My Decision To Take My Family Photography Business Away From Social Media

It is probably one of the most frustrating parts of being self employed- making social media work for me. It was a case of fitting my emotional, romantic and nostalgic branding with those stupid dancing viral videos- they just don’t go.

Motherhood photography like this will always have my heart, social media however is still behind the times and there is a never-ending fight with showing breastfeeding images. One of the reasons that my reach is so low is because I share these images.

In fact those videos do not fit with me, my branding or my personality at all.

Ray LaMontagne said something recently that stuck with me…

‘It will come as no surprise to hear that myself and social media don’t jive. I flow with the gentle current. I avoid the rapids.’

This resonated with me so much. I have said so many times that if it wasn’t for my business, I wouldn’t have social media.

So when I found myself wracking my brain, heart and creativity for some images so share the other day and creating something purely because I needed new work on my grid, I realised it was all backwards. Instagram was no longer working for my business- I was creating content for Instagram to use.

I was posting things without having anything to say.

I was creating images just so that I had something that I could post, not because I was creating from the love of my art.

So the other morning, lying in bed and planning out my posts for the week, it suddenly hit me. I don’t want to be doing this. I have just redone my website and there are SO many things that need finishing on it, I’m behind on my editing and I am constantly wanting to spend more time with my children- yet I was spending it creating unecessary content.

Then I looked at my stats.

My refusal to put time and effort into using Reels effectively, meant that my reach was down. I’d gained barely any new followers, the 6000 followers who did follow me weren’t even seeing my work and all of those hours put into instagram were completely pointless from a marketing point of view.

Being able to share art such as this is important for so many reasons- stifling creativity (as Instagram and Facebook do) is harmful to the art world. Showing real woman and real bodies debunks society’s beauty standards and supports woman through a very important and what can be, difficult, time in their lives.

So over my morning cup of tea I made the dramatic (and scary) final decision- that was it, no more time wasted on Instagram. It’s a thought that I’ve played with on and off for about 6 months, but this was it.I’m very adamant that my business must work for me. My pricings, my branding, my work hours, my core ethics. Everything is focused on not only providing my clients the best experience possible, but making something that I am passionate about and proud of. That gives me a beautiful, slow paced lifestyle in a beautiful area of the country with my little family.

Social media just isn’t feeling right, isn’t fitting with my ideal world or what I am aiming for, and the desperation to be noticed on there (probably by people who are not even my clients) is like trying to jam two pieces of different jigsaws together. Speaking about it earlier today (as an example whilst explaining my plan to somebody) I opened up Instagram and was immediately met with a woman/account that I do not follow, dancing around a horse, in a stable to a trending piece of music. I do not know or care about that horse/woman/video.

My decision was a terrifying one to make- how will people hear me? Will I be forgotten? How will they find me?

These questions have been met simply with one answer- they currently don’t on social media anyway.Business must be fluid and change, and I strongly believe that SEO and website optimisation is where the effort must be put. During my mentoring sessions I always make time to discuss these things and ensure that my mentees understand that to make a business work then a website is one of the first areas to concentrate on. We chat about how to optimise their sites, make a plan of action to get them on the first page of google and importantly, how to keep them there.… To use social media when I need to. When I have something to say to the world. When I don’t find it draining or needlessly time consuming.My use of it will be restricted to updates about my business that are important, direct messages (although to be honest, emails will always be the best way to contact me) will be replied to. That is it though.I will, of course be reporting back to you, via this newsletter, how I find things and how it is effecting my business.

My children, ultimately have been my main reason for the decision to limit my use of social media.

It has been 3 days without using it, and most of that I have spent not knowing where my phone is. The pressure has been lifted, and tonight as I sit out in the garden, watching the swallows diving about my head with no desire to film it- I feel calm and settled.