First things first: whether you’re already running an e-commerce business or considering it, you need to be online. This is the only way to attract new customers and remind the old ones of your existence. Why is that so? The answer is simple. Today, most searches for specific products, as well as places that sell them, start online.

This is for a simple reason: almost everyone has a smartphones, and entering a query on Google or using the voice search engine is very simple and accessible. If so, you cannot afford not to be on the Internet. And how to mark your presence? Here are the most important aspects you need to keep in mind.

Advertising of a photo shop? Start with positioning!

Website positioning is the absolute basis of all the activities you undertake in connection with the promotion of your photo store. Why? Because without SEO solutions, it will be difficult for you to be “found” by customers interested in the offer of photographic equipment or accessories.

Remember that an assortment similar to yours is offered by many other points of sale – at the forefront of large chains of electronic stores. To compete with them, you must first show your audience that you exist. For this to happen, your website must appear high in Google search results for phrases related to the scope of the prepared offer.

And here’s the first important note: your keyword selection is HUGE. It cannot be done “by eye” because it is a road to nowhere. In theory, you can simply indicate the key categories of products offered and build content marketing activities and SEO content on them. Nevertheless… so does your competition. This puts you in a losing position.

Therefore, before choosing keywords, you will need:
– SEO audit in terms of the quality of your website – it is about both its functionality and technical facilities. Important issues include, among other things, whether the website is responsive (and thus whether it adapts to the displays of various end devices), and how fast it loads,
– keyword analysis – both those where your store may already be displayed somewhere in the search results, and those that have high potential. We are talking primarily about keywords from the so-called long tail, and therefore a much wider catalog of expressions.

A good specialist will also create a plan for the placement of these specific keywords in the content on individual subpages of the website. This is also a very important issue, because otherwise the results of the SEO company’s activities may be weakened.

Is positioning profitable?

The profitability of the SEO activities carried out cannot be overestimated – both in the context of short-term and long-term goals. The longer time perspective is particularly important, because the results of skilful optimization of the website code and its content will increase the visibility of the photo shop for a very long time.

The advantages of positioning are also:
– support for image and branding activities – possible thanks to the publication of valuable content related to the activity,
 – improving the functionality of the website,
 – more traffic on the website,
– better brand recognition.

However, it must be remembered that this is an investment, the return on which will not appear immediately. Often – especially when activities are carried out from scratch – it is necessary to wait several months or even longer for the results. However, when they finally come, they prove that it was worth being patient!

Attention! Although in theory you can carry out many SEO activities yourself, in practice it is better to do it in cooperation with an experienced specialist. Then you will be sure that the money invested in activities in this field will pay off.

Google Ads, i.e. a paid advertising for a photo store

The second way to promote the operation of a photo store on the web is to use Google Ads tools. This is a very beneficial solution, thanks to which you can quickly achieve the goals of your campaigns – e.g. those related to increasing website traffic. All thanks to the fact that Google is a very powerful platform that allows you to build spectacular ranges.

How can a photo shop ad be run on Google? The tools that are available are very wide. However, the most important ones are:
– Google Shopping advertising – very important, especially when promoting e-commerce activities. It is mainly about advertising consisting in displaying offers of specific products above the customer’s search results or on the right side of SERPs. In such a carousel or box, a photo of a specific product offered by you will be displayed, which is thematically related to the customer’s inquiry. There will also be the price of this product and a link to your e-shop. This form of promotion works well when the goal is to quickly increase the conversion of specific goods in the store,
– sponsored links – this is a form of advertising that displays a link to your offer above the organic results. While these results are clearly labeled as advertising, many users click on them, which helps you build your reach as well as increase your sales volume.
– Google Display Network – it is contextual advertising displayed in the form of banners on external websites visited by a potential recipient. This form of presentation is extremely attractive because it allows the client to follow the websites he visits. The most interesting version of contextual ads are those displayed in the remarketing system. These are the ones that are presented to people who have already visited your camera shop, looked at certain products, but have not made a purchase. When they see information about your offer again, they can come back to it.

What are the advantages of advertising a photo store in Google Ads?

