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Having your own website gives you complete control over your creative work. Building your own website has its upfront costs, but it's a worthwhile investment because you'll keep most of the profits from your sales.
Even if you don't have prior experience building websites, there are plenty of beginner-friendly platforms that allow you to easily create an online store. For example, stock photography builders like SmugMug offer a variety of pre-made templates for all types of photography. Additionally, you get built-in e-commerce and marketing tools to help you sell your photos and promote your online store.
Whichever platform you choose, there are other steps to take, from researching competitors to choosing a creative name. Here I will share with you all the information you need on how to sell photos online.
How to sell photos online
To make money selling photos online, you'll need to do a little research and preparation first. Finding your niche and researching your target market is essential to help you attract potential customers. You'll also need to address legal issues related to licensing and copyright, and determine costs (both one-time and recurring) so you can budget accordingly.
Defining your niche and target audience
You'll have a much better chance of making your photography stand out if you focus on a specific niche. The key is to develop a distinctive style in that niche and put your own spin on it. This can help you stand out and build a memorable brand. Whether you focus on fashion, travel, nature, or food, keeping your focus on a specific niche will help establish you as a professional in your chosen field.
You can either choose a niche and then research your target audience, or find a target audience and then focus on a profitable niche you're passionate about. If you prefer a "what the market wants" approach, you can explore the latest trends using keyword research tools. For example, Keywords Everywhere (a freemium browser extension) allows you to analyze search volume for terms related to your images and identify the most in-demand niches.
Dealing with legal issues
To sell your photos online safely, you should be aware of the laws surrounding copyright and licensing. You will still own the copyright to your photos even when you sell them online. However, by selling your photos, you grant the buyer a license to use them in certain ways.
You can choose the types of licenses you want to attach to your photos. Here are the most common options:
Personal Use – Buyers can use your photo for non-commercial purposes
Commercial Use – Buyers can use your photo in advertising
Editorial Use – Permission to use your photo in newspapers, magazines, and other publications
Retail Use – The right to use your photo on physical products
Exclusive Rights – Only the buyer can use your photo
Royalty-Free – Buyers can use your photo an unlimited number of times
Choose the right platform to sell your photos
Whether you're an amateur or professional photographer, there are several ways you can showcase and sell your photos online. One option is to use a specialized platform, such as a pre-built online store. You can also sell on social media or create your own online store.
Specialized platforms include stock photography sites like Shutterstock, or online marketplaces like Etsy. Selling your photos on stock platforms can be convenient because they handle the web hosting and marketing efforts for you. Stock photography sites provide platforms to showcase your work, and their widespread reach can make it easier for you to find clients.
On the other hand, these online stores also impose some major restrictions. Many stock photography sites require your photos to adhere to certain rules regarding image resolution, subject matter, and even the type of equipment you use. Stock photography sites also don't allow you to set your own prices, and they often take a significant portion of your profits. Some may also require exclusive rights, meaning you can't sell your photos anywhere else.
Furthermore, stock photography platforms can impose a strict approval process. For example, Shutterstock requires you to submit 10 images (with at least 7 approved) before you can sell on its site.
If you want more control over how you market and sell your images online, you can try selling on social media. For example, if you want to sell your photos on Instagram, you can set up an Instagram Shopping account, which includes a product catalog. You can set prices and add descriptions for your products, as well as promote them on…
But while selling on social media is a great way to get started, you don't get many options to customize your online storefront and make it stand out.
Only by building your own online store will you get everything you need. Not only will you be able to create a storefront that matches your style and brand, but you'll also have the option to add social media links to your website for cross-promotion. SmugMug allows you to post your images directly to all your social media channels.
It's also worth noting that SmugMug offers an optional RAW file management tool for an additional cost, simplifying the process of publishing RAW images to your website. It's a more reliable storage solution than a hard drive (which can fail), and includes AI-powered image recognition tools, so you can easily find any image.
I'll show you how to sell your photos online by easily creating a photography store on SmugMug, with detailed instructions. The great thing about SmugMug is that it offers a 14-day free trial, so you can test its features risk-free.
Choose a good name for your online photography store.
Another important part of learning how to sell photos online is coming up with a great name for your store. Your store name will also serve as the basis for your domain name—a unique name that functions like a home address online.
A domain name consists of a website name and a domain extension, such as “.com.” It’s the first step in establishing yourself online and helping search engines find you. It’s also one of the first things customers and potential clients notice about your business and can help you gain credibility and establish your brand.
A good domain name for your online photography store should be specific and appealing to your target audience. If you’re a fashion photographer, for example, you might want a name that catches the eye of beauty brands and designers. Or if you’re a fine art photographer, you might be trying to attract art collectors or book collectors. Try to keep your domain name short, easy to spell, and memorable.
If you need some guidance in choosing a domain name, SmugMug has partnered with a domain name provider to help you choose and set up a custom domain name in a few easy steps. If the domain name you want has already been chosen, your domain name provider will provide you with similar alternatives. You'll pay a separate fee for the domain name, but it's a low annual fee.
Customize your online photo store
You can set up an account with SmugMug in just a few clicks—all you need is your email address to get started. SmugMug will also ask you about your business plans to provide you with the right tools to create your photography website.
