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First we need some kind of launch message announcing who we’re about. It should contain a link to Symbiostock.info as the main search page.
We can Pin this to the top so it stays there for 7 days before dropping onto the chronological timeline. We can also Highlight it by giving it a Star. This enlarges it to the full width of the screen instead of the smaller left and right format of the timeline. (after posting, hover over the post and a small grey drop-down arrow appears in the upper right with options to manage the post)
I would also look at the marketing description work that Michele, Ron and others worked on awhile back (here). It’s long so I think we need an edited version, perhaps break relevant parts of the info into a few consecutive posts.
Another ongoing post topic could be Search Tips for using Symbiostock.info highlighting various features.
We should also make use of the Milestones feature when we hit various numbers of contributor or images. You can include the event, write a story and include photos.
any ideas for initial topics?
One starting point (besides the ones setting the scene) would be to cover the wide range of themes and subjects that we all cover. You could do several on different sorts of illustration, then in photography we have people, isolated objects, travel, animals etc. That would get the message across about the wide range of imagery available
Steve
@ KLSbear: I agree. We already have the marketing message:
Symbiostock – What is Symbiostock?
Symbiostock is a powerful WordPress theme for illustrators and photographers to sell their images. Symbiostock, as its name implies, creates a symbiotic relationship among microstock professionals. Sites connect into a vast network of shared results, allowing customers to migrate around, study their options, and most importantly, connect with the talented artists who supply them.Symbiostock – Open Source means for selling images direct
Symbiostock isn’t just some off the tangent idea, it’s 100% inspired. It’s the co-op without the management. Everyone is self supporting and independent, but shares with others, if they want to be associated. Everything is personal choice and volunteer. Oh and that one other thing? 100% royalty.Buying directly from the artist
Our prices are competitive because there’s no middleman; you’re buying directly from the artist. Think of it as “fair trade” stock images. There are no subscriptions or credits to purchase, you pay only for the images you need.
Semmick Photo is part of Symbiostock, an exciting new idea—a collection of linked, independently owned websites run by the artists themselves. With one click of the search button, you’ll find not only images created by me, but also by other independent artists who’ve chosen to link to my site. Its all about thinking outside he box!
Symbiostock offers images for all your projects, blogs, ad campaigns, season greeting cards, etc. You want it, we have it. Looking for editorial images? Got it. Exclusivity? Check. Illustrations? Right here. We offer all you can imagine, and if you are looking for discounted series? Check out our collections, especially created for you with unbelievable discounts up to 85% (!).Selling your work
Symbiostock is the easy-to-use, fair royalty network of photographers, vector artists and illustrators that offers you the chance to sell directly to buyers and receive 100% of the sale. It also offers you tremendous marketing power by allowing you to link your site to other artists, building on each other’s marketing efforts and increasing exposure to your work. Buyers can search multiple portfolios with just one click and pay with credit card, debit card and bank transfer using the PayPal payment processor that comes free with Symbiostock.
With Symbiostock, there are no levels to reach. No surprise price reductions. No approval process. No waiting period to sell images or get access to your earnings. You decide how much to charge. You decide which images to sell. You connect directly with buyers, building your own contact list and your own brand. You are in control because you create, customize and manage your own independent web store.
When you start to create your site, you’ll find we’ve done most of the work for you. Follow the step-by-step instructions and video tutorials at symbioguides.com to build your site. Then, visit the free forums at symbiostock.org to connect to buyers and other artists and build your marketing power.
The Symbiostock network gives you 100% royalties. Greater artistic freedom, more flexibility, and the chance to build alliances with fellow artists. All for just the cost of your own web hosting (a little more if you want to add specialized add-ons and plug-ins) and PayPal fees.In a nutshell
Get on board with Symbiostock, keep 100% of your sales and share portfolios for a greater exposure and better buyer experience. Buy your images at fair prices and support the artists. Read my thoughts about it here including a short interview with the creator Leo Blanchette.The Symbiostock network is the brainchild of illustrator artist Leo Blanchette, with contributions of the MicroStockGroup forums and ClipArtOf.
This text was written with contributions of Michele Paccione, Glenn Specht and Pete Klinger.Maybe someone can edit it slightly so it doesn’t mention a specific site, and make it a blog post I can link to?
I’d suggest 2 posts a day:
1. Morning, introduce 1 or 2 Symbio sites with a link either to their splash page or image page of their choice (images show up with the watermark in the newsfeed and look great)
2. Afternoon, a rotating message from all of the good suggestions here: announcements when Symbiostock reaches a new milestone in terms of number of artists/images; interviews with photogs/videographers/illustrators; reminders to purchase files for holidays or other events or purposes; invitations to join; etc. etc. etc.This is aimed at attracting new contributors – are we looking for edits that make it more appropriate for buyers?
Steve
Here is a shorter version – more aimed at buyers, but with a para about becoming a contributor:
Symbiostock – What is Symbiostock?
Symbiostock is a network of illustrators and photographers who all use a common WordPress theme to create unique individual sites that are also fully networked together so that you can see images or designs that meet your needs from any of our talented and fully interconnected artists.