Advertising in Google Ads is:
– a chance to quickly build ranges,
– the possibility of accelerating the sales process,
– easy adaptation of advertising messages to the needs of recipients at various stages of the shopping funnel,
– support for branding activities,
– easy monitoring of advertising results and a simple, transparent PPC billing system.

Of course, it’s worth remembering that this form of promotion is not without its drawbacks. The key factor is the short duration of the effect obtained. For this reason, the use of Google Ads must be combined with activities in the area of SEO to obtain a synergy effect.

Facebook photo store advertisement

Facebook is another communication channel that can be used to conduct effective promotional activities. Why can a Facebook photo store advertisement be a good solution? The answer is simple: your audience is here too. You can think about completely free methods of promoting yourself – including setting up a fan page and managing it yourself, as well as interacting with users on thematic groups. However, such activities should also be supported in the area of paid promotion.

The system of accounting for ads on Facebook works much like the one in Google, so you also pay for the effects in the form of impressions or clicks. You can also use very different forms of promotion – e.g. contextual advertising, post promotion, or displaying a carousel of products in the news feed. Everything depends on the goal of the campaign.

Facebook is a good promotional tool because:
– your clients are present here and they will be happy to take a look at the interesting proposals you present to them,
– you gain access to intuitive advertising tools that give measurable results,
– you have a chance to associate activities on social media with those conducted, for example, on a company blog or on external portals,
– you can combine an advertising campaign with branding activities.

It all has a huge impact on the final results – both in the short and long term.

Advertising in other social media: does it make sense for a photo shop?

Advertising your photo store on other social media also holds great potential. Why? Because on the one hand you can reach amateurs-enthusiasts with it, and on the other – professionals. You can communicate with the former, e.g. through campaigns on Pinterest or Instagram. However, experts should present their photographic equipment, e.g. on LinkedIn. There are many possibilities, and choosing the right ones should be preceded by a consultation with a good digital agency. This is your chance to plan an attractive campaign.

You should also appreciate being able to collaborate with better photographers or often in thematic groups – a wide wave can follow their example.

CMS = Content Management System

CMS stands for Content Management System. It is a type of software used to publish content on websites, as well as organize or modify them. CMSs were created primarily to facilitate the use of websites – especially those that are constantly updated and supplemented or contain a lot of content. These types of programs do not require knowledge of programming languages from users, and getting to know their functions is usually much easier than learning HTML or CSS. In principle, their operation should be intuitive and relatively easy.

There are different types of CMSs, but most of them are handled through a special administration panel. This type of software works in the network – just go to the appropriate page and log in to the panel to start working. Through the system, you can:
– add and modify articles,
– add and describe products, create categories and perform other activities related to running the store,
– add media (photos, graphics, videos),
– create and change the menu,
– manage the appearance of the website,
– update the offer,
– and even manage the newsletter.

The exact scope of functions and how to use them depend on the selected CMS, but usually these types of programs are similar to each other. Most also allow for the installation of additional modules that increase the functionality of the website (e.g. rating or comments system, maps, contact form, etc.)

CMS types

Content Management Systems can be divided into three main categories:
– Open Source,
– SaaS (Software as a Service),
– original, dedicated.

Open Source systems (eg WordPress), that is based on open source, are free and easily available. Users can create their own plugins, modules or graphic templates for them. Therefore, they usually offer very wide possibilities. Of course, their great advantage is also free access (although add-ons or templates are often paid for). Open Source systems are usually very secure, but you should remember to update them frequently.

CMSs of the SaaS type (eg Shoper) are subscription platforms – usually paid on a monthly basis. Users do not have access to the site code, and the capabilities of such programs are usually quite limited. However, access to basic functions and the lack of possibility to use dedicated solutions affect the ease of use of such systems.

Proprietary (dedicated) CMSs are created for the needs of specific clients. Rather, this solution is used only by large companies because it is expensive. The dedicated system includes an individually developed graphic template and functions selected in accordance with the needs of the customer. It is also usually designed to be as easy to use as possible. However, it also has some drawbacks. First, creating an original CMS is expensive. Moreover, it binds the client permanently with the agency that created it. It also happens that the level of its protection against hacker attacks is quite weak.

