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How Can I Drive Contributors to My New Image Sharing Website?

by xgibbousx
14 replies
Hey Everyone,

Welcome to my first post on Warrior forums! Very happy to be here and meet all of you. Just to start, if you ever need advice on website programming, how to gain real followers on Pinterest, or how to gain real followers on Twitter, please contact me any time as I'm getting pretty good at all three.

So, I started this thread because I'm having a very tough time getting people to contribute images to my new image sharing website that I developed. I actually have about 100 unique views per day (almost all from Pinterest) but they're all people just browsing the content on my site and not contributing images. My Pinterest following is growing very rapidly (about 140 followers so far in the last two weeks) but I need to get more user contributed content on my site to share with all my new viewers. I've also implemented a ton of incentive techniques like contests, coins, a store to use coins in, a sweet bookmarklet feature that makes posting images super easy, a social networking platform, and a bunch of other cool features to drive users to contribute. Nothing is really working so far :[ It's kind of depressing me which is why I'm now here for some expert advice.

Does anyone here have any great ideas of how to go about getting people to join my new website and start contributing images? I'm hoping that this thread will turn into a treasure trove of valuable information on how to get website contributors and will help not only me but everyone who visits it.

I've found that it easier to get people to your website to browse the content that's already there, but extremely difficult to get them to engage, build a community, and start sharing their own content.

Thanks so much and I look forward to speaking with all of you in this and other threads!
#contributors #drive #image #sharing #website
  • Profile picture of the author Terry Kyle
    Welcome Kevin.

    Have you looked at media buying (banner ads) on popular photography sites?
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    • Profile picture of the author xgibbousx
      Originally Posted by Terry Kyle View Post

      Welcome Kevin.

      Have you looked at media buying (banner ads) on popular photography sites?
      I haven't looked into that yet but I definitely will. I'll have to do some research and see which sites are big in the industry but don't fall into the competitor category. Thank you for the idea and I will definitely try it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ti
    No offense but your website design is atrocious. It is cluttered with so much junk that a person who simply wants to upload/share a picture is going to use a site like imgur.com instead.
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    • Profile picture of the author xgibbousx
      Originally Posted by Ti View Post

      No offense but your website design is atrocious. It is cluttered with so much junk that a person who simply wants to upload/share a picture is going to use a site like imgur.com instead.
      No offense taken. I hear you too and have to agree. The website got cluttered because of all the new features I've been trying out. Some people like it though believe it or not, but I agree that it can and should be improved. It's hard to please everyone. For example, if I simplify the layout and make it look cleaner, other people will say "the site just looks too bland like there's nothing going on and it's a turnoff". Again, it's hard to please everyone.
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      • Profile picture of the author Ti
        Originally Posted by xgibbousx View Post

        No offense taken. I hear you too and have to agree. The website got cluttered because of all the new features I've been trying out. Some people like it though believe it or not, but I agree that it can and should be improved. It's hard to please everyone. For example, if I simplify the layout and make it look cleaner, other people will say "the site just looks too bland like there's nothing going on and it's a turnoff". Again, it's hard to please everyone.
        Pleasing everything really shouldn't formulate into it at all. Building websites, specifically large community websites, is a specialty of mine. I've built sites to the tune of 1/4 billion adviews/month. Image hosting websites are a dime a dozen. Ones with a positive user experience, however, are not.

        Focus on growth first and foremost. Monetization should come far later.
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        • Profile picture of the author xgibbousx
          Originally Posted by Ti View Post

          Pleasing everything really shouldn't formulate into it at all. Building websites, specifically large community websites, is a specialty of mine. I've built sites to the tune of 1/4 billion adviews/month. Image hosting websites are a dime a dozen. Ones with a positive user experience, however, are not.

          Focus on growth first and foremost. Monetization should come far later.
          Wow, thanks man, I have great respect for your opinion. I can tell that you are highly experienced and intelligent. In fact, I've been thinking about your feedback all day! I've been thinking of cleaner and more effective designs. I'm highly motivated to fix Ep1x and I very much appreciate that you even took the time to look at the site and provide constructive feedback.

