Tips: Using Google to Find the Right Photographer

Some Info on how Google Search works

Google (and other search engines) aim to show the most helpful websites based on what you type into the search bar. The most relevant and useful pages appear in what’s called the Organic Search Results.

Organic Search Results are websites that Google thinks best match your search. Google’s algorithms look at the words on the page, details about images, and how other reputable websites link to it. You can’t buy your way into these results—ranking organically is based on having high-quality, relevant content.

Here are a few things to know about what you type in the search bar. Search terms can become complex, but here are some useful things to keep in mind.

• If you enclose a word or phrase in double quotes like “Dance Photographer” Google will require that it find that phrase or word somewhere. Unquoted words and phrases are considered “really nice to have,” and priority is given to the first words in your search.
• You can make your search look for one of two (or more) words by using OR in the search. It must be capitalized. For example, photographer OR photography will match either term.
• You can require both terms with the AND connector.
• Prefixing with web: will force just organic results

We will discuss using these features below to find photographers who will wow you.

Be Specific (but not too specific):

Let’s get started finding the dance photographer for you!

You aren’t just looking for any photographer, we want one with very specific skills. At a minimum, you want to search for a Dance Photographer.

Sometimes Dance Photography will generate different results from Dance Photographer. We can cover both by searching for “dance photography” OR “dance photographer”. The word “OR” must be in all upper case letters. The quotes make sure we are looking for either phrase.

Pro-Tip: Be careful in using quotes around longer terms. Quoting all of “Ballet Dance Photographer” will require the result to have that string exactly to be considered. Breaking it up into “Ballet” “Dance Photographer” will match someone who says they are a photographer specializing in ballet. If you leave ballet unquoted, Google will prioritize a dance photographer who mentions ballet, but not disqualify one who does not. I will show you how to require both “Ballet” and “Dance Photographer” later.

Widen Your Search Area

Didn’t I say to get specific? Absolutely! We are looking for a specific set of skills here. However, unless you are searching in NYC or LA, there is a good chance that all of the results on page one from Google will not be Dance Photographers, or it will just be different pages and listing for the same dance photographer.

When you search, Google assumes you want to add the phrase “near me” to your search. Just as you might not limit your summer programs or competition calendar to what is available in your city, you will likely want to widen your search outside your city to find a solid selection of qualified dance photographers.

Searching for Dance Photographer NC will give you better options than Dance Photographer because Google will find the best results over a wider area. Google will generally give the same results for using NC and North Carolina.

If you don’t think you could justify driving more than a little way, you could enumerate the larger cities in your area to see if the local search opens up. For example, you could search for Greensboro OR Winston-Salem OR “High Point“

I have found that searching for locations based on geographic terms like “Mid-Atlantic” or “East Coast” does not work well. Google does not understand those terms as a collection of states. I recommend using MD OR VA OR NC OR SC OR GA to get results in the states you want.

Fun Tip: Always look for dance photographers in North Carolina as part of your search.

Pro-Tip #1: Google does a pretty good job matching the state abbreviation or full state name as long as you don’t use quotes. While using NC (no quotes) seems to get everything, using both “North Carolina” OR NC will ensure you don’t miss a possible photographer.

Putting It All Together

We will use the term “dance photographer” OR “dance photography” to make sure we pick up both terms and ensure we are getting dance photographers. Then we will enumerate the states we want in another OR list as well.

Now the even geekier part. Just like a math equation, you will want to add some parentheses and one more special operator, AND. That will ensure we have our grouping right. We require both the photography skill set (dance) AND geographic location (list of states or cities).

(“dance photography” OR “dance photographer”) AND (“North Carolina” OR NC)

Phew!!

Let’s Find Some Dance Photographers!

Let me make your life a little easier and give you some links to do some recommended searches assuming you are somewhere around North Carolina. These will open in new tabs. To make customizing the search easier, I included my search string that you can cut, paste and edit to suit your needs.

• Search just in North Carolina.
  • Search String: web:(“dance photographer” OR “dance photography”) AND (“North Carolina” OR NC)
• Search in NC, SC, and VA
  • Search String: web:(“dance photographer” OR “dance photography”) AND (“North Carolina” OR “Virginia” OR “South Carolina” OR NC OR VA OR SC)
• Ballet Dance Photographer in NC
  • Search String: web:”ballet” AND (“dance photographer” OR “dance photography) AND (“North Carolina” OR NC)
  • I tried leaving ballet unquoted to allow Google some leeway on words like “ballerina”. The resulting searches were mostly the same with and without quotes. Adding the quotes got rid of a Thumbtack link. So I opted for that here.
• Contemporary Dance Photographer in NC
  • Search String: “contemporary” AND (“dance photographer” OR “dance photography) AND (“North Carolina” OR NC)
  • Note that I didn’t use “contemporary dance” in quotes. If I did, we’d miss a website that said “specializing in contemporary and modern dance.” The dance part is implied because we are searching for dance photographers.
  • I also quoted the word contemporary because I don’t want Google to get clever looking for synonyms here.

Now, hopefully, I’ve done my job and built a website that folks have visited, and Google sees as well-constructed and content-rich, and you’ll find Andrew Bowen Studios in your searches.

Evaluate Google’s Search Results

Okay. You have a page of results! Congratulations. The first entry in the organic results should be Andrew Bowen Studios. Seriously, though, Google probably found some good options, and now it’s your turn to dig deeper.

Skip the Junk

• Ads are paid placement. Google didn’t decide this was a good result.
  • Pro Tip: If you have used my search strings, you may have no ads, because most photographers would not have such a specific set of criteria set for running the ad.
• The Map is great if you want someone close by, but if your priority is stunning dance photos, not proximity, skip it.
• Organic Results are your goldmine. If there are no ads, they’ll be right at the top!
• Aggregator sites like Thumbtack or Photobooker say they have dance photographers, but often they don’t—these platforms rarely vet real dance specialists.
• Social profiles (Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook) can be inspiring, but they’re harder to vet. A serious photographer should have a professional website where you can learn more about them.
• Open interesting sites in new tabs so you can easily compare them side by side.

Assess what’s left

I want you to find a dance photographer who makes you feel incredible, helps you look your best, and respects you as an artist. Here’s great way to sort through results before contacting the photographers:

• How central is dance photography to their business?
• Do they offer personal photoshoots or just school photo days?
• Did you land on a blog post? Click to their homepage—does dance appear in their core portfolio?
• Are their photos compelling? Can you see yourself feeling great in those images?
• Do they feature a variety of dancers (styles, ages, experience levels)?
• If you’re a teen, do they work with dancers your age—or is their portfolio only adults?
• Remember: websites show a photographer’s best work. If you feel “meh” now, it won’t get better.
• Read their bio. Do they sound like someone who will respect you as an artist and person?
• Are they members of professional organizations like PPA, ASMP, ASP, or their local chamber of commerce? These don’t guarantee the right fit, but show commitment to their craft and community.

If you’d like a deeper look at how to evaluate potential photographers—including what questions to ask, red flags to watch for, and tips for finding someone who matches your artistic voice—check out my blog post:

Did I Make the Cut?

I hope that after exploring what’s out there, you’ll feel like we might be a great match. I encourage you—and your parents, if you’re still in school—to actually talk to the photographers you’re considering. Not just email, but have a real conversation with the person who will be creating your photos with you.

Make sure they care about you as an artist, have the skills to do your artistry justice, and will respect your opinions and ideas. No matter where you’re coming from, I’d love to welcome you to my Greensboro studio—and help you create dance photos you’ll treasure.