Buying directly from the artist
Our prices are competitive because there’s no middleman; you’re buying directly from the artist. Think of it as “fair trade” stock images. There are no subscriptions or credits to purchase, you pay only for the images you need at the size you require. With one click of the search button, you’ll find not only images created by that particular artist, but also by other independent artists who’ve chosen to link to that site.
Symbiostock offers images for all your projects, blogs, ad campaigns, season greeting cards, etc. You want it, we have it. Looking for editorial images? Got it. Exclusivity? Check. Illustrations? Right here.
Selling your work
Symbiostock is the easy-to-use, fair royalty network of photographers, vector artists and illustrators that offers you the chance to sell directly to buyers and receive 100% of the sale. It also offers you tremendous marketing power by allowing you to link your site to other artists, building on each other’s marketing efforts and increasing exposure to your work. Buyers can search multiple portfolios with just one click and pay with credit card, debit card and bank transfer using the PayPal payment processor that comes free with Symbiostock.
With Symbiostock, there are no levels to reach. No surprise price reductions. No approval process. No waiting period to sell images or get access to your earnings. You decide how much to charge. You decide which images to sell. You connect directly with buyers, building your own contact list and your own brand. You are in control because you create, customize and manage your own independent web store.Search the entire network of images
Just go to Symbiostock.info and enter your search terms there – you will instantly search across all 170,000 images in the network and be linked straight to the artist that can meet your needs.
Steve
I think this is great! I would just move the part about the WordPress theme down into the section for selling your work. Not sure buyers even need to know that part.
Yes, the only reason I left it there was to give a tiny explanation about how/why this works. I’ve got no problem with deleting the WordPress thing and perhaps putting “who all use a common design…” instead.
Steve
@steveh wrote:
Here is a shorter version – more aimed at buyers, but with a para about becoming a contributor:
…
SteveI think it’s a good idea to take the shorter version … too much text might drive people away.
@shelma1 wrote:
I’d suggest 2 posts a day:
1. Morning, introduce 1 or 2 Symbio sites with a link either to their splash page or image page of their choice (images show up with the watermark in the newsfeed and look great)
2. Afternoon, a rotating message from all of the good suggestions here: announcements when Symbiostock reaches a new milestone in terms of number of artists/images; interviews with photogs/videographers/illustrators; reminders to purchase files for holidays or other events or purposes; invitations to join; etc. etc. etc.As I did not use fb very much yet, I’m not sure whether two posts a day are to much or just perfect … but I definitely like the idea to alternate between introducing sites and making general announcements.
@jsfoto wrote:
@steveh wrote:
Here is a shorter version – more aimed at buyers, but with a para about becoming a contributor:
…
SteveI think it’s a good idea to take the shorter version … too much text might drive people away.
I agree that shorter is better. I’m wondering if we should break it into two posts as well. One for buyers and later one for contributors.
Here’s my stab at some further edits to the buyers version. I mixed it up a bit and put a little more emphasis up front that we are selling stock images. I think some sort of Call to Action at the end would be a good idea too.
What is Symbiostock?
Symbiostock is a network of illustrators and photographers each with their own individual sites selling stock imagery. These sites are fully networked together so one search reaches out across the network, returning images or designs from several sites that match your search criteria, much like the image search features on popular search engines.
Buying directly from the artist
Symbiostock offers images for all your creative projects, blogs, ad campaigns, greeting cards, etc. You want it, we have it. Looking for editorial images? Got it. Exclusivity? Check. Illustrations? Right here. Our prices are competitive because there’s no middleman; you’re buying directly from the artist. Think of it as “fair trade” stock images. There are no subscriptions or credits to purchase, you pay only for the images you need at the size you require.
Searching the network is easy!
[list=*]
[*]Searching on an individual artists page will return results from that artist and many more from the network.[/*]
[/list]
[list=*]
[*]Use our central search page, http://www.Symbiostock.info where you’ll find advanced search features like orientation, copy space and color. You will instantly search across all 170,000 images in the network and be linked straight to the artist that can meet your needs.[/*]
[/list]
[list=*]
[*]Add the Symbiostock search engine to your Foxfire search options with the this Foxfire add on[/*]
[/list]Help spread the word
“Like” our page and share on your own pages. Be sure to come back and share some comments on your Symbiostock experiences and show us where you’re using our artists work on the web.
I like the Call to Action para … good idea.
Hi all,
I’m trying to create a page with the Symbiostock description, but the link function is not working for me in WordPress. It either ignores the link I insert or does something weird with it:
http://vector999.com/symbiostock/
Any suggestions?
Ok, liked the page with both my personal and public page but only one will count towards the “like” count as per Facebook’s handling of page likes. Posted it to both as well. Will be great to have enough people to like it so we can get a custom http://www.facebook.com/SymbioStock/ url 😀
Jo
@shelma1 wrote:
Hi all,
I’m trying to create a page with the Symbiostock description, but the link function is not working for me in WordPress. It either ignores the link I insert or does something weird with it:
http://vector999.com/symbiostock/
Any suggestions?
Thanks! That did it. Don’t know why the WordPress function would create a syntax error, but this definitely works.
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