave their business name only inside their logo because, well, the name is already there. The problem is that Google is blind to any text inside an image.
What to do: Make sure your business name is written in actual text (not a graphic). That’s the only way Google knows who you are.
2. Your personal name
If your personal name is different from your business name, this is another must-have. Maybe someone met you once, remembers your first and last name, knows you’re a photographer, but can’t remember your website. They Google you… and nothing comes up. This is completely preventable by simply spelling out your name on your site.
What to do Again, make sure your name appears in plain, readable text on your website (not only in a graphic or signature image).
3. Location
This one is huge, especially for family photographers, since you typically work within a specific area. Even if you cover two cities or work across state lines, it’s still important to write that out clearly. People need to know where you are and yep, so does Google.
What to do: Instead of only writing “Luxury Wedding Photographer,” include your location. For example, “Luxury Wedding Photographer - Los Angeles.”
4. What you actually do
Your website photos might make it clear to everyone that you’re a beach wedding photographer, but here’s the thing: Google can’t interpret images. It only understands what’s written in text. So make sure you spell out that you’re a photographer and specify the type of photography you do.
What to do: Literally spell out what you photograph. Say “Beach Wedding Photographer” or “Family Photographer” so Google knows exactly what you do.
Note: Avoid repeating the same keyword combo over and over. Google might see it as spam. Write naturally and mix things up. For example, instead of only using “Boston family photography,” switch to versions like “family photographer in Boston” or “Boston family photos.”
Where Your Keywords Should Go
These are the areas that make the biggest impact on how Google understands your website.
1. Headings
Headings are the most powerful place to put your keywords because Google scans them first and uses them to understand the main ideas of each page.
A common mistake I notice, especially on wedding websites, is using headings for fun phrases or generic welcomes like “Welcome, friends!”, or “Let’s make magic!” They’re nice but they don’t help Google at all. If you can work your keywords into your headings instead, it makes a huge difference for your visibility.
A good best practice is to use your H1 heading (the biggest heading on your website) only once at the top of each page. Use it to clearly communicate the main idea of that page so both visitors and Google know exactly what to expect.
For example, on your services page, your H1 could be:
“Legacy portraits for your family.”
This tells visitors they’re in the right place and tells Google what the page is about.
2. Page titles and descriptions
Another great place to include your keywords is in your page titles and page descriptions. These live in the backend of your website, and the exact location depends on your platform (WordPress, Squarespace, Showit, etc). These titles and descriptions are what show up in Google’s search results for each page.
For example, if you have an About page, instead of simply calling it “About Emily Jane Photography,” you could use something a little more attention-grabbing, like: “Fun St. Louis Family Studio - Emily Jane Photography.”
This not only tells Google what the page is, but it also catches the eye of someone scrolling through search results and encourages them to click.
Then, in the page description, you can expand on that title and give people the extra information they need to know they’ve found the right page.
3. Your image file names
More and more people click Google Images these days, so showing up in image search can bring in a lot of traffic you might otherwise miss.
That’s why another important place to use keywords is in your image file names. Google can read those, and a keyword-rich file name helps your photos appear in Image Search, putting your work in front of even more potential clients.
Instead of naming your image“RobinsonsFamily198.jpg,” name it something like “Dallas Studio Family Portrait.jpg.”
More SEO magic tricks to get Google’s attention
1. Resize your Images so your site loads faster
SEO isn’t just the text you put on your website. Your overall user experience matters too. And Google hates slow websites.
The usual culprit?
Uncompressed photos.
Make sure the images on your main pages (Home, About, Services, etc.) are compressed and properly sized. Ideally, each photo should be under 500 KB in file size.
I like using JPEGmini because it makes things super easy. Just drop in a batch of images and the app compresses them for you in seconds.
2. Check your mobile experience
More than half of all internet traffic happens on mobile. I mean, don’t we all just hop over from Instagram and click a link in the company’s bio?
That aside, Google pays close attention to how well your site works on a phone. If your site is clunky or hard to use on mobile, it hurts both your user experience and your SEO.
Here’s what to look check on mobile:
You shouldn’t have to pinch and zoom to read anything.
Buttons and links should be easy to tap.
Avoid pop-ups that are impossible to close. A tiny “X” or a pop-up that runs off the screen annoys users and sends a bad signal to Google.
Make sure text isn’t covering faces or important parts of your photos.
Images should load quickly and fit properly on smaller screens.
Make sure that anytime you make updates on your desktop, pull up your site on your phone to double-check everything.
If you want to see how Google rates your mobile experience, search for Google Mobile-Friendly Test. Enter your website URL and it will instantly tell you whether your site meets Google’s mobile standards and what you need to fix if it doesn’t.
3. Publish blogs that actually provide value
Everything we’ve talked about so far builds a solid foundation, but sometimes that alone isn’t enough, especially if you have a lot of competition in your area.
If you want to reach the first page of Google faster, you need more content. Every blog post is like adding another ticket to the raffle: the more posts you have, the more chances you have to show up in search results. It also shows Google that your business is active and up to date.
If you’re only using the basic pages (Home, About, Services), you’re competing with everyone else who has the same setup. But when you post truly valuable content- like you answer questions your clients are already searching for- you increase your opportunities to appear in search.
You could talk about:
How to handle toddlers at a photo shoot
what to wear for family portraits
backup plans for when it rains at your photo shoot.
10 best locations in Phoenix for outdoor photos
Unsure what to blog about?
Here’s my list of 100 blog topics you should be writing about as a photographer — all based on SEO strategy and what people are actually searching for.
Don’t get overwhelmed by the number. It doesn’t have to be 100. Seriously, just do what you can when you can. Even one solid blog post can help you reach a whole new audience.
And if you’re using strong keywords and genuinely helping people, that one post can even land you in the number-one spot.
If you want to dive just a liiiiiittle bit deeper into SEO, I’ve got a FREE guide for you:
It contains five extra tips we didn’t get to today that can seriously help your site show up better in search.
