has anyone benefited from having a smugmug account?

in other words did anyone generate any sales there, did anyone get referals through there or any other business?

mine is: http://fnbimaging.smug​mug.com/

and to date i think it hasnt brought me anything......thinking of dropping it alltogether.

Cheers

Marco

Yes and no. I've received referrals, but certainly nothing significant. I get a horrendous amount of views, but I can only assume it is from bots because they don't seem to convert to sales as I think they should.

But perhaps your disappointment lies in other areas such as technical problems. I viewed your gallery. It's nice and all, I like the simple white design, but I had technical problems.

In both FF and IE I did not get the thumbnails for the open galleries, just black outlined white squares. The only browser that worked was Chrome. And yes, the problem may be on my end. We all know the many variables encountered with browsers. But still, if there are those who are getting the same as I, perhaps what might be perceived by them as a disfunctional or poorly-designed page would be enough to discourage them. You might want to look into it, and have friends and family browse to it with the top three browsers and report what they get.

Edit: FWIW I did see the slideshow in all browsers.

I have a smugmug pro account that I use as the order fulfillment end of my business. I can price prints and products the way I want, clients order and pay through smugmug, they print and ship (they have two print vendors and I can choose from), smugmug sends me a check for the profit (minus their commission). We can also buy coupons to give to clients for use on their print orders.

I do this because I don't have time to do my own printing and shipping, nor am I set up to handle credit cards. I'm definitely paying for their service but it works for my situation.

I also noticed that my smugmug site comes up #2 in a google search of my business name, beating several other photographers with the same name. Mentioned in this thread:
https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1090193

If your using your SM site to generate traffic from your website, then you need to change your <title> tag from "F&B Imaging by Marco Veringa | SmugMug" to something more SEO-friendly. Read my SEO link in my sig.

I have used SmugMug since 2006 as a Client delivery, fulfillment, and archive tool. It is the easiest way possible to deliver photos to the client for immediate download, social media sharing, and potential print orders with complete customization, security, and tracking info.

It's not effective as a marketing tool except as a display of your portfolio photos and is not a substitute for real marketing, referals, or advertising.

It is a key competitive advantage and time saver to my business.

-Scott

thanks for all your comments guys, good food for thought!

...just wanted to point out that you have nudes in your slideshow gallery that I wasn't expecting. I was looking at some nice photos of food and beverages, then some nice portraits, then some children, then nakedness!!! I have no problem with nakedness, but you site definitely wouldn't be safe for work, and personally I think it would be better if you removed the nudes from the slideshow.

banquetbear wrote in post #13280909
...just wanted to point out that you have nudes in your slideshow gallery that I wasn't expecting. I was looking at some nice photos of food and beverages, then some nice portraits, then some children, then nakedness!!! I have no problem with nakedness, but you site definitely wouldn't be safe for work, and personally I think it would be better if you removed the nudes from the slideshow.

Interesting. I did not see them. Probably didn't look at the slideshow long enough.

Nonetheless, very poor marketing. If you're prospecting for food or portrait or children photography customers, you certainly don't zap them with nudes.

Smugmug: excellent for proofing, fulfilment and archiving your work. There printing with Bay photo and the turn-over time is very good, and customer service exceptional! As far as them drawing in business...thats not what they are there to do! Its your job to draw people in through personal efforts and SEO.

erh i was just asking for some opinions guys i never said they were there for this or that. lets chill

Marketing is my job i am well aware of that.

with regards to the nudes......i know mostly Americans get terrified by it as it seems, ive had comments on that before, and don't truelove understand that, they are fine art nudes, they are part of my portfolio...don't see its wrong to include that. i do agree its child unfriendly, but children aren't my customers nor my target.

what means work unfriendly? if you are searching for a photographer, you want to see what he can do? do images of injured people, dead people etc work unfriendly? i am sorry but i seem to me this a bit different than most others it seems.

anyhow....lets keep it chilled

Cheers

Marco

yes, I have two pro accounts, one for my nightlife photography and one for my personal. I've generated sales off of both, albeit it's less than $100 on each site. It's enough so far to pay for the business cards I hand out. As my business ramps up though it'll be beneficial to have.

I have a pro account. Did the pro account mainly because I was doing (and hope to get back to it) a lot of MMA photography. I'd go to a show, shoot the show while handing out cards to everyone there and fighters/sponsors/etc would either contact me directly for photos or order them directly from my SM account.

I wouldn't say SM has gotten me any business. I've gotten orders I wasn't expecting but that wasn't because of SM. Any site which allows people to order directly from the site would work as well.

macobee wrote in post #13284289
erh i was just asking for some opinions guys i never said they were there for this or that. lets chill

Marketing is my job i am well aware of that.

with regards to the nudes......i know mostly Americans get terrified by it as it seems, ive had comments on that before, and don't truelove understand that, they are fine art nudes, they are part of my portfolio...don't see its wrong to include that. i do agree its child unfriendly, but children aren't my customers nor my target.

what means work unfriendly? if you are searching for a photographer, you want to see what he can do? do images of injured people, dead people etc work unfriendly? i am sorry but i seem to me this a bit different than most others it seems.

anyhow....lets keep it chilled

Cheers

Marco

Americans are not terrified of nudity. Americans are terrified of lawyers. if the wrong person sees a naked person on a screen in the work place and decides its not art, and is demeaning to their particular group of supposedly oppressed people/gender, the person viewing it could lose their job, in order to appease the complaint.

human resources departments try to get ahead of such things by making such things against company policy, while using company resources, etc , etc.

it's become good net manners to warn folks if your going to have NSFW (not safe for work) labels on contet to help people who are interested in the work, but want to keep their jobs.

So don't do personal things while on the job? I think the real thing that Americans are terrified of is self responsibility.

Your account doesn't have proper prices set, most prints can be had for the cost the lab charges you.

You need to go in and set prices on all the items, also you uploaded photos so small in size a customer can't even purchase a 4x6??

For example the photo listed under models Sabrina 5 is a 293 x440 and many others are just like it, you can't even order a 4x6..

Smugmug can be a great tool but it requires some time and discipline...