If you are a photographer, operate a professional photo lab, or market the photographic work of others, a blog is an ideal way for you to generate more interest in your product. In the modern world of social media, blogging allows you to encourage a dialog with others interested in photography, communicating your experiences, perspectives and opinions with others. Regardless of whether you are a wedding photographer or specialize in senior portraits or events, here is a list of 5 tips for using social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and even Facebook fan pages to boost traffic on your blog.

1. Identify Your Primary Audience

In order to effectively market your blog, you first have to identify your main target audience. This is pretty simple since a wedding photographer wants to connect with future brides, a portrait photographer with area high school students, and an event photographers with area event organizers. Once this is accomplished, you develop content that appeals to your target audience. Think of creative ways to slant your content so that it appeals to your audience. For example, if you are into events, you will probably attract the most attention by blogging about events you have done, which ones worked out best and things to avoid in the mix of photography and event planning. Your audience will identify with your focus, experience and expertise and you will begin to attract the right audience for their services. If your concept is catchy enough, your blog might become so popular that it could even qualify as a viral marketing technique, where your target audience begins to recommend you as the "go to" expert in the field!

2. Have an Overall Plan and Concept

If you are planning a new blog, step back and spend a little time planning your overall concept. If you already have a blog, do some brainstorming to identify new ways of marketing it, such as using evolving forms of social media. Starting a Facebook fan page or using Twitter are both great ways for publicizing your new content and gaining new readers. You would be surprised how fast a "winning" Facebook fan page can attract attention.

3. Its Easy to Blog About Something You Already Know

Your expertise is maximized in the particular facet of photography that you specialize in, so blog about it. People love to get inside tips and instructions from an experienced insider. Narratives of successful shoots, technical photo advice and useful "how-to" information will gain you a lot of new readers. You could even write about the photography marketing ideas that work best for you. Share ideas and advice with other up and coming photographers. Offer some some tips and tricks for those just beginning in the field.

4. Make Your Content Interesting and Compelling

Even if you have the best idea ever for how to combine photography and social media, your blog will not gain readership without some really interesting and fun to read content. If you spend the time writing some good blog entries, it will pay off for you in the long run. If you need help creating high quality content, consider hiring a ghostwriter or just relying on someone to help you stylize and finalize your work.

5. Create Excitement

Remember the blogosphere is a big and crowded place. In order to be noticed and gain readers, it will help immeasurably if you can create some sense of excitement surrounding your blog. Social media venues such as Facebook Fan pages or Tweets can be used very effectively for this purpose, but there are other options as well. Many successful bloggers use contests, surveys and other types of marketing to encourage dialog and create excitement, both of which will attract even more readers.

Although it may seem like a lot of work, a good blog will continue to build your following. Most of your posts will contain timeless material which will continue to attract readers as time goes on…building your reputation and become the social media version of the "miracle of compound interest!"