SEO For Newborn Photographers: Google Search Console Guide

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As a newborn photographer, getting your work seen by potential clients is crucial for growing your business. Most of this visibility comes through online search results in the current digital era, making search engine optimization (SEO) a crucial component of your marketing plan.

Google Search Console, a powerful, free tool from Google, can provide invaluable insights for your SEO efforts. This guide will walk you through the key aspects of Google Search Console that every newborn photographer should know and use to their advantage.

What is Google Search Console?

SEO for Newborn Photographers

The Google Search Console, or GSC in short, is a free tool that allows you to keep track of, maintain, and troubleshoot the performance of your website in Google Search results and other search engines that may use Google’s data.

Think of it as your website’s health check tool.

It doesn’t just provide insights; it also alerts you when Google encounters issues with your site and guides you on resolving them. Plus, it’s incredibly user-friendly, even if you’re not a tech whiz!

How Google Search Console Can Improve Your Website’s Performance

Google Search Console’s magic lies in its ability to:

  • Verify that Google can discover and navigate your website. GSC plays a crucial role in confirming that Google’s web spiders can access your content, a vital factor for your visibility in search results.
  • Rectify indexing issues. GSC is a useful tool in identifying and addressing any of your website’s pages that aren’t correctly indexed.
  • Analyse Google Search traffic information for your site. It enables you to learn which queries are leading traffic to your site and assess your site’s comprehensive visibility and standing in the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages).
  • Send alerts when Google identifies problems on your site. GSC will promptly inform you if any issues arise, such as spam or indexing complications.
  • Indicate which websites are linking to yours. Monitoring backlinks is a crucial component of SEO, and GSC facilitates this process effectively.

The Interface and Main Features of Google Search Console

How to use Google Search Console to improve SEO for Newborn Photographers

Google Search Console and SEO for Newborn Photographers

The GSC dashboard is like a command center for your website. Here are some key features:

  • Overview: As soon as you log in, you’ll see your website’s performance, including total clicks, impressions, and the average click-through rate (CTR) and position. You can link Google Analytics for additional, in-depth user behavior analysis.
  • Performance: This tab provides more detailed information about your site’s performance, such as specific search queries that lead users to your site.
  • URL Inspection: Here, you can check individual URLs to see if they’re indexed and if there are any problems.
  • Coverage: This section shows you which pages are successfully indexed, which aren’t, and why.
  • Sitemaps: This is where you submit your site’s sitemap to help Google find and index your content.
  • Mobile Usability: With more people using their mobile devices to browse the web, this section is crucial as it will identify issues that might affect a mobile user’s experience on your site.
  • Links: This section provides information about where your site’s traffic is coming from, including external and internal links.

Remember, Google Search Console is like your silent partner in SEO, giving you vital feedback about your website and how it’s interacting with Google’s search engine. It’s an essential tool for any newborn photographer aiming to improve their online visibility.

Google Search Console Reports and Features

Performance Report

This report is a goldmine for newborn photographers wanting to understand how their website performs on Google. It shows the number of clicks your website gets from search results, the number of times it appeared in search results (impressions), the click-through rate, and the average position of your site in search results. Use this data to make informed decisions about your SEO strategy.

URL Inspection Tool and SEO for Newborn Photographers

As a newborn photographer, your portfolio is crucial. The URL inspection tool allows you to check the indexing status of each page on your website, including your portfolio pages and any other web pages. Use this tool to troubleshoot any issues that could prevent your web pages from appearing in Google’s search results.

Page Indexing Report

This report shows which of your website pages Google has indexed. An indexed page is one that Google has found and can include in search results. Use this report to ensure all your critical pages – such as your homepage, portfolio, and contact page – are indexed.

Sitemaps Report

Your website’s sitemap is a roadmap for Google’s bots to find and index all the pages on your site. This report displays your sitemap submission history and alerts you of any issues. Ensure your sitemap is updated and error-free, so Google can easily find all your content.

Page Experience Report

User experience is vital for any website, and a critical factor when improving SEO for Newborn Photographers. This report provides information about how your website performs regarding loading speed, mobile usability, and secure connections. A good page experience can keep potential clients on your site longer, increasing their chances of booking a session.

Enhancements Report

This report shows information about any structured data Google detects on your website. Structured data can enhance your search results, potentially improving the visibility of your photography site and increasing click-through rates.

Manual Actions Report

Manual actions are Google’s penalties for websites that violate their guidelines. As a photographer, your online reputation is crucial. Check this report and take immediate action if any issues are detected.

Links Report

This report helps you understand your site’s backlink profile. Backlinks are important as they are a ranking factor for Google. Knowing who links to you and which pages get the most links can help you strategize your SEO efforts.

