What is the secret behind successful photography websites? Most people will say that it’s simply because of the stunning pictures in the gallery section. Indeed, these photographs can express and tell a beautiful story, but a photography website with interesting blog content creates a powerful impact on its audience. The power of blogging is evident not only in photography websites but with business and personal sites as well. If we take a closer look at some photography websites, we can see a welcoming landing page, high-quality images on the gallery section, and a compelling story behind the pictures in the form of a blog.
Starting a blog site can be as tough as starting your own photography website. If you have the skills and resources to run your own photography website and start a blog at the same time, go on. Photographers know the significance of starting a blog along with their captured images. Pictures alone cannot explain how they feel and what they think when they take a shot of the subject. This is why blogging becomes an effective way of storytelling and sharing the journey with their audience online.
Strikingly is a website builder that makes it possible for groups and individuals to share creative ideas with the world. Among our multiple users are professional photographers and bloggers who are able to express their thoughts and feelings by combining photographs and blogs into powerful content. Just like them, we will gladly share with you some tips and ideas on how to create a blog. We’ll show you the significance of blogs in different types of websites. Discover why blogging is an essential key to your personal website success.
Image taken from Strikingly Template
How to Start a Blog in 5 Steps?
- Decide a name for your blog
- Choose a blogging platform
- Choose a web host
- Have your own domain name
- Design and start your blog
It is important that you understand what is blogging first before you ask how to start a successful blog.
What is a blog? A blog is an online journal that people share online. According to the Firstsiteguide article, when blogging began in 1994, it served as a personal diary shared online about daily life, travel experiences, personal opinions and interests, etc. Here are the five basic steps to start a blog.
Image taken from Against The Grain website
1. Decide a Name for Your Blog
Think about a unique and interesting name for your blog that will represent your content and topics. We’ll assume that you are creating a blog for a photography website so an ideal name would be - Blogs and Photographs or Photographs and Stories Behind. Of course, you want to make the most out of your blog so be creative on this part.
Image taken from Strikingly Template
2. Choose a Blogging Platform
While Wordpress is very popular among other blogging platforms, Strikingly is a must-try if you’re looking for the best features and services for your blogging site. We have pre-designed templates that are easy to edit and perfect to start a blog in a few minutes.
Image taken from Strikingly website editor
3. Choose a Web Host
It is important to decide whether you want to go self-hosting or try a free hosting alternative. WordPress, Tumblr, and Blogger are all offering free blogs. Bluehost is a company that powers over two million websites globally. Just like when you sign up with Strikingly, you can get a free domain name with them. You really have to decide if you want to pay or grab a free web hosting to start a blog. In choosing a free web hosting service, it is important that you are fully aware of the pros and cons.
Free web hosting: blogs@wordpress.org
Self-hosting (paid) : blogs@blogsandphotographs.com
4. Have Your Own Domain Name
Having your own domain name is the best decision if you are super serious about starting a blog. While it is practical to get a free web hosting service, the downside is that you won’t be able to get your own domain name. In most cases, having your own domain name gives your blog a professional web presence. It only shows how serious you are starting a blog.
5. Design and Start Your Blog
With Strikingly, all you need is to get the best resources and draft the best content. We’ll take care of the templates that will fit your preference and surely cater your audience with the best layout design. If you want a clean design, we’ve got you covered.
Image taken from Against The Grain website
What Makes a Powerful and Engaging Photography Website?
Building a photography website is a must for anyone who wants to get ahead in the field. It’s one of the most effective ways to keep your portfolio accessible for potential clients. As a marketing tool, you can use your website to book projects and communicate with clients directly. You can build relationships with clients because they get to see your past and current works regularly. have the potential to share your best work with the world and become effective representatives of your brand.
Even novice photographers will find value in building photography websites. For one, having a personal page that they have to update regularly motivates them to keep shooting and practicing. In order to attract readers, your site should always have something new to offer. Having a photo blog lights up a fire in you to go out there and stay on top of your game. You can even start out as an image hosting site so you can widen your reach while you’re just starting out.
Image taken from Strikingly Template
A photo blog site is also a good way to track your progress. It would be interesting to look back after a few months or even years of shooting to see how your techniques have changed over time. If you add a comments section to your site, feedback from your growing audience can also help you improve your shots.
Now that we’ve established the crucial role a photo blog site plays in your growing photography career, it’s important to note that you should start a blog simply for the sake of having a site up. Don’t start this project just because everyone else has a personal site. Set up your own photography website for success by following these simple tips on how to build it the right way.
• Get a Good Website Builder
If your budget doesn’t allow a personally hosted website and you don’t have the knowledge to code your own site, you should get a good website builder. The best platforms such as Strikingly equips you with the right kind of tools to build your photo site even without prior design or programming experience.
Image taken from Strikingly website
• Make Your Unique Personality Shine Through
Whether you’re creating photography websites for marketing and PR purposes or for the sole purpose of sharing your story with the rest of the world, always remember that your site is a reflection of your personality. Audiences relate to the human behind the images and most importantly the blog or text on the site. Make sure your personality can be seen in your work and visuals on your site. A good way to appeal to your clients’ emotions is to write about your personal story and passions. A story about some of your best shots would also be a good addition to your site.
• Don’t Censor Your Work
While we’re on the subject of letting your personality show in your site, it’s also important to remember to avoid censoring yourself. Your website should be a platform for expressing your thoughts and your feelings. This is the sense of adding blogs to your photography website. You should be confident that your photographs, along with the intuitive blogs on your site, can express what you have in mind. There is a tendency to water down the message you’re trying to communicate if you doubt yourself. Show your best work without worrying that people will not like your shots. You cannot please everyone so you might as well create a website that makes you happy first and foremost.
• Leverage on Social Media
Social media integrations on photo sites are highly recommended for creating fresh content. If you are the type of photographer who updates his or her Instagram and Facebook pages more regularly, connecting your social streams to your site can help ensure that your audience will have something new to see every time they visit your site. Strikingly allows you to add a social feed to your photo site to keep your pages well-updated.
Image taken from Young and CEO website
Whether you are a beginner or a professional in the world of photography, you know how important it is to establish a strong web presence for your online portfolio. You understand now the power of adding blogs on how to effectively tell stories behind the photographs on your website. Blogs can help your site to be visible and rank well on search engines. It also gets traffic from audiences who are interested about your niche. This is why, before you create your own photography website and start a blog, make sure you have already made up your mind on what message you want to deliver to your audience. Once you have set your goals, make sure you know where to go when you take the first step to start blogging.
Strikingly is here to guide you all the way. We’ll share with you the best insights and ideas you need to build a website now.