          It's so funny because so many people over the last couple months have said the EXACT same thing as you... "it's too cluttered, too much going on"... "what are all these weird things like contests, coins, etc. I just want to post and view images"... "the layout could be way better, like this site or that site"... I always take user feedback and apply it, that's why the site has so many features today (they are the features that people asked for).

          So, I've made the decision to make improving the layout my next big task. Your feedback is the straw that finally broke my back (I'm the hard working camel btw) :] I would be massively appreciative if you could somehow provide me a wireframe layout of a design you feel is superior. There are four main pages to the site: the home page, image pages, shop, and profile pages. I would need basic concepts for all four. I could implement your concepts in probably two to three days. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

          Thank you my good friend and I hope we can work together to improve Ep1x!
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  • Profile picture of the author Nicole K
    Check the source of your traffic because wherever your traffic comes from it is not converting. You need to spread the word around and invite people you know to share pictures. Maybe make a fan page on Facebook. Drive more traffic by trying different techniques and continue using what works.
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    • Profile picture of the author xgibbousx
      Originally Posted by Nicole K View Post

      Check the source of your traffic because wherever your traffic comes from it is not converting. You need to spread the word around and invite people you know to share pictures. Maybe make a fan page on Facebook. Drive more traffic by trying different techniques and continue using what works.
      Thank you very much for your advice! All my traffic pretty much comes from Pinterest right now and it's working so I'll continue to contribute there.

      I really like how you compare not getting contributors to conversions... this is really smart because most people think of conversions as selling your product, but, in my case, selling my product is getting people to simply use/contribute to my site.

      I have made a fan page on Facebook and blasted it to all my friends and contacts. Sadly, only about 11 people liked it. I've been thinking about running some Facebook ads to get more likes.

      I will definitely continue to try more techniques and continue working on the ones that I have already developed. I have a bunch of followers on Twitter but they never retweet and spread my content. I'm so happy to have Pinterest for that though because at least I have one social network doing really well for me. I'm really looking into SEO right now and trying to build up some backlinks.

      I've got a lot of feedback on my site lately that it looks too cluttered (even in this thread). I think that's going to be my next major task is to clean up the layout. It can be done and it should.
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  • Profile picture of the author napoleonfirst
    There is a pinterest software in the WSO section of this forum that will help you with this task. As a programmer, you can develop a Pinterest software to get more visitors as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author Pixel Minisite
    have you tried using google adwords coupons for this?
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    • Profile picture of the author xgibbousx
      Originally Posted by Pixel Minisite View Post

      have you tried using google adwords coupons for this?
      I've never heard of the coupons before. It looks like they are just credit for Adwords. I do have contests though and give away Visa gift cards with good amounts of money on them. Technically, these gift cards can be used anywhere including Adwords. Is there a strategy you recommend with these coupons?
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  • Profile picture of the author justin77171
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      I took a look at your site. I couldn't figure out what you offer people to post images, other than some generic branded swag (shirts, mugs, etc.).

      What other benefit do you offer to posters? And what about that sets you apart from other pic sharing sites?

      I'm not sure I agree with the 'cluttered' comments. What I saw was so many things aimed at benefitting you (more subscribers, images posted, etc.) that it came off as a bit desperate. Not a good thing if you want to inspire trust and participation.

      Originally Posted by xgibbousx View Post

      I've never heard of the coupons before. It looks like they are just credit for Adwords. I do have contests though and give away Visa gift cards with good amounts of money on them. Technically, these gift cards can be used anywhere including Adwords. Is there a strategy you recommend with these coupons?
      I believe she was advocating that you collect and use promotional coupons issued by Google to get people to try Adwords. To use multiple coupons, you need to open multiple accounts, which is a violation of Adwords TOS and will get you banned.
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      • Profile picture of the author xgibbousx
        Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

        I took a look at your site. I couldn't figure out what you offer people to post images, other than some generic branded swag (shirts, mugs, etc.).

