614: Charles Moll – Winning Out-of-Town Wedding Photography Clients with Smart SEO

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Charles Moll of www.charlesmoll.com is a full-time wedding photographer based in Bozeman, Montana, with 7 years of experience.

Before wedding photography, he honed his marketing, videography, and photography skills worldwide while working for non-profits.

Since pursuing photography full-time, the Wedding Photo Journalists Association has recognised him as one of the top 150 photographers in the world.

Around 80% of his business is weddings, with the other 20% being volume and family photography. His website and online presence are very wedding-centric.

Most of his clients come from Google, referrals, networking groups, and The Knot and Wedding Wire.

In the past 3 years, he's had to start from scratch twice after relocating.

In this interview, Charles shares how he wins out-of-town wedding photography clients with smart SEO, not big advertising.

Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:

• Seven years strong — Charles Moll has been running a full-time photography business for seven years now, earning his place among the top 150 wedding photographers worldwide. It's been a steady, intentional build, not an overnight story.
• Non-profit beginnings, business brain — Starting out in the non-profit sector gave Charles more than a good heart — it sharpened his marketing, video, and storytelling skills, which he’s carried straight into building a thriving photography business.
• Weddings by design — He didn’t fall into weddings by accident. Charles chose this path, wanting to combine meaningful storytelling with a business that could support him long-term.
• When COVID hit, he rebuilt — Like a lot of photographers, Charles took a hit when weddings disappeared. But instead of sitting back, he used the time to rework his pricing, double down on education, and come back stronger and more focused.
• From safe job to full-time leap — Leaving full-time work wasn’t a reckless jump. Charles mapped out milestones, kept a close eye on finances, and made the move carefully — managing both his mindset and money along the way.
• Rebuilding after every move — Relocating to a new city meant starting over — twice. But with strong SEO and consistent marketing, Charles kept enquiries coming and momentum steady.
• Tapping into a booming market — Based now in Bozeman, Montana, Charles is positioned perfectly in a growing luxury wedding hotspot — working across the state with clients who value quality and experience.
• Winning the Google game — Out-of-town couples don’t care who’s “known” locally — they care who shows up online. Charles made sure he’s the one they find, and it’s paying off.
• A brand that speaks for itself — The “Charles Moll” brand feels clean, professional, and premium. Couples feel that before they even enquire — it’s all been built intentionally.
• Quality over quantity — Rather than chasing 40 weddings a year, Charles works with 15–20 couples — the right fit — delivering a high-touch experience that clients remember and rave about.
• Pricing with a strategy — Raising prices was never about charging more for the sake of it. Charles restructured his offers to align with what his ideal clients actually want — and it’s working.
• Full-day coverage, full trust — Unlimited wedding day coverage removes pressure from couples and builds trust early — plus, it leads to bigger bookings naturally.
• Listings that make sense — Paid listings on platforms like The Knot and WeddingWire aren’t just throwing money away — they’re smart investments that continue to deliver genuine enquiries.
• A smooth path to booking — Quick video calls, clear next steps, no confusion. The faster and easier the process feels, the quicker couples commit.
• Leading, not selling — Charles positions himself as a guide, not a salesperson. That trust-first approach consistently leads to bookings without the hard sell.
• The small touches add up — He covers credit card fees for his couples — a simple gesture that leaves a big impression and builds loyalty.
• More than just great photos — Sure, the photos are beautiful, but it's the experience Charles creates that gets people talking — and referring.
• Albums that feel like heirlooms — Albums aren’t just products to upsell — they’re part of the experience. When couples see and feel them in real life, they want them.
• Designing albums together — Live album design calls aren’t just about getting sales — they deepen the emotional connection, leading to more pages and bigger orders naturally.
• Networking with purpose — Local networking groups aren’t just social time — they’re part of Charles’ bigger business plan, bringing in family shoots and extra work that keeps his business balanced year-round.

What’s on Offer for Premium Members

If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interviews each week, a fantastic back catalogue of interviews, and have ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Plus, special member-only interviews.

I just put myself as the lowest priced photographer on there, because at that point, I was just like, I need to book weddings. I need to shoot… I just need to put my name out there and show that I'm doing work. – Charles Moll

You'll also receive access to the members-only Secret Facebook Group, where you can connect with other Premium Members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take ideas you hear in each episode and put them into action. The group also has FB live video tutorials, role-play, and special live interviews. You will not find more friendly, motivated, caring and sharing photographers online.

Seriously, that's not all.

Going with that four full day unlimited collection has really been awesome. I thought it would have hurt me… but for whatever reason like that has allowed me to really provide just a huge amount more value to my clients, and then be willing to invest in my higher tier collections, which really surprised me. – Charles Moll

In addition to everything above, you'll get access to instructions on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, make you accountable, and build friendships with other pro photographers with motives similar to yours – to build a more successful photography business.

What is your big takeaway?

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything from what Charles shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business based on what you heard in today's episode.

My process is identical. No matter where an inquiry comes through… As soon as I get their info, I'll try to get them on the phone, with the goal of getting folks to a video call where we can walk through everything. – Charles Moll

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Charles, or a way to thank you for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

iTunes Reviews and Shout-outs

I check for any new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to receive these… for several reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

Secondly, iTunes and Google are the most significant podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

If there is something people are really excited about, I'll throw it into as a gift… just as an incentive to book more. – Charles Moll

If you have left a review in the past, thank you! If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes or https://photobizx.com/google. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help me and the show. I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL of your website and your name.

Alternatively, if you've left a review for PhotoBizX and are looking for more backlinks to help your SEO, leave a review for the new Photography Xperiment Podcast. Email me your keywords or phrases and where you'd like me to link them.

As soon as I dropped that second or that engagement session from that collection, it really opened up that package for a lot more folks… I do a four package method, so I'm really trying to book that, you know, second one from the top. – Charles Moll

Another great way to get a backlink to your site is to send a video testimonial. It doesn't need to be fancy, and your phone will be perfect. Click record and tell me how PhotoBizX has impacted you and your photography business.​