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  • February 1, 2014 at 10:05 pm #937
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    Leo
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    For your convenience I’ve placed Symbiostock’s main Help File here for viewing. This can be found in your admin area (BEE TAB) and its interactive with all of the “info” links found through your admin area in Symbiostock.

    This file will be much more explanatory as Symbiostock levels out in features. Note: I didn’t alter the links below, but in your site they should lead to various parts of your admin area ( Following them here will lead you to a login screen 😀 )


    Customize your site’s appearance here: Customize Symbiostock

    Start here: Startup and Tutorials: Symbioguides.com
    Symbiostock Main Community Site

    Symbiostock Resources

    Symbiostock Forums On Microstockgroup

    Welcome to Symbiostock

    Thank you for using Symbiostock. Here is some quick inspiration to get you headed toward success in selling images direct.

    Symbiostock is open source. As its name implies, it was developed to succeed in an environment of working together, in “Symbiosis”. Symbiostock is as much of a community science project as it is a practical measure to make your living selling images.
    Symbiosis

    1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Biology) a close and usually obligatory association of two organisms of different species that live together, often to their mutual benefit

    2. (Sociology) a similar relationship between interdependent persons or groups
    [via New Latin from Greek: a living together; see symbiont]
    symbiotic less commonly, symbiotical adj.

    The growth of the Symbiostock network will take us through all sorts of adventures – imaging, code writing, analytics, and expanding the network. While each Symbiostock site has the ability to be independent, it will thrive most when it is joined with the network it was made for. See this post on “How Does Symbiostock Promote You?”

    While Symbiostock was developed primarily with the individual in mind, it can also benefit agencies as well. As tradition with most open source software goes – you have plenty of flexibility to make it work the way you want it to.

    How to Succeed Selling Images Direct

    Maintaining a website and making it succeed is a fairly ongoing job. It can be as much or as little as you want it to be. But there are some things you should take into consideration in promoting your images:

    Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

    Most likely you are accustomed to a routine of embedding information into your images, then upon upload, the agency extracts this data and produces an image page. 6 or 7 agencies might have your same image with the same content! Your image competes with itself this way, and does not help your search rankings if your website share’s the same content as these other agencies.

    While the automated upload routine is perfectly is perfectly possible with the Symbiostock system, it will not profit you very quickly. Meaningful information is everything in the world of SEO. This tends to be a little bit of extra time/work which is well spent. When you upload images to your site, save them as drafts. Then follow them up by changing certain values. In order of priority:

    1. Change the image title. Think of keywords or key phrases you know buyers will be searching. Put these toward the beginning of the title, as this is where they have the greatest weight.
    2. Change the “slug” / URL that will appear in the address bar. In wordpress, this appears below the title. Change before you publish. Generally if it matches the title, that will be helpful. You can also attempt to add contextual meaning by using related keywords, though its not certain how much this helps.
    3. Write a meaningful description, using your keywords. Use natural language, not keyword stuffing, but something that appeals to the search engine and to the reader. In fact, you may find it helpful to add more information regarding the image (and accompanying files). Make an attempt to bolden certain phrases you wish to stand out to both people and search results.
    4. Your keywording (taxonomy/tag) system is important, but probably not hugely important to SEO as this was one of the first things exploited in the early days of search engines. Still, adding relevant keywords and taking away the useless ones will increase the value of the page content.
    5. Categories are also a taxonomy system like keywords. But groups of related images may be gauged by search engines as a way to estimate the subject they should fall under. For instance, if “Lock” is found in your title, a search engine would not know what sort of lock we are referring to unless the context is obvious. Lock of hair? Section of a water-way? Door lock? Wrestling move? If you want to score high in search, be sure context is obvious through any reasonable measure you can take. Taxonomy systems most likely have some relevance in putting your content in front of the right paying crowd.

    Content and links toward the top of your page have most value. Content at the bottom (toward the footer) has less value.

    Symbiostock will continue to be developed using markup that is relevant to machines, such as microformats/microdata, and will always attempt to be on the leading edge of SEO as it gets perfected. This will give you a huge advantage in getting found in places beyond just Google, but you can only increase this advantage by putting the work mentioned above into your content.