Shopping Report

This report is for you if you sell photography-related products or services on your website. It shows data about any issues with your product-related structured data, which can affect how your products appear in Google’s search results.

AMP Report

AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) is a technology that makes web pages load faster on mobile devices. If you use AMP, this report will show any issues preventing Google from indexing your AMP pages. Fast-loading pages are crucial for a good user experience, so fix any issues this report brings up.

Specific Uses for Newborn Photographers

Google Search Console is an indispensable tool for newborn photographers who want to optimise their websites for Google’s search engine. It offers many features and reports that can guide your SEO for newborn photographers and content strategies. Here are five specific ways newborn photographers can leverage Google Search Console:

1. Understanding Search Queries Related to Newborn Photography

One of the top benefits of Google Search Console is its ability to show you the SEO keywords people use to find your site. As a newborn photographer, you can understand the specific phrases potential clients use.

Are they searching for “newborn photographer in [your city]” or “best newborn photoshoot ideas”? Knowing this helps you tailor your website’s content and SEO strategy to match these queries, thus attracting more relevant traffic.

2. Identifying High-Performing and Low-Performing Content

Google Search Console’s Performance Report doesn’t just show your website’s overall performance and how individual pages are doing. This information is golden for you as a photographer.

For example, are your blog posts about behind-the-scenes details getting more clicks than your portfolio pages?

Or is a specific blog post about newborn safety measures during photoshoots performing poorly?

By identifying these high and low performers, you can adapt your content strategy, focusing on what works, improving what doesn’t, and incorporating relevant keywords.

3. Identifying Technical SEO Issues That May Be Affecting Image Search Results

As a photographer, image search results are crucial for you. Google Search Console can alert you to any technical SEO issues hindering your images’ visibility in search results, such as missing alt text or slow loading times.

By resolving these issues, you can ensure that your beautiful newborn photos are found and appreciated by potential clients.

4. Monitoring Backlinks to Your Newborn Photography Website

Backlinks, or links from other websites to yours, are an important factor in SEO. They drive traffic and signal to Google that your site provides valuable information.

Google Search Console’s ‘Links’ report shows you which sites link to you, the specific pages they’re linking to, and the text they use. This information can help you understand which of your pages are seen as valuable resources, informing your future content strategy.

Conclusion

Google Search Console is a powerful tool that significantly impacting your SEO efforts as a newborn photographer. By understanding and utilising the wealth of data and insights GSC provides, you can improve your site’s visibility and Google ranking in Google’s search results, attract more relevant traffic, and ultimately grow your business.

Remember, SEO is not a one-time activity but an ongoing process of optimisation and refinement. So, start using Google Search Console today and let the data guide your SEO and content strategies for better online success.

Search Console and SEO for Newborn Photographers: FAQs

How can Google Search Console help improve my SEO as a newborn photographer?

Google Search Console provides valuable insights into your website’s performance in search results. It shows you the queries people use to find your site, how individual pages perform, and any technical SEO issues affecting your visibility. You can use this data to optimise your content and SEO strategies, helping you attract more potential clients.

How does Google Search Console help with image search results?

Google Search Console can alert you to any technical SEO issues that might affect your images’ visibility in search results, such as missing alt text or slow loading times. By resolving these issues, you can ensure potential clients more easily find your beautiful newborn photos.

What is the benefit of monitoring backlinks on Google Search Console for my newborn photography website?

Backlinks, or links from other websites to yours, are an important factor in SEO for Newborn Photographers.

They drive traffic to your site and signal to Google that your site provides valuable information. Google Search Console’s ‘Links’ report shows you which sites link to you, the specific pages they’re linking to, and the text they use. This can inform your future content strategy and help you understand which of your pages are seen as valuable resources.

I am a newborn photographer, and my website is new. How can Google Search Console help me?

As a new website, Google Search Console can help you ensure that your site is accessible for Google to crawl and index, which is crucial for appearing in search results. It can also provide valuable insights into how users find your site and which of your pages are performing best, helping you focus your SEO efforts more effectively. It can also alert you to any issues with your site that might affect its performance in search results.

Hi, I am Giulia (weird, uh? It sounds like Julia – but it’s written with a “Gi”) and I am the founder of Grow Your Photography Studio.

I am known for my no-BS, hands-on approach to helping newborn photographers get more clients and grow a business they actually enjoy running. I believe marketing should not be a “necessary evil” and that taking action is the first and most fundamental step toward success.

