Checklist For Success In Print Sales Updated

Good list Bradford! this will be useful for many I'm sure, including myself!

Thank you!

Thank you for your list Bradford, it will be useful.

Re number 4: all my titles are image title only, no keywords. I notice some people put keywords in, and I wonder how much difference it makes.


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#7 - "If you have a lot of images, set the default view to Galleries. Keep the image view in order also"

Bradford, what do you mean by keeping the image view in order? Do you mean in order of upload? Many prefer to show their best work on the first page of images and keep the same ones on the front page. We can also have a collection of our newest work in this case.

Thanks, Bradford!

Joseph. Some of your files do have keywords as part of the title. Some don't. But I ask you if you have a photo of a Saguaro cactus and it is titled Superstition, is that going to help Google know what the image is about? I am not in charge of Google, but from my experience, images with titles that match the search, in part, are often at the top of the search results. Would Superstition-Saguaro Cactus be an acceptable compromise between a poetic title and a descriptive title? Would it make a difference? Yes we are working with very tight margins and if we are consistent in how we do things, we gain a competitive edge, which is what this list is about.

Jessica, What I meant by keeping the image view in order is just be mindful that you don't have to go with the default view, which is upload order. You have control and order matters.Order of upload is legit, but as you said, many like to pick which show first. But to take it even further you could make an image order by subject. Yes that is a lot of work, but I do spend time on that. So if the viewer is looking at birds, the next file is likely to be another bird. Consider that I have sold as may as 10 images of the same subject to a single buyer. If I have them engaged and buying, I want to keep them engaged and buying.

Excellent list! Thanks Bradford!

Great list - thank you very much. RE: #7 - Keep the image view in order also. Would it be beneficial to put the best images at the front AND THE END of each collection? Do any of the search results take the view to the end of a collection so the viewer would be scrolling through backwards?

Great read Bradford, thanks for posting.

Patti The reason to put the best up front is because on every image page the first 6 images are shown. So you might want to put your best there. As for the last I see no advantage. The reason I keep the image order organized is because you have no idea what image they are going to land on. So the strategy is to make the next thing they see if the click next, to be a similar image. That works for me. You have to decide what you want to do and if it is worth it. Just keep in mind it is the first 6 that are on every image page.

I keep my home page on galleries and have found that if someone goes to a gallery, opens an image, then scroll it goes through just those gallery images which in turn is keeping it together with out organizing the images on the standard image page. So you say you should still organize the images on the images page too?

Jennifer, the main thing is that the first 6 are going to be in every image page. And clicking on one of those 6 takes you right into the images view (and out of the gallery view). There may be other ways a viewer could end up there.You don't even know how many ever even land on your home page and see the galleries aka collections. What you do know is those 6 are an entry to the image order, so you might want to consider what that order is going to be and what number 7 and 8 are. It's not something I spend a lot of time on.

Bradford - Makes sense - thank you!

Although I've been adding images over the past few weeks and haven't put them in their place yet, I actually do what Bradford is talking about. I group the images together by subject. I don't know if it is helpful to the viewer, but it's helpful for me to find duplicate images. I have an Excel spread sheet I keep so I know where the subjects are located. I need to get to work putting the new images in the right groups now though. Someone also mentioned a few months ago about the last images in the portfolio. I used to keep my least favorite images tehre until they mentioned the last image of your portfolio leads to your first image. So I have moved a different grouping to the last of the shots I have.

Thank you Bradford. Great list!

Thank you for the information, helpful.

Bradford, I understand the concept, but recall Abbie specifically saying that the description box was adequate. At the time others disagreed and said putting keywords in the title was best (I assumed Abbie would have the greatest insight given her position here). It seems to be a matter of opinion, and I'm wondering if anyone has anything solid to back either view up.


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Joseph to be clear i am not suggesting that image titles affect ranking on FAA/Pixels. I am talking about internet search engines such as Google, Google Images, Yahoo and others. There is plenty written about it on the internet. Do your own research. There are plenty of sources outside FAA. There is nothing solid with internet search engines. I have reached the top of Google with my methods. I have done many many tests over the 20 years I have been on the net with images.

Thank you Bradford, I certainly have more work to do. I need work down this list. Thanks.
Patty

Thank you for sharing, Bradford!

Thanks for the list. Will work on following it. The problem I have is I totally suck at titles and descriptions :(

Thanks you Bradford! A great list.

Thank You Bradford for taking the time to share these Great tips ! :)

Thanks for the information.

I am not certain about what it means to have the work digitally scanned. Would you please tell me about this and how to do it? thank you so very much!

THANK YOU!
AFTER 5 YEARS OF COMPETITIONS, I AM STILL AN AMATURE ONLINE AND WITH SOCIAL MEDIA.
MY SOB STORY INCLUDES A LACK OF BUSINESS BACKGROUND, WHICH MEANS MARKETING DOESN'T COME EASY.
YOUR TIPS HERE ARE VERY USEFUL TO TURN THIS BOAT AROUND!.
LCase

Thanks!!

