Somebody talk me out of this

Bristolian

Bristolian

Messages
4,289
Name
Steve
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi folks,

I need someone to talk me out of moving my website from a Wordpress one to this: www.websites-for-photographers.co.uk

I really dislike the look and feel of my existing site and wordpress in general - don't ask me why, I just do :shake: No, actually I do know why I don't like it; it's too much like hard work to keep it up to date, has "quirks" that I either have to remember or it causes me to repeat actions and is clunky.

In just 30 minutes I managed to pretty much replicate the content of my existing site and it looks and feels much sleeker as well as being more responsive/quicker to load. On the downside, the new site will be more expensive but hey-ho it's only money :D

So go on, why shouldn't I?
 
What problems are you having with WP? WHat theme are you using? Are the problems inherent in WP or are they due to the theme?
 
Bristolian said:
Hi folks,

I need someone to talk me out of moving my website from a Wordpress one to this: www.websites-for-photographers.co.uk

I really dislike the look and feel of my existing site and wordpress in general - don't ask me why, I just do :shake: No, actually I do know why I don't like it; it's too much like hard work to keep it up to date, has "quirks" that I either have to remember or it causes me to repeat actions and is clunky.

In just 30 minutes I managed to pretty much replicate the content of my existing site and it looks and feels much sleeker as well as being more responsive/quicker to load. On the downside, the new site will be more expensive but hey-ho it's only money :D

So go on, why shouldn't I?
Click to expand...

I didn't check out the templates you can use but of the ones I did check many used almost the same "look".

One good thing though as far as the SEs would be concerned is that you have a "real" web address.

.
 
So you can upload 200 images and then ...
Extra Images
Extra image allocation can be purchased at any time during your hosting period to be used in any gallery. Prices are reduced accordingly for any remaining period of time and can be purchased in the following tiers:

250 extra images £50.00
550 extra images £100.00
1100 extra images £150.00
2500 extra images £200.00
Click to expand...

Am I reading that right and is that extra p.a. or one-off?
 
Phil V said:
What problems are you having with WP? WHat theme are you using? Are the problems inherent in WP or are they due to the theme?
Click to expand...

Hi Phil,

I have to declare straight away that I'm a complete Luddite as far as web sites are concerned. I'm using the Invictus theme from ThemeForest and I get incredibly frustrated with the clunky photo uploading system and the fact that several features don't appear to work as advertised. Specifically, I hate the way that images shown on the homepage are fullscreen (even though I've set them not to be) which pulls them in all directions depending on the resolution of the screen you're using.

Aside from that, the overall look of the site is lacking finesse. how much of this is due to the theme and how much is WP I can't say.
 
gramps said:
So you can upload 200 images and then ...


Am I reading that right and is that extra p.a. or one-off?
Click to expand...

Those are one-off payments, gramps.

For me, they're not an issue though as I plan to continue to use my off-site client galleries and e-commerce solution. The site itself will just have some portfolio galleries and (maybe) general interest images too ... not likely to get even close to the 200 limit.
 
Take a look at Pro Photo, it's a one off payment, I would never sign up for a subscription type site, I like to feel I own my own website.

You might be surprised about the 200 limit. I have more than that in my wedding galleries, and that's without blogging recent work. 5 galleries at 40 images per gallery isn't a lot of images.
 
WOW, I'm kinda surprised - I was expecting a whole raft of posts saying "don't touch it" or "it's rubbish, keep away" but there isn't.

I will take on the suggestions to look at ProPhoto and Zenfolio (again) before I make a final decison.

Thanks everyone (y)
 
Hi All

I have read with interest some of the comments here. We run the www.websites-for-photographers.co.uk service and have a number of comments to make myself.

1) The system isn't a typical template based system whereby you would select a look and add content to it. There is a very simple wizard which allows the building of the website in a few short minutes with further editing later. A unique look can be created depending on the time and effort put in to it. Uploading a professionally designed logo or header image and building the colour scheme around this can be very effective. Whilst there are limitations with any 'build your own' system as far as design is concerned we believe our service offers far more functionality than many others.

2) There is an annual hosting charge based on the number of images used in the image galleries. All other functionality including ecommerce, integrated blog, slideshow options, new developments etc are all included with no additional charge.

It may be that we need to review our prices for the image tiers but whichever option you go for a professional hosting platform will incur an annual hosting charge. Pro Photo will install a wp website for you at a one-off price. There is then a hosting charge, they recommend BlueHost. You would then presumably be responsible for any updates to the website and files. If you are unfamiliar with wp developmentfurther charges would be incurred.

With Websites For Photographers all new developments and updates are installed on all client sites automatically so there is no requirement for any web development knowledge and no future costs apart from the hosting fee. It also allows the client to concentrate on what they do best which is being a photographer!

The Websites For Photographers system is being constanly developed and updated and in additiuon to servers and support, significant cost is uncurred.