    On that note, please ignore most paid search presence unless it is directly related to microstock and has proven results. Facebook and Google paid searches (in my opinion) will unlikely pay for themselves in this field.

    Your Network Presence

    Being a part of the Symbiostock network benefits more than just human browsing! Its valuable backlinking system. It quickens your search engine presence with new content. What happens on your friend’s site will affect yours, and the other way around. As networks mature and their sites increase in age and content value, you will find your team efforts effect everyone and yourself to a large degree. Daily sales should be the expected norm after a year or so.

    Symbiostock will not be developed around human stupidity! If any exploitative or greedy activity happens in networks (things too many to mention) this will have to be policed by your own human discretion. Policing and exploit suppression will not be built into the code. Your network is based on trust. Adding experienced professionals to your network who you intend to cooperate with is the smart way to go. Indiscriminately adding people just to promote – will either not benefit you or rob benefits.

    Avoid adding content which will flag you (and your network associates!) in a content area which is blocked or filtered!

    Symbiostock Goals

    Symbiostock’s main goal is to be a strong network. Thoughtfully created content, a strong SEO regimen, and a prolific networking system will hopefully make Symbiostock a well recognized and trusted network.

    While the system is made to promote royalty free content, its main objective is to bring customers to artists and build professional relationships.

    Symbiostock General Help and Settings Info

    Network Network Associates

    The most important panel in your networking settings. Once a site has been set up with its data (the more the better) a symbiocard.csv file can be created by the site owner, and sent to people they wish to network with.

    You in turn upload the .csv file and the system uses the values it contains to populate local info in linking to them. Obviously they do the same for you.

    If you manually type in the address into the bar, your website will fetch the .csv file itself and (if it exists) will autopopulate info that way.

    Network .csv and symbiocard Files Explained
    See also: “How Does Symbiostock Promote You?”

    Introducing the symbiocard! Its actually symbiocard.csv to be exact. The symbiocard can be likened to a “seed”, such as a burdock seed or a dandelion seed.

    The symbiocard actually “travels” the network based on user activity and promotes your site where relevant. Much like a burdock seed, it relies on human traffic to find its way around. Or much like a dendelion seed, it simply kites its way from one point to another. The little “symbiocard” an essential component in Symbiostock mutual promotion, since it viturally takes on a life course of its own in spreading your website’s presence.

    Your site uses two very useful (and ancient!) web technologies to network. XML and .csv files. This allows your data to be machine-used in applications beyond mere web display. As Symbiostock grows, so will use of these simple data sharing languages.

    By clicking on the “,a,” icon beside either your url or your network associate’s, you can automatically fetch symbiocard.csv files for distribution. This is helpful, for instance, in setting up Symbiostock directories.

    You can update your symbiocard.csv file at any time by clicking the “Update public network info” checkbox at the bottom of your Symbiostock admin panels. It will then be generated as a “symbiocard.csv” file which will sit in your WordPress install root, where in turn other Symbiostock sites will refer to update their information on you. This is also where the download link refers when you download your .csv file for sending to prospective network partners or hubs.

    .csv – A comma-separated values or character-separated values (CSV) file is a simple text format for a database table.

    XML – Extensible Markup Language, a metalanguage that allows users to define their own customized markup languages.

    Network, Author Options (profile area) Author Settings

    Important settings. Used not only on your site, but on network sites referring back to you. Its very important to good effort into this since your sell-ability increases with every site they are found on.

    Network Promoted Keywords

    For promoting your site far beyond your local network. Promoted keywords end up in your Symbiocard.

    In certain circumstances, a remote (and unrelated site) may show search results from your site if it knows you specialize in the keywords provided here. Good for “Niche” sites that have specific specialties.

    This is one of the strongest promoting features of Symbiostock. Promotion of your site is managed in the “marketing” tab.

    Network Filtered Keywords

    This is a simple filter for the keywords you DO NOT want showing up in your network results. Mainly this is for those who wish filter out keywords directly relating to nudity.

