Archive | June 3, 2013

Portfolio Advice – Keywords & Descriptions

I do the same thing. I also have a word document for my portfolio that has detailed descriptions of each photo so in my portfolio book I can have the image on the right side and the description on the left (in document protectors) The way I generate my key words is.:

I google the subject and get the description (they use a lot of keywords) then I copy paste the description onto a word document for my portfolio. Then I copy paste the description onto my keyword document and delete the extra words and keep the keywords I want. Another cool thing about Microsoft word is it has a review tab and allows you to do a word and character count too! hope that helps too. I noticed that if I put the keywords into lightroom it keeps the keywords when you upload your photos to FAA but they aren’t so good and some of the keywords get deleted.

Submitted by JFantasma Photography

Keyword Advice

This is a great keyword generation tool:
http://microstockgroup.com/tools/keyword.php
Always have your name in your keywords !!!!! If people try to search for you they won’t find you if your name is not in your keywords !!!!
I have tried to find people on here by their name and many times get nothing…….

For Descriptions:
I use wikipedia so often to get generic descriptions: Sunflower is a great example. Post a picture of a sunflower and
From Wikipedia
” copy and paste sunflower description from wikipedia”
Make sure you give credit when you copy and paste.

Have the keywords you use appear in your description.

Always start the description this way:
1. Title of work
2. Your name
3. Your website
4. Description of work (optional) – Mention where the picture was taken or painting was made. If there is a specific town or place or person in the image, write it down. ex. Washington Monument, vacation with family, etc….
5. Wikipedia or other reference to your work

I have a word document that has my basic keywords that I use on all of my pieces, sorted by gallery, and my basic description.
I copy and paste as much as I can when adding in my images.

Google and other search engines will index your work just as much as FAA search engines do. If there are no words to describe your work to the world then chances are they won’t find it if they look for it.

Pinterest Tips

  1. BIG TIP: When you go to the main Pinterest board..upper left sign that looks like a 3 lined equal sign…there is a drop down menu….select “art”, “design” or “home decor” and repin and like people’s stuff where YOUR art would look good…or art that is anything similar to yours in color…style..subject matter because guess what? People are actively looking for stuff for their homes there…it’s a site for the engaged, newly married and new home owners…if they like a room that your art would look good in…repin that! If someone likes a painting with similar colors as some as yours…repin it!! They WILL look at your stuff too and they just might like YOURS better! AND…Designers are in those sections too trolling for art for their projects…You will start THINKING this way…it will come second nature soon!
  2. REMEMBER: Spend at least 5 minutes a day repinning other people’s stuff…this brings new traffic to us all…this is KEY!
    Just go to a section like ART or DESIGN and “like” and “repin” things you like..it’s fun!
  3. DONT FORGET TO PROMOTE YOURSELF TOO!! I increased my sales by promoting myself to Pinterest, Stumble and Twitter….just space it out….I do like 5 in the a.m…..5 pieces mid day sometime and 5 pieces at night along with Pinning non-FAA and re-tweeting non FAA people each time…this is what has worked! Will all of us promoting each other on top of ourselves the results should be even greater!
  4. TIP: Make sure your Pinterest portfolio is something that people will WANT to follow...if all you have in there is one board with this groups artwork…no one is going to want to follow you except maybe your Aunt and your Grandma…
    What do people like on Pinterest…cute animals, beautiful art, flowers, fashion, home decor….food/recipes….make boards specifically for what people like and get pinning filling those board with BEAUTIFUL images….so when people check you out…they actually want to follow you.
  5. Also when you are in the Art, Design and Home Decor categories liking and repinning ….go to some people’s boards and follow a few of their boards…you dont have to follow all…just some like their art boards or home decor boards…this is how you increase FOLLOWERS…

By Sharon Cummings

Twitter Limits on Following

A quote directly from twitter: Following (account-based): Once an account is following 2,000 other users, additional follow attempts are limited by account-specific ratios.

I couldn’t follow more then one or two a day for over a year and it happened as soon as I hit 2000, I took someone’s advice and had my followers and following almost the same number but that didn’t help. BUT recently I went back and unfollowed alot of old or inactive ones and so far I’ve been able to keep going. It’s gets harder at the 2000 mark. I won’t follow more then about 50 a day because I am nervous to be restricted again. What sucked about it was I wasn’t able to follow back people so I would get these notifications saying someone followed me and had to look like a jerk and never follow back. – Laura Carter

HASHTAG MISUSE…is a major problem

HASHTAG MISUSE…is a major problem…I am seeing it every day and I cringe…one or two on Twitter is more than enough…three tops! Keep in mind that hashtags are NOT keywords…they are for identifying other people who like to have conversations/chat about a specific topic…so if you paint a duck and use #duck as a hashtag, it isnt going to get you any attention unless a TON of people use the same hashtag to hook up with other people who like to talk about “duck”….you wont even get the “ducks” people. So think about how people talk…

I might say…Enjoy my latest painting…it’s Spring and baby #ducks are everywhere…no #hunting please.

See what I just did…I got the duck lovers and hunters in on the conversation……they might click on my work. – Sharon Cummings

Warning : TOO MANY HASHTAGS

I’ve noticed A LOT of you making a common mistake on Twitter…TOO MANY HASHTAGS….I have read in numerous places to use 1 – 3 tops…and I can never tell where to click the link to your work….8 hashtags and your link just blends in with them…hardly a chance anyone will click on your work….and when people see all those hashtags they move right over them…people dont click on hashtags…that is for searching…so when you have so many…nothing will be clicked.

I use a lot of quotes…people LOVE them…they retweet like crazy….I put a tiny url with my link a the end and I put a few hasthtags…usually one or two spaced away from the url…so it is clear to click on it. – Sharon Cummings

Engaging Content Works for Darren

I am over 100 followers on Pinterest and up to 77 followers on Twitter. (I know it doesn’t sound like many to you seasoned pros BUT I’m elated with it as I have only been doing this a few short weeks). I haven’t really been able to look for them (followers) BUT I have been re-pinning humor to one of my boards and tweeting my “Random Thoughts” on twitter. I’m gaining followers every day. – Darren Robinson