Skylab has been in the business long enough to know that keeping up with trends in the school photography industry can be tricky. Luckily, the School Photographers Of America (SPOA) School Photography Industry Report is here to help.

What is the SPOA School Photography Industry Report?

A team effort coordinated by Fotomerchant and SPOA, the SPOA School Photography Industry Report is an annual survey that provides in-depth insights into the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in school photography. It translates what parents want when it comes to school photography, making it easier for you to deliver top-notch results.

By participating, you help create a comprehensive snapshot of the industry that benefits everyone involved. Talk about a win-win situation!

Highlights from Last Year

The 2023 Report was a standout year for us. With input from 44,000 parents discussing topics like print size, photo quality, and preferences, we gained invaluable insights. Overall, the survey reached 74,000 parents across all 50 states, representing 2,500 schools.

Here are some key insights from last year’s report:

• Trend Analysis: Revealed emerging trends in school photography.
• Customer Preferences: Detailed what parents and schools value most in photography services.
• Industry Challenges: Highlighted common issues and offered potential solutions.

These insights have been invaluable for studios looking to refine their strategies and stay competitive.

What Do Parents Think?

We surveyed a diverse group with targeted questions to understand parents' purchasing behaviors. Here’s what we found:

• Purchase Preferences: Parents favor pre-paying online and prefer receiving an online proof via email or order form.
• Price and Quality: Opinions on price are split 50/50, but most are satisfied with photo quality.
• Notification Preferences: Parents prefer email and text alerts about picture day, ideally a month in advance.

What Do Educators Think?

We wanted to see if educators understood parents’ preferences for purchasing school photos, and the results were eye-opening. While educators commonly reported methods like prepaying online and via paper orders, parents showed a clear preference for online proofing. This gap suggests a need for better communication between schools and parents.

On pricing, educators felt the cost was fair but were unsure about parents’ satisfaction. There was also a split in opinions on variety and shipping options, underscoring the disconnect between educators’ and parents’ perspectives.

Yearbooks, Yearbooks, Yearbooks!

This year, we’ve expanded the report to include a dedicated section on yearbooks, featuring 13 new questions. The importance of yearbooks is clear, with 65% of parents purchasing one last year and of those who didn’t, 40% said they might reconsider if prices were more favorable. This data highlights the strong demand for yearbooks, making it an essential offering for schools.

Personalization also stood out, with 61% of parents valuing the inclusion of their child’s photo and name on the cover. Clearly, parents want customization! This year’s data provides a solid foundation for us to delve deeper into yearbook preferences in the future.

Why Share the Survey?

Without data, we’re only guessing and while charades are a fun party game, guessing games aren’t fit for the real world.

So the more people that participate, the better the data. That means you get a deeper understanding of what your clients want and your clients get results they love.

Here’s why sharing the survey is crucial:

• Enhanced Accuracy: More responses mean more reliable data.
• Better Insights: Comprehensive data leads to more detailed and useful insights.
• Informed Decisions: Helps photographers and studios make better, data-driven decisions.

How to Share the Survey

It’s easy to spread the word:

• Direct Email: Send the survey link to schools and parents.
• Promotional Emails: Add the survey link to your existing emails.
• QR Code: Print a QR code and include it on your order forms.

Here’s the link to share: SPOA Survey Link

Feel free to reach out to us at lucy.richards@fotomerchant.com with any questions, or if you need support in creating a marketing plan to spread the word.

Let’s make this year’s report the best yet. Share the survey with your network today!