FIVE MISTAKES THAT ARE KILLING YOUR PHOTO BLOG

“I post  well crafted articles to my photo blog on a regular basis but not seeing any results. What gives?” We all dream of having a highly successful photo blog with loads of visitors and reader interaction. While you may possess the necessary passion and knowledge of photography and writing, simple mistakes may be keeping your photo blog from reaching it’s full potential. Five Mistakes That Are Killing Your Photo Blog details common pitfalls I have identified in reviewing thousands of sites, which if corrected, can give you the traffic boost and reader engagement you’ve been seeking.

1. Relationships are important; VERY important

With the evolution of blogging platforms, literally anyone can create a blog. However, to be successful you need to have an understanding about the importance of establishing relationships with fellow bloggers.

If you’ve ever worked in the corporate world, you quickly learn that just showing up for work and doing a good job does not put you on the fast track for success or promotion. To be successful, you need to understand how the game is played, i.e., learn the unwritten rules. It’s about relationships and networking; having a mentor lending a hand to pull you up.

The blogging world is no different. It is extremely difficult to grow your blog from humble beginnings to become an authoritative site without establishing and nurturing relationships with the movers and shakers of your niche market. Why is this necessary? The first reason is search engines. Search engines, like Google, Yahoo and Bing love authoritative sites and those associated with them. Develop a relationship with a leader in your market and you’ll quickly see your fortunes change. Since we are talking about photography, when I reference a “market leader”, I am talking about a site that has a high ranking for the keyword(s) you are targeting. For instance, if you are targeting “wildlife photography”, search the term and review the top sites which appear for your given search. These sites would be the market leaders for you. Each targeted keyword may have different market leaders.

The second reason why developing relationships and networking with bigger, more established sites is credibility. Top blogs, over time, have developed trust among their loyal readership. A mention on one of these sites is a ringing endorsement for your site.

While all this may sound confusing, just understand that search engines and readers judge you by the company you keep. Perception is everything. The good news is that finding a mentor and “helping hand” is very doable, but it takes perseverance and determination.

Many bloggers make it a point to comment on other blogs. Assuming you post a relevant and well crafted comment, you may get a bit of traffic from this strategy. However, most bloggers use a “no follow” tag for comments, which means you will not get credit as having a link to this site.

A better strategy is to look into guest blogging for various blogs within your field of expertise. Since good sites are always on the lookout for new content, guest blogging is a great way to get exposure for you and your site. The process is simple. If a site you’re interested in doesn’t have a guest blogging contact form, reach out to the blog owner directly. Let them know about your background and interests, or send them an article you’ve just written. Remember to send your best work.

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