Is blogging dead in 2024?

While I consider myself a fairly consistent blogger (I blog about 60-70 times per year), I’ve wondered this myself as we enter the golden age of apps like TikTok, Threads, and YouTube. Does blogging have any value for a small business owner, and maybe more specifically for photographers, in 2024?

I might be biased, but I say a resounding YES! And I say this emphatic “yes” because of some simple (yet compelling) reasons:

Content from my blog STILL drives TONS of traffic to my website (especially when I’m consistently sharing and keywording images from my sessions), which is great for my SEO rankings on Google. Google likes activity, and they reward websites with “good” activity with higher rankings (meaning that when someone searches for you, your website/blog post will pop up on or closer to that coveted first page of Google!)
Blogging is an easy way for me to answer frequent questions that clients have for me, and in turn, allows me to serve my clients better. When they email me, I simply send them the blog post I’ve already written instead of typing out that answer again and again and again. Plus - answering your clients questions positions you as an expert in your field. Imagine someone Googling “where should I have my senior photos taken in (insert your town)?” and YOUR blog post pops up with some beautiful images from your favorite locations. Do you think that person is going to trust that you are an expert and that you know what you’re doing? Of course! And that puts them in a great position to want to invest in your services and experience. Score!

For me, those are two awesome reasons to continue blogging, even into 2024 and beyond. And I believe that anyone can “up” their rankings on Google by consistently posting to their blog, even beginning in 2024. It’s not too late to start!

One of the most difficult things about having a blog can be the age old question of “but what do I write?” As someone who has been blogging for 10+ years, trust me, I GET IT. I feel like I’ve written so so many blog posts throughout the years that I barely have any content left to write about. But then I get a question from a client or photograph a senior at a new location, and suddenly, I have an idea for content!

In this particular blog post, I’d love to share some ideas with you for blog posts that will actually help you rank on Google and that will help you serve your clients well. Because you need those inquiries… and you need to take care of those clients who have already trusted you with their memories and money!

Today, I’m going to share some blog post ideas specifically for Senior Photographers.

UNIQUE BLOG POST IDEAS FOR SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS:

Highlight the best images (could be 5, could be 25!) from every senior session you photograph in a separate blog post for each client. Yes, every single one. Chances are, you’re most likely editing some sneak peeks for your client, so go the extra mile and throw those sneak peeks in a blog post - but don’t forget to keyword those images (that’s the secret sauce!). This one is such good low hanging fruit, too, because these blog posts basically write themselves. Share the images, share some info about the senior (maybe where they go to school, what they plan on doing after college, what hobbies they are interested in) and wah-la! You have an easy, repeatable way to blog consistently throughout the year. (Click here to see a sample blog post!)
Highlight your favorite locations to take photos of seniors
- This could be one blog posts with a long list of locations and sample images
- This could also be individual blog posts highlighting your favorite images from each location
- This could even be your favorite locations within different categories such as urban, nature, architectural, etc.
- Click here to see a sample blog post from this category!
Share your favorite hair and/or makeup artists. Do you encourage your seniors to book hair and makeup artists for their session? Instead of typing up a list every time someone asked for a recommendation, what if you were able to simply send a link with some of your favorites? (Linking to each artists’ website, of course). This will make it SO easy for your clients to find the info they need!
Have a hair or makeup artists write a “guest blog post” for you with simple tips for how seniors can do their hair and makeup for their session (how to make their hair/makeup last longer in humidity, etc.)
Write about what seniors should wear for their photos. You could make one post for the ladies, and one for the guys. You could even break this into different seasons (i.e., what to wear for summer senior photos, what to wear for fall senior photos, etc.) (Click here to see a sample blog post from this category!)
Write about what seniors should NOT wear for their photos (again, one post for the ladies, one post for the guys).
Write about the best time of year to have senior photos taken. Wherever you live, there is probably a “peek” season for photos. Tell them why and write about it! Or, you can talk about when makes the most sense in terms of senior year/yearbook submission timing. (Sample post here!)
If there is a specific season you want to take photos in MORE, do a blog post featuring photos during that specific season, talking about why it’s so great (I live in Pittsburgh and have a blog post about why I love winter senior sessions!).
Write a letter to parents of seniors about what you want them to know going into their child’s senior session. This could be a great way to set parents up for success. One season, I had a few moms that were very unencouraging during their child’s senior session, which visibly deflated the senior and led to a difficult time getting happy emotions out of them. Talk about how parents can support their senior when it comes to their senior session!
Write about what props seniors can include during their photo session. If you’re a senior photographer, I have no doubt that someone has asked you to incorporate some sort of sport prop or instrument into their senior photos. Create a blog post with your best images and give some alternative ideas for props, too! (I love to encourage my clients to bring fresh flowers to their sessions!)
Write a blog post and feature some images from your own senior session (if you had one!). This can just be a fun way to let your senior into your life! People need to know you before they can trust you and buy from you… showcase your personality here! And if the photos were a super long time ago and aren’t your style anymore, talk about how senior photos have evolved into something so much better in modern times.
Do one big FAQ! Do parents and seniors ask you a lot of the same questions before, during, or after their senior photo session? Tackle all of those questions (or each one individually) on your blog! This will give you TONS of great content to refer your clients to when they have questions.
Write about your favorite senior photo trends. Do you have any current trends you love? Talk about why you love them on your blog!
Write about what senior photo trends you think are outdated. Is there a pose that is so 2015? What makes senior photos look outdated, to you? Talk about those things on your blog!
Write about the ways you go the extra mile for your senior clients. Do you have a changing tent you bring with you so your clients can change on location? Do you buy every senior their favorite Starbucks drink before their session? Do you have a gift you give them before or after their session? These small things will set you apart from the competition, and they should be celebrated! This could easily veer into bragging territory, so just be careful about how you frame it.
Make a video walking through how you edit your senior photos. Everybody loves a good behind the scenes! This will show your clients how you take the time to edit their images to perfection (Click here for a sample post!)
Write about the tools you use for your craft. What is a must-have for you when you photograph a senior session? For me, it’s my reflector… and I love talking about how big a difference it makes in my images!
Talk about the best time of day for a senior session. What is your favorite time of day to shoot, and why? Share it with your clients so they know when they can expect their session to be!

When you blog, don’t forget to think about what your perspective client might be Googling… in fact, that’s where you should start! What do they want to know? What is important to them? How can you serve them before you sell to them?

I hope this post was helpful, and happy blogging!