Leslie Vega – Brand & Web Design for Wedding Photographers
INTRODUCING LESLIE VEGA
Leslie is a branding & web designer for photographers based in Florida, check out Leslie Vega Design. She offers branding for the deeper, artful photographer who is ready to rebrand. She is a mom of two who has been running her business for over a decade. In addition to servicing photographers, Leslie also works with fellow designers, check out: The Unveiled Designer Academy & The Unveiled Designers Retreat.
Hi, I am Aida, host of My Wedding Season -The Podcast!
If you prefer listening, this blog post is also available in audio format on my podcast: Episode 30.
MY WEDDING SEASON – THE PODCAST
INTERVIEW MAIN TAKEAWAYS
A well-thought-out brand and web presence is so important in helping wedding photographers book their dream clients.
Leslie has over a decade of experience working with photographers – that has allowed her to develop a process that yields the best results in the branding and web design work that she does. Mostly, she works with a detailed questionnaire to help her gain a clear picture of the photographer’s ideal client, market, etc. The first part of the process is to use all this information to map out the overall brand and create a foundation to go off of (includes logo, typography, colors etc.) – the photographer is provided with this branding document, which can be used as a “cheat sheet” to refer to in order to ensure that they are always staying consistent.
At this point, they are able to move on to designing the website. Leslie and I take this opportunity to discuss the importance of having a website and not just have a presence of social media (i.e. Instagram). Leslie stresses that there are many people who want information on how to book the photographer, what the pricing ranges are, who they are etc… Photographers need to remember that they need to have a hub where they provide all the necessary information to potential clients – this also signals that they are taking their brand and business seriously. Not to mention, photographers should not be relying on Instagram for their business, because they have no control over it.
We also discuss the struggle photographers face when it comes to showcasing their images front and center versus the strategy behind a website to bring in conversions. Leslie has a couple of hot tips in this regard:
- Before someone scrolls down your website (above the fold):
– Make sure that the navigation is very easy
– CTA (call-to-action): show the visitors the next steps as to how to work with you
– Immediately say what you do (e.g. you are a wedding photographer for a certain type of bride…) Leslie’s advice to get super specific and niche at this point.
Leslie believes that niching for photographers is important because it helps them charge more and blossom their business. She explains her reasoning by explaining that photographers who are able to niche down are able to provide more value e.g. by creating more specific guides.
Leslie shares a typical mistake that she sees photographers making on their website:
“What I see sometimes is very heavily focused on, you know, just put some favorite images there on the top. No strategy with that initial phrase, right? That initial tagline. That really kind of niches them down. Or even just speaks directly to the one or two clients that they love working with. I see no call-to-action before the scroll. So you kind of have to search ‘okay, what’s my next step?’.”
– Leslie Vega
We also chat about how photographers who specialise in two different genres of photography (e.g. weddings & boudoir) can build their website. Leslie has a couple of different approaches depending on the photographer and their goals. Either they will focus on one genre of photography and add the other one as a “hey, I also do this”, or the moment someone lands on the website, they are given the option to take one direction or the other.
Another very interesting topic that we covered is how web designers work alongside copywriters. Leslie prefers working with copywriters who are willing to come in and do the work after she has been able to start the brand & web design process with her client. This is particularly important when it comes to the length and placement of the copy that will be used. Therefore, Leslie values working closely with the copywriter at several points of the process to make sure that everything comes together beautifully.
Lastly we talk about the “About Me” page and Leslie’s advice is golden! Leslie says that it is time to abandon the cookie-cutter stories of how you got into photography and jump straight into why you are the right photographer for the couple. Relate it directly to how you have niched down as a photographer. E.g. if you are an adventure wedding photographer – speak more on that. Just spend a couple of sentences introducing yourself. And she pleads with photographer’s to show their face! Afterwards add some testimonials and some of your best work. And if you have the opportunity to add a video, do it! This helps create more a personal connection.
And going back to testimonials, Leslie believes that it is the most effective to sprinkle them troughout the website. e.g. in your gallery, pricing pages etc… “put it every where as a touchpoint, each time they need a little bit more convincing of how amazing this experience is going to be.”
When it comes to putting pricing on your website, Leslie doesn’t believe in putting a “starting at” on your pricing page. Instead, she believes that it works better to add ranges for your packages – this reduces any surprises for your clients, and they don’t try to keep the booking at the lowest price point. P.S. This does not include print sales and any additional add-ons.
And of course, we dove into the aesthetics of web design. Leslie starts off by saying that it depends on your ideal client. This helps you selecting your typography e.g. for an editorial feel, you will choose a Serif font. Leslie is super passionate and excited by the font exploration process – it is like second nature to her! The same spark in her eyes is there when she talks about designing logos. She loves creating custom designs that don’t feel like clipart!
Leslie works with Showit and wants to bust any myths about it. For example, she believes that you can have a Showit website and good SEO ranking. Leslie designs off of the platform because it lets her creativity flow – she is then able to bring it into life on Showit. Her focus is to make timeless websites that just need little updates in the future.
The types of photographers that Leslie loves to work with those who have a lot of emotion and depth in their work. They have an appreciation for creativity and art. If that’s you, make sure that you reach out to her for your next branding & web design project!
I am so grateful to Leslie for taking the time share so much valuable information with us.
Episode & show notes: EP 30. Leslie Vega – Brand & Web Design for Wedding Photographers
Website: www.leslievegadesign.com
Shop: shopleslievega.com
Instagram: @leslievegadesign
Referral Programm / Affiliate Disclosure
Use the discount code AIDA20 for 20% off on products in Leslie’s shop & 10% off of her brand and web design services.
I do not get a kick-back from your purchases.
HERE IS A LOOK AT HER INCREDIBLE WORK
