Author:ayashabrooke_o3uwym

Advertising … Is Your Business Ready?

Before You Begin Advertising

The main goal of many business owners is to either increase sales or gather more leads. If the goal of a business is to make more money, then the purpose of advertising is to attract more qualified customers.

But, do you have the basics set to make your advertising efforts successful?

If you jump right into online advertising without establishing a strong base and clear vision of your goals then you will likely waste a lot of time and money. Many businesses that do not plan advertising efforts properly often create the wrong message or speaking to the wrong audience.

 

Decide Your Goals

Choosing the goals of your advertising efforts is one of the most important parts for your digital marketing strategy. If you want to drive direct revenue, preemptively guard against attacks with defensive branding, or establish your business in a niche market, you will need to know what you want to accomplish before you begin online advertising.

Once you decide your goal your online advertising should be formed around your objectives. Your digital marketing content should have clear call to actions that connect to your business objectives. Understanding your audience is crucial to make effective ads, because your target audience are the people who are purchasing your solutions.

 

Customize Your Ads For Your Audience

The only way to create relevant, valuable online advertising content is to know who your audience is. You are able to use various online tools for keyword research and demographic information. There is a lot of information available, but some of the items you want to address include:

  • What is their age and gender?
  • What is their professional occupation
  • Where do they purchase items similar to your products and services?
  • Where do they research and enjoy consuming online content?

 

You will want to answer these questions to begin building Customer Personas for your ideal customer. This basic information will help you establish a way to choose what content to create, how to optimize that content, and where to distribute online advertising.

While online advertising platforms are often more economical than traditional marketing channels, the value of newspaper and magazine ads are proven across the board. If you choose to advertise with a traditional source you should request demographic information about the readership.

 

Tracking And Analytics

In our modern age, you need to track everything about your online advertising. Online advertising platforms provide ways for you to understand your traffic sources, audience interaction, and conversion rates.

This information helps you identify opportunities to optimize your online advertising and improve the user experience. As a result, your business will be able to deliver more relevant content based on your target audience and their needs.

While traditional advertising channels like magazines and newspapers don’t provide digital analytic tools, you are able to use various tactics to track conversions and interaction. Be sure to give incentive for your audience when they visit your business if they use a special phrase. This type of tracking metric will help you identify what sources drove traffic, and always ask your customers where they heard about you because you need to know where they are coming from to determine if your marketing platforms are effective.

 

Putting The Pieces Together

As your business begins to develop a consistent brand and enter into digital advertising, you want to be sure that the basics of your business are established. Understand your customers so you can create relevant advertising content that your audience will find valuable. Once you know your buyers, you will be able to drive additional traffic and conversions for your services and products.

 

What is your value proposition?

Do you have the infrastructure to handle the potential business?

What’s the goal of advertising?

Beginner Photography Tools & Resources

Beginning Photographers

We all have to start somewhere, and if you are an aspiring photographer then you know that you need to improve your technical and artistic skills to advance in your career.

While all business owners need to have a variety of skills to advance their success, photographers need to balance between technical, professional, and artistic skills. To accelerate your career as a photographer, you need to know:

  • How to deal with people.
  • Run a successful business.
  • Proficient technical knowledge about your camera.
  • Editing experience and software.
  • A creative eye to deliver inspiring content for your customers.

 

Online Tools And Resources For Photographers

The field of photography has changed a lot over the past few years. From technological advances, to shifting market needs, to customer expectations, photographers are under a lot of pressure to stay ahead of the competitive curve.

Luckily, there are more online tools and resources for photographers than ever before. Many of the tools that I use to grow my professional are centered around communities and online learning. These types of tools provide direct feedback for my questions, and help me connect with other professional photographers across the world.

If you are just starting out in your photography career then you will find these tools and resources helpful to improve your skills. There are plenty of other resources available, but here are the best ones that I have found so far.

 

Digital Photography School http://digital-photography-school.com/.

This is a community where photographers of all levels come together to share tips and get help get the most out of their digital cameras. Started by Darren Rowse, Digital Photography School is a friendly and educational source of information for aspiring photographers.

If you are struggling to understand how to use your camera, or how to establish the perfect shot, then Digital Photography School could be just the resource you are looking for. I love to learn and help other photographers improve their skill by interacting with fellow community members. Don’t waste any more time searching for your questions- you can just go to Digital Photography School to improve your craft today!

 

Pixieset http://pixieset.com/

Online sales is a major revenue driver for many photographers, and Pixieset is one of the best resources to share and sell photographs. I use Pixieset for my clients, because it helps me create beautiful client galleries that are mobile friendly and highlights my photographs.

While Pixieset offers unmatched User Experience for my clients, it also makes it easy for my customers to purchase their images through a secure online store. Security is important to me, and I know that when my clients buy images from my Pixieset store they are receiving the best products in a trusted environment.

 

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/

Yep, you guessed it- I use Instagram for my personal and professional images. I love Instagram because it helps me build a strong community of other photographers across the world. I have grown my photography skills by sharing and commenting on other people’s work.

Instagram is also the go-to social media network for photographers because it makes it easy to upload and showcase your artistic style. This is a great way to show your potential customers that you have the passion and skills to meet their needs. You can use Instagram not only for building a relationship with other photographers, but also as a way to drive traffic to your website and engage with your audience.

 

Google Drive https://drive.google.com/

Backed by Google, Google Drive is a great way to backup your professional photographers. Storing high quality photos can take up a lot of space, especially if you are saving your images in RAW format. There are many Cloud storage solutions out there, but I have found that Google Drive is the best solution for my needs.

Google Drive allows unlimited photo storage if the resolution does not exceed 16MP. This means that many photographs can be stored on Google Drive for free, but if you need to go above that resolution then the prices for additional storage are cheap. The benefits of Google Drive that I love include:

  • Fast syncing
  • Automatic Uploads
  • Easy-to-use interface
  • File sharing options

 

CreativeLive https://www.creativelive.com/

Featuring workshops in photography training, CreativeLive is another online learning resource for aspiring photographers looking to enhance their skills. Each class is lead from a professional photographer and other artists who know what it takes to be successful in their respective field.

I have used CreativeLive to grow my personal and professional knowledge of photography. These lessons have had a direct impact on the quality and growth of my business. Among the various courses I have participated include:

  • Engagement sessions
  • Lighting tips
  • Model posing
  • Finding my creative style
  • Pricing structure

 

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/

As the second largest search engine on the planet, YouTube is a valuable source of information and live demonstrations about the photography industry. With a few simple searches you will be able to find answers to specific questions ranging from your camera and lighting, to how to improve your creativity.

While not looking through YouTube for photography tips, I also use the video sharing network to get insightful business ideas. I also listen to motivational pieces to ensure that I am always growing my business and providing the best quality service for my customers.

 

Photography Resources For Your Growth

I have been interested in photographer for about five years, and over the past three years I have devoted myself to learn the ins-and-outs of the photography industry to grow my business and reach new customers.

I have used the above resources and tools to improve my knowledge of photography and engage my audience. While it isn’t easy, if you apply yourself to learn everything you can about your profession then you will be able to reach your goals and grow your expertise as a professional photographer!