    The filter can also be used to exclude network results of other subjects to, for any reason you may wish.

    Network Site Announcement

    Real-time announcement regarding your site. Running a discount? Offering custom work?

    Network Site Description

    A general description of what you do, and your specialties.

    Network Site Avatar

    URL to Avatar you uploaded in Media area. Must be 32 × 32 px.
    This is a smaller icon that is used among network sites.

    Templates PSD and JPG | AI and EPS

    Network Site Logo

    URL to Logo you uploaded in Media area. Must be 128 × 128 px.

    This is the little branded box that shows beside your search results on your network associate’s sites.
    Templates PSD and JPG | AI and EPS

    Network About Page

    Make an awesome about page and post the URL here. Remember that many sites will lead back to this page, so make it a good one :D.

    Settings Symbiostock’s First Templates by 9lives!
    Templates PSD and JPG | AI and EPS

    No need to reinvent the wheel! To make life simple, 9lives (Symbiostock site & Clean Child Theme) has made you some awesome templates to build your branding on top of. Just use these to save yourself much measuring, trial, and error.

    Settings Header Logo

    Uploaded in Media area. This can be as large as you wish it to be. Leave empty for default Symbiostock logo. See templates for a good starting size.

    Settings Login Page Logo

    Uploaded in Media area. Must be *exactly* 323 x 67px. Leave empty for default Symbiostock logo. See templates for a good starting size.

    Settings Watermark Image

    Uploaded in Media area. Transparent PNG image (522 x 522px). If not supplied, default watermark (Symbiostock S) will be used. See templates for a good starting size.

    Settings Paypal Settings

    Paypal can be a little challenging to set up if its your first time. Be sure your paypal account is a Business account or some features will not work.

    Setting up autoreturn: Auto Return Overview

    For selling Live

    For testing, during website creation Sandbox (testing)

    Some people report that using and setting up for a sandbox is difficult. It might be better to reduce your prices to $1.00 when testing and having a friend see if he can perform a successful transaction.

    If everything is working, a download should automatically be available after they are automatically returned to the site.

    Be sure to select the proper currency you do business in.

    Logo – *Your logo seen on the paypal site when the customer is paying. Exactly 150px by 50px.

    Settings Email Settings

    Correspondence Email The specific email address your site will use in sending automated messages to customer, and what they will respond to if they wish.

    You may notice that when Symbiostock installs, a little email plugin is installed as well. If you deactivate this plugin, your Symbiostock correspondence system will break. WordPress requires a plugin to change email settings for some reason. You an pre-write customer welcome and thank you email messages on the Settings page.

    Be sure to add some detail to your “Welcome” email setting, talking about your site, specialties, and thanking them.
    For the “Thank you” email you may wish to add some text regarding future offers, subscribing, etc. And of course THANK THEM! 😀

    Settings Credit Links

    At the time of this writing, backlinking is one of the few ways I profit on this theme, as well as the others which have given crucial support and inspiration to its development in the earliest days. Although you have the ability to turn these off, its actually a rather harmless/no-cost way you can “give a little back” to the theme creator and its main supporters, especially since the backlinks are not unattractive.

    Author Options (Symbiostock admin area) Live

    If you choose to make an image “not live” its pricing table will disappear. Handy if you are only using symbiostock as a referral system, or wish to take down an image temporarily while considering selling the rights. Or any other issue.

    Author Options (Symbiostock admin area) Rank

    rank is a 3-level system where you can put your best work at the front, your typical work in the middle, and everything else last.
    Use As a base, the majority of your work should be 2nd rating. You set “1st” for those images you wish to be at the front of search results. And “3rd” for images you know should not take up valuable space in search results.

    1st: Search results will always place your relevant best images first.

    2nd: Your typical work. Should make up the majority of your portfolio.

    3rd: Images included in your portfolio as an option for purchase, but may take up valuable selling space from more valuable and likely to sell images.

    This system is simply to give you control over your sales potential, putting your best work first, last work last.

