Marketing Tips for Photographers | The Tog Republic Podcast

266:Marketing Lessons Photographers Can Learn from a Catering Brand with Alex Lipin

Friend, Let’s welcome Alex Lipin to the podcast. Alex is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Hospitality & Culinary Collective, a Miami-based catering and hospitality company that’s been raising the bar in the events industry. With over a decade of experience, Alex leads the business side of H&C Collective with a strong focus on operations, client experience, and building systems that actually support creative work. In today’s episode, we’re talking about branding, marketing, and how H&C Collective has attracted the kind of clients many creatives dream of working with. Alex shares how they approached their brand from the beginning, where their best clients really come from, and the moment he realized the business was starting to click with the right audience. We also dig into what makes H&C Collective stand out in a crowded market and which marketing avenues have truly moved the needle. This conversation is a great reminder that growth doesn’t come from doing everything. It comes from being clear, intentional, and consistent with what you’re building. I hope this episode encourages you to look at your brand and marketing with a little more clarity and a lot less pressure. __ You Can Find More About Alex Lipin Here: H&C Co. Website [https://hc-collective.com/] H&C Co. Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/hc.collective/] Subscribe to The H&C Co. Newsletter [https://share.hsforms.com/1o6k81zRPSMymOv54Q1eQSw2wr9e] __ Episode sponsored by Pic Time: https://carolinaguzikphotography.pic-time.com/referral [https://carolinaguzikphotography.pic-time.com/referral]

265: Understanding Custom GPTs With Catalina Jean

Friend, let’s welcome Catalina Jean for a second episode! Catalina is a wedding photographer and marketing strategist who has truly figured out how to make AI feel easy for creatives. Catalina has this super approachable way of explaining things, and she’s been helping photographers use tools like ChatGPT in a way that actually supports their business instead of overwhelming it. In today’s episode, we’re talking all about Custom GPTs — what they are, how they’re different from regular ChatGPT, and why having one can make your life so much easier. Catalina breaks everything down in a way that immediately clicks, even if AI still feels a little overwhelming. We chat about how Custom GPTs can help you stay consistent with your marketing, keep your voice sounding like you, and save you a ton of time. She also shares the common mistakes people make when using ChatGPT and how to avoid them. This conversation is such a good reminder that with the right setup, new tools can help us show up more confidently and with way less stress. I hope this episode encourages you to play around, get curious, and see how AI can fit into your business in a way that feels good. Offerings for Photographers 3 steps to turn Pinterest into a traffic machine (this is a freebie!):⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://thetogrepublic.com/join]⁠⁠⁠https://thetogrepublic.com/join⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://thetogrepublic.com/join] -- You can find more about Catalina Jean here: Her website [https://catalinajeaneducation.com/] Her Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/catalinajean/] SEO For Creatives Course [https://catalina-jean.mykajabi.com/offers/3BieFLY4] Instant Content Creator [https://catalinajeaneducation.com/instant-content-creator]

264: Representation in the Wedding Industry With Martina Lanotte

We are back on the podcast after a few months off with an amazing guest! Friend, meet Martina Lanotte — an Italian-born, queer wedding photographer based in Copenhagen, Denmark, and the founder of the agency MARLANPH [https://www.marlanph.com/]. She specializes in intimate weddings and elopements for couples who value human rights and hold strong ethical standards. As an LGBTQIA+ activist, Martina is deeply committed to making the wedding industry more inclusive. She’s also the author of Representation: A Guide to Inclusive LGBTQIA+ Wedding Photography [https://www.marlanph.com/representation], a powerful resource for anyone who wants to better understand the impact of intentional, respectful storytelling. In today’s episode, we’re chatting about the meaningful ways photographers can use their images to shape how LGBTQIA+ couples are seen, welcomed, and celebrated. Martina shares insight into why representation matters, what true inclusivity looks like, and how we can all take steps—big or small—to make our industry a safer and more affirming space. Representation matters — not just in who we photograph, but in how we photograph them. This conversation with Martina is a reminder that our cameras are powerful tools for change, and that the stories we choose to tell (and share) can help build a more inclusive industry for everyone. I hope this episode inspires you to review your work and your website with a more intentional, thoughtful, and compassionate eye. Offerings for Photographers 3 steps to turn Pinterest into a traffic machine (this is a freebie!):⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://thetogrepublic.com/join]⁠⁠⁠https://thetogrepublic.com/join⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://thetogrepublic.com/join] --- You Can Find More About Martina Lanotte Here: Her Website [https://Website: https://www.marlanph.com/] Representation: A Guide to Inclusive LGBTQIA+ Wedding Photography [https://www.marlanph.com/representation] Her Instagram [https://Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weddings_marlanph/]

263: Six Things I Do After Publishing A Blog Post to Boost Visibility

So you’ve written the blog post, added all the pretty pictures, and hit publish. Now what? In this episode, I’m sharing the exact steps I take after every blog post goes live to make sure it actually gets seen. Because let’s be honest, writing it is just the beginning. From optimizing for mobile to using Google Search Console, reaching out to vendors, and repurposing the content across platforms like Pinterest and Instagram, this workflow helps me get the most mileage out of every post. Whether you’re blogging consistently or just getting back into it, this episode will give you a clear plan to follow after you hit publish! 🎧 Hit play and let’s talk strategy! Offerings for Photographers 3 steps to turn Pinterest into a traffic machine (this is a freebie!):⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://thetogrepublic.com/join]⁠⁠https://thetogrepublic.com/join⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://thetogrepublic.com/join] Purchase The Art of Pinning:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thetogrepublic.com/pinterest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://thetogrepublic.com/pinterest] This episode is sponsored by Pic-Time Pic-Time is my favorite tool to deliver galleries to clients—it’s clean, easy to use, and looks beautiful. It’s the perfect solution for photographers and videographers to showcase their work. Check them out and get started for free at Pic-Time.com [https://www.pic-time.com/]

262: The Onion Strategy: A Fresh Take on Content Strategy with Matty Loucas

Friend, if content creation feels overwhelming or you're stuck on what to post and where, you’re going to love today’s episode. I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Matty Loucas, a travel and hospitality photographer turned educator who’s all about helping creators grow their brand and make money through photography. He’s based in beautiful Barcelona, and he blends content creation with coaching in a way that feels honest, approachable, and doable — no burnout required. In this episode, we dive into Matty’s approach to “Onion Strategy” — a genius and practical way to think about content marketing in layers. It’s all about building trust, visibility, and connection without having to be everywhere all the time. We talk about: * What the Onion Strategy is and how it works * How to approach content when you're a solo creative * Why repurposing content is a game-changer * Mistakes to avoid when trying to grow your brand online * And how to build a presence that attracts the right clients Whether you're brand new to content marketing or ready to take your strategy to the next level, this episode will inspire you to show up in a way that feels aligned, intentional, and impactful. Check out all the links to Matty here: www.thetogrepublic.com/podcast/the-onion-strategy-with-matty-loucas -- Offerings for Photographers 3 steps to turn Pinterest into a traffic machine (this is a freebie!):⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://thetogrepublic.com/join]⁠https://thetogrepublic.com/join⁠⁠⁠ [https://thetogrepublic.com/join] Purchase The Art of Pinning:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thetogrepublic.com/pinterest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://thetogrepublic.com/pinterest]