There are many online tools available that can be used to create an attractive website with a good design. But the most important thing is to create a website that works for you! It should be easy to navigate and visitors will want to come back. If you want to attract visitors, here are some of our top tips for making a successful photography website.
Table of Contents
Have a clear business goal
What does your website want to do? Do you want to sell photographs online? Do you want to promote your exhibition? Do you want to use your website to promote your work? Once you know your ultimate aim, you can then decide how you want to achieve this, and how much you want to invest in developing your website.
Choose a platform
Having a website that works for you means having one that suits your budget and your skills. The internet is filled with free options that can be used to create a website quickly. But if you’re serious about making a website that will attract visitors, you’ll want to choose a platform that will suit your needs and your vision. There are many excellent platforms out there and you can explore the features of each before making a decision.
Do your research
If you choose a platform but find it isn’t compatible with what you need, don’t just give up. Instead, look into whether you can adapt the platform to meet your requirements. Many companies offer customised websites that can be developed to work for you, with no extra cost.
Make your website accessible
There are many tools available that can help make a website accessible to all kinds of users. If you use a content management system, you can set up a website to automatically change to a more accessible format. And you can also find plugins to make the website more accessible.
Make your website mobile-friendly
If you think about it, most people access the internet using mobile phones. If you’ve got a smartphone, chances are it has the capability to access a website. If not, the majority of mobile phone browsers will render a mobile version of the site. So it’s important that you make your site mobile-friendly. It will look and work perfectly on a mobile screen, which will help boost your search engine rankings.
Be consistent
Make sure that your website looks good on all devices and is easy to read. Have a look at other websites that you like and see if there are any features you like about them. This will help you to make sure that your website is a cut above the rest.
Use effective call-to-action buttons
Call-to-action buttons, or CTAs, are buttons that prompt the visitor to take some kind of action, usually on the website. A well-designed CTA can help you to persuade the visitor to sign up for your newsletter, to make a purchase, to complete a survey, or to enter your competition. They can also help you to increase conversions, which is why it’s important to make sure that they are easy to spot and are in the right place.
Keep it simple
In general, the fewer the clicks, the better. People don’t like to click, and they also don’t like to be taken through too many steps to get where they want to go. Keep it simple and fast!
Test your web page
Your website might work perfectly on your computer, but it might not work so well on another device. Make sure that the website is accessible on different screens by testing it on as many devices and operating systems as possible.
Have a plan B
You’ll want to make sure that your website will be available if there’s a technical issue. It’s not a bad idea to keep a back-up site ready to go. But it’s also important to test that your website works as expected. This will allow you to respond to any problems, and also make sure that you don’t miss out on any business opportunities.
Ask for feedback
Your website should be a reflection of you, your business and your vision. It should be a product that you are proud of. That means you need to be willing to ask for feedback. Ask friends, family and clients to take a look and let you know what they think.
You don’t want to make a mistake and end up with a website that’s not a true reflection of your brand. After all, you only get one chance to make a first impression, so make it count!
A Short Guide to Create a Photography Website with a CMS
The following is a very easy way to create a free website for your portfolio. We recommend the use of a WordPress theme, such as Divi or Revolution. We also recommend using a good web host. The best hosts for WordPress are Dreamhost, Bluehost and Hostgator. There are many other WordPress hosting services available, but these three have the most extensive feature sets and are reliable and easy to use.
After you have selected your web hosting service and domain name, you need to download the WordPress files, which are free. This process should be very easy to follow online. If you do not understand how to install WordPress, check your web hosting service’s instructions.
Once you have installed WordPress, you will be asked to register your domain name. You will also need to select a WordPress theme, which is a style of website design. We recommend using a premium theme because themes are usually free. To find good premium themes, search Google for ‘free premium WordPress themes’. Alternatively, you can purchase one from a good website, such as Themeforest. We recommend that you only purchase a theme from an authorized reseller. If you choose a free theme, you may be able to find a professional designer willing to work with you to build your website.
You will now need to upload your photos. A common method of uploading photos is to use a program called an image editor. We recommend GIMP, which is free and very easy to use.
You will need to upload your images to a folder inside your root directory. When you select your photos in GIMP, click on the file menu and then select Open. Then browse to the location of your photos and select the photos you wish to include. Select your desired photo size (width x height) and click the Save button. Repeat this for each photo you want to add to your website. You should find it easy to follow these steps. If you have any problems, please ask a professional web developer.
Now, you will need to install a website generator. One of the easiest ways to do this is through the use of a plugin, such as Visual Composer. We recommend this plugin, because it creates a responsive, mobile-friendly website, which is what we recommend. It will cost you $20, but we highly recommend it. It will take you just a few minutes to complete the installation.
Once you have completed your website, you will need to register your website. This is done in a number of different ways. We recommend that you contact your web host and ask them. In the mean time, we recommend that you sign up for a web hosting service that includes a free domain name.
You will also need to register your website. This is a very important step, because it will protect your website from cyber attacks and allow you to update your website. We recommend that you use a service called HTTPS Everywhere. It will take a few minutes to install. Once it has been installed, you will need to allow the extension in your browser to work. To do this, click on the Firefox button, select Options, select Privacy and Security and click on the icon for the extension. Then, you will need to activate the ‘Always Allow this Website to Ask for Certificates’.