9 Ways to Use Your Images to their Fullest Potential Online (So You Can Drive More Traffic to Your Blog)

Want to drive more traffic to your blog? The best way to do this is by sharing your fabulous images everywhere you can! Here are a few things you can do before and after your shoots to make sure your images are being used to their fullest potential … — Want to drive more traffic to your blog? The best way to do this is by sharing your fabulous images everywhere you can! Here are a few things you can do before and after your shoots to make sure your images are being used to their fullest potential online.

If you’ve ever planned a photo shoot for your blog, you know how much work goes into it — from planning everything, to the shoot itself and posting to your blog and social media.

But once your shoot is over, are you really using your images to their fullest potential on your blog and social media?

Today I want to share some things you can do before and after your shoots to make sure your images are being used to their fullest potential online.

How to get more traffic to your blog Megan Weaver Dallas blogger photographer

What you can do before a shoot to get the types of images you want

1. Decide what types of images you need for your blog, for example:

Do you need more horizontal images for your header images on your blog, Facebook cover page, etc.?
Do you need images that have lots of space on the right, left or center so you can add text to promote a blog post, giveaway, share a quote, etc.?
Once you know what types of images you need, let your photographer know so you can make sure you take the right photos during your shoot — especially if you only have a limited amount of time with them.

2. Look towards the empty space in the photo

If you know you want to add text to one side of the image to promote a post, giveaway, or maybe share a how-to tip, point to the blank space or look in that direction to help guide your readers' eyes to the text.

Readers are more likely to look the direction you’re pointing or looking. This will help them follow through on the CTA (call to action) on your image.

3. Decide if you’ll need any “stock” type images

Like styled products or fun props that relate to your blog. Ask your photographer if they can create easy stock images during your shoot if time allows.

Have them leave space on either side or in the middle if you want to add text there.

Ways you can use your images after the shoot to their fullest potential

4. Include easily shareable images

In your blog post, include at least one image with the title of the post. Make it large and easy to read so people can tell what your post is about before they click through if they're on Pinterest, Facebook or Twitter (you could even customize images for each platform).

5. Add calls to action on your image

if you’re sharing your image somewhere other than your blog, add a CTA to ask them to take the next steps: sign up for your newsletter, join a giveaway, comment on your post, visit your blog, etc. — whatever you want people to do after they see your image!

6. Create Facebook or Twitter cover images

You can create these and rotate the text based on what you have coming up (i.e. giveaway for your blog, sign up for your newsletter, upcoming event, or your most recent blog post) as just another way to encourage people to visit your blog or take action.

7. Include “alt text” in your images

If someone pins your image, the “alt text" will be the description of the image once it’s on Pinterest. You can easily add it when you’re uploading the photo to your blog post under “alt text." For example, if your post is about the best donut shops in town, your alt text could be “The 10 Best Places to Find Donuts in Dallas” or something similar. Just make sure the text describes the post accurately.

8. If you’re creating a how-to post or list of resources

To solve a problem for your readers, add the bulleted list to one of your images if there’s space.

9. Add your image(s) to Pinterest

I try to add my shoots and posts to at least a few boards depending what they are. Blogger and entrepreneurs shoots are added to one board and how-to posts for bloggers are added to another. Of course, you could also add them to group boards that let anyone pin to spread your posts even more!

A few tools to add text to your images

Canva
PicMonkey
Photoshop

For Instagram:

Studio
Over

How gorgeous is Taylor Madison of The Simple Sol?!

This was seriously one of my favorite shoots so far. We loved getting to spend time at Mercat Bistro in Dallas — if you haven't been yet, get. there. now.

Almond croissants. That's all I'm gonna say.