SEO Strategy for Photographer

Implement `Photograph` and `ImageGallery` schema to dominate rich snippets. Use `image` (URL), `description` (160 chars max), `dateCreated`, `locationCreated`, and `copyrightHolder` properties. Example: ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Photograph", "name": "Smith & Johnson Soho Wedding", "image": "https://example.com/wedding/nyc/soho/smith-johnson-20240512/hero.jpg", "description": "Luxury wedding photography in Soho, NYC. Romantic, cinematic, and timeless moments captured by [Your Name].", "dateCreated": "2024-05-12", "locationCreated": { "@type": "Place", "name": "Soho, New York City" }, "copyrightHolder": { "@type": "Person", "name": "[Your Name]" } } ```

Turn each landing page into a narrative. Structure content like this: 1. **Hook**: A single, breathtaking hero image with a 10-word headline (e.g., ‘Timeless Soho Weddings Captured in Cinematic Light’). 2. **Problem**: Address a specific pain point (e.g., ‘Most wedding photos look staged, ours feel like a movie’). 3. **Solution**: Your unique approach (e.g., ‘We use natural light and candid moments to tell your love story’). 4. **Social Proof**: Embed an Instagram carousel or client testimonial video. 5. **Process**: 3-step breakdown of what to expect (e.g., ‘Consultation → Shoot → Delivery’). 6. **CTA**: ‘Book Your Soho Wedding Session’ with a calendar widget.

Create a dedicated image sitemap (e.g., `image-sitemap.xml`) and submit it to Google Search Console. Include only your best-performing images (e.g., hero shots, portfolio highlights). Use this structure: ```xml <url> <loc>https://example.com/wedding/nyc/soho/smith-johnson-20240512/</loc> <image:image> <image:loc>https://example.com/wedding/nyc/soho/smith-johnson-20240512/first-kiss.jpg</image:loc> <image:title>Smith & Johnson Soho Wedding: First Kiss</image:title> <image:caption>Bride and groom sharing their first kiss at The Dominick Hotel in Soho, NYC.</image:caption> </image:image> </url> ```

To dominate local SEO, position yourself as the go-to photographer for each neighborhood you serve. Here’s how: 1. **Neighborhood Guides**: Create blog posts like ‘The 5 Best Wedding Venues in Soho’ or ‘Where to Take Maternity Photos in Tribeca.’ Embed your images and link to your session pages. 2. **Local Partnerships**: Partner with venues, florists, and planners for cross-promotion. Get listed on their ‘preferred vendors’ pages and offer reciprocal links. 3. **Hyper-Local Keywords**: Target queries like ‘best wedding photographer in [neighborhood]’ or ‘affordable maternity photographer near [landmark].’ Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to find low-competition, high-intent keywords. 4. **Google Posts**: Use GBP’s ‘Posts’ feature to share recent sessions, promotions, and neighborhood-specific content (e.g., ‘Just shot a stunning wedding at The Dominick Hotel in Soho!’).

Turn every blog post into 5+ pieces of content to maximize reach: 1. **Instagram Carousel**: Break the post into 5-10 slides with key moments and quotes. 2. **Pinterest Pins**: Create vertical pins for each major image in the post (use keywords in the pin description). 3. **YouTube Shorts/TikTok**: Edit a 60-second highlight reel with captions and music. 4. **Email Newsletter**: Send a ‘Behind the Scenes’ email to your list with a link to the full post. 5. **Twitter Thread**: Share key takeaways in a thread with images and hashtags. 6. **Facebook Post**: Share the post in local groups (e.g., ‘NYC Brides’ or ‘Brooklyn Moms’).

Create content so valuable that other sites *have* to link to it. Examples: 1. **Ultimate Guides**: ‘The Ultimate Guide to Wedding Photography in NYC’ (2,500+ words, embedded images, expert quotes). 2. **Resource Lists**: ‘50 Best Locations for Engagement Photos in Brooklyn’ (include your images and link to your session pages). 3. **Trend Reports**: ‘2024 Wedding Photography Trends: What Couples Are Asking For’ (data-driven, shareable graphics). 4. **Free Tools**: ‘Wedding Photography Timeline Generator’ (interactive tool with embed code for other sites). 5. **Case Studies**: ‘How We Shot a Luxury Wedding in the Rain (And Got 50+ Bookings)’ (behind-the-scenes breakdown with images).

Remove every barrier between a visitor and a booked session. Here’s how: 1. **Calendar Widget**: Embed a tool like Calendly or Acuity Scheduling on every session page (e.g., ‘Book Your Consultation’). 2. **Pricing Transparency**: Display pricing upfront (e.g., ‘Wedding Packages Start at $3,500’) to filter out unqualified leads. 3. **FAQ Section**: Answer common questions (e.g., ‘How far in advance should we book?’) to reduce back-and-forth emails. 4. **Deposit System**: Require a 20-30% deposit to secure the date (reduces no-shows and flakes). 5. **Urgency Triggers**: Use scarcity (e.g., ‘Only 3 wedding dates left in June!’) and social proof (e.g., ‘12 couples booked this month!’) to encourage action.

Create a custom dashboard in Google Data Studio (or Looker Studio) to track these KPIs: 1. **Traffic Sources**: Where are your visitors coming from? (Organic, social, referrals, etc.) 2. **Top Landing Pages**: Which pages are driving the most traffic and conversions? 3. **Conversion Rates**: What percentage of visitors are booking sessions? 4. **Keyword Rankings**: How are you ranking for your target keywords? 5. **Session Duration**: Are visitors engaging with your content? 6. **Bounce Rate**: Are visitors leaving immediately? (Aim for <50%.) 7. **Revenue per Lead**: How much revenue is each lead generating? (Track this with UTM parameters and CRM integration.)