Invitations to view photos?

cmason · January 24, 2007

So just noticed this in the 'Statistics' section of the Control Panel:

invitations to view photos: 0 | recipients: | read: | clicks:

Now it is entirely likely that this has been there forever and I never noticed it, but it does seem new. More importantly, I don't understand what it is for or what is it telling me (currently nothing).

Assuming I missed something, anyone want to explain what this is about or how I use it?

Andy · January 24, 2007

cmason wrote:

So just noticed this in the 'Statistics' section of the Control Panel:

invitations to view photos: 0 | recipients: | read: | clicks:

Now it is entirely likely that this has been there forever and I never noticed it, but it does seem new. More importantly, I don't understand what it is for or what is it telling me (currently nothing).

Assuming I missed something, anyone want to explain what this is about or how I use it?

http://blogs.smugmug.com/release-notes/2007/01/22/speed-beauty-brains-january-22nd-2007/

and then try the "Share" button in your gallery

cmason · January 24, 2007

Andy wrote:

http://blogs.smugmug.com/release-notes/2007/01/22/speed-beauty-brains-january-22nd-2007/

and then try the "Share" button in your gallery

Assume you mean that this function actually provides:

"detailed tracking of exactly who’s read your email and whether they’ve clicked through to see your photos or not. Look for the ‘Share’ button in your galleries."

Andy · January 24, 2007

cmason wrote:

Assume you mean that this function actually provides:

"detailed tracking of exactly who’s read your email and whether they’ve clicked through to see your photos or not. Look for the ‘Share’ button in your galleries."

? do you have a question? If so, I'm not understanding you .....

Nimai · January 24, 2007

Drat - I just put up two new galleries and sent out my own email "the old fashioned way".

I would have tried the share thing!

For my school event photography, I usually send a link to one or another "Mom on the inside" who then forwards it to the basketball parents list, cheerleader parents list, etc. depending on the event.

What I'm wondering is, as the email gets forwarded around, will the views and clicks tracking thing will still work? I guess I'm wondering what it all tracks?

Whatever the answers, THANKS! I love it when new features pop up like this.

cmason · January 24, 2007

Andy wrote:

? do you have a question? If so, I'm not understanding you .....

well, yes.......you pointed me to the blog...lots of info there, none of it mentioning "invitations"...I am just trying to understand that is all...

After some headscratching, I suppose I didn't make the leap that 'invitations' means sharing, or that an 'email' in sharing is perhaps known as an invitation. Sounded like an email to me....

Perhaps others are confused, maybe it is just me. Maybe "email' should be called an 'invitation'?

I know, just try it and see what happens, right?

AnneMcBean · January 24, 2007

Nimai wrote:

Drat - I just put up two new galleries and sent out my own email "the old fashioned way".
I would have tried the share thing!

For my school event photography, I usually send a link to one or another "Mom on the inside" who then forwards it to the basketball parents list, cheerleader parents list, etc. depending on the event.

What I'm wondering is, as the email gets forwarded around, will the views and clicks tracking thing will still work? I guess I'm wondering what it all tracks?

Whatever the answers, THANKS! I love it when new features pop up like this.

I don't believe we track forwarded emails. Just the initial email you send out.

-Anne

AnneMcBean · January 24, 2007

cmason wrote:

well, yes.......you pointed me to the blog...lots of info there, none of it mentioning "invitations"...I am just trying to understand that is all...

After some headscratching, I suppose I didn't make the leap that 'invitations' means sharing, or that an 'email' in sharing is perhaps known as an invitation. Sounded like an email to me....

Perhaps others are confused, maybe it is just me. Maybe "email' should be called an 'invitation'?

I know, just try it and see what happens, right?

When you share the photo via email, you invite the recipient of the email to check out your SmugMug gallery.

That being said, excellent point. Our terminology could definitely be more consistent/less confusing. I'll ponder on this a bit and see if we can set things straight.

-Anne

Nimai · January 24, 2007

AnneMcBean wrote:

I don't believe we track forwarded emails. Just the initial email you send out.

-Anne

Hmm~ This tells me a little bit more about what the feature actually is. I thought there was some sort of unique view / click counter associated with the image and URL used in the email. So, wherever it ended up, it would have a unique "signature" and could be tracked.
Make sense? Sounding cool?

papajay · February 3, 2007

Read??? Clicks??? still unclear
Has anyone clarified exactly what these statistics mean for email/shares?
I sent an email invitation out with 9 recipients this morning.
My stats now say 23 "Read", but only 5 "Clicked". Of the 9 recipients, one of them counts for 12 of the "Read" numbers and 2 of the "Clicked". Another has 5 Read, but Zero (0) Clicked. What's it all mean?

