Why Photographers Should Be Blogging more (And Not Just Sharing Session recaps)
- Pamela Bradford
- Feb 16
- 4 min read
Updated: Feb 17
Think blogging is a bit 2010? Here's the thing…
Google still exists, and people still search for services. And as a bonus, blogging gives you loads of content for socials and emails.
So let’s talk about why it still matters. Oh, and why it needs to be more than “The Smith Family - Autumn Session.”
Why you should be blogging
1. People are still Googling, constantly
Let's start with why you should be blogging full stop (in case you're not)... and then you'll understand why you should be blogging more!
When someone is looking for a photographer, they don’t usually start on Instagram. They start with:
“Family photographer near me”
“What to wear for family photos”
“Newborn photographer [your suburb]”
“Best wedding photographer in [your area]”
If you’re not blogging, you’re relying on just a handful of pages to help your site show up for those searches. And if you’re not showing up in those searches, someone else is.
2. Websites that blog perform better than static ones
A website that never changes is basically a brochure.
But a website that blogs is active, and it signals to Google that you’re current and relevant. Each post you write adds another doorway into your website... It’s another page Google can index, which means another chance to be found.
And that, my friend, is why blogging LOTS is good!
3. It removes the guesswork
When you blog about things like:
What to wear
How to prepare
What to expect
How you work
You’re giving people something useful without asking them for anything, answering questions they didn’t know they had yet.
And that matters a lot because good marketing isn’t about convincing people, it’s about tapping into their emotions, and helping them.
When someone lands on your website and leaves clearer and more informed than when they arrived, that’s giving good value. And value builds trust. Trust brings bookings.
4. It gives you content for everything else
This is the best bit. One blog post can become:
Multiple Instagram captions
Facebook posts
A carousel
A reel script
An email to your list
Something useful to link to when clients ask questions
So instead of sitting at your desk thinking, “what do I post today?”, you can think “what can I share from that blog post?”. You can batch create a whole month’s worth of content for socials and your emails (yihaa!).
When you market in this way, your messaging stays consistent. Marketers like to call it content pillars - pick a pillar, talk about it for a month, share it everywhere. The more times your audience hears a message, the more likely it is to stick (especially these days when we’re bombarded!).
Need help with blog posts?If you’d love help figuring out what to blog about and you’d rather not write it yourself - that’s exactly what I do. In fact, I taught photography and wrote blog posts about it for 12 years, so I'll never run out of ideas! |
Let’s talk about session recaps
Your portfolio showcases highlights from across multiple sessions, whereas a session recap blog post shows you’re the real deal who can produce a complete and cohesive gallery of showstoppers.
That builds confidence in you and your craft, and it also gives potential clients a sneak peek into how a session with you might feel, and how it might be run.
So yes, definitely share session recaps via blog posts.
Just don’t stop there.
Why session recaps alone aren't enough
A post titled: “The Johnson Family - Spring Mini Session” is not searchable, it doesn’t answer questions, or target anything someone is typing into Google.
It’s good content, but it’s not strategic content.
If your blog is only session recaps, you’re missing the opportunity to:
Attract new clients through searches
Answer common concerns
Guide people toward booking
Demonstrate your expertise
Session blog posts show what you do, strategic blog posts help people decide to hire you, so you absolutely need both.
What to blog about
Turn questions in blog posts
If someone Googles it, or it's an FAQ for you, it’s blog-worthy. For example:
What should we wear for family photos in winter?
What if my toddler won’t sit still?
Where are the best photo locations in [your area]?
What happens during a newborn session?
Why a very specific time of day gives a certain look
Teach more than you sell
The topics you write about don't have to stop with info that relates to a shoot with you. If it did, you’d run out of ideas pretty quickly.
Share some entry level pro tips to help people take better photos of their kids. I know what you're thinking... "if I teach them too much, won't they just DIY it?".
No, and in fact, if anything it highlights the gap between taking a phone photo and getting it done properly. The fact that they’re even reading your blog posts means they value good quality photography, so they’ll still hire you. But they’ll love you for helping them in between sessions.
What's more, it builds authority, familiarity, and that generosity sets you apart from the crowded market, and keeps you front of mind when they're ready to book a session.
Blogging isn't dead, it's just underused
Your blog posts don’t need to be 2,000 words. Around 800-1200 words is the sweet spot, but more important than length is the quality. Google can smell fluff written just to hit a number a mile off. So focus on quality first, word count later.
A good blog post will:
Actually help people
Answer common questions
Be clearly written and easy to understand
…and it’ll do well in a search and help people choose you.
Need help with blog posts?
If you’d love help figuring out what to blog about and you’d rather not write it yourself - that’s exactly what I do. In fact, I taught photography and wrote blog posts about it for 12 years, so I'll never run out of ideas!
👉 Check out Ink & Lens for done-for-you words and marketing support.
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