Event Photography (Sports) & My Social Media Plans

This conversation has some up a few times in the past and I wanted to provide some insight as to how I am approaching the sales side of my photography.

Facebook Fanpage (http://www.facebook.co​m/lmapicture): My fanpage will feature 30-40 of my more preferred shots. This is to keep my fanpage more of a quality page and allow general fans of the events I shoot to get a good idea of the shots I got.

My fanpage also features my entry into the photo a day challenge.

Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/​photos/jmweb/): My Flickr will host only my photo a day challenge. As Flickr is moreso for photographers, I am only putting up the photo a day challenge up there.

Smugmug (http://events.lensmake​apicture.com): Smugmug will be my resident dump. All photos I have taken of said events will be freatured on Smugmug. Even the ones that didn't make my fav list on Facebook. This gives people an opportunity to purchase the prints.

Etsy (http://jmweb.etsy.com): Etsy will only feature my favorite prints that I currently retail. This is to provide more exposure for those landscapes and such. Some of the photos from my photo a day challenge make it on here.

are any of these pages functional.. not one comes up.

DingAnSich wrote in post #11729445
are any of these pages functional.. not one comes up.

That's because he closed the img tag AFTER the "):" so it put that inside the URL.
If you manually take it out, it will work.

So...guess I'm missing the point of this post??

Are you asking for advice, suggestions? Offering what you've found results wise? Just listing it randomly?

keithj0nes wrote in post #11729681
That's because he closed the img tag AFTER the "):" so it put that inside the URL.
If you manually take it out, it will work.

wow, thanks for the headsup. I fixed this

This business plan seems like a lot of face time with the computer. Editing, uploading, tagging and capitioning images. When will you find time to shoot?
Also interested in the answer to Mikes question.

Answer to Mikes question: Just making a general statement for others who may find it useful

Its actually really easy and I don't do much editing to my photos....or tagging or captioning.

Upload and voila. Sometimes I'll post the link on appropriate fanpages.

To me splitting over four websites makes no sense. Get some proper webspace with your own (relevant) name and use that. Use FB as a marketing tool, but to drive potential clients to your website.

I disagree. Here's how I look at each one of the social networking sites I mentioned.


Facebook: Everyones on Facebook, so give people an opportunity to "Like" your page so you can connect with regular joes or janes. Trying to keep facebook showing just the better pics and as you said, use it for marketing.

Flickr: Mainly photographers from what I gather. So its moreso a networking site where you can see what others are doing. That being said, Facebook now hosts more images then flickr but obviously of different quality.

Smugmug: My dump site. Looking for the ideal picture or a print from a shot I took? Go here, you'll find lots.

Etsy: Looking for one of my better shots but want it in a frame? Buy er here....same goes for wholesalers. Looking for some ideas? Heres what we can do business wise.....

News Flash

Parents aren't interested in your Facebook etc
They find it hard to take the time to go to the main gallary to purchase.
Kids don't matter, they don't have the credit card.
If you don't take our advice, you'll learn soon enough

To each their own. Some people don't believe Facebook can help market your business, others do.

I am one that does directly benefit from having a Facebook fanpage (Infact, I have 2).

Facebook pages are like blogs, everyone has one to have one. It may help and it may not, depends how you use it and if your page is actually of interest to the viewers. Having a reminder come across parents or kids computer screens every day is not a bad thing, just as long as you're not an over poster and don't use it for stupid crap.

If you're posting every 30 minutes you'll get sent to the sin bin so your feed no longer clutters up their page; if you post stupid crap the de-friending is coming. I know one girl who has ruined all her chances at EVER becoming a serious photographer in the field with ANY company because of the stupid crap she posts on FB. There's a guy as well who is in the same boat, was getting his foot in the door but he's just gotta go because of stupidity on there which is making companies avoid him.

I've gotten some sales through facebook, we (4 photographers in the area) put one together and when we have a new game online post a link. Know at least a few orders came from that page since I did not promote the games using my new ordering system, the orders however came from the new one which was only posted on FB. Also know I've made a few hundred tagging images and either them or the parents buying. However, most of that was from my personal page and not the "fan" page. So, wouldn't drop down and say it's the greatest tool ever, but it can help.

No matter how you look at it, a blog - twitter - facebook - anything like that should just be a compliment to your own site and get people visiting, that's the purpose.

jmweb wrote in post #11735187
Answer to Mikes question: Just making a general statement for others who may find it useful

Its actually really easy and I don't do much editing to my photos....or tagging or captioning.

Upload and voila. Sometimes I'll post the link on appropriate fan pages.

I'm going to chime in on this even though I feel from your responses in your previous posts that you appear to have a one track mind in that you've come up with some miraculous method of selling photos and that you felt you should share it with the world and that we should all fall in line and follow. Yet when presented with alternate opinions you seem to be offended.

BTW you scene stuff is pretty good.
Notice I say seem because it's all based on interpreting your written word
But here goes.
You Fan page profile pic is 2 lens. Are you selling camera gear or action shots. If your Fan page is meant for marketing your services then it's clearly not the right photo.
Secondly you do not edit your photos on your primary marketing tool. I looked at your photos on your Fan page and most of them need editing. I for example never post a photo on my Fan page unless it's fully edited as my Fan page is my primary marketing tool.
I would suggest you re-read the replies and take a look at sites, and experiencing of those responding. I don't know how long you've been at this but I'm going to say not long based on your total post count of 88 as of right now but you can learn from those respond as they speak from experience.

If I'm wrong in my interpretation of your response my apologies but if I'm not don't post if you want everyone to agree with you as you will already have the answer you're looking for.

Additional notes.
Your scenery work is good.

One of things I think you forgot to portray is that you actually have 2 different markets as you shoot event and scenery. The 2 need to market differently. So may be go back to your OP and and separate your intentions by the different category of shooting you do.

Just my thought.

chrisvl wrote in post #11748874
If I'm wrong in my interpretation of your response my apologies but if I'm not don't post if you want everyone to agree with you as you will already have the answer you're looking for.

Accepted.

I do agree that I need a better representation of my Event vs Landscapes and have intentions on clarifying this with one of the domains. I intend on presenting an option as to which pictures they want. Events or prints (landscapes).

P.S. This site isn't the end all of photography, so I find your comment on my 88 posts a bit....off. Or is posting on this site required in order to shoot Canon? No offense intended, just pointing out the obvious.