I'm posting shots from a high school musical on my (new) Zenfolio site for sale. I'm sure I'm going to get requests for digital downloads for facebook display.
What size should I offer that will work for facebook, but be too small to make prints (and at what cost for the download)?
** I'm sure I've seen this information in my travels around the forum, but my search efforts gave me no results ...
Facebook can handle images up to 960 pixels wide, but 960 is big enough for a 5x7 (not a great one, but people will do it). I'd recommend something in the neighborhood of 600-700 pixels wide. Digital download pricing depends on the market, but somewhere between a 5x7 and 8x10 print price is a good starting point.
Thanks Joe. I would have thought that even 600 pixels wide would be good enough for a 4x6 or even 5x7 (this opinion based on absolute vapor since I've never tried printing from that size).
Maybe it would be time well spent if I experimented on my own with various sizes ...
I do 727 wide for FB...they can print a 4 X 6 but that's about it. On my site (SM) they're $5.88 and sell like hotcakes for that
web-size file. Next step up is a 1MP file for $11.77 and they can do a nice 5 X 7, maybe an 8 X 10 and are good sellers, too.
Then the 4MP and Original file options...you get the idea. The smaller choices will get my copyright lower right and I usually
crop 'em so if they "cut it off" they lose somethin' important. It's great advertising and a cash cow when things are slow.
For what it's worth, I think $5-$6 is a perfectly reasonable deal for some good quality shots, especially if they were pics of my kids/family. I also like the idea of being able to get larger (8x10 etc) for a couple extra bucks. I'd pay that, and I'm a cheap basterd
Nozzleforward wrote:
For what it's worth, I think $5-$6 is a perfectly reasonable deal for some good quality shots, especially if they were pics of my kids/family. I also like the idea of being able to get larger (8x10 etc) for a couple extra bucks. I'd pay that, and I'm a cheap basterd Thanks! Do you mind if I quote you on that I still get a lot of parents who think they should be free...
after all it is THEIR kid, so they just steal 'em off SmugMug. Screen shots or iPhone grabs, they show
up on FB with COPYRIGHT across little Justin's face. "Teach your children well...", eh?!
Haha! I could see people doing that. To me, its worth MORE if its your own kid, but whatever, everyone wants something for free... And if they want to steal your shots with the watermark, at least they're advertising 2 things, 1) you're photo business, 2) the fact that they're cheap...
Given the Facebook youth culture it makes sense to offer this product.
But I would take it one step further. Given the low price. I would offer some kind of quantity discount package 2 downloads for X. 5 downloads for Y etc.
I went with 600 pixels wide. It'll print a slightly fuzzy 4x6, but still shows well on FB. I like markedman's suggestion for quanity discount, I'll look into how I make that happen.
trenchmonkey - it didn't take long before the first pirated photos started circulating on facebook. I realized I hadn't disabled the 'share on facebook' option (watermark and all, of course), so I went back in and took care of that. It'll make them work a bit harder to steal 'em at least.
I really don't think the kids look at it as stealing, though. It's more like 'free w/ watermark' or 'pay for no watermark'. The parents, however, they know better ...
Interesting topic. When stolen and posted to Facebook, FB if contacted, should be legally obligaged to have it taken down . Does Anyone know how to make the formal request to FB ?
Thanks! Do you mind if I quote you on that 
I still get a lot of parents who think they should be free...
"Teach your children well...", eh?!