    Author Options (Symbiostock admin area) Rating

    This is a content rating system created to filter nudity.

    On your network tab you may choose the content level rating for included search results.

    GREEN:
    Viewable by all audiences.

    YELLOW:
    Content rated YELLOW may contain individuals who are minimally clothed (e.g., low cut tops, underwear or revealing bathing suits). Content rated YELLOW should not contain nudity, including exposed buttocks, genitalia, or areola.

    RED:
    Shows exposed areas including exposed buttocks, genitalia, or areola.

    The Symbiostock Network is made up of many sorts of artists and photographers with varying values and audiences. The rating system is a way to show consideration to the network, so other websites can filter nudity.

    Simply stated, a website which features cartoons, characters, and 3d models which attracts a younger audience (this is the internet) will definitely not want nude images popping up in their search results, visible to the eyes of youngsters.

    To avoid letting “mature” search results leak into your network friend’s results, please show consideration and rate your photos accordingly. If all of your images are of one rating, you can simply assign that rating in the AUTHOR AREA and upload without setting any more values.

    Author Options (Symbiostock admin area) Update Related Images

    This runs a script that gauges similarity of images by how many occurances of keywords they share. When this script runs, every image is compared to every other image in your portfolio. The more images you have, the longer it will take to run. It will email you with progress occassionally.

    Some servers may shut down this script from running too long. This issue is being addressed.

    Author Options (Symbiostock admin area) Author Default Pricing

    Author default pricing – these prices are applied to the images upon upload/process, or by choosing Update all existing images (checkbox), then saving. Script might take a while to run if you have thousands of images.

    Author Options (Symbiostock admin area) Default Size Settings

    Size settings that will be applied to images on upload. These cannot (yet) be changed after uploading, so be sure to choose something that fits your portfolio’s average image size, or change these settings before uploading an image batch.

    Author Options (profile area) Your profile and network symbiocard

    Symbiostock Profile and Extended Network Info. This info will go into your Symbiocard and travel the network. Please fill out as much as possible. It will all backlink to your site and show up where relevant, possibly many sites away.

    Author Options (profile area) Personal Photo

    Input URL to photo pic, such as from Media area. Illustration or professional (or just good) picture! Have fun, be professional. It personalizes your presence on the network, and will be used on multiple sites. The more people see the human (or some well illustrated avatar) they understand the value of the work.

    Please keep it under 250px on its longest side since other sites will be using it, and the layout will account for that size.

    Author Options (profile area) Gallery Page

    A page representing showing gallery – a sort of visual portfolio or resume. Do a good job at it! Its a selling/appreciation tool, just like your photo. Nextgen is a helpful general plugin for galleries and slideshows. Nextgen Gallery

    Author Options (profile area) Languages

    For the benefit of prospective customers. They may seek out someone who speaks their language, or at least be prepared to have a translator if needed.

    Author Options (profile area) Living Location Info

    Uses Google Maps

    This info should be your country, city, and general area. Not overly specific. NOT your living address, PO box, or anything personal. This is generally to add a little fun to Symbiostock, so people can enjoy the idea of diversity, culture, and so forth.

    Author Options (profile area) Temporary Location Info

    Uses Google Maps

    For photographers. Customers may wish for you to carry out photography assignents based on where they send you or where you happen to be going (See: Open for Assignment Jobs below). Include relevant info like start/finish date. If your going to go to some interesting place – like, say, some native backwater region of an unexplored rainforest to find a hidden population of dinosaurs, the Holy Grail, or Bermuda Triangle. Also handy if your traveling on business or vacation. NOT your actual residing address, or anything personal / overly specific.

    Author Options (profile area) Open for Assignment Jobs

    If you are available for photography / assignments in your area or in your travels.

    Marketing Marketing Services

    For outside marketing services provides info via XML regarding your images, as well as protected access to unwatermarked previews (600px)

    This is an experimental feature. Outside marketers may wish to promote you under paid or free agreements. In both cases, use this feature with caution, because you provide them with access to 600px w/h previews unwatermarked. They in turn will use these and apply their own watermarkes/resize, and extract other uses from the image.

