Setting up a Blog for Your Photography Business: The Basics

Last updated on Feb 25, 2021 by Brenda Barron

The more you learn about the world of photography, the more you may want to share your ideas and opinions with the world.

While there are plenty of opportunities to share a snap or two on a social media channel like Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, there’s nothing quite like a blog for getting your voice heard. Setting up a photography blog gives you a chance to highlight your expertise in your industry, and even identify yourself as a thought leader.

So, how exactly do you set up a new blog?

Here, we’re going to walk you through the basics, including:

• Choosing your domain name and hosting
• Deciding on your blogging platform
• Picking a gallery plugin
• Selecting your theme
• Sharing valuable content

1. Choose Your Domain Name and Hosting

To have an effective blog, you first need an excellent name. If you already have a pre-established photography business, then you’re likely to stick to the same name you chose for your company. Try and find something that’s available with a .com domain if possible. The .com prefix has the highest level of respect in the digital world.

Once you’ve picked your name, you’ll need to buy it, and hosting support from a web hosting company. A lot of people believe that the hardest part of setting up a blog is choosing hosting. However, there are many excellent providers out there that offer everything from extensive customer support, to professional email addresses to help you build your business.

Hosting is just like grabbing your own private portion of the internet where your website can live. If your page starts to get millions of hits, you might need a higher level of hosting. However, to begin with, stick to the basic packages.

2. Pick a Blogging Platform

Once you have your domain name and your hosting provider, it’s time to pick the perfect platform for your blogs. There are plenty of platforms out there, including Wix, Shopify (if you’re selling products), Squarespace, and Blogger. However, by far the most popular option is WordPress. It’s easy to use, excellent for customization, and it makes setting up a blog a breeze.

With WordPress, you can also extend and upgrade the features of your blog with a feature called “plugins”. These give you extra functionality, such as the option to include your very own photo galleries.

3. Install A WordPress Gallery Plugin

When you run a photography blog, people will visit your website to hear all about the tips and tricks you use to create amazing images. However, you’ll also need to prove to your customers that you know what you’re talking about with some excellent galleries too. The good news is that with Envira, you can upgrade your WordPress site in no time!

Envira is an advanced gallery plugin that’s both innovative and easy to use. With a drag and drop builder, you can create stunning galleries in minutes, and there are even templates available to guide you. On top of that, Envira comes with albums and tags to help you showcase your photos, as well as social sharing buttons so that you can improve your brand reach.

4. Find Your Theme

Your galleries designed with Envira make setting up an attractive blog easier than you’d think. However, you might also want to spruce up the appearance of your overall website too. WordPress sites typically come with a theme, which describes the style and format of the site when people are browsing through your pages.

There are endless unique themes to explore online. What’s more, there’s always the option to have a designer create a custom theme for you if you have a little extra cash to spend.

It’s a good idea to spend some time browsing through the options available online, even if you do plan on getting a personalized theme. The website designs you see may give you some inspiration.

It’s also a good idea to seek out themes designed specifically with photographers in mind. These themes often come with built-in features that make displaying and selling your photos easier and more intuitive.

Take Photocrati, for example. Designed by one of the most trusted names in WordPress for independent photographers, Photocrati includes built-in eCommerce and proofing features that make selling photo prints and digital downloads a breeze. The theme also integrates with Paypal and Stripe for an easy checkout experience that your users are sure to appreciate.

What’s more, Photocrati protects against right-click downloads of your online images and includes Automated Print Fulfillment.

You can find additional themes for photographers through Imagely, one of the most trusted names in WordPress for photographers. Their clean, modern designs foreground your images and offer easy-to-use template options for each page of your site. For those with WordPress theme experience, all Imagely themes are Genesis child themes.

Try an Imagely theme today.

5. Create Consistently Valuable Content

Finally, when you’re set up with your website, your theme looks amazing, and your galleries are ready to go, you’re onto the most important part of setting up a blog – creating the content. This is where you can let your expertise really shine through. Often, although it’s great to share as many pictures as possible, you’ll benefit from adding some informative and educational content to the mix too.

For instance, you might write a blog about your favorite Lightroom presets, or the photo editing software that you couldn’t live without. If you have a more journalistic style, you can even discuss experiences that you had during recent shoots.

A blog is more than just a place to get your voice heard online. It can also be an excellent way to drive new customers and supporters to your business.

For more tips and guidance on building your Photography company, check us out on Facebook and Twitter.