Do I need a business Facebook page

certacito

I have been reading this forum for quite a while, I really like it and Neil's work and advice has helped me a great deal. I know many on here run a business Facebook page in addition to their website for their photography business, so I'm after a little advice. I am in the process of building a Facebook page for my wedding photography business, but I am struggling to understand how this can/will boost my business.

Right now, in addition to proving digital negs, prints and albums to couples I also do a blog the day after the wedding to allow people to see a quick write up and selected images from the day, I pass the link to the couple who then pass the link to family and guests, I can see from google analytics the blogs are well read.

So where does the face book page come in? My thoughts are to just copy the blog link to the Facebook page but how will that help my business? In the back of my mind I know it is the way to go but I'm struggling with the concept.......

If those of you who use a Facebook business page could comment on how they use it and pass me some tips I would be very grateful!!
Barry

Skipperlange

Yes you should have a FB page for your business. Most people now look for you on FB and might wonder why you do not have a FB presence. It's not as important as a website but it is important, especially for younger folks of the age that most people marry. And their friends. 

The most important purpose, maybe the only purpose, of your FB page is marketing. In addition to prospective clients finding you on their own, the value of FB is that your existing clients and their friends and family share your images and posts with their FB friends, thereby sending others to your page and advertising your business. Plus everyone who has  'liked' your page sees your posts and can 'share' them with any friends of theirs who might be looking for a photographer. Plus, you can link your posts to your website, which sends people there too. In fact, rather than posting your entire blog on your FB page you should have a post, with a photo, linking to your blog. 

Do not copy your blog or any photos to your FB page without getting permission from your clients. A lot of people are not going to want their photos out there for all to see and business pages, unlike personal pages, are there for anyone to see. So be sure to have permission for any photos of people that you post. 

dbruno

The last point that Skip makes is a good one, and really important. I have a couple of family members who have told my wife and me under no circumstances post any photo with them in it on FB. Now, imagine it is a client.

certacito

Skipperlange - many thanks for that, what you have said makes sense now

Regarding your last point, my clients always sign to say they are happy with me posting a blog on my website so I'll add another box for Facebook page authority. My draft business FB page is now published so I'm ready for this weekends wedding!!

dbruno - got that, thank you.

paulcwynn

I agree with "dbruno" that having an active Facebook page is expected these days in our profession. It's a great marketing tool and if nothing else it shows past, current and future clients that you have an active business and demonstrates credibility as a photographer. I have a business FB page and try to keep posts separate from my personal FB.

Yes it is really important to check with clients BEFORE uploading any of their photos to Facebook. Actually I make this part of the initial booking discussion and contract for my wedding clients. It just avoids potential misunderstandings and embarrassment.

Anyway good luck.

dbruno

I am a part-timer, I work a full-time job, and probably get 1-2 paying events per month, average. I have a website, but not a FB page for my "business". I only recently thought about it, albeit quickly. I don't know if I'm going to develop one or not. I'm not really asking any sort of question here, but I am starting to think about it just a tick more after reading the initial post.

certacito

dbruno - Now I've got one I'm glad I did it, I think Paul's comment above to keep the business page separate from your personal page is very good advice. It only took me about an hour to set one up, I'm now looking at Wordpress widgets that automatically post a blog link from the website to the Facebook page to cut down on work.

Here's mine if you want to have a look www.facebook.com/barryspiersobe

dbruno

CC - that looks really good, and I hope it helps your business. It does get me thinking about doing something on FB.

Dave

Neil vN

With FB putting the squeeze on Page owners to pay for more traffic, we all see less and less organic traffic to our posts. 

Albums with photos get a lot of attention still as your clients will tag themselves and show the images to their friends and family. So that does help in getting a wider reach. 

I would say that having a FB Page is more or less essential these days. Clients expect to see their images on FB. 

Here are two related posts: 

the diminishing value in using a Facebook Page

paying for Facebook likes

certacito

Thanks Neil, to be honest, I only really want a Facebook business page to post a link to wedding blogs on my website so my clients can share the link to that blog with their family and friends who are also on Facebook.

This seems to be working well, even after just 2 posts; I have noticed the volume of people visiting my website has increased (stats from google analytics) compared to when I used to email the blog link to the B&G and ask them to pass it on, also I have received 2 firm bookings from friends of the bride from the last wedding I posted on FB.

So as long as I can continue doing this without paying I will be a happy man!! Many thanks for all your advice, blogs, books and training vids you have helped me a lot, thank you.

Barry

Neil vN

I would suggest not paying, unless you really have something to promote that will earn good money ... because the moment FB picks up that you're willing to pay to promote your post, they throttle organic traffic to your post. 

dbruno

I was going to ask about a Facebook page in a new thread, until I remembered this one.

My thought about having a FB page would be to post (in not so many words) "hey, last night I photographed this great event for so-snd-so, here are a few pictures, here's the link to the complete album", and a few words about the event, no mention of names. I guess this would be more of a blog?

I have once again thought about this because I'm doing a movie premier next week, and the director gave me a plug on the FB page for the event. Also, I got a plug from the local PBS station, which credited me on a photo they are using to promote an event. These things would also go on my FB page.

Would there be any value in this? Any comments are appreciated.

Thanks - Dave

dbruno

One question: when I attempted to create a new account, I was given the choice to create one for business. If I were to do that, is this where they they try and get you to pay?

Thanks - Dave

Trev

Dave,

No, you can create a business one with no payments, instead of your name coming up, you have a business name, but, if you wanted certain things to supposedly 'work better' in terms of leads, views, etc. then you can make monthly payments which I did do for a while, (no contracts, month to month) but honestly it was a waste for me. The only reason was to have my business 'name' there and it did help on those lines in regards they get to my normal website.

That's just me though, as I am a dinosaur on social media, hate it.

Trev.

dbruno

Trev - Thanks. I may go ahead and set one up. Like I wrote, it may be in the form of a blog of some sort - "blah, blah, shot an event yesterday, blah blah, great time, here are a few shots, here's the link to the album, etc......" And, change a portion of my contract to include that I could use them on my website, promotional materials, FB.

Dave

Trev

Just remember Dave, once your images hit FB, they are **owned** by FB, no copyright etc., etc.

The Devil's in the detail (fine print) as they say.

dbruno

Trev - Really?? Thanks for the warning! Even if I have my watermark on them?

rs_eos

Facebook will not own the copyright of your images/videos.  Instead, they basically have an unlimited license to the image.  From their current policies: "you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license".

Trev

Actually, they can use the images for any purpose whatsoever, as you outlined and maybe they don't 'own' copyright, but I bet you won't win a lawsuit against them, they can do whatever the hell they like with the images, ergo, you basically don't have full copyright ownership, if you did, they could not use it, and once you create an account, you have supposedly read/agreed to the TOS.

A very '50 shades of grey' so having ownership of the copyright regardless of who shot it means nothing in reality, that's what I am referring to in a nutshell.

dbruno

OK, Trev and RS, thanks for the help.

rs_eos

Copyright and licensing are two different animals.  I see your point about the exclusive license being so broad that it has the appearance that you lose so much.  However, it wouldn't remove any copyright-specific rules that you'd still have.

Trev

True rs_eos, very true. Unfortunately it's going the way of whomever manages to 'steal' a photo then improves it and sells it, the original photographer just does not stand a chance.

CASE IN POINT

Trev.