Today's guest is an absolute beauty! I have Zach Prez from Photography Spark who has over ten years of internet marketing experience and has helped thousands of wedding and portrait photographers in the last 5 years. His first point of call with any client is their website, because that's exactly where your prospective clients go first. Does your photography website work or does it suck? Zach can tell in seconds!

He started Photography Spark to give business information to photographers so they can gain more clients, which sounds like the perfect match for PhotoBizX listeners and members. In the episode, Zach covers websites from front to back and how to get the most out of yours to generate bookings. Interestingly, he suggests a photo of YOU on every page! I'm guessing you're as shocked as me at that statement but he makes a great case for why. In brief… it works.

Zach shares strategies for both the upcoming and more established photographers in this interview on how to improve, build, rebrand and rank a website for your business as fast as possible without sugar coating the fact that newer photographers will have to work both smart and hard but it can be done.

Here's some more of what we cover:

  • What are most photographers doing wrong on their websites and are you making the same mistakes
  • Why you need to have a head shot of yourself on EVERY page of your website
  • The importance of using the same photo across all your social media platforms and wherever you have a web presence
  • Why the worst thing you can do for your website and blog is copy who you think is already successful
  • Keywords are not so important to Google anymore, there are more important things you need to be focusing on
  • How to rank FAST if you have a new website, page or are new to the business of photography
  • Understanding search and how you can exploit what Google is looking for
  • Back links, where you should be looking to build them and why they are so important
  • Should you be investing time into your blog content or other major blogs looking for back-links
  • What is the perfect number of words to rank well in Google
  • Captions and Alt Text for your images, should you be exploiting these fields for all your blog images
  • How to use the Alt Text field properly and to full effect
  • Creating Super Posts are the best way to rank for any given topic or search term, learn what you need to create one
  • Email auto-responders and why they are the perfect solution to getting more photography business from your website
  • The difference between a newsletter and an auto-responder and which is both better and easier for you
  • Pinterest is fast becoming as big a referrer as Facebook to photography websites and blogs

If you love what Zach had to share in this episode, make use of the promo code PHOTOBIZX for $20 off any of Zachs guides and Ebooks until the end of October. I'ver personally had a look at his SEO Cookbook for Photographers and it's easy to follow instructions make it a dead set winner for any photographer looking to improve their website rankings.

There's no denying that I take a big interest in SEO, how it works and how it really can affect my photography business. I've spent a lot of time reading about SEO, listening to podcasts on SEO and implementing what I've learnt – so it was a real surprise to find some new things to me in Zach's book that were not only easy to implement but beautifully explained in simple steps. This book is a great investment for anyone looking to improve their search ranking in Google.

SEO Cookbook for photographers

Use the offer code to save $20 on one of the best how to SEO books for photographers I've seen.

What's on Offer for Premium Members

If you're a premium member, you should have received an email with links to your version of this episode where you can hear lots more implementable content from where we dive deeper into some of the earlier topics plus some new ones that I pushed hard for that include:

  • How to create a personal email that is “set and forget” for you
  • How to get your phone ringing with your email marketing
  • Why it's probably a bad idea to be sending photos with your emails or newsletters
  • What is the best content to include in your emails or newsletters
  • Ideas for photography Facebook posts that will generate interest and interaction
  • How you can personalise your emails to your different target niche, be it boudoir, wedding or portrait
  • Some great ideas for “giveaway” information for wedding and portrait clients in exchange for your site visitors email address
  • How to handle your unsubscribe emails and what affect do they have on your business
  • Why the best thing you can do is turn part of your market away
  • What should you do if you have multiple shooters or staff in your photography business in regard to head shots on your website
  • Rebranding and keeping your Google rankings
  • Why changing your domain name should be your last resort
  • How to handle a name change to see minimal effect in your sites searchability
Zach Prez ranking high in Google

I searched for “photography marketing” to see if Zach is good at what he teaches – 3rd on page one of the organic listings for what has to be a super competitive keyword. Fantastic!

What is your big takeaway?

Following this interview, I'd love to know what your biggest takeaway is – what is the one thing that you'd like to implement or learnt from what was shared? Let me know by leaving your thoughts in the comments below.

If you have any questions that I missed, a specific question you'd like to ask or if you just want to say thanks for coming on the show, feel free to add them below.

