The following is a diagram how Smugmug, Showit and WordPress all work together to bring you a powerhouse solution in internet marketing and social media.

So…. you want to write a blog, add cool pictures, but you don’t know how?!  Well then, I wrote this blog just for YOU!!   <grin>

Please read the rules about adding pictures and then follow the step by step instructions I’ve provided ~  and when you are done…. voila!  You have created your own blog posting.

Good luck and happy creating!

Tracey

READ ME FIRST!!!

Rules for adding images to your blog:
 
1. Image width must be equal to or less than 950px  in width
 
2. To change the image size in the blog posting, edit the image source  line in the blog posting on the HTML page.

change the “-L.jpg” to , example -O.jpg to display the Original size, -M.jpg to display the Medium Size, etc…
 
img src=http://www.jrphotosandwebdesign.com/Michigan-Nature-Photography/Traverse-City-Michigan/traversecitysunrise/674112382_tWUJF-L.jpg
 
For different image sizes, please refer to  http://www.smugmug.com/help/display-quality

Creating a Blog:

1. Login to the Administrator site.
2. Click to select Posts from the Dashboard and a shortcut menu appears, as seen in the example below:
3. Click Add New.  The Add New Post screen appears. 
4. Enter the Title for the Blog Post and the body of the post.  There are word processing tools available to add bullets, numbering, and text justification options.  Text can be bolded, or italicized for emphasis.  See example for where to add the blog post title and the body of the message:
5. Tags help identify what your article is about.   Tags can either be selected from a predefined list or added manually.  To view the tags that already exist, or add tags, find the Post Tags area on the right side of the screen.  To add pre-existing tags, click to select the Choose from the most used tags in Post Tags link.  To add your own tags, click in the field and enter each tag separated by commas.  See example below:
6. Categorize your blog post by clicking in the check boxes to select the appropriate categories from the Categories area on the right side of the screen.  New categories can also be added by clicking the Add New Category link.
7. Scroll down to the Discussion section and make sure the Allow trackbacks and pingbacks and Comments options are selected (have checks in them).  This allows readers to add comments to your blog article and pingbacks allow other sites to link back to this article.  See example below:
   The Author field defaults to the name of the user logged in. See example below:
8. Locate the All in One SEO Pack section.  This section controls text relating to your blog posting that appears in the Browser it is viewed in, as well as the Navigation Bar at the top of the article. NOTE:  Keywords entered here should be the SAME as the Post Tags entered in step #5.  BE CONSISTENT!!  See example below:
9. Pictures or videos from any Smugmug site can be inserted into your blog post.     To insert a picture from a Smugmug site, click to position your cursor where the picture should be inserted. 
10. Open your Smugmug site and navigate to the photo to be inserted into your blog. 
11. Locate and click on the Share button in the upper right hand corner of the Smugmug screen, as seen in the example below:NOTE: The settings in your gallery must have external links set to “Yes” and social sharing set to “Yes” to see this button.  Setting can be changed in the gallery by selecting Tools, Gallery Settings.  

12. Click the Get a Link option from the drop down menu.  Click to select the Embeddable Links tab, as seen in the example below:
13. Click the Copy button for the image size you want to use.  The following confirmation window appears:
14. Click the Allow access button.  The Copy button changes to  ”Copied!” to indicate that the picture has been copied in that size.  See example below:
    
15. Switch back to your blog, click on the HTML tab. 
16. Click where you want the image to be inserted.



17. Right click and select Paste from the shortcut menu. The URL will be pasted into your blog on the HTML tab, and the actual picture will be visible on the Visual tab, as seen in the example below:

18.  Click the Preview button in the Publish section to review your article.

  19.  Make any changes and when ready, click the Publish button.

**Don’t forget to social share your blog posting (facebook, twitter, etc…)**

Note: Tracey does both technical training and writing of documentation/course material on a professional level. If you are interested in her reviewing your web site content, please contact us.

Creating a Wedding Sub-Category:
Basic instructions:
- Once you sign-in, click on the tools button. From the drop-down select “Control Panel”
- On the Control Panel Screen, click on ‘Customize’
- Click on the ‘Subcategories’ link

- In the ‘Create your own subcategory’ section, select ‘Weddings as the Parent category
- In the Subcategory text box, enter the name (example Ariel and Ian). Also,
create the appropriate NiceName (smugmug does this for you – you have the ability to change)
- Click the create button
- Note: you can continue to add/change/delete sub-categories as you wish
- When you are completed, click the ‘Your Photos’ link at the top of the screen

 
When you go to create a new gallery:
- Click on the ‘Add Photos’ button
- Select ‘Create New Gallery’
- On the New Gallery Screen:
* Enter the Title
* Enter the appropriate nicename (only alphanumeric characters and dashes)
Example: getting-ready
* Select the Category ‘Weddings’
* Select the Subcategory (example ‘Ariel and Ian’)
* Select the Theme (default)
* Select the quick setting (weddingquicksetting)
* Click the Save button
You can now add photos or videos.
Click on the gallery name link or your photos link to go back to the smugmug view

Example :
Jason Groupp – Wedding – Ariel and Ian

Note:
A quick setting (weddingquicksetting) was created that sets the following:
* theme: default
* appearance: custom
* clean : yes
* camera info: no
* filename: no
* thumbnails: square
* style: smugmug
* auto sort: none
* password and password hint – totally up to you and your customer
* privacy:  public
* hello world: yes 
* hello smuggers: yes
* ext links :  yes
* protected: yes
* watermarking:  no (you can always go back and add watermarks)
* hide owner: no
* Largest size: original
* photorank:  yes
* comments: yes
* easy share: yes
* friends edit: no
* family edit: no
* printable: yes and set your prices appropriately 
* community : none – note: if you have the gallery related to a community, the communities look/feel will override your look/feel
* you can always go and create your own quick setting
http://www.smugmug.com/help/picture-storage

Note: Information on smugmug categories and sub-categories

http://jrcustomization.com/2009/10/difference-between-categories-and-sub-categories/

The following are some resources to assist you with improving your web sites Search Engine Optimization :

The Photographers SEO Book – SmugMug SEO Tips

Eight Ways to Help Google see your Images

Presentation by Matt Cutts – Straight from Google – What you need to know

Google does not use the keywords meta tag in web ranking

Ever hear your customers say “I cannot find my Proofs” ?
Ever hear your prospective customers say “What is your style of photography” ?
There is a variety of methods that can be used in displaying Portfolio and Client galleries on your smugmug site. Gallery organization and management is critical; web site visitors need ‘easy’ and ‘quick’ navigation to the galleries on your web site. Whether it be to your Portfolio galleries for potential ‘new’ customers or your Client Galleries to ‘present’ customers, both perspectives lead customer satisfaction and future business.

The following below are some variations with the Portfolio and Client gallery viewing methods:

KZ Images

Expressions Photography

Seven Gables Photography

Velvet Strand Photography

I am often ask “What the difference is between a smugmug Category, Subcategory and Gallery?”. Therefore, I created the below image to visually explain and define it.