FroKnowsPhoto Guide to Building Your Online Presence

Table of Contents

Introduction: Why make a website?...........................................................................(0:00-2:12)

Picking a Platform....................................................................................................... (2:13-5:27)
Design & Features.......................................................................................................(5:28-6:47)
Selecting a Template................................................................................................. (6:48-11:16)
Creating a Home Page............................................................................................ (11:17-20:20)
Creating a Cover Page............................................................................................ (20:21-32:59)
Creating an About Page......................................................................................... (33:00-46:44)
Creating a Contact Page.........................................................................................(46:45-55:34)
Displaying your Content......................................................................................(55:35-1:06:55)
Creating a Gallery..............................................................................................(1:06:56-1:13:07)
Why have a Blog............................................................................................... (1:13:08-1:23:11)
Starting a Blog...................................................................................................(1:23:12-1:27:25)
Why are Marketing and Branding Important.................................................. (1:27:26-1:30:09)
Creating a Logo................................................................................................. (1:30:10-1:35:57)
Creating Tone and Feel through Color............................................................ (1:35:58-1:42:54)
Pricing on your Website................................................................................... (1:42:55-1:55:43)
Choosing Font, Colors, Headers, and Overall Style...................................... (1:55:44-2:02:38)
E-Commerce on your Page.............................................................................. (2:02:39-2:07:27)
Integrating Social Media................................................................................... (2:07:28-2:18:27)
Auditing Checklist for your Website............................................................... (2:18:28-2:20:19)
Analyzing Metrics......................................................................................... ....(2:20:20-2:26:21)
Using the Portfolio App.................................................................................... (2:26:22-2:29:13)
Introduction: Why make a website? (0:00-2:12)
■ In this section, I describe the advantages to creating a designated space to showcase
your work.

Picking a Platform (2:13-5:27)

■ In this section, I describe the many platforms available for building a website as well as
determining factors in choosing what’s right for you.

Design & Features (5:28-6:47)

■ In this section, I introduce the kinds of features available to you as you pick your platform
and start building your site.

Selecting a Template (6:48-11:16)

■ In this section, I review a wide range of site templates available on Squarespace and
considers the reasons why you might choose one over another. Then, I look at my own
site, explaining why I chose his template.

Creating a Home Page (11:17-20:20)

■ In this section, I describe how to make great first impressions with your home pages.
What message are you trying to get across? What tone are you trying to establish?
Includes 4 rapid-fire critiques

■ Critique: www.andrewferrenphotography.com/home
■ Critique: www.rpvny.com/
■ Critique: www.sharontalphotography.smugmug.com/
■ Critique: www.caseyjmcgeorgephotography.com

Creating a Cover Page (20:21-32:59)

■ In this section, I discuss how you can establish tone and message with a cover page.
How many photos should you include? How should you format your photos? Also, I
briefly discusses social buttons: which one should you use? How many is too many?
Includes rapid-fire critiques.

■ Critique: www.awilsonphotography.com
■ Critique: www.josuerivasfoto.com
■ Critique: www.jdgodin.com
■ Critique: www.rpvny.com
■ Critique: www.declarophoto.com
■ Critique: www.geminiiphotography.com
Creating an About Page (33:00-46:44)
■ In this section, I discuss what kind of information you should include in your about page
depending on your artform, career, and expertise. What message are you trying to
communicate? What tone should you use? The advantages and disadvantages first vs.
third person perspective, plus 4 rapid-fire critiques.

■ Critique: www.awilsonphotography.com
■ Critique: www.mattshifflerphotography.com
■ Critique: www.ashwestwood.com
■ Critique: www.miachelled.com

Creating a Contact Page (46:45-55:34)

■ In this section, I give you the pertinent details to include in your contact page. Should I
use a contact form? How much info should I provide? Should I provide a mailing
address? Plus, 2 rapid-fire critiques.

■ Critique: http://www.jusfoto.com/
■ Critique: www.saltyspiritphotography.com

Displaying your Content (55:35-1:06:55)

■ In this section, I review the kinds of choices you will confront when designing galleries
for your site. How many galleries is enough? How many is too many? How big should
each gallery be? Plus, 6 rapid-fire critiques.

■ Critique: www.jonathangipaya.com
■ Critique: www.lhunterphotography.com
■ Critique: www.ryan-milton.com
■ Critique: www.rpergphoto.com
■ Critique: www.gallaphoto.com
■ Critique: www.kristiekuo.com

Creating a Gallery (1:06:56-1:13:07)

■ In this section, I dive into my own galleries to illustrate the kinds of choices you might
make while creating your own. How many photos should I include? How should I order
my photos? How should I size my images to avoid overloading my galleries? Watch as I
answers these questions and more!

