Simple SEO For Photographers

How to help Clients find you on Google Search Engine Optimization (SEO) might sound intimidating, but it’s simply about helping people find you online. It is so important you have a website, a website is your storefront that helps provide potentials clients within information about you and about newborn photography/family photography. It provides all the answers to their questions when they are looking for a newborn photography and helps them catch a glimpse into what you do: how you work, what your style is and what you provide. All of this is so important when selling yourself and having just an Instagram profile won’t cut it if you want to position yourself as a professional photographer. While creating a website might be an upfront investment, by using simple SEO for photographers, it will pay for itself and then some. 

These simple steps for SEO for photographers will make a big difference in how your photography website performs on Google. 

SIMPLE SEO FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS: HAVE A STRONG, INFORMATIVE WEBSITE

Your website is your online storefront — it needs to be clear, fast, and easy to navigate but informative for clients. 

WHAT TO INCLUDE: 

Homepage:

Clearly state who you are, what you offer, and where you’re located.

Example: “Southampton newborn photographer specialising in natural, timeless baby portraits.” 

About Page:

Tell your story and connect personally — Google likes authentic, detailed content. 

Portfolio/Gallery:

Showcase your work, but also include brief text descriptions in the ALT TAGS as Google can’t “see” your photos.  

Contact Page:

Make it easy to get in touch. Include your email, phone number, and location (for local SEO). 

Fast Load Times:

Compress images and remove unnecessary plugins so your site runs smoothly. Using Short Pixel on your website helps to resize images. 

Pro Tip: Use Google PageSpeed Insights to test your site’s performance.

SIMPLE SEO: SET UP GOOGLE SEARCH CONSOLE & SUBMIT YOUR SITEMAP

Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool that helps you understand how your site appears in search results. 

How to set it up:
 
-Visit Google Search Console 

-Add your website domain and verify ownership 

-Submit your sitemap (Use The Yoast Plugin)

Why it matters: 

-Helps Google index your pages 

-Shows which keywords people use to find you 

-Alerts you to any website errors

SIMPLE SEO: USE HEADINGS (H1, H2, H3) CORRECTLY

Headings help both Google and visitors understand your content structure.

Think of them like an outline: 

H1: Main title of the page (use only one per page)

Example: “Newborn Photographer in London” 

H2: Subheadings that break up your text

Example: “My Approach to Newborn Photography” 

H3: Smaller sub-sections that add detail

Pro Tip: Include your main keyword naturally in your H1 and at least one H2.

SIMPLE SEO: BLOG ON TOPICS THAT HELP CLIENTS FIND YOU

Blogging keeps your site active and shows Google that you’re an expert in your field. It also provides potential clients with the opportunity to find you when they ask Google a question. This is where using SEO can really help you and you can try to answer potential client questions in your blog posts. 

Blog Post ideas (See my 50 Blog Post Titles): 

“What to Expect During a Newborn Session”
 “How to Prepare Your Baby for a Photo Session”
“When Is the Best Age to Photograph Your Newborn?”
“Top 5 Baby-Friendly Location” 

Each post should: 

-Be at least 600–3,000 words 

-Use your keyword naturally (in title, first paragraph, one H2) 

-Include image alt text describing the photo 

Pro Tip: Share your blog posts on Pinterest and social media to increase visibility.

USE THE RIGHT KEYWORDS ON YOUR MAIN PAGES

Keywords are the words people type into Google when searching for your service. 

How to find them:

-Think like your clients: “newborn photographer Southampton”
-Use free tools like Ubersuggest 

Where to use them: 

-Page titles and meta descriptions
-Headings (H1s and H2s)
-First 100 words of text
-Image alt text URLs (e.g. newborn-photography-southampton) 

Pro Tip: Use natural variations, not the same phrase repeatedly. Google values flow and readability.

GET BACKLINKS (LINKS FROM OTHER WEBSITES)

Backlinks show Google your site is trustworthy and authoritative. 

Ways to get backlinks to help your photography SEO: 

-Get listed on local business directories (Google Maps, Yelp, photography listings)
-Collaborate with other creatives, write guest blogs or share features
-Get featured on blogs, podcasts, or local publications
-Ask clients to link to your site if they share your work 

Pro Tip: One quality backlink from a respected site is worth more than dozens of spammy ones. 

COLLECT REVIEWS TO HELP YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY SEO

Reviews build trust, for clients and for Google. 

Where to collect them: 

-Google Business Profile (most important for SEO)
-Facebook
-Your own website testimonials page 

How to ask: “If you loved your session, I’d be so grateful if you could leave a quick Google review, it really helps other families find me!” 

Pro Tips:
-Reply to every review, even short ones. It shows engagement and professionalism.
-Keep your Google Business Profile updated with new images and posts.
-Add internal links between your website pages (e.g. from your blog to your contact page).
-Make sure your site looks great on mobile, most searches happen on phones.

Be patient. SEO for photographers is a slow burn, but consistent effort pays off!

SEO FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS BLOG POST OPTIMISATION CHECKLIST

1.) Think of a Focus Key Word Phrase 

2.) Have a clearly written article that is helpful, natural and does not include keywords for the sake of it. Google wants blog posts that help searchers. 

3.) Short paragraphs and bullet points for easy reading. 

4.) 600-3000 words 

5.) Add a Table of Contents 

6.) Images fully optimised for key words (Alt text and Image File Names) 

7.) Title of Post Optimised for SEO 

8.) Slug optimised for SEO 

9.) Meta Description of what the blog post is about and including keywords.

10.) Outbound links (linking to other relevant websites)

11.) Internal links linking to other pages of your website 

12.) Key phrase in your introduction 

13.) Organise post with H1, H2, and H3 headings 

14.) Focus keyword phrase mentioned throughout the blog post but make sure to use it in a natural way 

15.) Add a clear call to action (CTA) 

16.) When complete make sure to submit to Google Search Console