Great List! Thanks.

Thanks for your advice!

Thanks Bradford, excellent list !

Thank you Bradford. I like your list.

Since 2011 I have been selling on FAA and sold hundreds of prints and such. I have a blog, my FAA website attached to a domain name, use social media occasionally (probably could do more), and yet... I do not truly know why or how my images sell.

I am going to apply some of your ideas from your list so that I can INTENTIONALLY grow my Pacific Northwest Fine Art Photography business. I am planning on using this as a supplement as I approach and transition into retirement.

Would definitely welcome an official FAA conversation on "how to" sell more prints. This would be highly helpful for all who use FAA as their preferred choice and preferred POD supplier of our art to the world.

Thanks again.

Spencer McDonald
www.HDRbySpencer.com
www.one23images.com
www.JustListedPhotography.com

Thanks Bradford.. I’ve only been here a week and when I asked for tips on marketing this post was suggested. Just got round to reading it in full.. some solid advice

Thanks again

Paul

Thanks for the list Bradford. I'm new here so I'm glad for the information given

IF ANYONE WANTS TO VIEW MY ARTWORK. I'LL DO THE SAME FOR YOU



THE LINK TO MY ARTWORK IS BELOW



https://FREddy-alsante.pixels.com

That was a good read Bradford and I can totally vouch for many of the suggestions that you have made here because I sell a fair bit here on FAA and I use many of those same techniques.

Thank you

Gr8 Sir. Namaste n Thank you.

Thank you for posting, as a newbie I greatly appreciate it

Great list to follow. Will start using asap. Have never really tried properly to promote myself as is really a hobby although would love to make a living from it. Judging by the list i poorly tag my picture so complete overhaul needed.
Many thanks

Bradford, your list and information is superb; I too have a lot of work to do in reorganizing and you have a great selection of options - thanks so much!!!

Hi, your comment are pretty helpful as I am new at FAA. Thanks!

Teru Yamagishi

Bradford,

Thanks for providing this list. You've touched on just about everything. There is something in the list for everyone.

An area that has worked well for me is using one or two social media channels (i.e. Twitter Pinterest), along with e-mail. The key factor to my success is leveraging these channels consistently and with content my followers are interested in. Also, in all my marcom I link back to my own, far more personalized website, providing more insight about me to my visitors. This has led to a greater velocity of sales. FInally it allows me to capture more information about my visitors and customers - data that is mine - that enables me to provide a laser approach to my sales and marketing efforts.

Selling your art is a business and as such, requires some strategic planning, an ability to look and anticipate trends, consistency in all that you do and yes, a little bit of elbow grease. Make and then work your plan.
...rfa
you can find me here: https://imagewithvision.com

Bradford,

I know I'm beating a dead horse

Anyway

RE: Keywords..." Include secondary subjects if they are visible in the artwork or photo. "


To me,...Having secondary tags with the same value and impact as primary tags, does the buying public a disservice ...It forces them to plow through inconsequential images before seeing appropriately desirable images.


Otherwise, a very important and helpful thread...Thanks

Roger,

That's a very good point. Proper use of keywords can maximize the search value of each image you post on your site.
...rich

Thank you!

Including secondary subjects does an important service to those looking for images with that subject. Also people want to narrow the search down and include 2 subjects. There is no need to exclude your own images from valid searches. It is a judgement call and I certainly would not put in common minor details . I am referring to multiple subjects where some are secondary. So a horse with a western saddle should be tagged both "western saddle" and "saddle", as well as just "horse", because some want to see a horse with a western saddle, not just any horse or just a saddle. If you want to optimize a word, list it first! ( Now you know). It seems the first keyword has greater weight in the search and you can test that by searching your own portfolio with a word that is on more than one image. I appreciate the comments but I will not further discuss details here That can be done in a new discussion

Bradford,

If an image is of a saddle alone, would "horse" be an acceptable keyword?


Lets face facts,

Certain FAA members' 50th keyword, has more power than my first.

Roger, what might be appropriate would be "horse saddle" Actually that's a good pou=int for folks to take note of. Keywords can be a combination of words, 3 or 4 seems to work well.

Supposedly a combo keyword gets priority over single keywords, so "western saddle" would get priority over "western, saddle". I can't confirm whether that's true however, seems I was told at one time that it wasn't but then later told it was. Seems to be a fair amount of conflicting info on the details of the search algorithm here.

Please do not turn my checklist into a search discussion. I would be happy to discuss the fine points of searches in another thread.

Hmmmm. Bradford, I would have thought the keywording would be part of the checklist. It 's definitely part of mine, but hey enough said.

Yes keywording is absolutely part of the checklist. That's why it is in there. If you want to have a discussion of just keywords and searches you may start one elsewhere because I am closing this now.