After selecting the features you want, SmugMug will ask you to choose a template (also known as a “design”) for your website. SmugMug has 26 beautiful, mobile-responsive templates suitable for all types of photography, from portraits and products to landscapes and travel.
All SmugMug templates tend to be simple, so that the focus is primarily on your images. You'll find a variety of navigation styles (fixed or transparent, for example), as well as several gallery layouts, such as slideshows and carousels.
You can preview any template before you start using it. If you change your mind later, don't worry – SmugMug lets you switch between templates at any time without losing your edits.
Once you've chosen a design, it's time to create your first gallery. SmugMug lets you upload an unlimited number of images, videos, and any additional site content, such as your logo and social media links. You can always add them later in the site customization area.
When you've finished uploading your images, SmugMug will take you to your site's homepage. SmugMug has an intuitive interface, and you'll be able to easily find and use all of its features. The top bar contains the tools you need to organize your galleries and sell your work, including a Library section, where you can view and filter media by date. The Customize Design tab in the upper right corner lets you change your site's colors, fonts, and layout.
When it comes to customization, SmugMug offers plenty of design options to make your photography website stand out. You can choose from a variety of themes that include different color palettes, fonts, textures, and styles. You can also add a personal touch to your homepage background by adding videos or slideshows.
In addition to colors and fonts, SmugMug lets you customize your site's content by dragging and dropping content blocks onto the page. You can add blocks for text, maps, calendars, featured events, and more.
SmugMug also has a built-in editing program that lets you customize individual images. You can add titles, captions, watermarks, and color effects, among other things.
Add your photos as products
SmugMug has built-in e-commerce functionality, which means you don't need to add a store section to your site. Instead, all you need to do is enable on-site selling, and visitors will be able to click on any image on your site to see purchasing options.
To enable e-commerce, you need to go to the Selling Tools in your dashboard and create a price list for your images. If you're new to this, SmugMug will suggest a pricing structure that balances competitive profit margins with higher profits.
Whether you choose to follow SmugMug's recommendations or create your own price lists, setting up your options is easy. You'll need to choose the type of products you want to sell (prints, downloads, gift cards, etc.), set your profit margin and currency, and you're ready to go. You can also apply a specific pricing structure to the entire site or just to a specific gallery.
Once your price list is set up, visitors can click on any image covered by your pricing structure to purchase it. They can choose from various print sizes and frame types, as well as print their selected images on mugs, mouse pads, keychains, and more.
It goes without saying that your images need to look their best to attract potential customers. Make sure your images are uploaded at full resolution, especially if you plan to sell prints. Additionally, try to accompany high-quality images with equally effective copy. You can use image titles and captions to describe your images to make them more engaging.
Update your store settings and payment information
You can access and update all information related to your business by clicking the profile icon in the top right corner of the dashboard and selecting Account Settings from the drop-down menu. There, you can view your sales statistics, update your privacy settings and payment information, add contacts, and more.
When it comes to paying for your subscription, SmugMug accepts all major credit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.
Your customers can pay for your images using PayPal. The ability to accept payments via digital wallets like PayPal, available globally, allows you to build an international customer base.
Preview and launch your online photography store
Before publishing your online store, it's important to test all the features on your site to ensure everything is working properly. You should preview your site on both desktop and mobile screens to verify that the content is displaying correctly. Also, be sure to test navigation links, buttons, search tools, e-commerce features like online checkout, and anything else that contributes to a seamless shopping experience for your customers.
Additionally, since your online store will likely contain a large number of images, you'll want to run a speed test to ensure its loading speed. You can try a tool like PageSpeed Insights to get an accurate analysis of your website's loading speed. PageSpeed Insights will also recommend opportunities to improve loading time.
Promote your online photography store
The best and easiest way for a photographer to find potential clients is to promote your website on social media. SmugMug offers a variety of sharing options to help you build and attract your audience.
In addition to displaying social media icons on your website's homepage, SmugMug also allows you and your website visitors to easily share links to individual images or galleries via Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms. Visitors can also leave comments on your website.
SmugMug also allows you to optimize your site for search engines. In addition to naming images and galleries, you can edit meta descriptions and include keywords to help your online store rank higher in search results.
Overall, promoting an online photography store is a long-term investment that requires time, effort, and careful planning. If you're just starting out or don't have enough time, you can hire an expert to help you promote your store. Some freelancers build and promote online stores for a living, offering a valuable service at a very affordable price.
Selling photos online is easier than you think.
Starting an online photography store involves making several important decisions. Coming up with a catchy store name, choosing a sales platform, customizing your store to reflect your brand, and finally, promoting it all require careful consideration.
When developing your plan, you should consider that your business will grow. That's why you'll need a website builder that makes it easy to upgrade when you need to. You'll also need to update your site with new content and track your website metrics to identify areas for improvement.
However, the first and most important step is to create a simple photography website that allows you to showcase and sell your photos online. Professional photography website builders like SmugMug will allow you to launch a basic photography website in less than an hour, even if you've never built a website before. Then, as your business grows, you'll be able to continually improve your store.
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