How to Grow Your Portrait Photography Business in 2024
A career as a portrait photographer can be fun and highly rewarding. If you’ve always had a passion for photographing people and wanted to build your own portrait photography business in 2024, there are multiple ways you can grow and find clientele. Sure, the portrait photographer market can seem saturated these days, but thankfully, with the rise of social media and all things digital, every one needs some form of portrait photography for their online presence. After spending the last number of years building my commercial portrait photography business, I’ve broken down how to grow your portrait photography business in 2024 so you can skip (some of) the learning stages and start seeing growth in the near term. Ready? Here’s how to do it!
Master Your Craft
This one kind of goes without saying, but, to build a successful portrait photography business in 2024 and beyond, you need to get good at taking portraits. Luckily, there are a ton of portrait photography tips on blogs and on YouTube for free, so you can learn the ins and outs of taking a great portrait without investing a lot of money (though paid courses from experts can be highly beneficial too).
The portrait photography elements that you’ll want to learn include proper portrait photography camera settings, lighting, portrait poses, backdrops and scenes, and generally how to make your clientele feel comfortable during the photo shoot. You’ll also want to spend some time learning about the best portrait photography camera gear, and maybe even pick up a solid portrait photography lens like an 85mm f1.8.
Select a Portrait Photography Niche
When we start photography businesses, sometimes we feel like we need to be a master in all niches to become a success. I, too, have fallen into the trap of wanting to photograph in a bunch of different niches. The truth of the matter, however, is that potential clients are looking for expert photographers in the specific niche that they need photos for.
The one analogy I’ve heard that really speaks to this is that, when a person is looking for a wedding photographer, they are more prone to hire someone who only shoots weddings rather than someone who shoots weddings, commercial shoots, food photography, etc. This is because they trust that the true wedding photographer is a master of their craft (see above).
So, what does that mean for portrait photography? Well, to run a successful portrait photography business, it helps to niche down. Instead of focusing on all types of portrait photography, like weddings, engagements, family, pets, and corporate, try focusing on one that you’re particularly good at and enjoy doing. For me, I’ve always enjoyed taking photographs for brands and businesses, so my portrait photography is focused primarily towards commercial photography and portraits for professionals.
Start and Commit to a Blog
Since the dawn of social media channels, Instagram has always been the go-to marketing outlet for budding photography businesses. The problem, however, is that Instagram is controlled by an algorithm that chooses who to show your photos to. It also only shows it to a certain amount of people, and, if you don’t receive a lot of views within the first 24 hours, your photo basically gets lost in the Instagram abyss.
The other problem with social media platforms like Instagram is that they don’t lead to your website (which you actually own and pay for). Your posts lead to your profile. So the hope is that someone lands on your profile and then happens to click on the link in your bio so they can check out your portfolio, scope your services and become a paying customer. That sounds like a lot of steps that need to go right to make money.
Creating a photography blog right on your website tends to be a better move because blog posts are considered evergeen content, meaning they can be found on Google’s search engine for years and years. This means, instead of posting a blog article and having it get lost in a social media algorithm after 24 hours, your hard content marketing efforts can continue to bring in new potential clients for the long haul.
The other great thing about blog articles is that they bring potential portrait photography clients directly to your website. This eliminates all of the steps required for a client to find your website from an Instagram post. In essence, when a potential client lands on your blog article (and, in turn, your website), you’ve shortened the sales funnel.
The other great thing about a portrait photography blog is that you can write articles directly about your customers pain points on your site. All potential customers for a photography business have a need that needs to be filled, and they also have questions that need to be answered before committing to a photographer. Use your blog to address their pain points and answer any questions they might have. If they feel good and educated about the portrait photography process and see you as an expert with all of the answers, they will be more likely to choose you as their portrait photographer. So, get writing!
Network and Build Referral Marketing Channels
I think some photographers believe that they need to become “Instagram famous” to succeed as a photographer. This couldn’t be further from the truth. There are tons of ways to make money as a photographer and grow your portrait photography business without being an influencer. When I first started, one of the best ways to find photography work was through my network and then through their referrals.
Telling friends and family members about your photography business is an easy (and free) form of marketing. Your friends and family may have a need for your portrait photography services, or, most commonly, they may know someone who is in need of your services. Even if it’s not immediate, someone in your network may eventually reach out to let you know that someone they know is in need of a portrait photographer. The key here is making sure that your friends and family are aware of your portrait photography business and have access to your website / portfolio. Overtime, you will be surprised with how many referrals come your way.
Conclusion
Growing a portrait photography business in 2024 can seem tough, but, with a bit of effort in the right places, your business goals can be achieved (or exceeded). Start by diving into the world of portrait photography to master your craft and hone in on your portrait photography niche. Then, write relevant, educational content that speaks to your potential customers’ pain points to help drive traffic to your portrait photography website. Finally, utilize your existing network, as you never know who around you needs portrait photography.