SEO for Photographers: 6 Common SEO Mistakes You Might Be Making (And How to Fix Them)

Your website is basically your online wingwoman. It hypes you up, shows off your work, and can help get you in front of potential clients. But if you’re pouring your heart into your work and still struggling to show up in Google searches, SEO (aka search engine optimization) might be the missing piece.

SEO for photographers can feel like a mystery, but once you know what actually moves the needle, it’s easier than you think. And if you’re accidentally making these common SEO mistakes, your dream clients might be scrolling right past you without even knowing you exist. We can’t have that.

Let’s dive into the six most common mistakes we see made when it comes to SEO for photographers (and, more importantly, how to fix them)!

1. Skipping keyword research (or just guessing what people search for)

Think of keywords like a GPS- they guide your ideal clients straight to you. But if you’re just taking a guess at keywords people might be using to search (or worse, not using them at all), they might have a really hard time finding you.

The Fix:

Instead of winging it, take a strategic approach to keyword research:

• Use free tools like Google Keyword Planner, Answer The Public, or ChatGPT to find search terms your audience is actually using.
• Think about what your clients would type into Google. (ie. instead of just “wedding planner” try “Charleston luxury wedding planner”)
• Include all the locations you serve, especially if you work in multiple cities!

SEO is about meeting your people where they’re already looking. A little research = big results.

2. Keyword stuffing (because Google sees you)

You’ve seen it before: a website that repeats the same words over and over until it sounds like a robot wrote it. “I’m a wedding photographer. If you need a wedding photographer, I’m the best wedding photographer.” Yikes. Google’s not fooled by this, and honestly, neither are your potential clients. Keyword stuffing can actually hurt your rankings.

The Fix:

• Use keywords naturally in your headings, subheadings, and content (think woven in seamlessly, not forced).
• Use keyword variations (like “Vancouver brand photographer” and “Vancouver brand photography”) to keep things fresh.
• Write for humans first, Google second. If it sounds weird when you read it out loud, it’s probably keyword-stuffed.

3. Ignoring long-tail keywords (AKA the goldmine)

Broad keywords like “wedding photographer” might get tons of searches, but they’re also wildly competitive and very non-specific if someone is looking for a service in a specific location. Enter: long-tail keywords. These are specific phrases that your ideal clients are actually searching for.

The Fix:

• Instead of competing for “wedding photographer,” try “destination wedding photographer in Arizona” or “Colorado elopement photographer.”
• Get inside your client’s head. What are they really looking for? The more specific your keywords, the more likely you’ll attract your people.

Think of long-tail keywords as a way to cut through the noise and connect with your perfect-fit clients. Less competition, more dream inquiries.

4. Keyword cannibalization (competing against yourself)

Sometimes, we accidentally become our own biggest competition. Keyword cannibalization happens when you have multiple pages or blog posts targeting the same keyword, meaning Google doesn’t know which one to rank, and they end up competing against each other. Instead of boosting your visibility, you might actually be hurting it.

The Fix:

• Avoid creating multiple pages with the same focus keyword. If you have several posts targeting “destination wedding photographer,” consider merging them or differentiating their focus.
• Use internal linking to help Google understand which page is most important.
• Regularly audit your content with tools like Google Search Console to see if multiple pages are ranking for the same term, and make adjustments if needed.

A little strategy goes a long way in making sure all your content works together, not against each other.

5. Forgetting to optimize images (because load time matters)

Photographers, I love you- but if your website is full of huge image files? We’ve got a problem. A slow-loading website hurts your rankings and sends visitors running before they even see your work.

The Fix:

• Resize your images. Use tools like TinyPNG or JPEGmini to compress files without sacrificing quality.
• Use alt text. This tells both visually impaired users and search engines what your image is about. (ie. “Engaged couple in Arizona desert sunset”). Do not use alt text as an opportunity to keyword stuff.
• Rename your files before uploading. Instead of “IMG_1234.jpg,” go for “denver-brand-photographer.jpg” (or even better, something more specific like the name of the venue: “grant-humphreys-mansion-wedding-denver.jpg”). Every little SEO boost counts!

6. Neglecting analytics (and missing what’s working)

SEO for photographers isn’t a ‘one-and-done’ deal. Staying competitive means continuously refining your strategy. It’s an ongoing process, and if you’re not checking your analytics, you’re missing out on opportunities to refine your strategy.

The Fix:

• Use Google Analytics to track your traffic and keyword rankings.
• Check which blog posts or pages are performing best, then do more of that.
• Ask yourself: Are my rankings improving? Am I getting more organic traffic? Are the right people finding me?

The more you tweak and refine, the better your results. SEO is a long game, but the payoff? So. Worth. It.

Let’s make SEO work for you

Mastering SEO for photographers means fewer missed opportunities and more dream clients landing on your site effortlessly without having to post on Instagram 24/7 (hallelujah). A little strategy now means less hustle later, because your website should be working while you sleep (or chase your toddler around, or read Fourth Wing for the fourth time, or browse the internet for porch goose outfits… oh wait, am I getting a little too specific?).

If you’re ready for a website that’s not only stunning, but also optimized from the start, let’s chat! We include foundational SEO setup with every custom website design and it can also be added onto our Website in a Week service.