I want to sell my fine art photography online and also offer my training services for photographers (videos,books,workshops, etc).
In trying to build a brand would it be best to have 2 separate sites or can I tastefully combine both as 1?
In regards to SEO Does it matter if I have two different customer types & businesses on 1 site (people that buy pictures & people that want to make pictures)?
Two key concerns are
1. Customer confusion with the 2 offerings: Imagine being in an art gallery that sells photography training and fine art or a book store that tries to sell you fine art. Even if it's the same group of people, they may be in very different mind-sets and hence may not associate both together.
2. SEO challenges with mixed messages you're sending. Which keywords would you optimize for which part of the site?
Advantage would be if the customer base is the same group of people, hence offering cross-sell opportunities. For instance, if your MAIN source of leads for the training site is the art site, then this would be more important.
In general, I would suggest one site for one customer group. If there is likely to be a very high overlap, then same site, with multiple sub-sites might work.
In matter of fact, it'll probably be EASIER to do two sites for this than one site. Your designer will thank you :)
Then tastefully add cross-links in the places where someone is likely to use them. For instance the art gallery could have a post 'How I make art' and links to your other business there. And the photog training site would have your art pics with subtle on-image links to your art biz.
While I'm not a branding expert, I do find that my engineering lead approach to challenges in Marketing/Sales usually works, and provides clarity and direction.
My perspective is one of an SEO.
I would never recommend to anyone that they have separate websites.It is very difficult to maintain/optimize one website, let alone more. You must consider your time investment. Will both sites truly have your focused attention?
I imagine your homepage focused on displaying your lovely photography. Making all the buying info for each one easy to find or see, ie animated modals on hover. That is a stunning visual.
Buyers will see things they want to buy, students will see things they want to create.
In SEO we talk about siloing. It's a hierarchy thing.
You create silos starting from the navigation on your website, one for buyers, one for students. Both silos are available everywhere on the website. The two silos even link together, somewhat. But mostly you build links down through the silo. Buyer stuff links to buyer stuff. Student stuff links to student stuff.
This will send a nice clear signal to the search engines.
Hope that makes sense. Call me if you want more detail.
It does sound like you're targeting two different audiences because most photographers do not buy fine art photography from other photographers.
Because one offering (prints) is a product and the other (training) is a service, you'll have different messaging, and you'll need a different UI/UX to emphasize the value and benefits of each.
So though the thought of building a single, cohesive brand and directing ALL your traffic to one site might be appealing, going that route will probably introduce confusion.
I'd recommend one site for fine art photography. You can read a couple of dozen blog posts, and make a list of best practices for driving print sales.
And I'd recommend a second site for the training. Same thing here: go educate yourself on how to generate sales. Split test landing pages, focus on benefits, different calls to action, free "give them a taste" content, that sort of thing.
And then when it makes sense, you can always link the sites together using "My Other Projects" in the main nav, footer, or sidebar.
Would enjoy discussing more on a call if you're game.
Cheers,
Austin
Consider TV commercials. Do they make a single case, or do they split their time between 2 different sales pitches? They tend to be quite focused, don't they? Now, the communication tactics in TV ads have been studied and perfected over decades. And the rationale isn't that different for TV compared to websites, since a typical visitor will spend only the briefest period paying attention before clicking "back" or changing the channel.
Presentation influences a visitor's decision-making process. Although you could cram 2 divergent services into a single website, the BEST presentation for a photo gallery and the BEST presentation for training workshops are unlikely to be the same. In fact, they might be mutually exclusive. To optimize both sales pitches and convince the most people, you'll want to separate the landing pages.
Some of your customers for 1 service can be converted into customers for the other service. And you can still take advantage of that audience overlap through on-site ads that link your offerings to one another – not to mention cross-marketing through your transactional emails and newsletter.
The remaining question (from my perspective, anyway) is whether you ought to separate the BRANDS or use a unified brand structure for 2 websites. You might be able to house 2 distinct websites on subdomains within a single domain. Then again, you might want 2 domain names – either related to one another or else pursuing distinct identities.
It is best to create 2 different sites and link them together - advertising the other on their own webpage.
As everyone has mentioned, the SEO, is the main key player here. Because such search engines like GOOGLE and Google Ad Words are used for marketing purposes, you would gain more benefit from having 2 websites.
Take a look at these 2 website owned by the same people:
http://www.hyarchitecture.com/
http://www.mystudio.us/
The layout is exactly the same and the "SWITCH TO:" is in the same place. The services are different, but the user will know that they are same people, but different services.
I hope this helps. If you need anymore examples or ideas, feel free to contact me.
Maryam
My best advice is to maintain everything under one same roof, since all your services are somehow topically related to each other. It would be different if you were selling unrelated products and services and, then, in that case, you would need separate sites.
No matter how many lines of businesses you run (again, within the same industry), you may want to build up authority for the main domain, in a way that all your pages benefit from that. Focus on creating an intelligible and logical content tree, so the areas of the website are well differentiated, including a hierarchical URL taxonomy that both users and Search Engines can understand.
Sounds like your business is very similar to some existing marketplaces. See Voice123.com, for voice over talents. They offer a large database of voice artists, and at the same time they connect them to customers that are companies searching for voice overs.
Hope this helps.
Hi, I totally agree with Artem:
1 web site
2 section: products and training. It's easier for u to track users behavior in order to improve your web site and easier for visitors, giving them a better experience.
About SEO: good product and good content (to update often) is the right way.
