Photographers face a particular SEO problem: their websites are built around images, and search engines rank words. A stunning portfolio with a few captions gives Google very little to work with, so photographers with weaker work but better-structured websites often outrank them. The good news is that you do not need to sacrifice your visual style. You need a clear structure, a little well-placed text and a habit of writing about the shoots you already do. This guide covers the approach we use for creative businesses, including Heather Elizabeth Photography.
This article is part of our complete guide: SEO for Small Business: The Complete Guide (2026).
Step 1: Define your niche and location
“Photographer” is too broad to rank for. Clients search by type and place: “wedding photographer Lake District”, “newborn photographer Manchester”, “headshot photographer London”, “product photographer for Etsy sellers”. Decide which two or three types of work you want more of, and where. These become your main pages and keywords. See keyword research for small businesses.
Step 2: Build one page per service
Create a dedicated page for each type of photography you sell: weddings, elopements, family, newborn, portraits, headshots, branding, events, products. Each page should include:
- A clear H1 such as “Relaxed wedding photography in the Cotswolds”.
- A short introduction describing your style and who you work with.
- A curated gallery of your best relevant work.
- What is included, how the day or session works, and how long delivery takes.
- Pricing or “packages from” information.
- Testimonials from real clients.
- FAQs and a clear enquiry button.
Three to six hundred words of genuinely useful text alongside the images is usually enough to give Google context without spoiling the design.
Step 3: Write about real shoots
Your most powerful SEO asset is the work you already do. Blog posts about real weddings, sessions and projects target highly specific searches: the venue name, the location, the style. A post titled “Autumn Wedding at [Venue Name], Cotswolds” can rank for people researching that venue. Include:
- A short story of the day or session.
- The venue, location and suppliers (with links, which often earn links back).
- Twenty to forty of the best images, not three hundred.
- Tips for future couples or clients at that venue.
- A link to your relevant service page.
Always get clients’ permission before publishing their images.
Step 4: Image SEO without losing quality
Large, uncompressed images are the main reason photography sites are slow. Export web versions at sensible sizes (around 2,000 pixels on the long edge for full-width images, smaller for galleries), compress them, and use descriptive file names like bride-groom-first-dance-cotswolds-barn.jpg. Add alt text describing each important image. Platforms like Wix, Squarespace and WordPress then serve optimised versions. See our alt text guide and Wix image SEO.
Step 5: Make the site fast
Avoid full-screen autoplay slideshows on the homepage, heavy animations and galleries that load hundreds of images at once. Use a single strong hero image and paginated or lazy-loaded galleries. Test with PageSpeed Insights. See Wix speed or WordPress speed.
Step 6: Google Business Profile
Create a profile with the right category (for example “Wedding photographer” or “Photographer”), your service area, real photos and links to your site. Ask every client for a Google review. Reviews influence both your map pack visibility and enquiries. See Google Business Profile optimisation.
Step 7: Earn links from your industry
Photographers have natural link opportunities that other businesses do not:
- Venues often feature real weddings and recommended suppliers.
- Wedding and lifestyle blogs publish styled shoots and real weddings.
- Suppliers you work with (florists, planners, dress shops) may share and link to your posts.
- Local business directories and photography associations.
Credit and link to suppliers in your posts; many will link back.
Step 8: Write titles and descriptions for every page
Default titles like “Portfolio | Studio Name” waste opportunities. Write specific titles for each page and post: “Newborn Photographer in Leeds | Gentle, Baby-Led Sessions”. See title tags and meta descriptions.
Step 9: Answer clients’ planning questions
Couples and clients search for advice: “how many hours of wedding photography do I need”, “what to wear for family photos”, “best time of day for outdoor portraits”. Helpful guides attract them early and build trust. Link them to your services.
Your About page sells more than you think
For photographers, clients are choosing a person as much as a portfolio. The About page is often one of the most visited pages on a photography site. Include a natural photo of yourself, your story, how you work with clients, what they can expect on the day and why you love the type of photography you do. Mention where you are based and where you travel. This page builds trust and gives Google more context about who you are and where you work, which supports your local rankings.
Location pages for destination and travelling photographers
If you regularly work in several regions or at popular venues, a page for each main area can help, but only with genuine content: shoots you have done there, favourite locations, practical tips about light and timing, and testimonials from clients in that area. A wedding photographer who has shot at a venue many times has real insight to share, and that is exactly the kind of content Google values and couples appreciate.
Platform choice for photographers
Squarespace, Wix and WordPress all work well for photographers. The key is that your platform lets you add text to galleries, write a blog and control titles and image sizes. See Squarespace vs Wix for SEO.
Common photographer SEO mistakes
- Image-only pages with no text.
- One portfolio page mixing every type of work.
- Uploading full-resolution files.
- Blog posts with hundreds of images and no story.
- Not naming venues and locations.
- No pricing information at all.
Measuring results
In Search Console, watch which pages get impressions for venue and location searches, and which posts bring enquiries. Double down on the type of work and locations that perform.
Related guides and services
- Wix image SEO: alt text, file names and image sizes on Wix.
- Image alt text for SEO: how to write alt text that helps accessibility and rankings.
- Google Business Profile optimisation: how to rank higher in the map pack.
- Squarespace vs Wix for SEO: which builder suits your business and SEO goals.
- Wix & Squarespace SEO service: hands-on SEO for sites built on Wix and Squarespace.
Get expert help
We help photographers structure their sites, optimise galleries and write about real shoots so the right clients find them on Google. Start with our SEO services, browse real client results in our case studies, or contact us for a free, no-pressure review of your website.
Frequently asked questions
Do photographers need a blog for SEO?
A blog of real shoots and helpful guides is one of the best ways for photographers to rank for venue, location and style searches.
How much text should a gallery page have?
A short introduction and descriptions of key images is usually enough to give Google context.
Which platform is best for photographers?
Squarespace, Wix and WordPress can all work well if you can add text, write a blog and control image sizes.
Should I watermark images?
It is a personal choice. Subtle watermarks do not hurt SEO, but large ones can spoil the experience.