Feeling on the brink of burnout? Read our guide “Photographers on the brink of burnout“

Thinking about our Marketing Mentoring programme? Read this first

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Facebook Ads for Photographers – 5 most common mistakes

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Facebook Ads have always been a big part of our coaching The Marketing Mastermind for Newborn Photographers, but there is no doubt that they are becoming increasingly popular among Newborn Photographers.

While there are great courses available to get started with Facebook Ads, learning to use them effectively to get bookings for Newborn and Cake Smash sessions takes experience, patience and knowledge of the mechanics of advertising.

To help you get started, or improve your ads, here are the 5 most common mistakes I see photographers doing with Facebook Ads.

1 – Wrong Targeting (including Lookalike audiences)

Facebook knows more about your clients than you do, trust me.

With relatively new accounts, trying to force Facebook to only target those you believe are your “ideal clients” can do more harm than good – as it restricts the domain “the algorithm” is operating on.

Especially with Custom and Lookalike audiences, if your numbers are low (small following, not posting regularly, not done much advertising in the past) you risk seeing high advertising costs and not very good results.

2 – Ads Don’t Sell

Think about it this way: even when your ads are set to bring direct sales (for example an ad that links to a booking page) they are not the only element of your “funnel”.

At the very least, you have:

  • The product you are selling (is there enough demand? Have you sold it before)
  • Its pricing (not everything can be sold with an immediate profit via ads)
  • The product page, landing page or your own process for dealing with leads
  • The ad itself, with its campaign objective, targeting, copy, images

Each element contributes to your “conversion rate”, and I have seen so many times photographers saying their “ads don’t work” when the problem was somewhere else in the process.

3 – Wrong copy

An ad is not a post.

I see so often ads that look and sound like a post, written thinking that the person on the other side:

  • Knows exactly what you are talking about and how your session works
  • Knows you
  • Will stop everything they are doing and sit down to read your ad in detail

Copy that works should answer at least 3 questions:

Who should be reading?

What is in it for them (yes, because nobody wakes up in the morning thinking “uh, I can’t wait to read another ad so I can spend more money!)?

How can they get it (a call to action)

4 – Not tracking the difference between your Instagram and Facebook ads

There is a massive difference in advertising results between Facebook and Instagram, so when advertising on both platforms you should monitor very closely how your budget is being spent, and the results you are getting from each.

5 – Trying to convert leads from ads like you convert your website enquiries

This is also something I see quite often, not adapting the enquiry workflow to take into account where your leads are coming from.

You see, the biggest advantage of social media advertising is that you can reach potential clients before they start researching on their own – and before your competitors reach them. So by default, some of the leads you get will be colder (some also will find out that actually what you offer is not for them) and less informed about how newborn sessions, cake smashes or any other photoshoot works.

They will also spend a little time researching other options (spoiler alert: your other clients do exactly the same, you just don’t see it!) so they will need more nurturing.

As I always say to my clients, if you are not prepared to deal with this…. ads are not for you!

3 tips in this sense:

  • Don’t do Messenger ads and then immediately ask people for their email address when they contact you. The advantage of Messenger is the immediacy of the interaction, remove that and you might as well use a different campaign objective
  • Send out a standard reply to enquiry email, which is the same one you use for your website enquiries and it is not tweaked for the ad campaign you are running
  • Follow up on your leads (if you don’t, someone else will)

Last, but not least…

Possibly the most important thing to remember is that advertising and marketing, exactly like photography are a craft – that requires knowledge, experience and training.

While I always encourage photographers to try Facebook Ads, only do so if you are willing to spend time and money to learn how to make them work for you.

If you expect things to work overnight… chances are you will be disappointed and end up feeling frustrated.

Hi, I am Giulia (weird, uh? It sounds like Julia – but it’s written with a “Gi”) and I am the founder of Grow Your Photography Studio.

I am known for my no-BS, hands-on approach to helping newborn photographers get more clients and grow a business they actually enjoy running. I believe marketing should not be a “necessary evil” and that taking action is the first and most fundamental step toward success.

Feeling on the brink of burnout? Read our guide “Photographers on the brink of burnout“

Thinking about our Marketing Mentoring programme? Read this first

Most of the times, all you need to do for your ads to work is to let

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Facebook Pages: 3 steps to prevent being hacked + What to do if hackers strike

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Let’s be honest: hating Facebook is pretty easy, these days.

Like it or hate it, social media is an essential part of our marketing and business… and losing an account (or even worse, a Business Page) is definitely not an experience you want to go through. Trust me.

So while hacking attempt (and successes) are multiplying, I thought I would record 3 quick video to show you 3 essential steps to integrate in your security routine.

(And if you don’t have one… the best time to start is right now.)

