74 – socialphototalk.com

As mentioned in yesterday’s article, Photoshelter just released some new changes to their service. Better websites for free, better SEO, and easier customization are the themes of these updates.

Photoshelter Site Screen Capture

More Photographer-Centric Branding for Free and Basic Accounts

Previously, Photoshelter’s free and Basic account types had Photoshelter-themed image galleries. With the latest updates, photographers on these limited plans will now have their brand featured prominently on a new default website template.

Better SEO and Google Optimization

Photoshelter will now submit Google sitemaps (including the new image sitemap features) for all accounts. Previously, users had to manually configure Google’s webmaster tools for Photoshelter. What’s a sitemap? It’s a file that helps Google (and other search engines) better index a website by describing the site’s layout and how often various parts of the site are usually updated.

Easier Site Customization

It looks like Photoshelter has added some additional customization features that will make it easier for photographers to edit HTML directly and have further control over their site templates. There are two new customizable page templates.

Shorter, Cleaner URLs

For photographers not using their own domain name, their Photoshelter site will now feature a cleaner subdomain URL structure. Instead of a URL like photoshelter.com/c/username, photographers will now have a website at username.photoshelter.com.

What Do You Think?

Are you a Photoshelter user? What do you think about the updates? If anyone is interested in signing up with Photoshelter, that referral link will save you up to $30 on a new account.

Tagged as:
Photo Sharing,
photography,
photoshelter

One of the biggest concerns for photographers (especially those who have been in the industry for quite a while) is the risk of photos posted online being stolen for unlicensed uses. In the last year we’ve seen a few software solutions developed that address some of the image tracking issues, but there has been a disconnect between the tracking and a solution for potential photo buyers to license those images.

Starting today, that gap is being bridged by PicScout and PhotoShelter. A new partnership will give individual PhotoShelter photographers access to the PicScout ImageIRC (index, registry, and connection platform) which is used by quite a few image libraries. The integration will allow potential buyers using PicScout’s ImageExchange add-on to click directly to a photographer’s PhotoShelter website which can host the e-commerce transaction. Buyers will be able to see photos, click through to more information, and land directly on the PhotoShelter site for purchase. The streamlining of the image browsing/inquiry/purchase process should allow PhotoShelter photographers to see increased sales while also knowing their images are being tracked by PicScout.

I’m curious to find out more… I haven’t used PhotoShelter or PicScout much although I’ve dabbled a bit with each. There’s a free webinar on Tuesday, February 23rd at 3PM EST… if you’re curious, register to learn more.

Does this sound like a useful service? Would it increase the number of images you attempt to share and sell online?

Photo by Leonski, used under Creative Commons licensing

These other posts might be of interest to you:

Tagged as:
imageexchange,
imageirc,
licensing,
photos,
photoshelter,
picscout,
sales

Photographers want easy ways to show off their work in online galleries. Clients want user-friendly systems to check out photos from their event or portrait session. Everyone wants prints from professional labs delivered in a timely manner. There are variety of ways to go about reaching these goals, but one increasingly-common scenario is for a photographer (either a pro or a serious hobbyist) to use an online gallery and image delivery system such as SmugMug or Photoshelter.

Both sites offer the ability for photographers to create customized galleries that can mirror a photographer’s look/feel/branding of their existing website. Both sites partner with processing labs for print and product orders. Both sites offer some form of electronic image delivery.

And, to the benefit of all, both sites are currently going through growth periods.

SmugMug has recently added several new features for their Pro accounts, including shipping coupons, thank-you prints and stickers, and improved analytics. Photoshelter is teasing members with some news about significant upgrades coming later this week. I’ll review those changes once they happen; I’m glad to see each company is currently innovating in this space.

Do you use a hosted gallery system? What do you like? What do you wish could be improved?

Tagged as:
galleries,
photoshelter,
services,
smugmug

Due to some technical difficulties, this week’s podcast will get rolled into next week’s show. I’m excited to offer up this video however, produced by the folks at Photoshelter. In addition to their great photo hosting services, they produce a variety of resources to help photographers grow business. Here’s a great introduction to Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for Photographers:

SEO for Photographers: Intro & Basics from PhotoShelter.com on Vimeo.

Find out more about Photoshelter’s services if you’re looking for top-notch photo management including print and product orders, e-commerce, and electronic image delivery and licensing. Use the links in this article to receive up to $30 off if you sign up for a new Photoshelter account.