You really SHOULD... all of you!

Markjay

I am amazed at just how many Smugmug sites do not even have a contact email or contact page on their websites!

Just today I was looking over my Google stats and noticed several smugmug url's having visited my site. Out of curiosity and to thank them for visiting my site and maybe even ask for feedback, I visited their sites (and many other Smugmug sites along the way) and I was astonished to see.....

no email link
no contact page
no contact means of ANY kind

I realize there are those who just have a smugmug site up for the purpose of sharing photos with their family and friends but these were not that type of website from what I could see.

I urge you to at the VERY least...... have an email link on your websites!

With ZERO contact means, there's a possibility you are missing out on business or opportunities.

Besides, what does it really cost you to put an email link on your website? :-)

Have a great day today,
Markjay
360photostock

pyry

Are you sure those sites were in it for the money?

Smugmug hosts a lot of hobbyists and amateurs who aren't really looking to do much than share some pictures.

Markjay

Yeah I'm sure :-)
Yes I"m sure a few of them were "in it for the money" because they had digital downloads turned on for one thing.

No matter, even if you are not "in it for the money", have a contact page so viewers who enjoyed your work can communicate with you.
It might just be that someone comes along and wants to buy one of your images for a friend or ?

Have a nice day,
Markjay

pyry wrote:

Are you sure those sites were in it for the money?

Smugmug hosts a lot of hobbyists and amateurs who aren't really looking to do much than share some pictures.

dseidman

I definitely agree with you, Markjay. When I was designing my site I tried to picture myself as a customer. First I wanted to make sure navigation was easy and straight forward, and second I wanted to make it very easy for an interested customer to contact me. I could image how frustrating it must be if you came across some pictures you liked and have no way of getting the attention of the photographer.

pyry

Yeah, I'm with you too.

I just thought that perhaps these sites were simply not doing business with photography at which point putting an email address onto a web page makes more spam than anything else.

Digital downloads that cost money are a surefire way of telling a pro-account apart though, isn't it...

denisegoldberg

You are so right... I can't imagine putting content out on the web and not providing a way for people to contact me.

And as far as email spam goes, I've been using the method that ivar published in the thread Stop Junkmail/Spam!!!, and that has been working for me. No spam.

--- Denise

pyry

denisegoldberg wrote:

You are so right... I can't imagine putting content out on the web and not providing a way for people to contact me.

And as far as email spam goes, I've been using the method that ivar published in the thread Stop Junkmail/Spam!!!, and that has been working for me. No spam.

--- Denise

Thanks for the link Denise!

pmbpro

Wow... I'm surprised too! I'm not in it for the money either...certainly not yet anyway.

denisegoldberg wrote:

You are so right... I can't imagine putting content out on the web and not providing a way for people to contact me.

And as far as email spam goes, I've been using the method that ivar published in the thread Stop Junkmail/Spam!!!, and that has been working for me. No spam.

--- Denise

I have this set up as well. No spam coming to me either.

I also have an online email form (requiring entering the random "Captcha" characters) to see if anyone would use it. I decided to set it up for those who may not be at their own computers/email program and can still write to me immediately on the spot. I have had many people use it (and they don't mind the Captcha feature, which is why I decided to keep it), and I can also tell which ones use that form and which ones click on my email link directly. No spam there either.

I've had a lot of inquiries about my photos via these contact methods and my Guestbook.

Paula

Markjay

You can thwart the email spam
YOu can configure your email address code in a way that thwarts spam.
And you can also create a "contact page" that does not display your email address... those are two ways to allow communication from interested parties.

Just realized Denise stated part of my reply above (Ivar's email spam control :-)

pyry wrote:

Yeah, I'm with you too.

I just thought that perhaps these sites were simply not doing business with photography at which point putting an email address onto a web page makes more spam than anything else.

Digital downloads that cost money are a surefire way of telling a pro-account apart though, isn't it...

W.W. Webster

I use these guys!

pmbpro

W.W. Webster wrote:

I use these guys!

That's who I use too! thumb

goldenstarphoto

Thanks Markjay...this post got me to thinking if it's easy for potential customers to navigate my site?

denisegoldberg

goldenstarphoto wrote:

...this post got me to thinking if it's easy for potential customers to navigate my site? Was just wondering if anyone would be willing to check out our site and give us feedback. Positive or negative...we can take it. Any feedback is appreciated.

I'd be happy to take a look at your site and provide feedback, but I'd like to suggest that you post your own thread requesting feedback either here in Mind Your Own Business, or in the SmugMug Customization forum.

I believe that adding comments on your site to this thread would obscure Mark's message that prompted this thread, reminding people to always provide a way to contact the photographer/owner of each site.

--- Denise