    Please note that you must use this feature at your own discretion.

    Generally any marketing site desiring to interface with your Symbiostock site should already be prepared to use Symbiostock’s Marketing Services options from prior preparation.

    How it works…

    1. Marketing services must be turned on. (If off, its specialized requests will not be recognized a security feature.)
    2. Generate your Marketer user number. This is a randomly generated number that acts as both a user name and passcode, which only you and your marketer know. It can be changed at any time.
    3. Go to http://www.clipartillustration.com/wp-admin/edit.php?post_type=image and select images you wish to market. Then select “Make Promo Preview” from dropdown, and push “Apply“
    4. Give your marketing service the Marketer user number. They should in turn be able to fetch required info from your site.

    [*]

    Analytics Network Analytics (Public or Not?)

    Symbiostock, as a network, must be aware of how it is functioning, where traffic is coming and going, and so forth.

    Every Symbiostock site (after version 3.2.4) has the ability to share a large amount of traffic information. This information is collected by Specialized network hubs, analyzed, and used to show network status, traffic, performance, and so forth.

    While we wish for you to keep your analytics information public, you have the option to turn it off from public viewing. This will, however, disadvantage beneficial services created for Symbiostock’s network.

    Your site is able to give traffic reports live as they are happening. This means that we can set-up hourly-updated network reports showing traffic states accross the entire network, on a virtually live basis. Other valuable things provided are general traffic flows of browsing people, general traffic breakdowns of all sites, and generally geeky geeky stuff like that. Geeky, but important, like Symbio in general. 😀

    What is Shared?

    1. Traffic History (up to 60 days).
    2. Keyword Performance History (up to 60 days).
    3. Referrals (Which symbio-sites are sending traffic your way)
    4. Image Views (So you can track what is popular in your portfolio)
    5. Keyword Views (Which keywords are most popular in your portfolio)

    Which Values are Shared?

    1. Time values for each action.
    2. Landing and Referral URLs
    3. Image numbers
    4. Keywords
    5. Categories
    6. IP Addresses of Visiting Bots/People.

    Machine-parsed Data Locations

    Traffic data is provided in a light-weight CSV format, which network computers use to turn it into proper visual data for human viewing.

    If public traffic is ENABLED (admin->bee->settings->Allow Public Analytics) you can find your reports here:

    General History:
    http://www.clipartillustration.com?ss_analytics=history&ss_std=2014-01-31_21:51:05&ss_edt=2014-02-01_21:51:05

    Keyword History:
    http://www.clipartillustration.com?ss_analytics=history&ss_std=2014-01-31_21:51:05&ss_edt=2014-02-01_21:51:05

    Keyword Views:
    http://www.clipartillustration.com?ss_analytics=term_views

    Referrals:
    http://www.clipartillustration.com?ss_analytics=referrals

    Image Views:
    http://www.clipartillustration.com?ss_analytics=image_views

    Image Processing ImageMagic or GD Library

    Some notes on your server’s image processing methods there are a few things that influence your server’s ability to process large images, and large amounts of images.

    1. The image processing module: ImageMagic, or inferior choice, GD Library
    2. Memory allowed: Edit wp-config.php file to change performance.
    3. Maximum allowed time a script can run.

    Image processing occurs in a few areas in the Symbiostock theme:

    1. Process Uploads (Note at top of screen, it will tell you if you are using GD or ImageMagic)
    2. Images Listing / Editing Area (“Bulk Options” dropdown, “Reprocess“)

    Symbiostock checks to see if your server is using ImageMagick and if its not, it falls back to GD Library. Its highly advised you configure your server to use ImageMagic if it does not already. It uses less memory and generally produces better results. “Cheap” hosting using GD Library will give you much trouble with frequest script crashes, though will often still give satisfactory results in a good server environment.

    If you can’t seem to break out of memory limitations, use BLUEHOST as your hosting company instead. BLUEHOST has the best cost/power ratio and Symbiostock sites do great on it.

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