10 Tips for Using TikTok as a Freelance Photographer
Author: Lorie Dodson
TikTok is currently one of the fastest-growing social media platforms in the world. With over one billion active monthly users, it boasts phenomenal engagement rates. In some respects, TikTok is on par with social media giants like Facebook and Instagram.
If you’re a freelance photographer wanting to grow your business or simply stay relevant, TikTok is the place to be. The platform can be a great way to gain exposure and potentially secure future business.
We’ve put together ten tips on how to use TikTok as a freelance photographer so that you can create top-quality content that’s fun, engaging, and effective.
1. Share Your Photography Tips And Advice
Think of interesting and valuable things you’ve learnt during your career and share them with your followers. Whether it’s advice on creating the perfect portrait or achieving the ideal lighting for a shot, you ought to have endless tips and tricks to dish out.
Keep your videos short and straightforward—ideally no longer than 15 seconds. This will help you to keep your viewers’ attention and ensure that they watch your videos to the end. Since some people may listen to your video without sound, ensure that you include a basic text overlay that outlines the tip you’re giving.
2. Use The Best Equipment For Vlogging
As a freelance photographer, any content you produce is a reflection of your ability and professionalism. It’s essential to produce top-tier content consistently. Since TikTok videos are short in length, it is all about quality over quantity.
Equip yourself with portable and compatible gadgets with whatever device you use— whether it’s a state-of-the-art camera or a smartphone. These may include features like portable LED lights or microphones that are easy to use on the move and ensure top-notch quality.
3. Show Your Followers What Goes On Behind The Scenes
Add a personal touch to your videos and set yourself apart from other freelance photographers on TikTok. Invite your followers into your world to see what it’s like to spend the day in your shoes.
Create content that demonstrates the kind of jobs you do and how it all works. Perhaps you could take a video of a shoot location or explain your thought process in deciding to do something a specific way.
Seeing the final product is one thing, but people love being part of the process and seeing how things work—so give the people what they love!
4. Explain How You Achieve Expert Editing
The editing process is an interesting aspect of the job that amateurs often pay little attention to. Make them feel like they’re getting something out of viewing your content by giving them ways to improve their own editing skills at home.
Tell viewers about your favorite editing software and give them some tips and tricks on how to use it. Why not review specific software and demonstrate how to use it effectively? Alternatively, you could show your followers how to perform skills such as cropping, brightening, straightening, or any range of things.
5. Post Unique Content Regularly
Being successful on social media is all about striking a balance between posting high-quality content that is unique on a regular basis. TikTok will expose you to a lot of competition within your niche. Therefore, you must stay at the top of your followers’ feeds while always posting content you can be proud of.
A good way to ensure that you get this right is to create a posting schedule for yourself to help you keep on track. Creating content in batches can also help streamline the time spent on creating.
6. Keep Up With TikTok Trends
To stay relevant, you’ve got to keep up with the trends, and TikTok is all about trends. Find out what kind of content or music is trending and get onboard—research what kind of content does well and use that as a guideline for your own work.
Just ensure that you’re always producing original content and not just getting carried away with what’s “hip and happening.” Find a balance between monitoring trends and staying true to yourself and your brand.
7. Follow And Interact With Related Accounts
By following and interacting with other photography TikTok accounts, you can see what other people are doing and what is effective. In addition, this may also help boost your own following at the same time!
8. Give Your Followers Freelance Photographer Tips
Freelancing is becoming increasingly popular across industries, and photography is no different. To be able to freelance full-time, you need to be running a successful business. Let’s face it, it takes more than just passion and a good eye.
Consider what you found challenging when starting your photography business and your day-to-day challenges. Then, tell your viewers how you overcame them.
This could include things like:
- Getting your business off the ground
- Finding your niche
- Developing your skills
- Managing client relations
- Dealing with your workload
- Sourcing consistent clients
- Balancing time spent editing and shooting
9. Share Information About Your Client Experiences
It goes without saying that you shouldn’t delve into details about specific clients or reveal names. However, sharing general experiences—both positive and negative—that you’ve had with clients can create interesting content. It also gives followers insight into the nitty gritty of running a successful freelance photography business.
10. Show Your Followers How Much You Love Your Job
Running a business is hard work; there’s no doubt about that. But at the end of the day, you do what you do because you have a passion for photography.
Make sure that no matter what you post, your content reflects how much you love your job and enjoy what you do. Demonstrate to your followers how your passion makes you the best at what you do!
Start Your TikTok Journey
So, what are you waiting for? TikTok is a fun and effective platform that every freelance photographer can use to learn, teach, and gain exposure for their business.
Follow these tips, and you’ll be a TikTok pro in no time.
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