BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: New Answers
 Ariel Lepor |
Turing visitors into paying customers. Well, I've set up a site at www.scrattyphotography.com to allow people to buy pictures from me. I've made the site look nice, I've included my best images, and I allow for various options. And though this site is new, my stats indicate I've been getting upwards of 50 to 100 visitors a day! The problem is, no one bought any pictures yet. Is there something I need to do to make these people paying customers? Is there something my site's laking? Are my pictures not WOW enough? Thanks in advance for the help. Ariel
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Mark Feldstein |
Hey Ariel: I don't know much about setting up galleries including tracking potential buyers. I'm kind of guessing, but I'd think 50-100 folks a day is a pretty good number although I don't suppose you have any way of determining how long someone stays and looks around and which pages you've got that get the most visitors. Seems like that'd be pretty handy to know. But one thing that occurred to me is that your green background is somewhat overpowering of your images and that may be turning people off and into searching another site rather than yours. Sooooooooooooooo, as a suggestion, tone down the backgrounds to something a bit more neutral to make your images rather than their background pop. Try black or gray. Retailing is always a tough biz. In a real sense, 1/2 the battle is getting them to come into your store (your web site). After that, it's offering something they think they need or want at an affordable price and getting them to stay long enough to decide to buy it. Maybe add some meditative browsing music, tone down the paint on the walls and determine what the age group is of your potential market. Who buys nature photos the most and for what purposes??? Then armed with that info, you should tailor your site more to that market and bet ya start selling. Try a few adjustments and see what happens.
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- Dennis Flanagan Contact Dennis Flanagan Dennis Flanagan's Gallery |
You may be getting all those hits, but I would bet almost all are BP members and other photographers.
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John Rhodes |
Ariel I was just on your site and I offer the following: I am on a high-speed connection and it took nearly 15 seconds for me to enter the site. That's entirely too long to wait for a result. Make sure your images are the very best possible--flowers that are faultless and well lighted, scenics that are breathtaking, and nature shots that are extraordinary. A final note: I sell very well at local festivals and at a local art gallery. You must have a web site if you are "in the business." However, I rarely sell directly from the web, so don't get discouraged if the web sales don't come pouring in. John
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Ariel Lepor |
Thanks everybody for you input. Yeah, I don't know more than how many visits I'm getting, but I hear that the stats should be getting more detailed in a few months. Maybe those hits are mostly from betterphoto. That's why I'm pushing ifp3 to get the better stats and I'm trying with SEO and my blog to get the word out. You know, 15 sec is too long. (What is your download speed?) It's a result of flash loading before playing, though. Are you counting the playing flash in the 15 sec, though? I could remove it and make the site simpler...? I suppose I do need to get a real gallery set up, but it's difficult being in school and all. And I'm still improving my images and trying new things, but maybe I just don't have enough real wow pictures and pretty much no flower or landscape shots yet. Thanks again, guys.
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- Dennis Flanagan Contact Dennis Flanagan Dennis Flanagan's Gallery |
April, I thought the same thing when I went to your gallery about how long it takes to load. You are thinking black would be too dark...actually it would make your photos jump out better.
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Ariel Lepor |
"April"? You really think so? I'll try it out... Here's what ifp3.com said about time: Oh, well. 15 isn't really that long for someone used to dial-up. After it loads once, it's in the cache anyway.
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- Dennis Flanagan Contact Dennis Flanagan Dennis Flanagan's Gallery |
Sorry, watching football and not paying close attention to details..............Ariel
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Pete H |
Ariel..Hmmmm? I was able to open your page in about 8 secs. Guess what? That's too long. I'd drop the flash altogether. Best advice? Search out some sights that offer photos for sale. Email the photog and ask if he/she are selling off the site with any success? If you get a yes, ask them how they do it. Pete
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Carol Teal |
Hi Ariel, I went to your site after reading the times and I have the best speeds I have ever had compared to other cable companies I have used in the past, and it took me about 16 secs to get to the very first photo of the dragonfly. Then I did it again about 30 seconds later, and it was the same. And maybe the green is a litle overpowering. Not sure how long it would take you to change the BG to try and to make it faster to get in. I am a big follower of Internet stuff and I read that Yahoo uses the simple white background w/o much in the way of graphics because it is faster to load for dialup users, and easier to read although it doesn't have all the WOW. Everything I have ever read says to keep that in mind when making your personal website. Music might be good for some people, but when I had dialup, music often froze the page. And truly, when I come to a site with music, I rarely listen to it, and if I do, it is only for a few seconds then I don't want to hear it anymore and turn it off. Uusally I turn it off right away, and I don't really care for it because most of the time I am using the PC when everyone is asleep and then here comes this loud music to wake up everyone. And this could just be one person's idea and I can't remember where I read it, but I recently read that flower photography sells the least of all. I am thinking it said landscapes and animals sell well...but I am not sure about that, but I am positive it said that about flowers. (and flower people, don't shoot me..I didn't say it!) I know you don't have any, but you might want to see if you can find some articles as to what sells best before you do them so it will save you time. :) Good luck! I have thought of doing the same thing, but wondered how it would work out.