        What other benefit do you offer to posters? And what about that sets you apart from other pic sharing sites?

        I'm not sure I agree with the 'cluttered' comments. What I saw was so many things aimed at benefitting you (more subscribers, images posted, etc.) that it came off as a bit desperate. Not a good thing if you want to inspire trust and participation.

        I believe she was advocating that you collect and use promotional coupons issued by Google to get people to try Adwords. To use multiple coupons, you need to open multiple accounts, which is a violation of Adwords TOS and will get you banned.
        Hey John,

        Very nice to meet you. Thank you for taking the time to look at my site and provide some useful feedback. I won't answer many of your questions because I see them as rhetorical. I see your points though:

        1. I need to create better offerings and incentives for my users.
        2. I also need to better differentiate myself from the slew of other image sharing sites.
        3. I need to take the focus off myself and direct it towards my users.

        To be honest, I've been trying to strike a balance in my offerings where both myself and my users get something from our cooperation. If they bring in users, they get some money (not a ton, right now just $25 each to the top three users on a certain date). If they contribute images, they get to buy stuff from the Ep1x store (agreed, the merchandise isn't very cool and could be improved).

        In the future, I plan to add in a bunch of other cool ways to use your coins like promoting your images, buying advertisement space, etc. Based on your feedback, I think a good plan of action for my site right now is as follows:

        1. Add in new ways to use your coins like promoted images and advertisements.
        2. Add some better stuff to the store. It doesn't have to be expensive, just more desirable than what's currently there.

        What do you think? Do you have any other specific features you think would be great and differentiate me?

        Thanks my friend and I hope to here back from you soon,

        Kevin
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        • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
          Originally Posted by xgibbousx View Post

          1. I need to create better offerings and incentives for my users.
          2. I also need to better differentiate myself from the slew of other image sharing sites.
          3. I need to take the focus off myself and direct it towards my users.
          These three will take you a long, long way.

          Originally Posted by xgibbousx View Post

          To be honest, I've been trying to strike a balance in my offerings where both myself and my users get something from our cooperation. If they bring in users, they get some money (not a ton, right now just $25 each to the top three users on a certain date). If they contribute images, they get to buy stuff from the Ep1x store (agreed, the merchandise isn't very cool and could be improved).
          You have to strike a balance between benefitting your users and benefitting yourself, otherwise there's no real incentive to continue the project.

          What I was getting at is the way you presented things. Everything was centered on getting you more users and more content. There wasn't any reason someone should bond with you and go out of their way to help you. At the time I looked, your top user-getter may win with one new user signed up.

          Originally Posted by xgibbousx View Post

          In the future, I plan to add in a bunch of other cool ways to use your coins like promoting your images, buying advertisement space, etc. Based on your feedback, I think a good plan of action for my site right now is as follows:

          1. Add in new ways to use your coins like promoted images and advertisements.
          2. Add some better stuff to the store. It doesn't have to be expensive, just more desirable than what's currently there.
          Think about why people post images to sharing sites like yours. Is it to collect virtual coins or other rewards? Or is it to show off and get other people to look at/admire their handiwork? Cater to what you percieve as the real reason people post photos and other images, and you may not need the virtual coins.

          Originally Posted by xgibbousx View Post

          What do you think? Do you have any other specific features you think would be great and differentiate me?
          If I were going to use a contest to get more content, I'd use something like a blend between a tournament bracket and one of the 'hot or not' or 'rate my body part' sites.

          Users submit a photo. It's matched against another photo and visitors are asked to vote. The winner advances to the next round. The overall winner gets a prize and a spot in your 'winner's circle'. If you want to stick to the coin idea, award coins for entering the tourney and for advancing.

          You can draw regular visitors using the standard YouTube+ Pinterest + social media outlets to promote the contest, rather than your site directly.

          I'm sure there are details I'm missing, but that should give you something to think about...
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