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Microstock Photography Forum - General => Newbie Discussion => Topic started by: bsites on October 22, 2009, 13:17

Title: How do you upload to multiple sites?
Post by: bsites on October 22, 2009, 13:17: Hello, I currently submit images to 6 websites and it has becomes quite the process. Here's what I do:

1. After I save my image, I enter it into my spreadsheet along with the keywords. That way I can copy/paste the keywords to the sites after uploading.
2. I open 6 tabs in Firefox, open all of the websites and upload to all the sites at the time.
3. Whatever website uploads first, I will enter all of the information and submit. Repeat for the rest.

It takes me a little time to figure out the perfect categories. Luckily some of my sites don't require them.

When I think about each step that I take, it doesn't seem like it takes a long time, but when I take into account the entire process, it can take 45 minutes+ just to upload a handful of pics.

Are you all using FTP?
-OR - Are some of you skipping the categories?

I don't mind putting the time in if that's how it is, but I just have a feeling that everyone else has a much simpler process.

Thank you!
Title: Re: How do you upload to multiple sites?
Post by: cascoly on October 22, 2009, 15:38: first, you're missing an extremey important ste by not adding keywords and desc to the IPTC of your image -- there are a number of free programs that do this -- i use the free MS pro photo tool

you enter your info once, and each agency reads it - no need to fill in most forms. you'l still have to add category info

second, dont upl one by 1 - wait til you've got a batch - i usually upl 40-50 at a time, and ftp to all. i usually do this at 2 am when i'm done for the night, and all finish by morning

then finish the submittal at each agency.

steve

ps i'm not too picky about categories, and skip them if not mandatory - i have well selected keywords and descriptions. havent haeard from any buyers who primarily use categores to browse - most categories are just too enormous to make sense
Title: Re: How do you upload to multiple sites?
Post by: bsites on October 22, 2009, 15:46: You know, that's what I thought re: categories. I bought stock photography back when I was in the marketing business and I knew what I was looking for most of the time and keywords were a lot better for me than going through the categories.

Besides - I thought about all the photographers that upload 100+ images at a time and could not imagine them going in and selecting multiple categories for them all. Especially on multiple sites.

Thank you for the advice. I think I'll try and FTP a bunch. Also, Photoshop allows IPTC so I will try that as well. Thanks again!
Title: Re: How do you upload to multiple sites?
Post by: WarrenPrice on October 22, 2009, 16:26: Quote from: cascoly on October 22, 2009, 15:38
first, you're missing an extremey important ste by not adding keywords and desc to the IPTC of your image -- there are a number of free programs that do this -- i use the free MS pro photo tool

you enter your info once, and each agency reads it - no need to fill in most forms. you'l still have to add category info

second, dont upl one by 1 - wait til you've got a batch - i usually upl 40-50 at a time, and ftp to all. i usually do this at 2 am when i'm done for the night, and all finish by morning

then finish the submittal at each agency.

steve

ps i'm not too picky about categories, and skip them if not mandatory - i have well selected keywords and descriptions. havent haeard from any buyers who primarily use categores to browse - most categories are just too enormous to make sense

Steve,
is MS pro photo tool a photoshop plugin or a standalone app?
Title: Re: How do you upload to multiple sites?
Post by: FD on October 22, 2009, 21:17: Quote from: bsites on October 22, 2009, 13:17
1. After I save my image, I enter it into my spreadsheet along with the keywords. That way I can copy/paste the keywords to the sites after uploading.

This sounds like traveling from Paris to London by Vladivostok. Why don't you put your title, description and keywords in the IPTC? It's all imported then at the sites, you don't have to copypaste, and you don't need to maintain a spreadsheet. Irfanview (http://www.irfanview.com) (free, make sure you install the plugins too) is fine for that and it can treat images in batches too.
Upload: FTP. Filezilla (http://filezilla-project.org/) (free) allows to upload/queue to several sites at the same time if you use the Site Manager.
iStock: Deepmeta.
Title: Re: How do you upload to multiple sites?
Post by: oldmoozy on October 23, 2009, 01:50: You can try picNiche toolbar for Firefox. It has the upload feature to major stocks.
It also helps tracking your earnings.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/11474 (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/11474)
Title: Re: How do you upload to multiple sites?
Post by: bsites on October 23, 2009, 13:31: Quote from: 7fttallrussian on October 23, 2009, 01:50
You can try picNiche toolbar for Firefox. It has the upload feature to major stocks.
It also helps tracking your earnings.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/11474 (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/11474)

I'll look into that. Thanks!
Title: Re: How do you upload to multiple sites?
Post by: melastmohican on October 23, 2009, 13:51: I use sitecopy (http://www.manyfish.co.uk/sitecopy/) and task scheduler to multiple sites when I sleep :-)
Title: Re: How do you upload to multiple sites?
Post by: travelstock on October 23, 2009, 14:28: Yep it is a complicated process sometimes!

I've recently added a whole lot more channels to my distribution, am focusing more on Alamy, and now also sell images directly through my website, so have had to change my whole workflow.

A summary can be found here:

http://www.veoelmundo.com/photography/camera/E30_microstock_workflow_pt3_raw_post_processing (http://www.veoelmundo.com/photography/camera/E30_microstock_workflow_pt3_raw_post_processing)

Basically with my new system I have a workflow that suits my needs - it uses mainly lightweight applications, means that all my JPGs are backed up in 3 different online locations and am really only uploading each image once, which is critical for me because bandwidth is usually slow - and I'm going to be in Africa next year, which will be even slower from what I'm told...
Title: Re: How do you upload to multiple sites?
Post by: bsites on October 23, 2009, 15:54: Quote from: 7fttallrussian on October 23, 2009, 01:50
You can try picNiche toolbar for Firefox. It has the upload feature to major stocks.
It also helps tracking your earnings.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/11474 (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/11474)

I downloaded the add-on and I love it so far! I like how I can see my earnings real-time and the keyword function is nice as well. I'm yet to try the FTP out, but so far so good! Thanks for the referral!
Title: Re: How do you upload to multiple sites?
Post by: bsites on October 23, 2009, 15:55: holgs - I love your website! Thank you for sharing your workflow.
Title: Re: How do you upload to multiple sites?
Post by: illstudio on October 23, 2009, 16:43: Quote from: 7fttallrussian on October 23, 2009, 01:50
You can try picNiche toolbar for Firefox. It has the upload feature to major stocks.
It also helps tracking your earnings.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/11474 (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/11474)

Mac or PC?
Title: Re: How do you upload to multiple sites?
Post by: bsites on October 23, 2009, 16:50: Quote from: illstudio on October 23, 2009, 16:43

Mac or PC?

I'm on a PC and I couldn't find anything on the add-on page about Mac. Perhaps someone else would know about the Mac capabilities?
Title: Re: How do you upload to multiple sites?
Post by: bobbigmac on October 23, 2009, 19:37: Quote from: bsites on October 23, 2009, 16:50
Quote from: illstudio on October 23, 2009, 16:43

Mac or PC?

I'm on a PC and I couldn't find anything on the add-on page about Mac. Perhaps someone else would know about the Mac capabilities?

Mac, PC and even Linux :)
The mozilla platform rocks, I love it :)
Thanks for the mention :)
Title: Re: How do you upload to multiple sites?
Post by: eyeCatchLight on October 24, 2009, 04:53: if you use lightroom, you can enter the keywords, title and description already there, and then when uploaded they will appear.