After this 3-step prevention guide, you will also find a 3 step emergency process to follow if your profile is under attack, and an FAQs section.

Ready? Let’s go!

Your Personal Security

Watch the 5 minutes video here https://bit.ly/personal-security-fb or below

Access the Security & Login Settings page in Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=security

Time required: 3-5 minutes the first time, approx. 1 minute a month for maintenance

Restrict Specific Countries from seeing your Business Page

Watch the 2 minutes video here https://bit.ly/restrict-countries-fb or below

Access these settings from: Business Suite > All Tools [left column] > Page Settings

Time required: 3-5 minutes

Use Facebook Business Manager

Watch the 2 minutes intro video here https://bit.ly/fb-bmanager or below

Access Facebook Business Manager: https://business.facebook.com/settings/?nav_source=flyout_menu&nav_id=1053560220

Time required: Setting up Facebook Business Manager can be a daunting process for new users. Facebook offers guides and support here https://business.facebook.com/overview

I have been hacked! What do I do?

Here is a step by step process you can follow. Please note: this is not guaranteed to work, and your ability to act fast is essential.

IMPORTANT: In order to help as many people as possible, this guide refers to users who are not in Facebook Business Manager – but remember: operating from within Business Manager will give you the best chances of stopping the attack and recovering your page. Not working via Business Manager also means that you cannot monitor your Facebook Ad Accounts once your profile has been hacked.

  1. Ask your second admin to remove you immediately from your own page
  • From your News Feed, click Pages in the left menu.
  • Go to your Page and click Page Settings in the bottom left.
  • Click Page Roles in the left column.
  • Click Edit next to the person you want to remove, and then click Remove.
  • Click Confirm. You may need to enter your password.

Watch how to:

2. Block your credit card and remove Facebook from your Paypal’s billing agreements https://www.paypal.com/uk/smarthelp/article/how-do-i-cancel-a-billing-agreement-faq2254

Remember that ad accounts are automatically created for you when you open your page/profile, and if you have ever boosted a post you will have a payment method associated to your account.

3. While you do this, ask your second admin to open a support ticket by clicking on the “?” icon on the bottom left corner of your Business Suite

Make sure you note down the Case ID that’s given to you.

FAQs

Q: How often should I change my password?

A: Minimum once a month, and remember to use a unique password (not used in other accounts)

Q: Should I create a second personal Facebook account and add myself as an admin to my page?

A: No. This violates FB policies (read here https://www.facebook.com/help/975828035803295) and, if flagged, will cause your assets to be suspended (this includes your ad accounts and Facebook Page)

Q: Who should I add as a secondary admin to my page?

A: Treat your social media and Google accounts as if they were a debit card or bank account.

Q: Is it safe to use options like “Login with Facebook” on “Login with Google” on websites and apps?

A: No. Well, it should but with each authorised login the likelihood of your username and password being discovered and used increases. In addition to this, when you use the “Login with [x]” option, you are asked to authorise the website/platform/app you are trying to use to access your Facebook/Google profile. That authorisation can be revoked, but it is a manual process that requires a few steps… so better avoid!

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STRUGGLING WITH CHRISTMAS MINIS? GET OUR MARKETING CHECKLIST

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Christmas Minis are quick and easy sessions that should sell themselves, right?

Not necessarily, especially this year.

With so many newborn photographers now doing Christmas minis using a very similar pricing/formula, competition is stronger than ever.

In addition to this, almost nothing these days can be sold without a solid marketing plan and without investing enough time and resources, especially if you are not already well established and can count on a solid client base.

I THOUGHT THESE WOULD SELL OUT, BUT… THEY DIDN’T!

Ok, first of all… you are not alone.

Also, there is still time.

So if you have not sold out your Christmas mini sessions do not despair, but keep in mind these 3 simple “rules”:

1 – Think out of the box

Christmas Minis (like most minis) are a real challenge when it comes to marketing to a new, colder, audience. Since your profit is lower than full sessions, you need to find strategies that will help you reach as many people as possible… for very little money, or for free.

For this reason, in our checklist, we will include some unusual advertising and marketing strategies that we would not necessarily use to get bookings for your newborn sessions

2 – Don’t alienate your audience

Christmas mini sessions

We get it, you really want this to work.

However, in a couple of months this will be over, and you’ll be back to bumps, babies and newborns… so please try not to overwhelm your audience with Christmas images and posts – especially since it’s still September!

Remember that posting content your audience doesn’t like will affect your reach because Facebook and Instagram simply will not show your content to users who have not engaged with you in a while.

