Mastering Local SEO for Photographers During a Business Move

Relocating your photography business can feel like you’re about to throw away years of hard-earned Google rankings. I get it – I’ve been there. After moving my photography business twice in two years and helping hundreds of photographers navigate relocations, here’s what I learned about local SEO for photographers during major transitions.

You’re not starting completely from scratch. You’re just teaching Google where to find you now.

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But before we dive in—Hi! I’m Melissa, and I’m an SEO expert here to help portrait photographers finally get found by their dream clients on Google—without the technical overwhelm. Whether you need done-for-you SEO services, step-by-step coaching through my proven system, or monthly blogging strategies (like my Blogging Club membership!), I’ve got the tools to transform your invisible website into a client-attracting machine. Ready to stop being the best-kept secret in your market?

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If you haven’t already, I’d encourage you to listen to the full podcast episode where Alison & I break down all these strategies in detail. But if you’re ready to get straight to the actionable stuff, this blog post lays it all out for you step-by-step. Either way, you’re going to walk away with concrete strategies you can implement right away.

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The Reality of Moving Your Photography Business (And Why It’s Not as Scary as You Think)

Moving a photography business is intimidating because it feels like you’re going back to the starting line. But here’s the thing – you already have a portfolio, you already have the skills, and Google already knows you’re a photographer. You just need to establish your new location.

Between Alison (my co-host) and me, we’ve moved our photography businesses nine times combined. Each move taught us something new about preserving SEO value while establishing ourselves in a new market.

When to Start Making SEO Changes (Spoiler: Earlier Than You Think)

The biggest mistake photographers make when relocating? Waiting too long to start their local SEO transition.

Start making website changes as soon as you know you’re moving – not when you arrive in your new location.

Here’s my timeline: When we moved to South Florida, we found out in February and moved in June. I made all my website changes immediately in February. Within two to three weeks, I was ranking on page two in my new location.

And here’s the surprising part: I’m still getting weekly inquiries for South Florida photography sessions, and I haven’t lived there in over a year. People are still finding my old blog posts and reaching out.

Ready to create content that works for your new location while maintaining your current visibility? This is exactly why I created The Blogging Club – to give photographers monthly content strategies that help you establish authority in any market, whether you’re moving or growing locally.

The Step-by-Step Local SEO Strategy for Photography Business Moves

1. Research Your New Market’s Keywords

Mastering local SEO for photographers starts with understanding the local vernacular. What do people in your new area call different neighborhoods or regions?

In New York, people search for “NYC photographer.” In the DC area, it’s “DMV photographer” or “Northern Virginia photographer.” In Charlottesville, locals call it “C’ville.”

Your local keyword research should include:

• Main cities and counties
• Local nicknames and abbreviations
• Surrounding areas where you’re willing to travel
• Specific neighborhoods where your ideal clients live

2. Update Your Website Content Strategically

Don’t just swap out location names randomly. Look at your Google Search Console data to see which blog posts performed best in your current location, then prioritize rewriting those for your new market.

3. Handle Your Google Business Profile Listing Carefully

This is where I made a costly mistake that I want you to avoid. When I changed my phone number on Google Business Profile from a Northern Virginia number to a South Florida number, my listing got suspended immediately.

It took three months of back-and-forth with Google support before they finally called me directly to verify and unsuspend my account.

What to Do With Your Current Location Content

Here’s a question I get all the time: Should you delete all your old blog posts for your previous location?

My approach: Keep anything that’s getting clicks. Delete posts that haven’t received any traffic in the last 3-6 months.

I still have some high-performing posts from my previous locations because they’re bringing traffic to my website. For posts that continue to perform well, add a disclaimer at the top saying you’re no longer in that area and provide referral recommendations.

Here’s the brutal truth: When I transitioned from wedding photography to newborn photography, I went through Google Search Console and unpublished every post with zero clicks in recent months. Then I tackled posts with only a one or two clicks. It was harsh, but it helped Google understand my new focus faster.

Looking for guidance on creating a comprehensive local SEO strategy for your move? My Done-for-You SEO services handle all the technical details so you can focus on preparing for your relocation while maintaining your search rankings.

Local SEO for Photographers: Timeline Expectations

Let me be completely honest about timeline expectations, because local SEO for photographers takes time to build – my rankings tend to jump faster than most photographers because I do this for a living.

My typical results:

• Week 2-3: Page 2 rankings in new location
• Month 6: Solid page 1 presence
• Month 12: Top 3 positions for main keywords

For most photographers, expect:

• Month 1-2: Beginning to show up in new location searches
• Month 3-6: Steady climbing in local results
• Month 6-12: Achieving competitive rankings

The key is consistency. When I felt like my traction wasn’t happening fast enough in South Florida, I committed to publishing three blog posts per week for four months straight. That content blitz is what really accelerated my rankings.

Avoiding the Biggest Local SEO Pitfalls

Google Business Profile Suspension Risks

• Don’t change everything at once
• Be especially careful with phone number changes
• If you don’t have a commercial studio, use a service area instead of a physical address
• Google wants to see signage and can request video walkthroughs

Content Strategy Mistakes

• Don’t abandon all your old content immediately
• Focus on rewriting your best-performing posts first
• Update evergreen content with new location mentions rather than deleting it
• Keep educational posts that don’t need location changes

The Surprising Benefits of Moving Your Photography Business

Here’s what nobody tells you about moving your photography business: it can actually make you stronger.

Each move forced me to refine my local SEO strategy, understand new markets, and create more targeted content. I learned which types of blog posts consistently perform across different locations and which local SEO tactics work regardless of market size.

The compound effect: Every move taught me something new that made the next transition smoother and more successful.

Your Local SEO Moving Checklist

4-6 months before moving:

• Research local keywords for your new location
• Start creating location-specific content
• Begin building backlinks from local sources

2-3 months before moving:

• Update your website with new location information
• Create location-specific service pages
• Develop a content calendar for your new market

1 month before moving:

• Notify existing clients professionally
• Update all business listings except Google Business Profile
• Create referral resources for your current location

After moving:

• Update Google Business Profile with new address/service area
• Intensify local content creation
• Monitor Search Console for new keyword opportunities

Ready to master local SEO for photographers without the overwhelm? Check out my SEO courses in the Shop for comprehensive training you can implement at your own pace, or join us in my Group Coaching program where we walk through everything step-by-step.

The Bottom Line on Local SEO When Moving

Moving your photography business doesn’t mean starting over from zero with local SEO. Yes, you’re establishing a new location with Google, but you’re doing it with the experience, portfolio, and SEO knowledge you’ve already built.

The photographers who succeed with business moves are the ones who start early, stay consistent with content creation, and understand that local SEO for photographers is a marathon, not a sprint.

Your move doesn’t have to be the end of your SEO success – it can be the beginning of dominating a new market.

Ready to move your photography business without losing your hard-earned Google rankings? My Done-for-You SEO services take care of all the technical transitions while you focus on the logistics of your move.

If you like this post, we think you’ll love these:

The Ultimate Guide to Keywords for Photographers Who Want to Dominate Google

Networking Tips for Photographers Before Moving Your Business: 8 Proven Strategies

Wondering why your website isn’t bringing in inquiries? I’m covering the 5 biggest SEO mistakes photographers make in my free masterclass.

Watch now → https://pictureperfectrankings.com/5-mistakes