Google is my paycheck!

Jeremy Winterberg · December 18, 2009

Well, I'm just excited about this and had to tell you guys. I just got back from a meeting with a couple about shooting their wedding in June.

First off, they hired me :ivar. Secondly, it will be my second wedding as primary, and my first paying wedding :barb. Thirdly, they found me on Google... from Canada?! :scratch:huh:clap

He is from Canada, she is from a Durand, WI which is near Eau Claire. I guess he googled for "Eau Claire, WI Wedding Photographers" and I was one of the top ones to show up.

They liked my Bio alot... specifically this line, "I love shooting people… … … ok so different wording. I love capturing the little moments that make us smile, and the bigger moments that we will remember for the rest of our lives."

And they liked my Portfolio more than the pros in the area? That caught me off guard...

Their E-Shoot is on Jan. 2nd, so hopefully it goes as well as my e-shoot on Monday did... minus the pitch blackness. Although I do have to deal with snow now that I'm in Wisconsin.... :cry

---

Anyone have opportunities like this happen to them? Meaning, the least likely person to find you as a photographer finds you on google and hires you?

Agnieszka · December 18, 2009

Haha. Awesome! Congrats!!

heatherfeather · December 19, 2009

Sweet! Go Jeremy!:D

Stevemac · December 19, 2009

Congrats

Steve.

Bradleybhiking · December 20, 2009

You're Hired! Ultra Cool
There is nothing quite like being told the client wants you. Gratifying and at the same time challenging! It confirms you are on the right track.

What did you show them to get hired - only the images found on your website?

I bow to you.

Congratulations.
Brad

Jeremy Winterberg · December 20, 2009

Thanks Agnieszka, Heather, and Steve! I've had such a good week so far. I'm not sure if its a sign that I should stay in Eau Claire forever, but ever since I moved back home from Indiana I've had nothing but good news come my way.

Got hired for this wedding, might be second shooting for a local pro, might have a better part time/full time job coming my way (Graphic Designer and coder for a web design company), watched the best movie I have ever seen (Avatar is amazing! I saw it Thursday at midnight. Definitely worth the 15 years it took to make it!), and my studio lights (AB800's) will be here on Wednesday... And next week is Christmas! so I'm in a really good mood.

Bradleybhiking wrote:

There is nothing quite like being told the client wants you. Gratifying and at the same time challenging! It confirms you are on the right track.

What did you show them to get hired - only the images found on your website?

I bow to you.

Congratulations.
Brad

Welcome to Dgrin Brad!

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I was hired before I even went to meet with them. That, or I'm a really good salesman! The meeting went oh so smoothly, and I'm very glad that it did.

All I showed them was my portfolio work that is accessible through my website. And made it clear that I was confident with my abilities as a photographer. I let them know that I haven't actually shot any weddings before as a primary, but that I will have my first on May 8th... and they said they're ok with that. He actually said that his buddy had a guy that was just starting out shoot his wedding, and the pictures turned out amazing. So they were open to a noob like myself

trevor · December 20, 2009

Ah, the power of the Google.

Mox · December 20, 2009

Congratulations! Do you have a Google ad or are you just awesome at SEO? (I'm not getting hit by Google much yet..)

Jeremy Winterberg · December 20, 2009

Mox wrote:

Congratulations! Do you have a Google ad or are you just awesome at SEO? (I'm not getting hit by Google much yet..)

No, I don't do any advertising. I guess I'm just secretly amazing at SEO.

Mox · December 20, 2009

Awesome

ivar · December 20, 2009

sweet

TNTATC · December 21, 2009

I cant find myself on google. How do yall set that up, I thought it was suppose to being with smug but isnt workin.

Jeremy Winterberg · December 21, 2009

TNTATC wrote:

I cant find myself on google. How do yall set that up, I thought it was suppose to being with smug but isnt workin.

One thing that I did, was I created a business listing on Google... its free, and when they search for "Eau Claire, WI (Wedding, Senior, portrait) photographer" my name pop's up along with the other photographer's in the area.

How high you get in the ranks depends on how many people visit your site compared to the others (at least I think thats how it works).

Start with the business listing. That will help. I googled for "teston photography" and you came up... So google does know you're there... The more information on your site, the more stuff google has to list.

I recommend buying a domain name. ie "testonphotography.com" and use that custom domain for your smugmug. Also alot of your links in your navigation lead to nothing... finish your site, then worry about being found

joshhuntnm · December 21, 2009

TNTATC wrote:

I cant find myself on google. How do yall set that up, I thought it was suppose to being with smug but isnt workin.

I find it is far easier to get listed on google local than the main google. On of the big things with google is external links. postings here with your url in the sig seems to help. Of course, doing the same on other photography forms helps as well. the external links need to be related to photography.

philx123 · December 21, 2009

I've not had it from Google, but I had it from a DVD I did. I gave it the last person I photogrphed, and they gave it someone else who wanted some pictures of their newborn, and, apparently, the mother took one look at the DVD and said: "he's the one."

Jeremy Winterberg · December 21, 2009

philx123 wrote:

I've not had it from Google, but I had it from a DVD I did. I gave it the last person I photogrphed, and they gave it someone else who wanted some pictures of their newborn, and, apparently, the mother took one look at the DVD and said: "he's the one."

Nice!

philx123 · December 22, 2009

Jeremy Winterberg wrote:

Nice!

Thanks for that. I'm busy trying to drum up work, so hopefully it won;t be the last such post

Jeremy Winterberg · December 29, 2009

haha... so get this...

In the mail today I got a letter from Google.

Apparently between July 1st, and September 30th, Google users found my business listing 1221 times, and asked for driving directions or other information about my business 146 times.

I am a Favorite Place on Google now... They sent me a sticker to put in a window... it has a special barcode on it that people can "scan with cameras on their phones. Then they can see your business listing on Google, read and write reviews, and add you as a Favorite Place on Google"....

out of all those views... only generated one "sale"... but still, better than nothing!

Anyone else receive one of these stickers? or should I hold my head up high and feel special?

Nikolai · December 29, 2009

Huge Congrats!

Go for it!

Jeremy Winterberg · December 29, 2009

Nikolai wrote:

Huge Congrats!
Go for it!

:ivar:ivar:ivar

barb

ivar:ivar:ivar

Art Scott · December 29, 2009

Jeremy Winterberg wrote:

One thing that I did, was I created a business listing on Google... its free,

I cannot believe I had overlooked doing this.......

Thanks Jeremy for waking me up

thumb:ivar

bow

Jeremy Winterberg · December 29, 2009

Art Scott wrote:

I cannot believe I had overlooked doing this.......

Thanks Jeremy for waking me upthumb:ivarbow

You're welcome!

Most people looking for a photographer search google first... then they go to the phonebook (my next step)... then they ask friends if they know anyone... and then they google and look in the phone book for people that were recommended.... so it is vital that you get onto google at minimum.

emeraldrose · December 31, 2009

yay!!!! Yeah I had an esession from someone in NY that found me on google. gotta love it!

Google is my paycheck!

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