So why do you want Fans/Likes?

[ndsimm]

no, I am not asking for any likes, but I have a question or I'm looking for opinions. What is the purpose of you getting fans for your page? Is it to just get high numbers for bragging rights or are you looking for potential clients and fans that will interact with your page and help you grow your business? I have liked several pages of fellow photographers and I interact with some and get inspiration from others so there are some benefits.

When you post pictures, are they your best work, or are you just putting something up so you can say you posted to your fan page?

When you post to Facebook, make sure it is your BEST work! Think of it like the Whataburger ad - the picture of the burger makes you want to order one. I've sadly seen several photographers on Facebook post low quality work - no color corrections, bad lighting, bad poses, etc - and then wonder why they get no fans...

[Tom]

More fans will give the impression to some that you are more in demand. Also, easier for friends to recommend you if they see your work regularly. If your friends are all fans, then you will stay in the forefront of their mind because they see you regularly posting and it will show up in their newsfeed.

One of the worst things you can do with a blog of a Fan page is NOT post regularly. If your last blog or FB post was a months ago, it is going to give the impression that you aren't working regularly or that you aren't someone that can keep up with everything so you drop the ball on some things. If you can't handle promoting your own website or posting to your blog every week or two, what are you going to screw up with my wedding?

[ndsimm]

and that was one of the reasons that I ask the question Tom, because I've seen some pages that get fans through fan page promoters/strollers and they either rarely update or have nothing at all

[Tom]

Originally Posted by ndsimm

and that was one of the reasons that I ask the question Tom, because I've seen some pages that get fans through fan page promoters/strollers and they either rarely update or have nothing at all

That's a great way to torpedo your business. Now you have hundreds/thousands of people that know you aren't busy.

I also see a lot of people that will post something, re-share it that evening for the night crowd and then reshare it again for the morning crowd. I think you are going to annoy the hell out of everyone and turn people off. I tend to dislike people that do that.

[Melany]

Mine is just for funsies. I don't use my personal Facebook profile as much anymore; I'm making the move to Google+. I use my page to post links to my Flickr. Friends like to see my photos, but they aren't on Flickr, so the only way for them to see my new stuff is to "like" my page.
Or join me on G+.

I do have some likes from people NOT on my personal friends list. No idea where they came from LOL

[Ricco]

I can only speak for myself:

Since I'm a rank amateur, I post my pics to help improve my technique, so you could say I have no real horse in this race.

Are the photos I post THE best I have? Sadly, yes. But you can't improve without some good feedback. Additionally, I've learned quite a few things from just reading the posts and watching how other people take their photos.

I usually don't "like" photos posts, but rather the advice people give, which I feel is far more important, more so if they explain the story/specs in the photo post.

Honestly, I much rather receive a "like" more from my non-photo posts and would rather get additional feedback on the photos on how to improve techniques.

[TheFantasticG]

Originally Posted by ndsimm

When you post pictures, are they your best work, or are you just putting something up so you can say you posted to your fan page?

When you post to Facebook, make sure it is your BEST work! Think of it like the Whataburger ad - the picture of the burger makes you want to order one. I've sadly seen several photographers on Facebook post low quality work - no color corrections, bad lighting, bad poses, etc - and then wonder why they get no fans...

Oh Hell no!!! Better not be posting your best shiat to FB! That is, unless you WANT to transfer unlimited copyrights to FB for limitless use. But hey, who am I to piss in your oatmeal? Just a squirrel as they say.

[Tom]

FWIW, I don't post portfolios. I post a group from every session. From a wedding, it is 100-200. From a sporting event 50-150. But I am comfortable enough to post that many.

Quantity waters down the quality, but people like to see lots of pictures of themselves.

[Ricco]

Originally Posted by Tom

FWIW, I don't post portfolios. I post a group from every session. From a wedding, it is 100-200. From a sporting event 50-150. But I am comfortable enough to post that many.

Quantity waters down the quality, but people like to see lots of pictures of themselves.

Except me, I got a face that belongs behind the camera.

[LadyShutterBug]

i post a few from each shoot or event. it gets me traffic and referrals, and i often see random people commenting on them.

as for "likes", it's nice to have a lot (hey, people ho have actively chosen to like my page, people whose walls will get my posts), but it's even more interesting to look at your FB stats and see how they measure up week to week.

i think it makes your clients feel pretty cool when you mention them specifically on your FB page.