Adding Visuals to Your Communications

Photo-sharing, or the process of publishing digital photos online both privately and publicly, can enhance your business and social relationships. In this article, Linda provides links and ideas for professional graphic designers and photographers who want to share their work online.

The next steps...

If you followed my path last week as I began to build a new social media presence for my writing skills, you may realize that you could develop your Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media presences around your online portfolio. But, professional designers and/or photographers also have other sources available to spread the word about their works.

For instance, if you decide to build a photoblog, you can enter contests such as the Photoblog Awards. Some other sites that list contest information other than Graphic Design Basics include Graphic Competitions, Dexigner and  MetropolisMag. Many other contests and contest sites exist, but be careful about the contests that you choose to enter. Many photography – and especially design – contests can turn into pissing contests among peers, rather than venues where observers can learn about new talent.

In other words, spending time on new work designed specifically for a contest may be a waste of time unless you also use that work and time to create a new audience through your social media platforms. For instance, if you enter a contest based upon popularity rather than on skill and talent, who knows how far your social media base will take you if you encourage them to vote for your work?

While many artists might scoff at those contests and see them as a waste of time, try entering one once to learn just how valuable an online social presence can be to an artist who wants to build popularity for his or her work. These contests are as brutal as any, because they can help you build thick skin as well as help you hone your social skills. While many of those fans may not be buyers now, they may keep tabs on you as you develop your career and become buyers in the future. Entering a contest like this is a great way to begin to build a 'fan' base.

Outside contests – even popularity contests – the next best idea would be to work at getting your portfolio online through other venues other than your Web site. Look at galleries. Even local galleries with Web sites can be a great resource, as they will showcase your work as well as link back to your Web site. Online galleries work, too, but be choosy about the galleries you pick to display your work. While local galleries often have a guaranteed following of local buyers (and even international buyers in some cases), an online gallery may be ignored altogether depending upon its usability, accessibility and desirability.

One way to choose an online gallery is to check their traffic through sites such as Alexa or Technorati.

Take, for instance, the Photo Gallery at Photo.net. Here is their Alexa ranking:

Compare the information above to the Alexa ranking for Pixi Port, an online fine art photography gallery:

I'm not saying that you cannot find work nor that you cannot build relationships at Pixi Port compared to Photo.net. But, I am pointing to a lack of traffic that could go against you as far as logical odds are concerned. So, pick a venue that is comfortable for you – at the same time be wise about your choices when it comes to traffic. In fact, you may discover many more gallery sites online that surpass Photo.net in traffic and that provide more opportunities to interact both with other photographers or designers and with the public.

Remember the ten percent 'rule.' The more traffic found at an online gallery, the higher your chances are of selling your work or developing 'fans.'