Should You Have A Separate Photography Account on Instagram?
Should you have separate personal and photography accounts on Instagram?
Many photographers run into the question: should you have a separate photography account on Instagram? Since Instagram is an image-based platform, it’s natural to want to incorporate your photography into your regular account. This is fine if you want to show your family, friends and followers a little about what you do. But for potential clients that are scouting out photographers, having a separate photography business account on Instagram can be beneficial.
Show you are an expert in your field
Many consumer photography clients these days are looking for the right photographer on Instagram directly. Potential leads that are scouting for photographers are looking for people who are experts in their craft. Having a separate photography business Instagram account dispells any impression that photography might not be the #1 thing on your plate. Show that you’re an expert in your field by curating an Instagram “portfolio” with a business Instagram page for photography.
Treat your grid like a landing page
Your potential customers who are scouting via Instagram want to know exactly what they’re in for. Treat your grid of images like it’s a landing page for your portfolio. You want those 6 to 9 squares to represent what it is your clients need to see from you. If you’re taking up that real estate with more personal content than business, your photography might not come off as the main priority. They’re not going to be immersed in your work if you blend your personal posts in there–– unless your personal posts are strictly related to your genre of photography.
Give yourself a space to be YOU
Having a personal Instagram account allows you to be YOU for your family and friends. For clients, they can follow it if they really want to get to know you a little better. Many photographers like to connect with their clients on a personal level and develop that bond. Having a separate personal and photography business Instagram account allows for you to have spaces to let clients know about your work, but also let them in if you want to further develop the relationship.
Incorporate your personality into your photography account
Just because you’re separating your personal and business photography Instagram accounts doesn’t mean you shouldn’t include yourself in it. Share your personality with your customers by showing them you working behind the scenes, a headshot with an introduction, things like that. Sharing who is behind the images with your potential clients will build a sense of ease in you and your work. It’s also great to share customer reviews on your Instagram to further develop a sense of trust in your business.
Business is business: keep it separate
It’s up to you whether or not you decide to keep separate personal and business Instagram accounts for your photography business. There are certainly benefits to sharing your photography work on your personal Instagram as well. It shows potential leads that are in your direct personal network of family and friends what it is that you excel at. So treat a photography account as a direct link to your portfolio, in case people who do find your personal account first want to explore your work further. Some users may not want to leave the Instagram app for a link in bio to a portfolio. Instead, link your portfolio page directly in your profile description so scouting clients know exactly where to find your work.