Andy · February 3, 2007

papajay wrote:

What's it all mean?

Read= they opened the mail
Clicked= they clicked on the photo or the link, and got to your gallery.

Click the number that's linked in your control panel, and you'll see individual stats per email.

papajay · February 5, 2007

Thought so...wasn't sure.

Andy wrote:

Read= they opened the mail
Clicked= they clicked on the photo or the link, and got to your gallery.

Click the number that's linked in your control panel, and you'll see individual stats per email.

Thanks Andy... I figured that was the protocol. But the actual stats had me "wondering" in some cases....
...one recipient, for example, opened and READ an email 5 times, but CLICKED a total of ZERO (0) times.

"If ya don't want to look, why bother?", I ask. (...and perhaps I should).

mkress65 · February 6, 2007

AnneMcBean wrote:

I don't believe we track forwarded emails. Just the initial email you send out.

-Anne

I just clicked on an invitation that I had sent to my mother in law which she forwarded back to me. My click (but not my read) was recorded.

papajay · February 7, 2007

Do multiple "recipient" email addresses show up in email?
When sending an Share (by email) invitation to multiple addresses, does each recipient see A.) all the other addresses in the "TO:" line to whom the invitation was addressed, as well...or B.) just their own address?

If the answer is A.), I'd like to see a new feature request to offer B.) as an option when creating the invitation email.

Additionally, or separately, is there a way to send such emails to one or more "alias" addresses (where there might be several individual email addresses under each alias)?

mkress65 · February 7, 2007

papajay wrote:

Additionally, or separately, is there a way to send such emails to one or more "alias" addresses (where there might be several individual email addresses under each alias)?

I'm assuming this would be similar to a distribution list w/ a nickname? For example, I would generate email addresses for 10 members of my family and then associate all 10 of those email addresses w/ the nickname "family" and be able to simply use the "family" distribution list that would then send all 10 members an invitation? If so, I looked for, but could not find, such a function. Seems like it would be a nice feature.

Andy · February 7, 2007

papajay wrote:

When sending an Share (by email) invitation to multiple addresses, does each recipient see A.) all the other addresses in the "TO:" line to whom the invitation was addressed, as well...or B.) just their own address?

If the answer is A.), I'd like to see a new feature request to offer B.) as an option when creating the invitation email.

Additionally, or separately, is there a way to send such emails to one or more "alias" addresses (where there might be several individual email addresses under each alias)?

The recipient only sees their own email address, they won't see the others that you sent to.

Andy · February 7, 2007

papajay wrote:

Additionally, or separately, is there a way to send such emails to one or more "alias" addresses (where there might be several individual email addresses under each alias)?

No, I'm sorry there is not.

papajay · February 7, 2007

Email "alias" feature request, OR Select/De-select All

Andy wrote:

No, I'm sorry there is not.

OK...thanks, Andy. So can you add this as a NFR for email shares:

Add email "alias" capability so one email could go out to "MySideOfFamily", another could go to "HerSideOfFamily", another yet to "OurFriends".

Orrrrrrr....if that adds a level of complexity to the Address Book feature that is too much, how about a (simpler I'm sure):

Select All (email addresses) and De-Select All functionality.

papajay · February 7, 2007

Andy wrote:

The recipient only sees their own email address, they won't see the others that you sent to.

This is Good News...thanks Andy.

Allen · February 7, 2007

papajay wrote:

OK...thanks, Andy. So can you add this as a NFR for email shares:

Add email "alias" capability so one email could go out to "MySideOfFamily", another could go to "HerSideOfFamily", another yet to "OurFriends".

Orrrrrrr....if that adds a level of complexity to the Address Book feature that is too much, how about a (simpler I'm sure):

Select All (email addresses) and De-Select All functionality.

Seems rather simple to have text file for each distribution list and copy and
paste emails addresses in.

papajay · February 7, 2007

Allen wrote:

Seems rather simple to have text file for each distribution list and copy and
paste emails addresses in.

Thanks, Allen. I know enough to be "dangerous"...I actually believe I understand the suggestion. It makes sense to me (especially as a reasonable "work around").

Invitations to view photos?

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