Transforming Willy Photographer’s Website for Improved Rankings and Streamlined Image Upload Process

Introduction

Willy Photographer, a prominent photography business based in Sydney, approached me as a senior product designer to revamp their website. The primary objectives were to enhance the site’s search engine rankings and automate the image upload process — a common challenge image-based industries face. This case study outlines the strategies and solutions to address these issues and highlights the positive outcomes for Willy Photographer.

Website Ranking Improvement

Before engaging my services, Willy Photographer published their website on a cheap and user-friendly platform. However, this choice came at the cost of poor search engine rankings. Understanding the importance of visibility in local searches, I decided to build an image-focused website using the WordPress platform. This approach allowed me to optimise the site’s content and structure for better rankings for the selected keywords.

To achieve this, I employed the following strategies:

1. Thorough Keyword Research: Conducted in-depth keyword research to identify relevant and high-ranking keywords within the photography industry in Sydney.
2. On-Page Optimisation: Implemented best practices for on-page SEO, including keyword optimisation in page titles, meta descriptions, image alt tags, and content.
3. Responsive Design: Developed a responsive website design to ensure optimal user experience across various devices and screen sizes.
4. Site Speed Optimisation: Optimised the website’s loading speed by compressing images, minimising code, and leveraging caching techniques.
5. Local SEO: Utilised local SEO techniques such as optimising Google My Business listing, creating location-specific landing pages, and acquiring local backlinks.

Outcome

Since the website’s launch, Willy Photographer has significantly improved their search engine rankings. The site now consistently appears on pages 1 and 2 for the chosen keywords, leading to increased visibility and organic traffic. As a result, Willy Photographer has experienced a surge in inquiries and commissions, setting the stage for continued growth and success in the coming months.

Streamlined Image Upload Process

I developed a simple API solution by recognising the time-consuming nature of manually uploading images to both Willy Photographer’s CMS and their Flickr account. This integration facilitated seamless synchronisation between the two platforms, enabling the editors to publish albums online efficiently.

Implementation

To streamline the image upload process, I created a custom API that bridged the gap between Willy Photographer’s CMS and their Flickr account. This API allowed for the automatic synchronisation of images, ensuring that photos uploaded to the CMS or the Flickr account would be mirrored on both platforms. This solution saved the editors significant time and effort by eliminating the need for manual duplication.

Outcome

Implementing the custom API resulted in an efficient image upload process for Willy Photographer. The seamless synchronisation between their CMS and Flickr accounts allowed the team to focus more on content creation and less on administrative tasks. This time-saving solution improved productivity and ensured a consistent online presence for Willy Photographer’s albums.

Conclusion

Through a holistic approach encompassing website optimisation and streamlined image upload processes, Willy Photographer has witnessed remarkable improvements in their online presence. The website’s enhanced search engine rankings have increased organic traffic and business inquiries. Simultaneously, the custom API solution has significantly reduced manual efforts and time spent on image uploads, empowering the team to focus on their core tasks.

With a visually appealing website that ranks well and an optimised workflow for image management, Willy Photographer is poised for continued success in the competitive photography industry.