Each of which costs me $20-$50/mo to keep a top spot.
I didn't get any inquiries in a week (maybe I'm expecting too much), and I heard a MOB mentioning she'd browsed WeddingWire.com to find her vendors.
I look up their pricing, and figured I'd be a fool to get a free account (there are hundreds of photographers in my area), and they were all out of the 'first page' accounts, so my last option was to get a 'top' (spotlight) account.
$450 per month.
No, that's not a typo. Their adverisement was slick, and considering it put me at the top of 10 other wedding popular vendor websites, it seemed like a good investment. I called up the sales rep, who was incredibly sweet, and found out that they only accept 2 at the top at any given time, and that one had just opened up (not a sales ploy, I had been tracking this too).
I jumped on it.
Now of course I'm looking at reviews of the site from vendors, and hearing all sorts of awful horror stories. I'm wondering if I should cancel my membership, even though I doubt that's even possible.
Anyone a spotlight vendor for them? Have you actually made bookings?
p.1 #2 · WeddingWire.com and other major directories...
I signed up for a year with WeddingWire. The worst investment I've ever made in my life. According to my analytics, no one is finding me on there. I highly regret it and don't recommend paying for it. It may or may not be different in your area.
p.1 #3 · WeddingWire.com and other major directories...
XPO239 wrote:
I signed up for a year with WeddingWire. The worst investment I've ever made in my life. According to my analytics, no one is finding me on there. I highly regret it and don't recommend paying for it. It may or may not be different in your area.
Do you remember what level of service you got? General/First Page/Spotlight?
p.1 #5 · WeddingWire.com and other major directories...
This guy just reviewed weddingwire. Not sure what level he paid for, but he got nothing out of it. He posted the exact same ad he placed on WW on craigslist and got 5 bookings:
p.1 #8 · WeddingWire.com and other major directories...
i sent a pm but ill put up some info here too.
i too am paying for the top listing for my region. seems to be a waste. before i signed up i emailed about 20 photographers with that same listing in various US regions (Miami, Chicago, LA, San Diego, etc.), of the 10 who replied, about 60% said they get at least 15 weddings/yr from the listing. ive had my ad up for 3mo, have gotten about 150hits, 1 marketing gig, 0 wedding inquires. they say the more reviews you have the better on your listing, the better, and i figure that makes sense. people go to ww.com for ease of use and security, not to get amazing images. since a photographer isnt a priority vendor on their list, they just want a photographer to show up, who they know is reliable and give them a decent set of images.
i dunno who is getting weddings from them, but certainly not me.
as well, i put up a much less exposure centric ad on theknot.com and get about 4 inquires a month, but many if not all are looking for 1k less. most inquire, then say they got a friend to shoot the wedding instead. cant compete with free, thats for sure.
take this all for what it is, it may work for some and not for others, but im not getting too much luck.
p.1 #9 · WeddingWire.com and other major directories...
Eff marketing schemes like theknot, ww, etc. the only people making money off that junk is the company selling the ad space.
The best marketing is shooting a great wedding. Referrals are my best leads.
Aug 24, 2012 at 10:05 PM
marti.g3 Offline • • • • [X]
p.1 #10 · WeddingWire.com and other major directories...
Use ONLY the FREE membership level and use that to have your happy clients post great reviews of your service. You can then link your page to your FB and website. Don't ever pay for their advertising. Brides don't go searching there for photographers.
I've been with them for several years and get zero inquiries. But it is a great way to have reviews on a legit site to link to.
p.1 #13 · WeddingWire.com and other major directories...
Thanks to all who shared their experiences here. I was just considering paying for a few months on WW to see what I got because I just booked a wedding off the free listing I currently have with them. Back to my "pay for nothing online" view now.
Incidentally, according to WW more reviews = more clicks. Wondering if that really matters when "spot lighted" listings are doing no better (it seems) than free ones.
Now for the $50,000 question: where do you advertise and get bang for the buck? Google ad words?
p.1 #15 · WeddingWire.com and other major directories...
Jesus $450 a month, you could lease a 2013 E Class. You don't need a premium listing from the knot... it's all about building your brand, marketing yourself to bridesmaids and booking lots of referrals. I feel like the only ones who pay for these top spots are the 1-800-wedding photography factories like George Street or Davids Bridal Photography.
p.1 #16 · WeddingWire.com and other major directories...
SEO and Link Building.
100% of our business comes from the fact that we are on the first page of google for certain keywords in our area.
Works like a charm.
p.1 #17 · WeddingWire.com and other major directories...
hardlyboring wrote:
SEO and Link Building.
100% of our business comes from the fact that we are on the first page of google for certain keywords in our area.
Works like a charm.
Curious what keywords you find work the best? If you don't want to say, I understand.
p.1 #18 · WeddingWire.com and other major directories...
Tyson Egbert wrote:
Curious what keywords you find work the best? If you don't want to say, I understand.
there is a way to search on google for the most searched terms in your area. I am forgetting how to do it.
p.1 #19 · WeddingWire.com and other major directories...
TheKnot, WeddingWire... it's all the same. Completely a waste of money.
Sep 11, 2012 at 10:43 PM
marti.g3 Offline • • • • [X]
p.1 #20 · WeddingWire.com and other major directories...
I know a fellow female wedding shooter who advertises on the Knot OUR OF HER AREA in another county which is much higher priced. She advertises in the lower end price category for that market and is constantly getting bookings. Those brides in THAT higher end market see her profile at lower pricing, contact her, she drives out to meet them, books some decent packages which are still below what those brides were looking at in their market and she's happy. It's a great strategy for her.
