Why You Should Be Using Pinterest to Market Your Photography Business

As a photographer, you may be wary of Pinterest, worried that their photos will be used and reused without permission. But there are several good reasons to maintain a Pinterest account, whether you’re a wedding photographer or you focus on portraits. Take a look at a few of the best reasons to keep that Pinterest account up to date:

• There are lots of people there. Like the other social networks we’ve discussed (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), Pinterest has a lot of users — 150 million, to be exact. And the majority of those users are women rather than men, an important bit of demographic info since women — be they brides, seniors, moms, or just ladies who love a good portrait — usually make up the bulk of a photographer’s clientele, according to photography educator Sue Bryce.

• The people who find you, need you. More than any other social media site, Pinterest provides you with an audience that wants to find you. According to a study by Millward Brown, 87% of users have purchased a product or service because of Pinterest, and 93% said they use Pinterest to research future purchases. Maybe that’s because users on Pinterest are looking for specific information or inspiration, and that may lead them to book if you’re able to provide that inspiration for them. So savvy photographers, like wedding photographer Vanessa Joy, can stock their Pinterest accounts with information that’s relevant to potential clients, and also happens to feature their photography.

• It helps you educate clients. Rather than telling clients what’s best to wear to a shoot, create a board showing them. Tamara Lackey uses her Pinterest account to share “What to Wear” boards for clients, to prep them for her family photography sessions. And If you’ve got a client closet, you can share a board featuring available outfits to help clients start imagining their shoot. Working with clients who may be nervous? Share photos or a video of your studio interior, like the tour of Kelly Brown’s newborn photography studio below.

• A pin is forever. With Facebook and Instagram, users can only see what you’re promoting for a short period of time before your content gets pushed down in the feed. But because Pinterest is search-driven, anything you pin is waiting for a new client to find. If you can get specific with your boards, you can find clients looking for a particular look. Teri Fode brings in senior clients by creating boards for seasonal looks or genres of style, like her vintage board. Wedding photographers, like Susan Stripling, can capitalize on wedding accessories or specific venues.

• Pins link straight to your website. Pinterest lets you stop worrying about whether or not anyone’s reading your image or video descriptions — if they click on your pin, they’ll be taken right to your website to learn more. That’s why about 5% of all referral traffic comes through Pinterest — once your audience decides they want to learn more, they’ll be led straight to you.

Still worried about taking the Pinterest plunge? Safeguard your photos by adding a watermark or by sharing videos that keep your images attached to your name. And if you’re looking for some Pinspiration, check out our Pinterest account, which has lots of photography education and video tutorials.