4 Tips to Help You Transition into a New Niche

A very common question I see from wedding photographers is “How do I market myself as a wedding photographer?” or “How do I transition my photography niche?” Maybe you are a family photographer who is looking to get more into wedding photography. Or maybe you are already a wedding photographer and you are looking to niche down into intimate weddings and elopements. No matter where you are at in your photography journey, moving into a new niche of photography can feel daunting but with these 4 tips, you’ll feel better prepared to market yourself and transition your photography business smoothly.

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How to Market Yourself as a Wedding Photographer in a New Niche

Look Internally

Before making any changes or announcements, the first step after you’ve decided which photography niche you’d like to pivot to is to look internally. Take a look at your previous photoshoots. Are there any photos that you already have that can apply to your new niche? Perhaps you did an engagement session where the couple dressed up and you could use those photos to advertise elopements. Or maybe you shot a family session on the coast and you can use the couple portraits to market yourself for adventure sessions. Try to look at your galleries with fresh eyes and pick out photos that can be used for different events. You never know what you already have on hand that can help you transition into a new genre.

Announce the Transition & Update Your Bios

Now that you’ve decided on which niche you want to pursue, it’s time to take action and tell the world! There are a few places you’ll want to remember to update so that no matter where potential clients find you, they’ll know exactly what you offer!

Website

The first place you want to update is your website! Take a look at your home page, about page, service page, contact page, and any other relevant page where clients may look to learn more about your services and ensure that your descriptions match your new niche.

If you want to go a step further, you can also remove any information or images related to your previous photography niche. Unless you plan to continue shooting in both genres, removing old photos can help future clients understand clearly exactly what you offer.

Social Media Account Bios

Your social media is one of the first places clients go to learn more about your photography style and offerings so update your Instagram and Facebook profiles to include your new description. Potential clients should be able to look at your bio and see exactly who you are, what you offer, and the area(s) you serve. Having this information right up front where clients can easily view it is crucial.

Pinterest

Let’s not forget about Pinterest! A lot of your clients will be on Pinterest searching for inspiration for their photoshoot so make sure your Pinterest account is updated with important information like your business name, who you serve, and what you do.

You’ll also want to start pinning any relevant photos that you pulled from past galleries to showcase your work.

Friends, Family & Past Clients

Don’t forget to announce your good news to those closest to you as they may know of people who are in need of your new services. You could even send an email newsletter out to your past clients letting them know about your updated services and offer incentives for referrals.

Set up Styled PhotoShoots

This is one of the best ways to advertise your new services and market yourself in your niche! Create a post in a Facebook group or on Instagram asking for couples who would be willing to model for you. This is a great way for you to get fresh content that you can use to market yourself, plus your clients will love to receive free photos.

Another option for getting content is to sign up for a paid styled shoot or attend a workshop. This gives you an awesome opportunity to meet and work with other creatives in your industry and it gives you the chance to learn while also shooting content that you love!

Transition Photography Niches Slowly

Whether you’re a full-time photographer or a part-time photographer, transitioning into a new photography niche takes time so be patient with yourself and try to focus on taking jobs and opportunities that light you up and help you feel creative and inspired.

Keep Shooting

Early on in the transition process, you will likely need to continue shooting other session types and that’s ok. Try to look at each session and see if you can capture photos that will help your new target market. Of course, you want to first ensure that you are delivering a top-notch client experience, but if there is a way that you can take photos during the session that will help you market yourself in your new niche, go for it!

Show Only What You Want to Attract

There will come a point in time when you want to start showcasing only those types of photos that will attract your target audience. If you are a newborn photographer transitioning into wedding photography, start talking about and showing more wedding-related content on your social media and website pages. Only show content that you want to attract more of during this time as your business changes.

Say “Yes” To jobs in your new niche

Then comes the exciting part. Pretty soon you’ll see inquiries coming in from your new target market. All your hard work has paid off! Say yes to any opportunity you can during this time. Even if you need to charge a little less, the experience you gain and the portfolio you build will allow you to grow and soon you’ll be able to charge exactly what your knowledge and skills are worth.

The most important thing to remember throughout this process is to trust yourself. Listen to yourself and take on jobs that make you feel excited because that is when you’ll be able to create your best art!

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Whether you’re moving to a new area or transitioning into a completely new photography niche, how you market yourself as a wedding photographer matters. I hope these tips help as you make the change.

Looking for more help to market yourself as a wedding pro? Head on over to my contact page to get in touch!