Why have a Blog (1:13:08-1:23:11)

■ Blogs can have a powerful impact on the way we interact with an artist’s work. In this
section, I discuss a number of advantages to cultivating and maintaining a healthy blog.
How often should I post? What kinds of posts should I produce? How might a blog boost
my SEO? Watch as I answer these questions and more, plus rapid-fire critiques.

■ Critique: www.sharpmemories.com
■ Critique: www.travelerstudio.com
■ Critique: www.thebrightnessproject.com
■ Critique: www.jasonogulnik.com
Starting a Blog (1:23:12-1:27:25)
■ Not only is a blog a powerful tool to boost user experience and web presence, it’s easy
to build! In this section, I build a blog from scratch using Squarespace, and show you the
ways in which blogs can enrich the way we interact with our sites. Also includes tutorials
on scheduling your posts, building your SEO, and more.

Why are Marketing and Branding Important (1:27:26-1:30:09)

■ If you build it, you want people to come, but attracting a following isn’t as simple as
building a site and walking away from it. In this section, I explain the ways in which
marketing and branding can help you garner the viewership you want.

Creating a Logo (1:30:10-1:35:57)

■ Among the ways your viewers will identify your work, a logo can serve as a simple but
powerful reminder. In this section, I enumerate the ways in which logos can serve your
site, as well as some basic guidelines to help you design something memorable. Plus, a
look into the Squarespace logo-builder feature, and 6 rapid-fire critiques.

■ Critique: www.brantolsonvisuals.com
■ Critique: www.christianbrooksphotography.com
■ Critique: www.danewm.com
■ Critique: www.andrisdzeguze.com
■ Critique: www.travelerstudio.com
■ Critique: www.adamlerner.net

Creating Tone and Feel through Color (1:35:58-1:42:54)

■ How do you want your viewer to feel as they explore your site? One way to shape your
user’s experience is by manipulating color scheme. In this section, I explore through
critique a variety of ways that your color scheme sets the tone for your website. Includes
5 rapid-fire critiques.
■ Critique: www.mikedrake.net
■ Critique: www.dmkmediagroup.com
■ Critique: www.markruddick.com
■ Critique: www.exposethemoment.com
■ Critique: www.prphotographyuk.com

Pricing on your Website (1:42:55-1:55:43)

■ In this section, I discuss ways to advertise and talk about pricing on your website.
Should I provide quotes? Should I advertise my prices at all? I answers these questions
and more. Plus, 3 rapid-fire critiques.

■ Critique: www.andrewferrenphotography.com
■ Critique: www.kristiekuo.com
■ Critique: www.reveliaphoto.com
Choosing Font, Colors, Headers, and Overall Style (1:55:44-2:02:38)
■ Serif or sans serif? Clean or curly? What difference can these stylistic choices make for
your website? I discuss effective font usage, tackling questions about legibility, how
many is too many, and more. Plus, 7 rapid-fire critiques.

■ Critique: www.chrispearsonphotography.com
■ Critique: www.dakov.de
■ Critique: www.dmkmediagroup.com
■ Critique: www.garyaskewphotography.com
■ Critique: www.donrisi.com
■ Critique: www.devoneventphotography.com
■ Critique: www.markruddick.com

E-Commerce on your Page (2:02:39-2:07:27)

■ In this section, I go behind the scenes of his Squarespace site, revealing the nuts and
bolts of basic e-commerce maintenance and design. Plus, I put my own e-commerce
cart under the microscope.

■ Critique: www.wardwhillas.com

Integrating Social Media (2:07:28-2:18:27)

■ This day and age, there are so many outlets for you to display your work on the internet
besides your website--and Facebook is just the tip of the iceberg. In this section, I look at
which key social media outlets you should link to your site, as well as the ways in which
you can display them; button or text--that is the question!
■ Critique: www.matt-trimby.com
■ Critique: www.ksperryphotography.com
■ Critique: www.edaldridge.com
■ Critique: www.brantolsonvisuals.com

Auditing Checklist for your Website (2:18:28-2:20:19)

■ Checking your work is an incredibly important part of building anything, whether it’s a
website, an exposure, or a house. You want to make sure that all the necessary parts
are there so things don’t fall apart. As a part of the guide, we’ve included an audit
checklist for you to double and triple check your work so that you can ensure that
everything is present to make your site the best that it can be.

Analyzing Metrics (2:20:20-2:26:21)

■ How do I know if my SEO is working? Is my site getting traffic? In this section, we’ll look
into the backend of my site to illustrate the kinds of analytical features you can take
advantage of to help drive your traffic. Features include mobile users, referrers, popular
content and more!
Using the Portfolio App (2:26:22-2:29:13)
■ Sometimes you’re on the fly when you want to show someone your work, and often, your
website isn’t the best way to do that. Squarespace has created Portfolio, an app for iPad
that enables you to beautifully display your work at your own convenience. Sync your
galleries, arrange your photos, change their size and more! And what’s more--it’s free.