63: IT Girl to SEO Queen - How Melissa Turned Tech Skills into Photography Gold
Release Date: 06/16/2025
Keep It Moving
We're sharing our favorite business books to read during your holiday travels—the ones that actually changed how we run our photography businesses. Whether you're relocating, restructuring, or ready to scale, these books tackle pricing, marketing, niching, and making money as a photographer. On this episode: Website tools and platforms that make updates easy without hiring a designer Five must-read business books every photographer entrepreneur should read How to pick just one actionable idea from each book to implement immediately Top 5 Business Books for Photographers by Donald...
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We're diving into the technical side of email marketing today because what's the point of crafting the perfect marketing email if it never actually reaches your clients? Let's talk about sender reputation, engagement strategies, and how to make sure your mini session announcements don't end up in digital purgatory. On this episode: Setting up email authentication and building sender reputation Warming up your email list with engaged subscribers Creating a consistent email schedule year-round Tired of being invisible on Google? Learn the 5 SEO mistakes keeping photographers from...
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We're back with another quarterly check-in where we're sharing what's working, what we've let go, and how we're pivoting our businesses as we head into the new year. Spoiler: sometimes the best business move is knowing what not to do anymore. On this episode: Hiring support and building systems Letting go of offers that no longer serve you Shifting focus from revenue goals to profit Podcast - on - Use code ALISONBELL to get your first whole week FREE. Tired of being invisible on Google? Learn the 5 SEO mistakes keeping photographers from getting found (and how to fix...
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We're looking for photographers to be featured on future Mini Mentoring episodes! Mini Mentoring is a series where Alison & Melissa get the low down on a real life business owner in need of more business. Whether that’s because they’ve relocated, or pivoted niches we’re walking through their business can giving them our recommendations to keep it moving. Mollie Salazar is a wedding and family photographer moving from Texas to Florida and she’s got tons of lead time! The stressor is that Mollie is the primary breadwinner for her family of 4 - including some expensive...
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We're getting real about why knowledge isn't enough and how accountability changes everything. Alison shares her personal experience hiring a nutritional coach—and the powerful parallels it revealed about what we actually need to move our businesses forward. On this episode: Why you already know enough (but still aren't getting results) The real value of coaching: accountability and application Calculating the cost of not investing in yourself Ready to stop spinning your wheels and start implementing? Melissa has resources to help you create content that attracts your ideal clients—check...
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We're diving into the art of blogging your photography sessions the right way—because throwing up a photo dump with three sentences and your main keyword isn't cutting it anymore. Today we're showing you how to turn every session blog post into a client-attracting, SEO-boosting, authority-building powerhouse. On this episode: Creating helpful, FAQ-style blog content that Google (and your ideal clients) actually love Strategic ways to use blog posts throughout your client workflow and marketing Selling yourself with clear calls-to-action in every post Tired of being invisible on Google?...
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We know you've done all the heavy lifting with your SEO after your move, but waiting 6-12 months for Google to catch up feels like watching paint dry. In this episode, we're sharing 10 creative ways to get in front of your ideal clients right now—no waiting required. On this episode: Strategic networking and community involvement Creating content and collaborating with complementary businesses Getting creative while you wait for SEO to kick in Tired of being invisible on Google? Learn the 5 SEO mistakes keeping photographers from getting found (and how to fix them) in...
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We're talking about every photographer's nightmare scenario—when sweet little angels turn into tiny tornadoes right in the middle of your session. In this episode, we're diving into proactive strategies to protect your business from disaster sessions that could lead to refund requests and unhappy clients. Key Takeaways: Contract language that protects you When and how to end a shoot early Client communication that saves the day Ready to level up your client management skills? Melissa has put together that every photography business owner needs to master for smoother sessions and...
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Mini Mentoring is a series where we get the low down on a real life business owner in need of more something. Whether that’s because they’ve relocated, or pivoted niches we’re walking through their business can giving them our recommendations to keep it moving. We’re talking to Melanie of Melanie Foster Photography who as switched this year to IPS model. We’re discussing her: Follow-up SOP gaps Email list nurturing Tulsa mom groups We’re looking for another photographer willing to jump on the podcast for another episode Mini Mentoring! Links: or Download ...
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We're spilling the tea on our secret weapon for actually getting sh*t done! You know those massive projects collecting dust while you're playing taxi driver and snack distributor? Time to ditch the chaos and get strategic about your productivity game. Key Takeaways: Escape artist mode activated Hotel lobby > home office Baby steps, big wins Tired of being invisible on Google? Learn the 5 SEO mistakes keeping photographers from getting found (and how to fix them) in Melissa's free masterclass: Thinking about a pivot or transition in your photography...
info_outlineAlison is interviewing Melissa, who literally went from fixing computers in corporate suits to building photography empires with killer SEO strategies. If you've ever wanted to throw your laptop out the window because of alt text and header tags (while simultaneously trying to feed your kids lunch), this episode will save your sanity.
What You'll Learn:
• Why your keywords are having an identity crisis - Spoiler: Google doesn't know what you do either when you try to be everything to everyone.
• The brutal truth about SEO timelines - Real talk: 6-9 months to see decent progress, 18 months to consistently book clients. It's a marathon, not a sprint.
• Group coaching vs. done-for-you decoded - Melissa breaks down why both paths work, depending on whether you have more time or money to burn.
Bonus Gold Nuggets:
• Blog post templates are secretly broken everywhere - Melissa finds websites with EIGHT H1 headers on every single blog post. That's like wearing eight different hats to one event - confusing and not cute.
• The blogging club that doesn't make you cry - Because apparently everyone hates blogging (shame on you!), Melissa created outlines so easy that even your overwhelmed mom brain can handle them.
• AI prompts that don't sound like robots - She's teaching photographers how to use Claude for personal stories via voice messages, so your blog posts actually sound like you instead of a corporate manual.
• The moving photographer's secret weapon - Start your SEO work 6 months before you PCS. Your future self will thank you when you're not scrambling to book clients in a new location while unpacking boxes.
Ready to stop letting SEO be the monster under your business bed? Melissa's approach strips away all the overwhelm and gives you a clear path forward - whether you want to DIY it or hand it off completely.
Feeling stuck? Get a Book free 15 minute discovery call with Alison to talk through your biggest business challenges and map out a strategy that actually fits your chaotic, beautiful life.
Links:
- Leave a review in Apple or on Spotify
- Download 39 FREE Ways to Get More Clients
- Get Melissa’s Free Blog Post Topics
- Find Alison on IG @keep.it.moving.podcast
- Find Melissa on IG @pictureperfectrankings
- Keepitmovingpod.com
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