Are you considering the idea of starting an online photo-selling business? Or Are you looking for methods to make your existing photos selling business go online? You’ve got a lot of choices when starting an online photo-selling business. To make your life even easier, different platforms are dedicated to helping you strive in online photo selling – whether for editing your images or stock photography sites to help you sell one!
If you are a beginner aspiring to successfully sell images online, establish a business around it, and touch a wide customer base, this article is right for you. This article provides some of the best practical tips for selling photos online for beginners.
How to Take Images that Sell?
1. Equip Yourself With The Necessary Tools
While iPhone cameras can serve enthusiasts and beginners, they might not meet successful online photo sales standards. You must invest in the proper equipment to sell photos online for the long term.
DSLR cameras are the preferred option for photography. With a professional camera, you can change lenses and accessories, have a lasting battery performance, better low-light capabilities, and capture high-resolution images. A notable choice is the Nikon D850, although the final decision rests with you. Opt for a camera that aligns with the type of photos you intend to capture and your budget.
In addition to the camera body, a lens kit is essential with accessories like:
- Filters
- A tripod
- A lighting kit
- Studio backdrop
- External flash
2. Selecting your area of focus
Having a niche is an important step to sell photos online. All well-to-do photographers target a specific audience and typically maintain a consistent theme that unifies their entire portfolio.
Here are some examples of photography niches:
- Wildlife photography
- Action sports photography
- Astrophotography
- Portrait photography
- Travel landscape photography
- Food photography
- Macro photography
- Fashion photography
3. Create a Portfolio
And now, the exciting phase begins – it’s time to go out and start creating your photo portfolio. Your approach to this stage is entirely in your hands, but certain key aspects must be addressed.
When your photos feature individuals, always remember to have a singing for a model release from selling these images online. Also, remember that photographs, including some typical brands, products, and buildings, might limit your selling ability.
In the world of online photography sales, mastering the art of portrait photography editing is essential. By perfecting the post-processing of your portraits, you can significantly boost their visual appeal and marketability, making it easier to sell your work in the competitive online marketplace for photography.
How To Setup Online?
4. Create Your Website
When it comes to selling photos online, your own WordPress website stands out as the best place. When you sell your photos via your site, it opens the door to higher prices per sale. When you sell exclusive licenses for your photos on a website under your ownership, you can earn $50 to $500 or even more per sale. The icing on the cake is that no intermediaries are involved, meaning you get the 100% of your profits.
Moreover, your photography platform offers great branding advantages. Your online store can give you twice the benefits – first, as your dedicated photography portfolio, and second, it usually has higher chances of a sale.
Here, the reins of control are firmly in your hands – from the checkout process and store design to pricing structures and licensing terms. The canvas is yours to paint, and you can showcase various offerings, like digital images, photography services, and prints, among other things.
5. Using the Right Website Tools
Once your functional WordPress website is in place, you’ll likely need additional digital tools – often referred to as “plugins” – to enhance the presentation and sales of your photos. While many plugins are available for WordPress, we suggest looking for three things that greatly contribute to successful photo sales: a gallery, a lightbox, and eCommerce capabilities.
First and foremost, a digital gallery is imperative. This gallery on your website serves as a platform to showcase your images in their finest form. It enables seamless scrolling and mobile-friendly viewing of your images and allows you to add details for each photo.
A good plugin like FooGallery PRO Commerce is often recommended. It is capable and seamlessly integrates with WooCommerce, another essential online store plugin.
Marketing Your Images
6. Driving Sales via Instagram
Among the various social media platforms, Instagram shines as a haven for imagery, making it a strategic choice for online photography marketing.
To elevate your sales potential, consider showcasing your photographs on Instagram and cultivating a dedicated following. This can be achieved by adding fitting hashtags, maintaining a consistent posting schedule, engaging with fellow accounts to promote a strong community, and timing your posts for better results.
7. Leveraging SEO
If your plan involves selling photos via your website, use the power of search engine optimization (SEO) to steer web users toward your virtual domain. Identify high-volume keywords and add them to your product descriptions and website content for more visibility.
8. Conventional Marketing Tactics
While online marketing is pivotal, don’t overlook offline approaches when venturing into online photo sales.
For instance, carrying business cards with your website particulars and social media handles can be beneficial when photographing events or locations. This facilitates those attending the event to conveniently explore and purchase the professional photos you’ve captured upon returning home.
Conclusion
With these eight essential tips, beginners can know how to sell photos online and confidently enter this exciting venture. Remember that success hinges on capturing captivating images, crafting a brand, working on marketing techniques, and taking advantage of digital tools effectively.