If you'd like an easy way to show Zach your thanks, and support for the show at the same time, click the link to create a tweet and automatically let him know you're listening: https://photobizx.com/tweet

Price Rise for NEW Premium Memberships

The price for Premium Membership will be doubling next month… that's right DOUBLING to a massive $20 per month 🙂
The good news is that for existing members, they will continue to stay at the existing rate of $10 per month – that will not change.

So… if you've been thinking about a Membership, now is the time to check it out. Get in at the existing and soon to be old rate of $10 per month.

Why the change? Primarily, the content is worth it. I've received email after email form members that have seen just incredible results after implementing what they've been hearing in the interviews.

Secondly, the “back catalogue” has grown to be a terrific resource that new members instantly get full access to the minute they start their membership.

Hi Andrew, Thanks very much. I have recently engaged a content creator to develop some short articles around my work for my blog. These posts will be syndicated on all my social media outlets as well as my email list. The first two are live on the blog now.

Next I plan on setting up an auto responder as per your first tip, then I would like to engage one of the SEO experts you have had on the show (not sure who would be best ?) and following this I will create 10 short YouTube vid's around client FAQ's.

I have also lined up a venue and a wedding vendor for an interview  which will eventually make its way onto the blog as well.

I have also ordered some 6×4 albums from designer folders – waiting for them to arrive. Looking forward to trying the same day mini album at my next wedding.

I am still in the process of listening to all your old episodes – I have a lot to get through and making a ton of notes during each – loving all of it.

I am only part time so I am very time poor at the moment.  Thanks again for providing such an amazing resource – this stuff is phenomenal !!!!

Brett Ginsberg of Creatography

To think in January I was charging $1600 for 5 hours with no album and now I have just made my first $6250 sale in less than 6 months, amazing.

This is all due to your show it's given me the confidence to charge what I'm really worth and not undervalue what we do as PROFESSIONAL photographers.

Thanks a million, Europe here we come hahaha

Andrew Szopory of Andrew Szopory Photography

Zach Prez Blog for photographers

Make sure you check out Zach's blog for great information for photographers on marketing, business, accounting, sales and more.

The Resources Page

Remember the ever expanding resources page that has a listing of products, programs, hardware, books and directories mentioned in each episode of the show. If you’re looking for something that a guest has mentioned on a previous episode but just can’t remember who or what it was – you’ll find it listed in order on the resources page.

iTunes ratings, reviews and Shout-Outs

Each week before recording the podcast I check iTunes for any reviews and each week I'm excited to see what you've had to say about the podcast. This week I was blown away to see five fantastic reviews! Thanks you so much to:

Amy from amyBcreative photography in the USA

Lisa Huelin of Lisa Huelin Photography in Australia

Sincerely, thanks so much for your ratings and reviews, I appreciate the time you've taken and it's a big help for the show. It's these iTunes reviews that make a big difference to the podcast being ranked well and found in the iTunes store. If you have the time and are happy to leave an honest rating and review, head over to iTunes.

Photo Biz Xposed iTunes Reviews

Don't feel your comments have to be long, involved or gushy, an honest opinion is all I ask. Don't be shy about leaving your business name in the review either – that way I can add a link in the show-notes and show my appreciation with a proper thanks and a Google loving back-link to your website.

Get in Touch or Leave a Voicemail Message

If you'd like to get in touch, ask a question or make a suggestion for the show, you can email me andrew@photobizx.com, find me on Twitter https://twitter.com/andrewhellmich or on Facebook at https://photobizx.com/facebook – I'd love to hear from you!

Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:

Zach Prez's Photography Spark Website

Photography Spark on Facebook

Photography Spark on Pinterest

Photography Spark on Twitter

Zach Prez on Google+

Search Engine Cook Book

Business Planning Cookbook

Google Webmaster Tools

Mailchimp

Pinterest

Gimme That It – if you're looking for a rebrand for your website and want to work with Nikki from Epic Danger who was interviewed in episode 54 of the podcast

Promo Code: PHOTOBIZX for $20 off any of Zachs guides and Ebooks until the end of October

Wamberal Beach Wave

Here's the first photo my son Jordan has had printed for a client on a large canvas – he was rapt and I proud.

That's it for me this week, hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

If you've been enjoying the podcast, I'd love for you to tell another photographer about it – it could be in a Facebook Group you're a part of, a photography forum, with a photographer friend or on twitter.

If you do have a twitter account, simply click here: https://photobizx.com/tweet or use the share buttons below.

Thanks and speak soon Andrew