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SEO AND ROI
- http://j.mp/1N7JV5A
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One brand can mean different things to different people, as long as it means profits to you. At least as a rule of thumb.
If your situation is similar to the fictitious example under "LOOK AT YOUR BUSINESS MODEL" (below), my recommendation and that of the specialists I represent, would be to create different landing pages on the same site, because it would produce sales sooner, at a lower cost per customer.
The top SEO specialist on my team says that she can exploit both opportunities simultaneously by optimising your website for different searches, by different users.
The lead web designer told me that the SEO data would help her to design great customer experiences for each segment, based on your sales forecasts. This would make your site more likely to close sales, at your desired prices.
We want to persuade YOUR prospects to buy at YOUR desired price.
WHAT IS NEXT?
Booking a call and feeding me real information so that my team and I can best serve your interests.
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LOOK AT YOUR BUSINESS MODEL
- http://j.mp/1gHbqVC
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The answer to how many pages you need depends on which alternative gives you a competitive advantage. SEO is only one tool to exploit such advantage.
Both alternatives are hypothetically viable, because you can either create a diversified brand or focused brands with more or less autonomy.
1- Are buyers and students different people?
2- Are your photos unique or stock?
b- To what end does your target buy X or Y?
c- Why does (or should) your target buy from you?
3- Are you already selling on Etsy and Pinterest?
4- What have been your most successful sales/marketing tactics, if any?
5- Where have you failed and why?
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OVERLY-SIMPLIFIED FICTITIOUS CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS.
-Visit link above for a complimentary business model canvas template.
BUYER A
(Few)
-Innovators and Early Adopters
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Opportunities:
1 Moving inventory
2 Referrals
3 Enabling you to command a premium on Buyer B
BUYER B
(Many)
- Early and Late Majorities
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Opportunities:
1 Sales of content
2 Sales of workshops
3 Referrals
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Buyer A is a wealthy couple. They make shared decisions and invest in art for its social and financial value.
They attend art events where they can network and be seen by other As. A few smart brands use them to influence Buyer B, because Buyer B looks up to Buyer A.
Buyer B is a middle aged, professionally successful woman, influenced by Buyer A's purchases, but family priorities keep her from investing in art.
Buyer B, however, is able and willing to pay for photography lessons from someone who is being endorsed by Buyer A, because they need a fulfilling creative outlet.
WHAT IS NEXT?
Booking a call and feeding me real information so that my team and I can best serve your interests.
I would create 2 long pages 1000 words each. Good for SEO.
Then add blog promoting each page.
each page should address user intent with answers and addressing the value each product provides.
Then Week 2 write a press release promoting each page.
and share the page content in small chucks on social media linking back to each page.
Combining your fine art photography sales and your training services for photographers on one website can be beneficial for several reasons, especially when it comes to building a brand and managing SEO. Here are some considerations:
### Benefits of Combining Both Services on One Website
1. **Brand Cohesion**
- **Unified Brand Identity:** Having both services on one site helps create a strong, unified brand identity. It showcases your expertise and establishes you as a comprehensive resource in the photography field.
- **Cross-Promotion:** Customers who buy your art may be interested in learning how to create similar work, and students may be interested in purchasing your art.
2. **SEO Advantages**
- **Authority and Relevance:** A single, comprehensive site with high-quality content on both selling and teaching photography can improve your site's authority and relevance in the eyes of search engines.
- **Content Variety:** A wider range of content types (product pages, blog posts, tutorials) can attract more traffic and provide more opportunities for internal linking, enhancing overall SEO.
3. **Simplified Management**
- **Maintenance:** Managing one site is simpler and more cost-effective than running two separate sites.
- **Marketing:** Your marketing efforts (e.g., social media, email marketing) can be more focused and efficient with one website.
### How to Combine Both Services Effectively
1. **Clear Navigation**
- **Separate Sections:** Create distinct sections or categories for your fine art photography and training services. For example, you could have "Shop Fine Art" and "Photography Training" as main menu items.
- **Intuitive Navigation:** Ensure that visitors can easily find what they're looking for, whether it's to purchase art or sign up for a workshop.
2. **Landing Pages**
- **Dedicated Landing Pages:** Use dedicated landing pages for each service type. These pages can serve as entry points for SEO and marketing campaigns, catering to the specific needs of each audience.
3. **Content Strategy**
- **Blog and Resources:** Create a blog or resource section where you share articles, tutorials, and news that appeal to both customer types. This helps with SEO and keeps your audience engaged.
- **Cross-Linking:** Link related content and products/services to guide users through your site and keep them engaged longer.
### When to Consider Separate Websites
In some cases, having separate websites might be beneficial:
1. **Distinct Audiences:**
- If the audiences for your fine art photography and training services are significantly different and have little overlap, separate sites might make sense.
2. **Specialization:**
- If you want to present a highly specialized and focused brand image for each service, separate websites could be more appropriate.
3. **SEO Strategy:**
- If the SEO strategy for each service requires a different approach, separate sites might be more effective. However, this is rare and typically, the benefits of a single, authoritative site outweigh the need for separate strategies.
### Conclusion
For most businesses, especially when starting out or when the services are related (like selling photography and teaching photography), combining both services on one website is usually the best approach. It helps build a strong, cohesive brand, simplifies management, and can provide significant SEO benefits. Ensure that your site is well-organized, with clear navigation and dedicated sections for each service to cater to your different customer types effectively.
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