How to choose a CMS – the most popular solutions

Choosing a CMS is a completely individual matter. Certainly, you should take into account the security, functionality, performance and stability of a given system. In addition, it is worth checking how its operation looks – whether it is intuitive and comfortable enough. A very important aspect is also the possibility of website optimization. The more possibilities of using SEO tools, the better for the website’s visibility in the search engine, and thus for your business.

If you have specific, exorbitant requirements and the costs do not count for you, you can buy a dedicated CMS. Most website administrators, however, choose ready-made solutions. Read on for their most important features and functions below to make the right choice easier.

WordPress
It is the most popular CMS in the world. It is an Open Source platform that is considered to be one of the simplest (if not the simplest). WordPress has many advantages. One is a huge community that creates countless templates, plugins and add-ons. Thanks to this, the system offers really wide possibilities of use. The intuitive administration panel should also be considered an advantage. This makes WordPress perfect even for people who do not know any programming language and are not familiar with complicated internet tools. WordPress is of course free, although some of the templates and plugins are paid. It is perfect for creating blogs and simple websites. However, in conjunction with WooCommerce, it can also be used to operate an online store. It is possible to use SEO tools – sites based on WordPress usually have no problems with positioning.

Joomla!
Joomla also belongs to the Open Source group. It used to be the first system in this category. It is more extensive, but also a bit less intuitive to use than WordPress. There are many tutorials and other educational materials to get familiar with the tool. Internet users can also seek help on discussion forums, although the number of people using this system is decreasing. It is a good choice for slightly more advanced users who have high expectations of CMS. It is also worth noting that the system has been translated into as many as 64 languages.

Drupal
Drupal is an even more advanced system that works well for complex websites. It has an extensive administration panel and many functions that allow for efficient website management and the introduction of various modifications. Consequently, its operation is more complicated. In addition, it requires at least basic knowledge of HTML, PHP and CSS, so it is not intended for complete beginners.

Typo3
Typo3 is a complex CMS with very large possibilities. It is very suitable for simple pages, although not very simple on its own. Therefore, it is recommended primarily for professionals and advanced users. It takes some time to get to know it well, but it is modular and comprehensive. There are several thousand extensions compatible with the system, which allow you to build exactly the website you dream about.

Quick.Cms
It is a comprehensive system often compared to WordPress or Joomla! It is not very complicated to use and is suitable for creating a variety of websites. It is also suitable for beginners because it is very intuitive and does not require specialist knowledge. However, compared to other similar tools, it has a small number of plugins. It is very good at SEO and allows for effective website positioning.

Blogger
Blogger is simple software designed to create, as you might have guessed, blogs. It is a very good tool for beginners, but its possibilities are limited.

Which CMS to choose? It depends primarily on your skills and requirements, as well as the type of website you are building. The advantage of the above solutions, however, is that you can try them out for free. Familiarize yourself with the administration panel and the possibilities of several platforms, and the decision will be easier!

CMS for online stores

You can also find many CMSs on the web intended solely for creating online stores. They have features that are useful to e-commerce users. They are also often very user-friendly. The most popular solutions include:
– PrestaShop,
– WooCommerce (used in conjunction with WordPress),
– Magento,
– Shoper,
– Shoplo.

Both Open Source and SaaS platforms are available with varying levels of complexity. Therefore, everyone has a chance to find a tool that will satisfy them.

Advantages of CMS systems

Is a CMS necessary to create or run a website? Of course not. However, the popularity of this type of platform speaks for itself. Their main advantages are:
– facilitating work on creating, updating and modifying the website,
– intuitive operation, which means that you do not need experience or specialist knowledge to create websites, especially knowledge of programming languages,
– availability – most of these types of platforms are free,
– open code – most CMSs are Open Source platforms, which means you can use many plugins, templates and add-ons (as well as create your own!),
– the possibility of comprehensive management of the website content,
– the ability to take care of aspects related to SEO,
– the ability to create accounts with different permissions in the system,
– flexibility – the ability to create various types of websites, from one-page, through blogs, to multi-site portals and stores.

All this means that most of the websites on the Internet are currently created based on CMSs. This is a way for more people to manage published content on their own, and at the same time convenient tools for everyone.