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.

Several customers have recently inquired about ‘appointment scheduling’ and ‘sitting fee collection’. How often have you told a client ‘let me check my schedule and I will get back with you’ which then starts the ‘phone/e-mail tag’ ?   This results in countless hours of

Non-Value Added Activity (muda) in your week of scheduling appointments, collecting sitting fees, confirmations, appointment reminders and appointment conflicts. Therefore, in 2010 gain more control of your schedule with web appointments.

Features include (click here to view a demo) :

* No software installation; all functionality from your web browser
* Set up appointments and schedules – display and hide dates/times from your customers
* Create recurring appointments and ‘block off times’
* Create services for specific dates and date ranges (example – portrait session weekend)
* Ability to display services/events for businesses with multiple employees
* Customized customer appointment forms to collect specific customer information
* Confirm appointments before it the appointment is added to your calendar
* Automated e-mail notifications and reminders for both you and your clients
* Client database in which you can download for future use
* Paypal payment integration – collect your sitting fees, etc up-front – automated. Ability to charge different sitting fees for different services.
* Show your own business policies (cancelations, no-shows, what to wear or bring to the appointment, etc…)
* Calendar ‘removes’ time slots confirmed to avoid double-booking
* Ability to enter ‘phone in appoinments’
* Ability to send out specific links to specific services/events
* Web site integration – easily integrate within your smugmug or wordpress site
* Create links for web site, e-news, facebook, etc…
* Visual calendars (see below)
* Calendar sync and downloading – supports Excel/Outlook/Sunbird/GoogleC/iCal (your entire schedule or a specific service/event)
* Access your schedule via your iphone / Mobile access
* Ability to set-up access to the calendar for multiple employees (employees can view their own schedule)
* Affordable : Only $10 a month with one-month free trail (for specific customization, contact me)
*** Coming soon – more customization capabilities ***

PROCESS MODEL

CLIENT VIEW

click here to view a demo

YOUR VIEW ONLY

Entire schedule or 14 day blocks. You also have the ability to calendar sync/download – supports Excel/Outlook/Sunbird/GoogleC/iCal (your entire schedule or a specific service/event)

For more information, please feel free to contact me.

click here to view a demo

Live – Studio KYK Services