So if you see low (or lower than usual) engagement on your Christmas posts, do yourself a favour and limit the number of themed posts. Instead, plan on using some ads (again, read our checklist for low-budget ideas)

3 – Think about your business as a whole

Especially if you have little time to spend on promoting your studio, make sure you are not only focusing on your Christmas Minis!

If you are far from your goal (sessions you want to sell), or have not even started selling them, please consider whether you can even afford to keep going. Is it worth investing more time and resources in promoting mini sessions?

In our blog post about biases we have discussed The Sunk Cost Fallacy, our tendency to honour already spent resources: we are more likely to continue with a project if we have already invested a lot of money, time, or effort in it, even when continuing is not the best thing to do.

YOUR CHRISTMAS MINIS MARKETING CHECKLIST

So here we go, our list is below and also available as a free download here (printable).

❑ Email your database of clients (need a mailing platform for this? Check out our list of Essential Marketing Tools for Newborn Photographers). If your list of clients includes less than 150 people, you’ll want to plan for some extra promo (for example ads).

❑ Make a list of your best 10-15 clients (with children in the right age range for your minis) and mail them a personal invitation (yes, by post!) or call them. Why? Because it’s personal.

❑ Consider creating a lead magnet to help you gather some new, qualified, leads. A lead magnet is a piece of content that you make available on your website for free and that people can download by giving you their email address.

Of course, you want your lead magnet to be Christmas themed and targeted at your audience.

Ideas are: a PDF template for a letter to Santa, a template for Christmas cards or other themed templates, etc.

The process you want to follow is simple: create a blog post to describe your lead magnet and include a mini form (only requiring name and email address). Ask visitors to fill out the form if they want to receive your file and, when you receive their contact information… well, email them the content with a little reminder of your Christmas Minis (and a few images!). All tools needed for this process are included in our Essential Marketing Tools for Newborn Photographers.

Your lead magnet could be promoted using a Traffic ad, for as little as £2 a day – or could even just be promoted with a boost on your Facebook page.

❑ Create a Facebook event with the goal of using it for Facebook Ads. Ads for events are not the best ads for conversions but you will be able to run them for as little as £1 a day.

Remember: you can’t message directly people who mark themselves as “Going” to your event, but they will read your updates on the event page.

❑ Create an Engagement Facebook ad for one of your organic Facebook posts. As mentioned above, we choose these ads over Conversions (which are the best ads for bookings and sales) to contain costs – since your margin on minis is much smaller than for newborn sessions.

Check out this video to see where to find Engagement/Event ads.

❑ If you don’t have at least 2k followers on each of your Facebook and Instagram profiles, and your database of clients is fairly small (less than 100 contacts) consider partnering with another local business with a stronger online presence.

❑ Create a promo video that you can use on social media – Animoto offers a few great templates in this sense, but you can use almost any tool.

Don’t forget to check these tips for creating promo videos for your studio (source: Facebook).

❑ If you have not done a model call, consider doing one and boosting the post to your local audience – don’t forget to use engagement as a goal for your boost. Also, don’t forget to record some behind the scenes footage (and take a few shots) that you can use for Instagram reels and social media in general

Hi, I am Giulia (weird, uh? It sounds like Julia – but it’s written with a “Gi”) and I am the founder of Grow Your Photography Studio.

I am known for my no-BS, hands-on approach to helping newborn photographers get more clients and grow a business they actually enjoy running. I believe marketing should not be a “necessary evil” and that taking action is the first and most fundamental step toward success.

Need more hands-on help? Book a marketing call with us

Thinking about our Marketing Mentoring programme? Read this first

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ESSENTIAL MARKETING TOOLS FOR NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHERS

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Scheduling posts, sending questionnaires, email newsletters… getting your marketing in place can feel quite overwhelming.

However, as for all crafts, using the right tools can turn an apparently daunting job into a smooth and fast process.

So here it is: our list of essential marketing tools every newborn photographer needs.

Our list includes a few notes and a few free alternatives that are great when you are just starting out (and not only)!

A note about essential marketing tools for newborn photographers

The list is available as a free download here – no email address (or other data) required!

Feeling on the brink of burnout? Read our guide “Photographers on the brink of burnout“

Thinking about our Marketing Mentoring programme? Read this first

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5-step guide to successfully advertise your Newborn Sessions online

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Online advertising can be quite complicated… and launching campaigns without knowing the rules can be quite costly! Not to mention that you might not getting the results you were expecting.

To help you get started, we have created a simple 5-step guide. FAR from being a comprehensive guide to advertising for Newborn Photographers, this should help you avoid some of the most common mistakes… such as launching ONE CAMPAIGN with ONE AD and running it without tracking results.

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