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Ariel Lepor |
Okay... how's this?
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Ariel Lepor |
Awww, there's more things I have to change now - and I liked it the way it was!...
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Ariel Lepor |
Okay, now I'm done. By the way, before a large gallery image loads, all the thumbnails load first.
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Ariel Lepor |
I'll wait for you to respond, but I still like the older way more. :)
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Carol Teal |
Hi Ariel, It is much faster now! It was like 6 seconds, maybe 7, but much faster. The black...it sure doesn't give you anything to look at but the images. I believe it works better than the green. Hopefully, some others that commented about the colors will look and give you their feedback. And believe me, I know how you feel about liking something but changing it because of others suggestions. I understand how you want it bright and colorful and maybe that green is even your fav color (and I would want to do the same, but that is just my own idea, and it isn't always the best idea), but if this helps people to focus more on your images and not your site (and makes them buy) then that is the whole idea. Maybe its worth a try for awhile?? Good luck and hope some of the others take a look for you too!
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Ariel Lepor |
Okay, I'll let it stay for a while. : By the way, I have more than one background for my site, and maybe part of the speed difference was that you didn't have to load it again. So guys? What do you think?
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Carol Teal |
I am not sure Ariel because I don't know enough about that to say. I timed it twice though the first time because as you said, it should be in the cache so it loads quicker but it took the same amount of time both times when the BG was green. This time I did it twice again, and it was the same time both times I tried. Hope this info helps you to know. :)
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Ariel Lepor |
I'm sorry, I meant more than one background picture for the home page. The black was just to make the pictures stand out more.
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- Dennis Flanagan Contact Dennis Flanagan Dennis Flanagan's Gallery |
One piece of advice about your webpage Ariel. Remember it is about the photos, not the graphics or backgrounds. Whatever you decide upon should only be about the photos. Bells and whistles won't sell your product.....you product sells your product.
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Ariel Lepor |
Thank you Dennis. You're right, and as soon as I can get my S5200 back from repair, I'll get back to shooting, and come winter, I'll get into nice seascapes (hopefully). You know what? I like a lighter website, and though what I changed it to was faster and made the pictures stand out more, I like the brightness and layout of the old setup (which is now improved :). I asked ifp3.com to make it faster, and I guess time will tell. I guess what I really need to do is set up physical galleries to display my framed pictures. I think people would be more likely to buy stuff they see, and more interested people would see it. People would also find out about my website that way and if they go there the gallery wouldn't bite into the profits. :) I asked someone who has the slow ifp3 site with the flash intro and distracting red and all and they said they make a lot of sales from their site. They shoot events and set up real galleries too. Thank you everyone, and I'm still open to suggestions.
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Judyann Plante |
Ariel, I have been reading about your efforts to sell your images with great interest as I have been asked about selling my photos and have been doing a lot of research and thinking about how to do it. I think the idea of showing in a physical gallery is a great idea. This is what I am planning on doing, with a website to go along with it for people to go to once they have become interested in my work. I have an exhibit just going up today at a church I am affiliated with that features the work of local artists in their lobby. I have also been asked to submit photos to a local business that does the same thing. Both opportunities coming from entering my photos in the county fair. If all goes well, I will be putting together a portfolio for a small local gallery. I have done a lot of thinking about who would buy my photos and for what purpose. It has really helped to keep me on track as I decide which images to display and as I plan what to do next. I think you should find a way to get your photos out into the community and see what happens.
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John D. Siewert |
Ariel, In my experience, your website should reflect those you are marketing to. The impression I took from your site is that it is geared to the average consumer seeking photography for print means. generally these buyers are very inconsistent, and business is rough without mass marketing to bring people to the website. If your target is editorial photo buyers, editors are usually busy and dont like to wait for flash. Also, a website of this type should focus more on your photos (i.e. no funky colors, galleries are clearly categorized, and make sure the site is quick and easy to navigate). If you are trying to sell stock images your best bet is a stock broker such as getty, corbis or even volume based sites like iStock, and use your site primarily as a portfolio. In my experience, a website can compliment good marketing but cannot be the primary source of marketing. Your target client will be directed to the website fom direct marketing and your website will help reinforce your marketing message. Hope this helps. - John Siewert
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Ariel Lepor |
Thank you, Judyann and John. John, are my galleries not clearly categorized? Like I said, once I can I'll get out and set up physical galleries. Do you know of any good people who would market my work? And as for the long flash... Ifp3.com is really good about taking and implementing suggestions, and I told them I want the nice layout without the long flash intro. I know it's a pain to wait for right now... I'm also going to work more on my photos. "Funky"? I figured green is a light color that matches most of my pictures. Is black or white better?
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Ariel Lepor |
Okay, I got rid of the long intro.
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Ariel Lepor |
I changed the color scheme. I'm not finished with everything, but you can tell it is more pleasing to the eye. Also, I changed my blog to match. Note the new URL of the blog: http://www.scrattyphotography.wordpress.com/
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