Photo by Carlos Lindner on Unsplash

I’ve had the pleasure of helping dozens of photographers find local photography clients using Instagram and other digital tools. This has taught me that everyone has their view on what Instagram can/ can’t do for their business. But, it’s also taught me that for the average business owner, Instagram growth and success are elusive, and for local businesses, overcoming this elusiveness is even more of a struggle.

Thankfully, after reading this post that struggle will be over. Because, in this post, we’ll detail seven vital tips to help you find more local photography clients.

Tip #1 To Get Local Photography Clients on Instagram: Realize Every Client Is An Influencer

Since you’re a local business there’s not much use in paying for promotion from an influencer that could have followers from across the state or the country. My advice to you is to treat each client as an influencer. 

Ask for their permission to post their pictures on Instagram. Follow that up by tagging them and anyone they brought along to the shoot, in the image.

By doing this, you’re building rapport with your clients, and you’re ensuring their audience (most likely local friends and family) are seeing your work. 

Tip #2 To Get Local Photography Clients on Instagram: Post Inspo Pictures

What a lot of local photographers get wrong is that they only post pictures of their clients or stock footage with quotes, this gets boring after a while. 

We’re living in a world driven by the ‘aesthetic,’ if you want to pique people’s interest in your services, post images people can use as inspiration. These posts should include a unique image that showcases your work and style, but should also include pictures that are generic, like color schemes, outfit ideas, and so on. 

Tip #3 To Get Local Photography Clients on Instagram: Post Lengthier Captions

Lengthier captions allow you to connect with your audience. They’re one way to relay the message of your picture and not be reliant on the image alone. Try conveying a message or an emotion through your caption, so people feel invested in the story and will surely follow your account for more inspiration.

Tip #4 To Get Local Photography Clients on Instagram: Tag Your Location

The best way to reach your local audience is to tag your images with your location, especially when you’re at a local landmark or in a well-known area. This enables you to show the area from the perspective of a photographer, or highlight iconic features with your photography style. 

Tip #5 To Get Local Photography Clients on Instagram: Use The RIGHT Hashtags

I’ve found that many of my clients struggled with which hashtags to use on posts. 

Firstly, if you don’t have a creator or business account as a photographer, you’re doing something wrong. These sorts of accounts give you access to data that reveals which posts perform better. They’re also ideal at assisting you to determine which hashtags give you greater and more meaningful exposure.

I’d also recommend using a tool like Ritetag, as it enables you to search for hashtags based on their reach, exposure, and popularity.

Tip #6 To Get Local Photography Clients on Instagram: Post Carousels

You want users to spend more time on your feed, one way to do this is to post carousel images. Carousel images tend to increase likes and engagement on a post because they tell a full story. You can also post bloopers and BTS images to increase engagement. 

Tip #7 To Get Local Photography Clients on Instagram: Promote Discounts and Promotions

Turn lurkers into clients by advertising discounts and promotions on your Instagram first. Many photographers do have a few seasonal promotions that enable them to increase momentum around their work, but if you give these snippets to your Instagram followers first, you’re giving people incentive to follow. You’re also turning lurkers into clients (because who can say no to a good bargain?). These discounts or promos don’t have to go on your feed, post them on Instagram Stories to make them even more exclusive. 

Try adding a few of these tips to your social media strategy to ensure you’re able to get more local photography clients using Instagram.