The Power of a Portfolio: How a Website Transformed a Photo Business.
In 2017, Ventrait was birthed as a 3 page portfolio that would go on to transform itself and ultimately increase its value. In this blog post, we will share details regarding the experience and explain how having a professional website not only improved my online perception but also impacted the pricing and future direction of my business.
Struggles with Social Media
Before diving into building a site, we, like many others, relied heavily on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook to promote my photography. However, we found ourselves struggling to gain business solely through these platforms. It became clear that we needed a more robust and professional online presence to showcase our work effectively and attract potential clients.
Embracing Squarespace
In 2017, we decided to take the plunge and build our own website using Squarespace. We chose Squarespace because it allowed us to manage everything ourselves and keep costs low. Some acquaintances advised against using a template-driven Content Management System (CMS), citing concerns about uniformity. While there's some truth to that, we realized that most customers care more about the quality of the product or service being displayed than the CMS used.
Building the Portfolio
With Squarespace as my canvas, we curated a portfolio that represented our best work, selecting about 20 of our top images at the time. We also included pricing information on the site to preemptively address potential client inquiries. Then, we simply let the website sit and do its job.
The Turning Point
Admittedly, business didn't start booming immediately after launching the website. However, this marked a pivotal moment in Ventrait’s photography journey. Just by having a professional-looking site with high-quality images, our online perception as photographer’s instantly improved. It's essential to note that this blog isn't here to emphasize the importance of having a website; hopefully, you already understand that. Instead, we want to emphasize how the website creation process impacted our pricing, value, and the direction of our business.
The Impact of Visual Storytelling
Back in 2017, the images we had on the website didn't necessarily make it immediately clear what we were selling. Nevertheless, it had an impact on our photography fees, especially for services like senior portraits or graduation photoshoots. Why? Because when potential clients, usually parents, entered our site, they saw a professional portfolio that helped them envision the final product they would receive.
Conclusion
The journey of creating the portfolio website "Ventrait" in 2017 was a transformative experience for our photography business. It's a testament to the power of having a professional online presence. The website not only increased our perceived value but also allowed potential clients to visualize the end result of their investment.
So, if you're hoping to effectively sell a service or product, take the leap and invest in a proper portfolio or website. It's not just a digital showcase; it's a powerful tool that can shape the future of your business and drive success in ways you might not even anticipate.