Marketing a past wedding is one of the best ways to capitalize on some homemade, organic SEO. To do this, though, you need to prepare and have a strategic plan before ever putting fingers to the keyboard. Here’s how to go about getting prepared to write a binge-worthy blog post.  

Know Your Target Audience

Are you done with me telling you, “know your audience”? I’ve only said it about a million times in the course. Well, I’m not quite done just yet. I only keep saying it because of how important it is. I don’t want you to just grasp the concept. I want you to start actively visualizing your client avatar when thinking about the next blog post you’re going to write. When you start to prepare to market your past wedding, this is not the time to skip this vital step. What message do you want to share with your target audience about the recent wedding you just did? What will they be tickled pink to read about? What will they feel so grateful to learn?

Research Your Keywords

Now it’s time to do some keyword research. You want your title to be area specific as well as have a little spark. Here’s an example:

A foolproof way to have a barn wedding in Jacksonville, FL

If my ideal clientele loved Jacksonville barn weddings, this would be a great blog post title. Do your research! Always, and I mean always, do this step. 

Takes Notes

On the day of the wedding, spend a few minutes during your downtime—like at the reception—taking it all in. The feels. The ambiance. The energy. Jot down what you loved and what was challenging. Write down what the client struggled with and how you helped them. I suggest doing this on the wedding day because that is when all your senses are heightened and you’re living in the moment of the event. It can sometimes be hard to recall these things later. 

Have the Client’s Input

Sometimes it’s just hard to get inspired. On days like that, I use my secret weapon: the client’s own words. I ask them a series of questions in their client questionnaire that is specifically for the blog. I make these questions required. Their words have a tendency to inspire me so I can then quickly write 800+ words without any effort at all. I find myself wanting to share their story and all the sentimental details that made their day unique. Hearing their wedding anecdotes reinforces why I got into this profession.

Get Professional Pictures

This, right here, is an extremely important step you don’t want to miss. You need professional pictures of the wedding you just completed, and your photographer will have them. iPhone photos will just not do in this situation. Photographers own the rights to their own pictures. So, even though the bride has paid for them, they are still copyrighted by the photographer. I always go to the photographer first, but if they are not responsive (which sometimes happens), I have no problem going to the bride (who I might actually have a better relationship with anyway). I doubt the photographer will have a problem with me using the photos if they never responded at all. Of course, always use your best judgment and be sensitive to the situation. 

Once you have all the above items checked off, go ahead and start writing! See what happens. I bet you’ll be surprised how easy it can actually be to market a past wedding.