Ever wonder why there’s so much hubbub about tracking data online? With all of the privacy concerns, why are big companies like Meta (formerly known as Facebook) and Apple so keen on tracking data and keeping it to themselves? Because data is the most important tool available and most wedding photographers get this marketing strategy wrong. 

Of course, you want to have happy clients, a strong email marketing plan, and make sure that you’re using Pinterest—if you’re not, get started here. But that’s not enough if you don’t have data informing your marketing strategy.

Data will teach you everything about your audience—or the people visiting your website—which will in turn inform everything you do. Seriously. Your data will impact everything from how you talk to your audience to the contests you submit to and even the deals you offer. It’s time to use your data.

image by Julie Blin

The Marketing Strategy: Use Data on Your Website

First things first, set Google Analytics up on your website. Access to this is free and will give you insight into who is visiting your website, where they are in the world, their ages, how long they access your website, which pages they visit, and more. 

Know Your Audience

Do you know your audience—like, really know them? Use the data you get from your Google Analytics Audience information to inform how you build your branding. For example, if the age demographic of folks visiting your website is highly concentrated in the 25-35 age range, you’d speak differently than you would if the majority of your audience was over 65. 

Photobug Tip:

Your audience impacts your branding, but it shouldn’t be the only thing dictating it. Learn more about creating your wedding photography brand here.

Image by Audaymi

You should be checking your Google Analytics at least once a month to see where people are going, which pages on your website are performing well, and where people are falling off which is also called your bounce rate. Each of these aspects is as important as the last.

Analyzing Your Bounce Rate Data

Let’s use bounce rate data as an example. When your audience lands on your website, what pages are they clicking on? If they’re going to your portfolio and clicking into a few different pages, that’s great! If they leave your site after clicking on a few different pages, there might be a problem.

• Are you publishing too many similar weddings? If you only have boho weddings from years ago published on your website but modern elopements are trending now, couples might have a hard time envisioning how you’ll capture their day.
• Is your process clearly documented? Your couples might not know what it’s like to work with you. Make sure your bio is on point and that it details what working with you is like.
• Are couples seeing themselves in your portfolio? This is especially important if you’re trying to diversify your clientele. Make sure that you’re clear that you’re an inclusive photographer—that means everything from race, gender, sexuality, and even body diversity should be represented.
• Is it easy to reach out? Make sure your contact form and information are accessible so that you’re getting inquiries that you can turn into bookings.

Analyzing the data from your website might not be the most exciting aspect of your wedding photography business but it is a marketing strategy that most people get wrong. After all, you can’t solve problems you don’t know about. Utilize the data available to you to inform how you market your business and then watch it grow. Learn more about how to access this vital data from Google Analytics and your Pinterest data in our Pinterest for Wedding Photographers course.

photo by Asyraf Roslan