I'm making a website...

peolsen · #1 (**permalink**) 11-13-2007, 06:35 PM

... and I'm no wiz at it. That's why I'm using iWeb (which I find to be quite good with the recent option of adding customized HTML snippets). For my galleries I'm using large thumbs from Dreamstime with referral links imbedded. Seeing as DT gives fairly good comission for both referrals and sales I figured that was the site to go for (yes, I know FP could've worked but I'm not really a fan of the site).

Enough rambling. I'd love to hear what you guys and gals think about it. It's early in the beginning stages and I'm nowhere near finished with it. But am I off to a good start or is it completely rubbish? Please be honest (but preferably not too rude).

Here's the URL: http://web.mac.com/pe.olsen

Paul

PS. I've bought the domain olsen-photography.com and will move the site on there when I can afford to upgrade my .Mac account;o)

villagedweller · #2 (**permalink**) 11-13-2007, 07:00 PM

I think it's a nice start. It's a nice clean layout, nice size text and pictures.

If you're going to use it primarily to sell your microstock, it might be helpful to have multiple examples of your microstock available on every page, and a clear way to get to the microstock--people can surf in through any page, and so you want every page to send them straight through to sales. The vespa photo is cool, but it doesn't tell people "click here to see other cool pixs you can get." Perhaps a small gallery of photos that it cycles through, as many of the microstock sites do?

Also, make sure there's lots of good descriptive text on every page. Google and other search engines key mostly on the actual text (rather than meta tags, which they may ignore altogether), and they don't handle photos well yet. The blog is a great way to do that, but also make sure that the galleries refer to royalty free stock, microstock, etc. You can't just add the words, or you'll get dinged, but instructions how to buy, ratings of agencies, microstock tips--legit text--will get you a better ranking.

If you want a super-cheap but very reliable option for hosting, check out nearlyfreespeech.net; they exist primarily as a free speech advocate host, but you can host anything there and literally set up a site for less than a $1, and you pay only for exactly the services, space, and bandwidth you use. Since you already own the name, your biggest expense is taken care of!

Hope this helps! Keep going!

louoates · #3 (**permalink**) 11-13-2007, 07:11 PM

Nice start. But one thing I'd change instantly is the white type on black. Not so bad when there are a few words in large type. But once you get into your gallery the type is smaller and very difficult to read. And I have a super Eizo monitor. Lots of times the black will overlap the white type and really break it up on moderate to poor monitors.

Karimala · #4 (**permalink**) 11-13-2007, 07:15 PM

Sweet!

My only criticism is the embedded links on photos on the category page go directly to DT. I was expecting them to take me to the category's page, like the text links do.

It's great to see your Vespa photo on the front page...loved it when I reviewed it a while back. :-)

villagedweller · #5 (**permalink**) 11-13-2007, 07:23 PM

One thing I just noticed--the visited links turn a dark grey, difficult to see on my laptop screen unless the angle's just right. A lighter shade would be better, I think.

RacePhoto · #6 (**permalink**) 11-13-2007, 07:32 PM

The more sites that link to your site, the higher your Google ranking.

It's believed (and I believe it) that Google reads the Alt tags on your photos. So what you have there might help.

I noticed that Ads by Google reads the Directory Name on your website. Example, I have one named sports_car_racing with the obvious photos on it. The Google ads show car racing and sports related ads.

Pretty much unrelated, but interesting.

If you are searching and not finding what you want, try MetaCrawler Web Search Home Page , which doesn't use the same system as Google and often you will find things that Google ignores.

If I type in my name on Google, I'm pretty much not anywhere, even though I have about 10 websites, with my name somewhere in the meta tags or on the copyright at the bottom. (points to Google ignoring meta tags?)

However if I type my name into Metacrawler, bingo, my home page comes up first in the search. Before Google, Metacrawler was my #1 web search tool. Much better than Yahoo, even back then.

That brings me to the MLM portion of MicroStock. Seems that many who are selling, are also selling referrals, and making information sites about Stock Photography, which are really referral sites, in hopes that someone will sign up and make them some more money. :-D

Most of the major sites, offer a reward for referrals. I was disappointed when I looked and looked and some sites have no referral program. SnapVillage stuck out like a sore thumb. All I could find in the FAQ was, they used to have one, when the site rolled out, but that ended? Really?

kat · #7 (**permalink**) 11-13-2007, 10:50 PM

I think you are off to a great start. The blog idea is a good one - I know mine drives traffic to my site, so definitely keep adding to it. Spread that link as well as your website link.

I like the white on the black and the whole site is clean and loads quickly. Keep up the good work!

Karimala · #8 (**permalink**) 11-13-2007, 11:07 PM

Yeh...the blog idea is a great one!

If and when I ever get my website up, a blog will be a key component to help drive traffic to my portfolio. I've been thinking though about not making my blog about photography, but instead making it about a topic I love to photograph, like food or California travel. The reason is because buyer referrals earn so much more than artist referrals...plus I need more buyers instead of more competition from other artists! ;-)

jimiking · #9 (**permalink**) 11-14-2007, 12:51 AM

You might be interested in this little widget which is relatively easy to set up and will allow you to have a scrolling lightbox on your own site.

Lightbox 2

kat · #10 (**permalink**) 11-14-2007, 01:00 AM

I hear you, Karin.

I have joined a couple of blog communities, and am starting to branch out into some other interests - using my photos of course.

I want to sell photos, and just dealing with photographers isn't going to do it - they will make their own creations, not buy mine.

It is a slow process - but I have had some success and have learned so much from other's blogs, and have met some really great people.

Good luck with yours!