Photography Website Tips with Studio Huomenta // Family Photography Education with Hannah Mann
I am so excited for this post – I have a guest contributor for you today, the lovely and talented Annika of Studio Huomenta (based in Finland!). She graciously agreed to share her website expertise with you all, and is sharing quick yet powerful tips on how to audit your own website so you can make it an effective tool for converting new clients. And, even better, she recently created her own gorgeous website template so that you can create your own site with full confidence that it’s working wonderfully for your business!
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HOW TO AUDIT YOUR WEBSITE
As a brand + web designer I am always excited to a) talk all things branding and web design, and b) help skilled people make the most of their presence and online home. So I was really excited when Hannah asked me to shine a light on how to help her audience, you, help yourselves out when it comes to converting clients online!
Because that’s what your website exists: to convert clients to you. It’s all right if it impresses your mom or your colleagues, sure, but aligned clients are where your money comes from, so let’s try to look at it with their eyes for a few moments. So let’s go!
STANDING OUT STARTS FROM YOUR ABOVE THE FOLD SECTION
Whenever someone new reaches your website they decide within seconds whether they want to keep hanging around or not. To avoid aligned clients from clicking that infamous little cross in their browser, try showing them something they will really love right there above the fold on your home page – this is the first thing they will see, so make it a good one.
Infuse personality, opt-out of industry norms and go all out with images and/or video, colors and text to make your first section clearly show what the experience is that they will get from working with you.
Of course, creating a standout and stylish above the fold, not to mention an entire website, is easier said than done.
It is because of this I have created Dreamy, my website template for photographers and interior designers. It is specifically designed to meet the needs of a highly visual business and person, to present your art in the most beautiful light + surrounding and to give you plenty of variety when it comes to sections – we have super coded them for you, all you need to do is add your photos and copy, re-arrange the sections in whichever order you please, and hit publish.
The feeling when your awesome photography gets packaged up beautifully into an experience that your target customers simply can’t resist is priceless! And it has been proven many times that a professionally designed, standout website will convert you more clients. And to top it off, Dreamy comes with a copywriting guide to make writing about your services like a walk in the park. One of the best perks of having a website that is stylish, on-brand and thought-of is that it converts clients when you are not looking!
So, when you’re in your home page, look at the first section and ask yourself:
Is this showing the essence of me, and portraying the value of my photography services? Will this alone make my dream client want to want to see more of me?
Additional note: Adding a CTA with a link to your above the fold is a good idea. Link to the #1 place in your website you want them to end up.
USER EXPERIENCE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND
One of the most important things website-wise is to make sure your ideal client has a clear path from landing in your site to booking. What matters is a) where you want them to end up and b) what they want to see. Keep both of these in mind when you map out your pages and links. Too many clicks is never a good idea, but also they will likely need to see a little bit more than your first CTA to become instant clients. Paving their way and making your website a smooth experience for a visitor will be reflect in your bottom line. Clarity equals conversion.
How to test this:
Ask a friend (who is not a photographer) or a few to type your domain in their internet browser and make notes on what they do + find and how easy they find it all. Encourage them to use critical thinking, because this favor is primarily there to make your site better.
CONSISTENT BRANDING, ALWAYS
Coming from a brand design this hardly will surprise you but in a recent study more than two-thirds of businesses say brand consistency has contributed to significant revenue growth (Lucidpress, 2021).
Consistency means you have your brand visuals nailed (= logo + variations, set colors, fonts and layout style) and you use them and only them faithfully in your website, social media, client material, print + digital.
When setting up your branding, whether it is with a brand designer or by yourself, always lead with who you are and look for ways to mirror that in your branding. Your brand designer will likely ask you plenty of questions and get to know you very well before starting your design process. Your branding and website should fit you + your dreams like a glove.
So always: Choose to standout and be you – we are not looking for lukewarm connections with clients, so try not to give a lukewarm image of your services either.
When you browse your website, ask yourself:
Do these colors, fonts and logos represent who I am, and where I aspire to be? Do they standout form my competition? If I had no previous experience of this brand, how would this website make me feel within the first 5 seconds?
SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION
Sound boring? I know! (Monica-voice) I am not a huge fan of making Google the #1 person your website serves, and that’s never how we roll here. But it’s good to keep in mind that Google can help you land clients too. So infusing a little SEO thinking in your website is a good idea.
When you look at the sitemap of your website, look for these things:
Does your website have sub-pages for all the relevant keywords you are looking to be found on in Google? (Rule no1: One page = one keyword) Do those pages have said keyword in the H1 headline, in the first and last paragraph of the page and spread through the copy in a relevant organic way? It also helps if you have inner link/s on the page, and trusted outbound links too.
About Annika: I’m a brand + web designer based in Finland, Europe. I lead my boutique branding + web design studio, Studio Huomenta, and we have clients all over the globe. We specialize in helping photographers + interior designers stand out, and have designed 60+ brands since I started this studio in 2015. Us and our clients have been featured in many national and international publications, such as Vogue and Heartful Magazine. As a brand designer I could not cope without pen & paper – that is where a logo always takes form for me first. My work is detailed, typography focused, and always inspired by my clients’ unique style. I love seeing our clients succeed and am there to cheer them on always!
Photography Website Tips with Studio Huomenta // Family Photography Education with Hannah Mann
I’m a family photography educator based in Boise, ID. I am passionate about equipping my students with transformative, actionable education. I believe that anyone can succeed in this industry with the right tools and knowledge, and I love to equip others to have thriving businesses.
Interested in more? Browse my free resources, get to know more about my educational offerings, sign up for my newsletter, or get to know me. I’d love to work with you and support you in your growth!
Audit your Website with Studio Huomenta // Family Photography Education with Hannah Mann
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