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I’ve got a short and sweet topic for you today based on a question I hear all the time: What social media platforms should I be on?

This question comes up with a lot of business owners, but I hear it constantly from brand photographers. We’re working B2B, business to business, which naturally brings up questions like… should I be on LinkedIn? Can I just promote myself on Instagram? What about TikTok?

There are a lot of options, and it’s easy to start feeling like you’re behind or missing something if you’re not everywhere. So today I want to walk you through exactly how I decide what social media platforms make sense for my business—and how you can use the same process for yours.

The Venn Diagram That Simplifies Everything

The easiest way for me to think about social media platforms for brand photographers is by visualizing a Venn diagram.

On one side of the diagram is me—the platforms I actually like being on, where I enjoy engaging, and where I naturally want to show up. On the other side are my people—my favorite clients, the people I love working with, and the people I can help the most through brand photography and coaching.

The magic happens in the middle. Where is there overlap between where you enjoy spending time and where your people are actually hanging out? That center point is where your primary platform should be.

Why Instagram Is My Main Platform as a Brand Photographer

For me, that overlap is Instagram. I know I love Instagram, and for the most part, my people love Instagram too. That’s where they’re already spending time, connecting, and finding service providers like me.

Because I work B2B, LinkedIn does come up as a consideration—and I think that’s true for a lot of brand photographers. But when I look at my very best clients, the majority of them aren’t active on LinkedIn in a meaningful way. I have a couple of outliers, but overall, Instagram is still where my community lives.

That’s why Instagram continues to be a really strong play for my business when it comes to social media marketing for photographers.

How I Use LinkedIn Without It Taking Over My Life

That said, I do understand the value of LinkedIn. Instead of trying to fully build a presence there, I use LinkedIn as a repurposing platform. I’ll take content from Instagram (or more often from the podcast) and post it there periodically.

It’s not a huge part of my personal strategy, and I don’t spend a lot of time there, but it does make sense to have some presence. This approach lets me show up without stretching myself too thin, which is key.

What about TikTok? (It’s Not Currently for Me)

I want to be really clear about this: just because a platform doesn’t work for me doesn’t mean it’s not a good option for you.

TikTok is a great example. My husband tells me every year that I should be on TikTok. And while I know people who’ve had a lot of success there, I also know myself. I go down rabbit holes. Suddenly it’s been an hour. I don’t enjoy being there in the same way, and I don’t want to spend more time on that platform than necessary.

There’s also been some uncertainty around TikTok over the last few years, which has made me personally hesitant to build a brand there. That doesn’t make TikTok a bad platform; it just means it’s not the right fit for my business. Your Venn diagram might land somewhere totally different, and that’s the whole point of this exercise.

Once You Pick a Platform, What Comes Next for Marketing Your Photography Business?

Let’s say you decide Instagram is going to be your primary platform for marketing your brand photography business. Things are feeling good. You’re consistent. You’re seeing traction.

Before adding another social media platform, the next priority should be email!

If you’re not already growing an email list, that’s where your focus should go next. Email is incredibly powerful, and I make a lot of money in my business through email marketing. But for most people, email comes after social media.

Typically, people find you on Instagram or another social platform, and then you convert them to email. Social media helps people discover you. Email helps you deepen that relationship.

I don’t subscribe to the idea that growing a social media audience is a waste of time. People have to find you somewhere—and for most businesses, social media is one of the easiest ways to do that.

Should Brand Photographers Add Another Social Media Platform?

Once you have social media and email working together, then you can ask the question: Should I add another platform?

At that point, I want you to look honestly at your capacity. Do you actually have time to add something new? Or would it make more sense to do a little more on the platform you’re already on?

If you’re posting three times a week on Instagram, could you post five times a week instead? Could you go deeper rather than wider?

Before I started my photography business, I worked in marketing, and this came up constantly with clients. They’d ask if they needed to be on every new platform, and our answer was always the same: you need to do one platform really, really well.

Why Doing One Social Media Platform Well Beats Being Everywhere

There is value in diversifying your marketing stack, but that’s usually in a perfect world where you have a team, systems, or help with repurposing.

The reality for most solopreneurs is that marketing already takes up a huge amount of time. Adding more platforms often just means spreading yourself thinner and seeing less payoff.

The people you see showing up everywhere? They usually have a team or a really strong repurposing system. Comparing yourself to them isn’t helpful.

Instead, focus on doing one thing really well. Let that platform pay off. Then use that momentum to outsource, repurpose, or expand when it actually makes sense.

Final Reminders: Photographers, You Don’t Have to Be On Every App to Be Successful

You do not need to be on every social media platform to have success as a brand photographer.

The biggest takeaway from this I want you to remember is that being less places and doing them really well is powerful and what I suggest. Go deep, cultivate community well, and show up consistently in a way that feels sustainable. That’s how you make the most of your social media marketing as a brand photographer!

If you’re spread too thin, marketing becomes exhausting and ineffective. So what platforms should photographers be on? Pick one platform based on your own venn diagram exercise, and do it really well.

And then, when things are flowing and you’re considering to expand, revisit this decision every few months as your business grows and decide again.

That’s how you build a marketing strategy that actually supports your life and your photography business!

What are your thoughts on this? What social platforms do you use most often right now? I’d love to hear you’re take. Send me a message on Instagram @maddiepeschong!