Finally, if a client is unhappy with the service or system they are able to transfer away to a different host or system or have astand alone website designed and developed. All client can control there own domain names or we can control it for them in which case we would be responsible for doamin renewals etc.

3) Zenfolio is an annual subscription service with a 14 day trial period. Our service provides a no obligation, unlimited time, free trial.

I hope this will help to convince to give us a try!

Thanks you
 
I know where you are coming from Steve. I tried a few WP templates, including I think a pro photo one. I just couldnt get it looking anywhere near how I wanted it to. While not a luddite, i dont have the skill to make the most of WP, or to understand how it all works. I tried www.redframe.com and managed to get a site i liked very quickly. Very good system.
 
Simon, I really wish you hadn't done that ... now I'm even more confused :thinking:

I like your site by the way (y)
 
Hi Guys

Steve, if you let me know your account name with Websites For Photographers I can assist you with what you want. If you like the look of Simon's website there is no reason why you wouldn't be able to acheive something similar. Our system offers at least as much functionality as redframe and although their prices do include unlimited images, they start at $240 per year.

As stated we will be increasing our image allowance over the next few days so will be far more competitive in this respect.

In addition, as well as the advertised service we will also always make suggestions on site improvement following registration and prior to activation if we feel improvements could be made. We also add to all websites, if required, basic SEO to all content pages prior to setting a website live based on the content of the website in general and the areas covered. I am sure you will agree (and I am sure Steve has already experience this) that the support we provide is extensive.

Simon, the proof is in the pudding so, although you are happy with your current website and set up, why not give our system a quick try and post your thoughts? I am not suggesting moving your site to us but your thoughts and comparisons would be most welcome. The set up wizard should take no more than 10 minutes and there is certainly no obligation to continue.

Thanks
 
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If you would like to use the contact us link at the bottom of each page, an admin will get back to you with the forums very reasonable advertising rates if you would like to apply to become an advertiser for your website building/hosting service. (y)
 
Bristolian said:
WOW, I'm kinda surprised - I was expecting a whole raft of posts saying "don't touch it" or "it's rubbish, keep away" but there isn't.
Click to expand...

Well I have looked at about 15 of the linked sites in the 'Websites for Photographers' gallery and if you want to go back to 1992 and Netscape, this is the template site for you.

I am not being rude, just giving my opinion.
 
What Tom said, limiting , overpriced and old fashioned.

And a big NO for any photographer thinking of using any subscription based service that prices on the number of hosted images. They're clearly designed for the benefit of the host:cautious:.

As Steve believes 200 images for galleries will be 'just enough' what happens when he has a brilliant business idea - an ante natal clinic opens next door and he gets a hankering to move into 'bumps to babies' does he shrink his wedding galleries or pay for extra space.:naughty:
 
tiler65 said:
Well I have looked at about 15 of the linked sites in the 'Websites for Photographers' gallery and if you want to go back to 1992 and Netscape, this is the template site for you.

I am not being rude, just giving my opinion.
Click to expand...

Tend to agree with this, looks like it would be a step backwards from wordpress in terms of look and feel.
 
Hi guys, sorry I haven't re-visited this for a couple of days but I've been having car troubles :crying:

Having another look around I'm thinking that the decision comes down to:
ProPhoto
Photocrati
Zenfolio
Smugmug

.... or just leave it alone :D
 
Bristolian said:
Hi guys, sorry I haven't re-visited this for a couple of days but I've been having car troubles :crying:

Having another look around I'm thinking that the decision comes down to:
ProPhoto
Photocrati
Zenfolio
Smugmug

.... or just leave it alone :D
Click to expand...

Redframe do a free 14 day trial so not much lost if u give it a go.
 
Bristolian said:
Hi guys, sorry I haven't re-visited this for a couple of days but I've been having car troubles :crying:

Having another look around I'm thinking that the decision comes down to:
ProPhoto
Photocrati
Zenfolio
Smugmug

.... or just leave it alone :D
Click to expand...

You can break that down to whether you want sales galleries built in as a priority.
And if you do, what fulfilment options you fancy.
 
Okay, so here we are then .... no further forward than a few days ago :(

My existing site is just an on-line short-form portfolio medium with details of the standard packages I offer and a once-in-a-blue-moon blog. Cleint galleries and print sales are off-site. TBH I don't push the site as much as maybe I should but more than 90% of my business comes from referrals and repeat customers and I'm as busy as I want to be - the work/life balance is (currently) just how I want it. Most new clients that come to me haven't seen my site or have been pointed to it by someone else. The small snippet nature of the portfolios is why I wasn't bothered about the 200 image limit at websites-for-photographers (which they've just increased to 1000 as standard by the way).

I'm happy with the way having client galleries and print sales off-site works as I don't need to get involved in the ordering/printing process but I get all orders delivered to me and I send/deliver them to the customer. I'm not sure what benefit having the print sales facility integral to my site would give or even if it could be set up to work in the same way.

