Author Topic: Adding Stock photo store to existing blog (Read 9719 times)

steheap · « **on:** June 28, 2011, 08:47 »

I've been concentrating on building up links and traffic to my existing blog that runs on Wordpress software, and, although I do have a SmugMug Pro site, it is under a different URL and does not get the same amount of visibility. I was thinking of adding my own stock images to a section of my blog so that I can ride on the back of the existing SEO work I have done for that URL.

Anyone know of ways to add a "store" for digital downloads of your own images to an existing Wordpress blog? I have bought the Wordpress eStore plugin and that will let me sell digital downloads in a secure fashion, but I still need to create a searchable store and get all my images installed, priced and made available for license. If there is some plugin that already handles that function, that would save a lot of time.

I see a lot of people are getting involved with Ktools - can that be integrated into an existing web site structure?

Steve

cthoman · « **Reply #1 on:** June 28, 2011, 09:25 »

I've done the opposite adding a blog to my ktools store. I just installed the blog in a folder on the domain like /blog. I assume the process for adding a store would be similar (do the install in a separate folder and create a separate database). You might ask support for whatever software or script you are thinking about buying though. Also, check if your hosting is compatible. There was this thread for places to sell your images...

http://www.microstockgroup.com/selling-direct/places-and-ways-to-sell-your-images-direct/

sharpshot · « **Reply #2 on:** June 28, 2011, 09:32 »

I was thinking of trying this but haven't got around to it yet. Read some good reviews but would be interested if anyone here has any info.
http://www.photocrati.com

RacePhoto · « **Reply #3 on:** June 28, 2011, 11:06 »

Oh that's the question I just asked you. I guess this thread will cover it.

Quote from: steheap on June 28, 2011, 08:47

I've been concentrating on building up links and traffic to my existing blog that runs on Wordpress software, and, although I do have a SmugMug Pro site, it is under a different URL and does not get the same amount of visibility. I was thinking of adding my own stock images to a section of my blog so that I can ride on the back of the existing SEO work I have done for that URL.

Anyone know of ways to add a "store" for digital downloads of your own images to an existing Wordpress blog? I have bought the Wordpress eStore plugin and that will let me sell digital downloads in a secure fashion, but I still need to create a searchable store and get all my images installed, priced and made available for license. If there is some plugin that already handles that function, that would save a lot of time.

I see a lot of people are getting involved with Ktools - can that be integrated into an existing web site structure?

Steve

ppdd · « **Reply #4 on:** June 28, 2011, 12:10 »

You could certainly run the ktools script in a subdirectory and make a link in the main blog header that point to it. You'd need to tweak the ktools design to look similar to the blog design, and put a link in the ktools store header back to the blog. Seen this done a bit before.

steheap · « **Reply #5 on:** June 28, 2011, 12:15 »

Quote

You could certainly run the ktools script in a subdirectory and make a link in the main blog header that point to it. You'd need to tweak the ktools design to look similar to the blog design, and put a link in the ktools store header back to the blog. Seen this done a bit before.

I'll check into that - thanks.

Are there any really nice examples of a Ktools driven site? I will check the bigger thread, but just wondered what good sites came to mind.

Steve

cthoman · « **Reply #6 on:** June 28, 2011, 12:43 »

Your welcome to check out mine. It's in my signature. Also, this thread had a list of ktools sites...

http://www.microstockgroup.com/selling-direct/so-i-made-a-microstock-site-for-me/

ppdd · « **Reply #7 on:** June 28, 2011, 12:53 »

Quote from: cthoman on June 28, 2011, 12:43

Your welcome to check out mine. It's in my signature. Also, this thread had a list of ktools sites...

http://www.microstockgroup.com/selling-direct/so-i-made-a-microstock-site-for-me/

And more examples here, if you've not seen: http://www.ktools.net/photostore/featured.php

steheap · « **Reply #8 on:** June 28, 2011, 12:56 »

Quote

Your welcome to check out mine. It's in my signature.

I see, thanks! Was the blog also created in Ktools, or is that a link to another site that is integrated together?

