EEEEEK. Ok, for those of you that know me…YOU KNOWWW I hate confrontation. I hate disappointing anyone, letting them down, or basically anything negative. The only time confrontational Kaitlin breaks out is when someone hurts or says anything ill of my family…especially my little boys. Mama bear is viscious…so watch out! : P

So the reason I say I don’t like confrontation is because this post MAY invoke some different opinions and may not be what everyone wants to hear. So as I tread lightly, please remember this is just MY ONE professional opinion. I will never ever claim that my way is the right way…or the only way. Ca-peesh? Lol, ok moving on then.

Blog-sites! A blog and website combined into one. A blog that allows you to feature your portfolio, about me section, contact form etc. These days, and even referencing my own blog…sure…I have links to all of those things ON my blog…but they all CONNECT/LINK back to my professional website.

Why? Good question….here is why!

My blog features not only an extension of my work…it features personal stories from my life….blog posts for and directed towards other photographers. My blog features OTHER photographers (which some agree with, and some actually frown upon me for. Regardless, its my blog, my business, my life…my way. : P) Because my blog features all those things, I NEED to have another professional platform that is strictly business! 

My website is branded. It is the begging of the experience a potential client will have with me. There is a more professional, brief about me section that gives some some insight into my personality…but not enough to immediately induce an strong opinions to be made about me. My website features ONLY the best of the best of my work….or at least it will once its updated and has its makeover this upcoming March. My website is the first handshake I will make with my client and I want that handshake to be a friendly, but professional interatction. You enver get to make first impressions a second time…remember that!

On my website there is a link to my blog. If a client were to see my blog first….and checked my blog out on a Tuesday…they would see this post write now. They might think…ok she is a self help blog…not a real deal photographer. Or worse, they may check me out on a Friday and see another photographers face and work and be totally confused. Right? But because my blog is for both photographers and cleints, it is IMPORTANT that I have a professional platform that is STRICTLY for my clients.  (Enter- client lounge…coming March 2013—we can chat about that in antoher psot) But see where I am going with this? Your blog features your writing, and most people write the way the speak. They joke in their writing, they are more vunerable and susceptible to unfair judgements being made out of context.

When you first start out, I am sure you are told that a blog site is the cheapest and easiest way….but just because it’s the cheapest and easiest doesn’t mean it’s the best either. If you start out ahead of the game, you will be better off in the long run. Go secure those domain names you want for your website and blog. Even if you use photobiz, then blogger as a free blog platform (which is what I did when I started) DO IT! Eventually….you tooootally need to upgade your site to SHOWIT, but again, that takes time. Photobiz is 15.00 a month….a domain is not that expensive either! When you can afford the 40.00 a month of SHOWIT…GREAT! But don’t feel pressured into that as of yet. Focus on getting your domains secured and focus on making sure you have a blog and a website…one more professionally based, the other more interactional and personal. More work…totally. Worth it…100%!

I hope this answers your questions about this issue. I could probably go on and on about the benefits of having separate pltforms, but yall…im in Santa Barbara with some of the best photographers in the world. I have to go learn as much as I can so I can blog it for you guys….oh and….its time to have some fun!

Happy Try Me! Tuesday! Thanks for your great questions and for giving me the chance to answer them!

 

Xoxo,

Kaitlin Noel