Four Types Of SEO Optimisation Photographers Can Leverage To Improve Website Rankings
If you’re a professional photographer looking to attract more clients through your website, understanding the four main types of SEO optimisation is essential.
A well-optimised website helps you rank higher in search engine results, making it easier for potential clients to discover your work.
In this article, I’ll break down the four key types of SEO optimisation that you can carry out as a photographer. These are 1) on-page, 2) off-page, 3) technical, and 4) local SEO.
I’ll also explain how they apply to photography businesses and how you can leverage them effectively.
Related: SEO for Photographers: Basics to get your photography found online
The Four Types of SEO Optimisation: A Guide for Photographers
1) On-Page SEO
On-page SEO is all about optimising the content and structure of your website pages and blog posts. This includes your page URLs, title tags, meta descriptions, headings, images, and the overall readability of your content.
For photographers, this means ensuring that your portfolio pages, blog posts, and service descriptions are not only visually engaging but also search-friendly.
Keyword Optimisation
A crucial element of on-page SEO is incorporating relevant keywords that your ideal client is actively searching for.
For example, if you specialise in newborn photography in Manchester, you’ll want to optimise your content for keywords like “Manchester newborn photographer” or “baby photography in Manchester.”
This requires thorough keyword research to ensure you’re targeting phrases with strong search potential.
Image Optimisation
As a photographer, high-quality images are at the core of your website. However, large image files can slow down your site.
Optimise your images by:
- Compressing them using tools like TinyPNG or ShortPixel, or similar.
- Adding descriptive file names (e.g., “London-wedding-photographer.jpg” rather than “IMG_1234.jpg”).
- Using alt text with relevant keywords to help search engines understand the content of your images.
By implementing these on-page SEO techniques, you increase your chances of ranking higher for searches related to your photography niche.
Related: How To Boost Organic Traffic To Your Photography Website
2) Off-Page SEO
Off-page SEO refers to the activities you do outside of your website to improve its authority and visibility.
For photographers, this involves building backlinks, securing media coverage, engaging on social media, and forming industry collaborations.
Backlinks & PR
Search engines consider backlinks (links from other websites pointing to yours) as a sign of credibility. The more high-quality websites that link to yours, the more authoritative your site appears.
Related: Content & PR Services for Photographers: How I Can Boost Your Business
Ways to gain backlinks:
- Get featured in photography blogs and magazines
- Submit your work to online photography directories
- Collaborate with industry-aligned businesses. For example, if you are a wedding photographer you could partner with wedding planners, makeup artists, or venues and they could link to your website from theirs
- Write guest blog posts for industry-related websites.
Social Media Signals
While social media activity itself doesn’t directly impact SEO rankings, an active presence can increase engagement and drive traffic to your site.
Consistently sharing blog posts, behind-the-scenes content, and client testimonials helps keep your brand visible and encourages engagement in the form of social shares and mentions.
3) Technical SEO
Technical SEO ensures that your website runs smoothly and provides a good user experience. Even if you have well-optimised content, a slow or insecure website can hurt your rankings.
Key Technical SEO Factors
- Website Speed: Slow websites lead to high bounce rates. Use caching plugins (such as WP Super Cache for WordPress) and optimise images to improve load time.
- Mobile-Friendliness: Google prioritises mobile-first indexing, so your website must be responsive and easy to navigate on smartphones and tablets.
- Secure Website (HTTPS): Having an SSL certificate (which gives your site the “HTTPS” prefix) builds trust with users and is a ranking factor.
- Fixing Broken Links: Broken links can negatively impact user experience. Regularly check for and fix any broken internal or external links.
If technical SEO is outside your comfort zone, investing in expert support is well worth it to ensure your site performs optimally. Ask me for a recommendation!
4) Local SEO
Local SEO is crucial for photographers who serve a specific geographic area. If you operate a studio or frequently shoot in a particular location, you want to appear in search results when people look for photographers in that area.
Google My Business (GMB) Optimisation
Your Google My Business profile is a powerful tool for local SEO. If you haven’t already, claim and optimise your listing by:
- Ensuring your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are accurate and consistent across the web
- Selecting the right photography categories (e.g., wedding photographer, portrait photographer, pet photographer)
- Adding high-quality images and client reviews
- Posting updates and responding to enquiries that come in via the listing.
Localised Website Content
If you’re targeting local clients, make sure your website reflects this by:
- Including location-specific keywords in your page titles and content
- Writing blog posts about local events, venues, or client stories
- Embedding Google Maps on your contact page.
By prioritising local SEO, you increase your chances of appearing in “near me” searches and Google’s local pack results.
A Holistic Approach to SEO for Photographers
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is most effective when approached holistically. All four types of SEO optimisation I’ve mentioned above —on-page, off-page, technical, and local—work together to improve your visibility.
If your website loads slowly, lacks backlinks, or isn’t optimised for local searches, you may struggle to rank well, no matter how great your content is.
By balancing these four SEO strategies, you can create a well-optimised photography website that attracts more visitors, engages potential clients, and ultimately helps grow your photography business.
Keen to learn more about Photography SEO?
If you’re ready to take your SEO efforts to the next level, I’ve written further articles on SEO. You may also want to consider my SEO services for photographers if you’re looking for personalised support in optimising your website.
SEO Services for Photographers
- You can hire me to carry out an SEO audit, conduct bespoke keyword research or optimise your website for you
- Alternatively, you can enrol in my mentoring programme – The Photographer’s Visibility Blueprint – and learn what you need to know about SEO so you can manage your photography website SEO yourself going forward.