Now, having said all that and bleated on about the work/life balance, there is a possibility that I will need to increase the workload shortly as I'm thinking about taking on a second photographer/assistant/trainee/tea boy in a few months time. If this happens (and it may not be entirely my choice) then I'm going to have to re-think my website strategy - which is really what started all this off - and get serious about SEO and blogging and things, which I know nothing about.

Well if you've got this far I thank you for your patience :) I've looked at so many photographers websites over the last couple of weeks I don't know if I've been plugged, bored or countersunk and every one I look at I think "yep, that's what I want" ... and then I look at the next one and think ...

So, for now, I'm off to try some of the trial offers and see what happens. Be back soon ... I hope ;)
 
Have you had a look at WIX html sitebuilder Steve, looks like a doddle to create a really nice site fairly painlessly.
Unless there are specific disadvantages with these types of point and click website builders for photography, I would have thought them worth a look, they are so simple.
SEO seems to have a very fragile value for the time invested in learning enough about it and maintaining it my opinion. I got bored with the whole thing to be honest, too much like hard work optimising for what google value today and then keeping up with what they then value next month. Plus I think regardless of how cleverly you incorporate your chosen (obvious) keywords they can detract from from how natural your site comes across if your not carefull. What might be good for a casual buy and sell product site is totaly different for a one off special event service such as wedding photography that people look hard for and I personaly don't think justifies too much SEO fiddling.
I can see people spending so much time on SEO generating customers that they are too busy to do any paying work.

It may take time but I don't think you can beat word of mouth, especialy for a high value service/bespoke product so I would always optimise for that.
Ass wot I fink:)
 
I couldn't agree less with what Steve said there.

A good CMS system will almost give you good SEO content with only a basic knowledge, allowing global settings for all your page titles etc. So a bit of thought on your blog titles and you have great SEO content. The rules don't change to the extent that people would have you believe. All the search companies are doing is learning to counter the 'tricks' people use as shortcuts instead of quality content.

The first big attack on SEO cheats was when they learnt how to spot keyword stuffing, then they started looking for link farms.

Basically a 'useful' website (to a customer) needs to contain relevant content - that's easy to do without keyword stuffing. It then helps if there are links from other similar relevant sites, less easy to do but definitely do-able.

Good CMS systems and intelligent copy writing will lead you into relevant content easily. Networking with other relevant sites will give you more kudos, and then engaging with Social Media appears to be the future direction. None of that is Rocket Salad(y).

Sites like WIX, make the building of good looking content easy but will tie you in knots as far as good SEO is concerned, because they, like most newbies build good looking sites then consider SEO as an add-on:nono:. Rather than building a proper 'grown up' site with proper page titling (which is half the battle for good SEO content).

Have a look at all the cheap template sites with homepages called 'home' or 'index', then look at all those happy zenfolio and wordpress users with homepages called Countyname genre photography localtown, togsname photography.co.uk. That isn't hard work or accidental - it just takes a proper CMS system and 2 minutes planning (and I mean 2 minutes:D).

I added my county a fortnight ago (which took less than a minute), and went from nowhere to page 2 on a county search almost overnight, because one change in Wordpress renamed all the pages globally. No hard work or re-linking required:geek:.
 
Yeah, but you know what your talking about Phil;)

I got so confused by the whole thing I just gave up trying to master it and whilst I have obviously thought through the basic concept I just wrote my site to blow the customer away when they found it and made it as absolutly simple as possible to use, with minimal sales text, but lots of pics.
I just wonder how many hits per week a photographer needs if he is any good and has put a good site together, how much work do you want? If Steve is already doing well and just wants to expand a little as oposed to a lot, getting his head around SEO for the first time may trigger a pub attack.

I make a specialist bespoke range of product that has a high sales value so pay per click is justifiable for me, plus I can turn it on or off (as I understand it) if I get too busy. Thats where I am coming from, horses for courses I suppose, one good sale per week is okay for me and not many people do what I do.

My own site is nearly done now so I'll stick a link up soon and ask your opinion Phil if you don't mind (and promise not to take the ****).:)
 
Have you looked at Viewbooks. Although I don't use this myself, I know a few photographers that do. Very simple and looks great.
 
Steve T said:
Yeah, but you know what your talking about Phil;)
Click to expand...

Honestly I'm not that bright:wave:!

I don't know how easy it is in Joomla or Zenfolio, but in wordpress it's a simple field on a form with some guidance.

So all my pages are headed as above with the next title tag down available for wedding venues, other local towns etc (all helping with SEO for other search terms).

Then make sure that title and alt tags on all your images are full of relevant info too and bobs your uncle.

All that sounds easy (because it is using a decent CMS;)), but on many of these 'simple to use' sitebuilders those things simply aren't easy to find at all, and they require a knowledge of CSS and HTML to get you to the same place. So the simple sitebuilders become very complicated:puke: when it comes to SEO or anything else that they didn't consider when building the designer.

I would also recommend the use of CPC advertising too if you know enough about your market and can write good copy. (sadly despite months of research I only know enough to make me more scared:shrug:)
 
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