As a business owner, marketing yourself can be a full-time job. Besides the day-to-day demands of your business, you also have to manage social media, keep up on client communications, ensure your work is getting seen and other countless things.

For many, getting published—whether digitally, in print or both—is a true accomplishment that certainly aids in marketing your business, skills, style and much more! And from an inside perspective, there are definitely things a photographer can do to help this cause…that great end goal of getting noticed, and ultimately, published.

The editorial team at WeddingDay Magazine gets flooded with submissions on a daily basis. So, to help you stand out from the crowd, we’ve put together a few tips to guide you in seeing your gorgeous work featured and feeling, of course, that You. Have. Arrived!

#1:  Interact with and engage with the
right social media groups

Social media has never been a more powerful marketing tool than it is today. And countless polls reflect that most brides (as much as 82%, according to BRIDES magazine) plan their wedding using social media. While this is excellent news for photographers, who are among the most savvy vendors when it comes to use of social media, it is important to keep in mind that the competition is stiff out there and new photographers are coming onto the scene every day! How are you standing out? How are you increasing your followings? Interacting and engaging with key industry partners is so important. Follow the publications you desire to be a part of, market your work appropriately and last, but not least, engage with them.

#2: Put your work out there

This may seem like an obvious point, but it’s so important. Whether you are just starting out or are seasoned in photography, having key places to showcase your work like a great website and active social media accounts are how clients and publications alike are going to find you. The more people that follow you, engage with you and share your work, the more likely your work will get seen and your business will blossom because of it.

#3: Align and define yourself

Every photographer has their own aesthetic, and I guess the most important thing to note here is own it…And if you aren’t quite there yet, develop it. There is no better way to light the creative fire like a style shoot. Collaboration and aligning yourself with others who are willing to help lends itself to that much more marketing power and images that serve to highlight multiple vendors and, in doing so, help to highlight your work. Another great thing about style shoots is they will sometimes focus on trends or a brand new concept, which are both great in terms of getting noticed by a notable publication that is also focused on trends!

#4: Consider all the advantages of advertising

As a publication, we understand that everyone’s budget is different. And different vendors have different needs. Because of that, we also have many different offerings designed to fit those varying goals and budgets. With something as simple as becoming an advertising partner with a publication, so many doors will be open to you. With WeddingDay, our partners don’t just get a simple advertisement or endorsement, they are offered all the benefits that come with a full marketing program. Just think of how much your competition margin will shrink when you are exposed to a social media following of over 19,000!

#5: Choose the right publication

Maybe your goal is to be the cream of the crop and to get picked up by a national publication. Maybe you simply want access to more local brides. While large goals are great, also focus on where your potential clients are getting their inspiration from. How are they finding their photographers? What publications are they excited to get their hands on? I may be biased, but WeddingDay Magazine prides itself on being the best guide for the Midwest bride. And we can stand behind that because of our local focus that is coupled with the digital marketing strength of our brand that is much larger.

Bottomline, look to align yourself with a publication that reflects the level, style and strength that you would want to be associated with. If you are passionate about your work, find a publication that shares that same passion and is excited about (and has the capabilities of) helping you!

#6: What you submit matters

Individual publications have their own criteria for a featured wedding publication or style shoot. We personally prefer an editorial-style at our publication. And because of the huge amount of submissions we receive and the limited amount of print space we have, we adhere to exceptionally high editorial standards when selecting a style shoot or wedding for print. Keep in mind that if you are submitting for blog purposes, ensure it blog-worthy and print-worthy if your goal is to get into print. Professional, quality photos are what we look for. This means that everything from the style to the lighting to your editing style is considered! And it goes without saying that those detailed shots really do matter as it’s those extra special details that brides want to see.

Our ultimate intent is to inspire other brides through trends, new ideas and the talented work of local vendors. When it comes to weddings, those we feature tell a story. Whether it’s through words or the visual language of photography, inspiration is our end goal. We want brides to fall in love with that story, not just have pretty pictures to look at. We want the vendor’s work to shine so bright that brides’ hearts will be captured.

Interested in getting your work published with WeddingDay? click here!

– By Carri Fras, Editorial Director of WeddingDay Magazine –

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