In the meantime, I did find that the eCommerce software I have (eStore) has been integrated into the most popular photo gallery in Wordpress (NextGen) to make an online store to display and sell images. I found this link to it: http://www.tipsandtricks-hq.com/wordpress-estore-and-nextgen-gallery-integration-create-photo-shop-1200

I'll have to investigate some more as I see that ktools is $249.

Steve

cthoman · « **Reply #9 on:** June 28, 2011, 13:42 »

Quote from: steheap on June 28, 2011, 12:56

I see, thanks! Was the blog also created in Ktools, or is that a link to another site that is integrated together?

No, I just installed Wordpress in a separate folder on my domain.

LSD72 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 28, 2011, 14:26 »

Maybe something set up with a 301 redirect from your blog? I think it can go something like this.

Get "Simple 301 redirect" plugin. Get "Exclude Pages" plugin. These are free. Click on "Add New and put int the name. Activate both of them. Make a new page and tick the do not include in list box. Set up your 301 to look like it is going to that page but instead it goes to your Smug Mug Page.

Make links to that page in your site like in the header or some thing. Then when they click it... they go to your Smugmug.

Modify the method to however you want to go with your store.

I have not tried this yet but it is in my plans to do something like this with affiliate stuff.

steheap · « **Reply #11 on:** June 28, 2011, 16:17 »

Thanks for this extra bit of detail. I must investigate the "Exclude pages" plugin and that sounds as if it will solve a different problem I have. I have a "thank you" page that appears when someone has bought my book, but I could not find anyway of stopping it appear in the menu structure of my blog. Exclude pages sounds like it is just the plugin I need for that!

Steve

LSD72 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 28, 2011, 17:46 »

It should work for that. I have it to "exclude" my privacy policy page so I can link to the policy at the bottom of the page instead of the list..

steheap · « **Reply #13 on:** June 29, 2011, 09:35 »

Thanks - "Exclude Pages" did exactly what you said it would. My stray "thank you" page no longer appears in the menu bar of the blog!

Steve

LSD72 · « **Reply #14 on:** June 29, 2011, 11:44 »

Your welcome.

I have only started a blog here in the last week, but I need to change hosting due to some reason my current one has blocked my IP address. It's a pain to use a certain trick to change my IP just to work on one site. Waiting on support to get back to me. That sucks when you spend 2 days configuring the blog and then you start adding post and then you start doing some manual backlinking.

Nothing in there against their TOS. It's a blog about Miniature Pinschers..lol. Unless Naked Min Pins are considered Porn.

I was going to use hostgator but I am hearing some good things about Hostwind. Hostwind is cheaper the Hostgator too.

madelaide · « **Reply #15 on:** June 29, 2011, 18:29 »

Maybe not what Steheap wants, but FP has some HTML coding you can use to display your images and search within them.

LSD72 · « **Reply #16 on:** June 30, 2011, 22:33 »

Quote from: LSD72 on June 29, 2011, 11:44

Your welcome.

I have only started a blog here in the last week, but I need to change hosting due to some reason my current one has blocked my IP address. It's a pain to use a certain trick to change my IP just to work on one site. Waiting on support to get back to me. That sucks when you spend 2 days configuring the blog and then you start adding post and then you start doing some manual backlinking.

Nothing in there against their TOS. It's a blog about Miniature Pinschers..lol. Unless Naked Min Pins are considered Porn.

I was going to use hostgator but I am hearing some good things about Hostwind. Hostwind is cheaper the Hostgator too.

Update to my problem. Turns out it was not the hosting blocking me. My ISP's DNS somehow stored the site as bad. I just changed DNS on my router and computer and everything is cool now.

Peggy, you make Happy Time (Ding)

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Author Topic: Adding Stock photo store to existing blog (Read 9719 times)

steheap

cthoman

sharpshot

RacePhoto

ppdd

steheap

cthoman

ppdd

steheap

cthoman

LSD72

steheap

LSD72

steheap

LSD72

madelaide

LSD72

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