What Info to Give Your Ghostblogger for a Great Photo Session Post
If you’ve never worked with a ghostblogger before, you probably have some questions about how the whole thing works. Near the top of your list may be, “How is my blogger going to write about a photography session when they weren’t even there?”
It’s a fair question. Ghostbloggers, despite the cool name, are not magicians. We depend on our clients to provide the juicy details. When you hire a blogger to write for you, it works best when it’s a team effort—and that’s particularly true for photography session blog posts. After all, you want the post to read like it was written by the person who did the shoot, not someone halfway across the country who’s never even seen your studio.
Don’t worry though. With modern technology and a few key details, your ghostblogger can work their magic and create a session blog post that sounds like it came straight from your keyboard. In this post, we’ll cover what you should provide your blogger so they can give you great results.
General Information to Provide Your Ghostblogger
Near the beginning of your relationship, it’s helpful if you provide your ghostblogger with some general information about yourself and your business. A good ghostblogger will keep these details on file to help them create accurate content (or to use as filler if needed—more on that later.)
Let’s Get Personal
A few personal details can really help your ghostblogger to sound like you. Here are some ideas for general information about yourself that might be helpful to share with your writer:
- What do you like to do in your free time?
- What are some of your favorite things?
- Do you have kids? Pets?
- How would other people describe you?
If you want your blogger to sound like you, you need to share with them a little bit about who you are, what makes you tick, and what your life is like. It’s okay to update them on stuff too. When people read your blog, they like to hear little details that help them connect with you. So if you just got back from vacation, adopted a puppy, or are figuring out a new daily workflow—share that with your blogger so they can share with readers.
Down to Business
In addition to knowing who you are personally, it’s also helpful for your ghostblogger to have a firm grasp on your business and who you are professionally. You might share things like:
- What do you feel like really sets you apart from other photographers?
- How would you describe your studio space?
- What kind of training do you have?
- What got you started in the field of photography and what keeps you going?
- What should clients come to you for?
Answering questions like these helps your ghostblogger sound like you and keep content in line with your business mission and style. Plus, it can make for good filler. For example, let’s say you didn’t give your writer a lot to go on for a newborn session. That’s okay! They can talk about how the parents had a chance to relax in your comfy studio, enjoying the snacks and quiet space you provide for your clients to enjoy—because you gave them a good description of your amazing studio at the beginning of your relationship.
Session Specific Information to Provide Your Ghostblogger
Of course, if your ghostblogger has to lean on this type of general information too often, it probably means you’re not giving them enough detail about the sessions themselves. When you photograph babies (or families, or expecting moms, etc.) every day, a session can start to feel routine. “What to say about it? I don’t know, it went just like all the rest of them!” Keep an eye out for details you can share with your writer so they can write a post that sounds like they were actually there in the studio with you. These details can include:
Themes
Was there a particular theme you went with for this session? Especially if you only share a few photos, or if you used multiple setups, your ghostblogger may not pick up on the teddy bear picnic theme or winter ONEderland idea unless you point it out.
About the family
If it’s just mom, dad, and siblings, it’s pretty easy for your writer to figure out who’s who. But if you’ve got extended family in there, your blogger may not be sure who’s mom and who’s aunt. Or if it’s the maternal or paternal grandparents. If your clients are okay with it, including names can also help to make your session post feel more personal. Oh, and if you have some kind of connection with the people you’re photographing (it’s your cousin’s family, your kid’s preschool teacher, etc.) do your ghostblogger a favor and let them know!
Props
Were any of the props special items? Maybe something the family brought from home? Your writer won’t know that Grandma knitted the blue blanket or that the gauzy white fabric used to wrap baby is mom’s wedding veil unless you tell them.
Sensitive Subjects/Don’t Say This
It sounds counterintuitive to tell your writer what not to include, but in some situations it can be a good idea! For example, if mom and dad are divorced but are both coming in to do pictures with their kiddo, you’ll want your writer to be aware of the fact. You probably don’t want them to include that information in the post, but you also don’t want them to go referring to mom and dad as a couple either. Give your ghostblogger a heads up about any sensitive subjects and everyone will be happier!
Photos
Your ghostblogger may not have been at the session, but having access to the photos from the shoot is the next best thing. Rather than going in and adding photos later, make sure your blogger has access to these from the get-go as it can really help them out when writing your blog post.
This Feels Like a Lot!
If this seems like a lot and you’re not sure how to organize it, don’t be afraid to do a brain dump. Part of a writer’s job is to organize information into a format that’s accessible and easy to understand. So you know what? You don’t have to worry about it! Personally, I prefer it when clients ramble on a bit in their blog post request.
For example: “We did this flower power session for babys first birthday. She really wasn’t feeling it. We ended up playing some of her favorite music on moms phone to get her to smile a little but we got some good shots anyway. Heres the link the flower shop I use. I know mom a little because her kid is in my son’s class at school. Favorite color is yellow, so lots of that. They’re going to use these pics as birthday party invites. I recomend people book their session for x number of weeks before the party if their doing that so I can make sure pics are ready in time. Babys name is Cora. I photographed her as a newborn too. So I knew mom from that session as well.”
Something like this is way more helpful (and will result in a much better blog post) than “First birthday session. Favorite color is yellow. Will use photos as birthday invites.” The first response not only gives me more information, but it also gives me a better feel for your voice so I can try to mimic it. It doesn’t matter that there are typos and the information isn’t super organized—it’s there, and that’s the main thing!
Let Your Blogger Tell You What They Need
Every blogger is different, so don’t hesitate to ask them what you can provide to make sure they have all the tools to make your blog as successful as possible. And one of the best things you can do is just make yourself available to answer questions. Even if you’re great at giving your writer plenty to go on, chances are that occasionally they’ll need clarification or want to run something by you. For example, in the brain dump example given above, I might ask the client if she can send me the link to the original newborn post. Internal and external links are good for SEO, so I’d want to include that to make her blog post more successful. Blogging works best as a team effort, so try to get back to your ghostblogger quickly if they reach out. After all, this is your blog they’re working on—you want them to have everything they need to make it awesome, right?
Ready, Set, Blog!
Now that you have an idea of what to provide your ghostblogger for photography session blog posts, you’re all set for a successful experience that will help you get the most of their writing services.
Once you feel like you and your blogger have worked out a rhythm for photography session blog posts, you may want to explore how to work with your ghostblogger to provide informational posts too. These are posts that provide tips or advice to your clients, and they can be even better for your SEO than session posts! Ideally, you want a nice mix so that you’re providing potential clients with valuable information, establishing yourself as a photography expert, and keeping folks up to date on the latest and greatest coming out of your studio.
Interested in learning more? Stay tuned—we’ll be covering informational posts next month!
