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In the world of social media, Instagram for photographers is an ideal platform to share images and connect with clients. Instagram has over 800 million active users, so sharing your images on Instagram shows who you are as a photographer and can help you book your ideal clients.

Instagram for Photographers

Shares Images to Represent Her Brand

When sharing your images, it is important your brand is accurately represented. The message you send with your images tells potential clients exactly what they will get when they book you to shoot their wedding. In Jessica’s images, it is clear she is representing her high-end photography business.

Image by Jessica Claire

One of the most important parts of Jessica’s Instagram is that she features all of her “Wow” images – the images which showcase her photography skills and attract ideal clients.

Tip: Share your images with clients once you receive them back from wedding photography editing services, like ShootDotEdit. This allows you to share consistent images and attract the ideal clients who are perfect for your business.

Posts on a Consistent Basis

Jessica’s Instagram page features beautiful images from her most recent weddings, but that is not the only thing that piques the interest of her followers. If you want to know how to get more engagement on Instagram, the key is consistency with your posts.

Jessica posts images on a consistent basis, which allows her to stay top of mind. When her followers see the stunning images she posts, they are reminded of her shooting skills and will remember her when they are ready to hire a photographer. If you are a photographer who is actively shooting, it is important for you to share your work to continue booking weddings. There are thousands of photographers doing the same thing you are – stay top of mind with your ideal clients by posting on a consistent schedule.

Related: Have you tried any of these 9 Instagram posts top wedding photographers try?

Utilizes Creative Hashtags

On Instagram, using hashtags can help you reach a larger audience than just your followers. While you can include common Instagram hashtags for wedding photographers, such as “#weddings” in your post, your image will quickly become buried with the numerous amount of photos that are uploaded using that hashtag. Instead, look for unique Instagram hashtags for photographers you can use.

In many of Jessica’s posts, she uses a hashtag her couple came up with that is unique to their wedding. Because several friends and family of the couple look through these images, your brand will be in front of more than just your followers. When users click on this creative hashtag, they will be able to easily see any additional images you uploaded to this hashtag. Here is an example of a post she wrote which includes the couple’s unique wedding hashtag, along with a glimpse at her sense of humor:

Umbrellas have been making an appearance at quite a few of my shoots this year but I didn’t expect to see one at my perfect sunny wedding last week. Good thing the groom wanted to keep his bride and himself from sweat and sunburn–he’s kinda smart! #jessicaclaire #shophetwedding

Tip: Create a unique hashtag for yourself that viewers can click on to see some of your favorite images. Jessica includes #jessicaclaire on some of the images she wants potential clients to see.

Tags Clients and Vendors

Since there is a tagging feature on Instagram, it is important for you to include clients and vendors in your images whenever possible. When you tag your clients in a post, you are encouraging them to share your post with friends and family on Instagram – which drastically increases your reach. Tagging vendors that worked with you during a wedding shows that you care about building that relationship and want to help share their talents with others. Jessica includes a hashtag and tags vendors that were a part of the wedding, allowing more people to see this image:

“Wedding #2 this weekend for the great #arikbergermerger (fab hashtag, BTW). Loved seeing you @detailsmichelle @shawnayamamoto and props to @dearmaradee for her veil ninja skills! Brides–if you want your dress and veil to look perfect all day long, you MUST hire @dearmaradee. More on that coming soon!”

This caption features the couple’s unique hashtag, and it gives credit to many of the vendors who took part in creating the wedding day. Giving vendors credit for their work strengthens your relationships with them, which helps you expand your network and continue to receive referrals.

Tip: Ensure you are not overwhelming your clients and vendors by tagging them in too many images which floods their Instagram notifications.

In addition to what is working on Jessica’s Instagram page, here are a few more quick tips for using Instagram for professional photographers:

• Post images directly after the wedding is over. Make sure the images are edited to match your brand and post the first one on Instagram within 48 hours of the wedding.

• Always link back to your website. On the homepage of your Instagram account, have a link to your website. In certain posts, encourage followers to click on the link to see more images from that wedding.

• Consider creating two profiles – one for your business and one for your personal posts.

Using social media is essential for your wedding photography business. Instagram is one of the easiest ways for you to share your top images with potential clients. To learn additional Instagram business account tips, click on the banner below to download our Instagram for the Wedding Photographer Guide!