For ecommerce brands wanting to stand out in crowded product searches, an opportunity lies in focusing on visual search optimization. As image searches gain momentum, shoppers are looking beyond keywords to find products.

Let’s take a look at how you can optimize your content for visual search and get your products in front of customers.

What is visual search optimization?

Visual search optimization is the process of optimizing digital content to enhance its visibility and relevance in visual search results. Visual search involves using images or videos as queries instead of text. Users can upload an image or take a photo to search for similar or related visual content.

A visual search is a query that is made with or about images. You might take a picture or screenshot of a product and use it to search for similar products online. When you use visual search, technology analyzes visual patterns to find similar images and return them to you.

In contrast, image search helps users find information using text, like typing in a Google Search “black boots for women” or using voice search to find relevant results.

How to optimize your ecommerce site and product photos for visual search

• Understand how consumers use visual search
• Use multiple images for each product
• Make sure your images are high-quality
• Put images in your sitemap
• Add Google image badges
• Learn how to optimize your images for visual search
• Go beyond just images
• Create your own visual search
• Remember Google Snippets

Understand how consumers use visual search

Before you can understand how to optimize your site, you need to know how consumers use visual search. This starts with putting yourself in the consumers’ shoes and considering the context and intent of their visual search.

For example, are your customers searching for gift ideas, solving a problem, or looking to buy? How do they like to shop online? Understanding these motivations allows you to meet their needs better with visuals and photo descriptions that align with their intent.

To learn more about your customer behavior, you can study your site’s and social channels’ analytics to see how your audience interacts with visuals and what they click on. Pay attention to any effective competitor visuals, too. What aesthetics and multimedia do users respond to? Reverse engineer what resonates.

You can also send post-purchase surveys, monitor social conversations about your brand and products, use focus groups if resources allow, and keep up with visual search trends from Pinterest, for example. Using Pinterest Trends, you can change the region and the search period, select interests for trends within specific niches, add demographics filters and keywords, and more.

Although these trends constantly change, the top Pinterest searches and categories at the start of 2024 were:

• Dinner party
• Nails
• Fashion
• Valentine’s Day
• Winter outfits
• Prom dresses
• Tattoos
• Braids

Use multiple images for each product

Using more than one product photo to represent your merchandise isn’t just good for the user experience, it’s also good for visual SEO. Google has repeatedly said it prioritizes the user experience when determining rankings. Plus, you can use different keyword variations for each of your image files.

Check out Maik in the example below. The ethical sock brand shows a mix of white background images with contextual settings and people photos. The variety of images lets the brand target unique visual search terms that can appear in varying Google searches and visual browsing queries, like “colorful socks with jeans” and “animal-themed socks.” 

Make sure your images are high-quality

High-quality product photography benefits more than just on-site users. It also gives you an edge in visual search results. When images are crisp and detailed, shoppers are more likely to click on them over low-quality competitor images.

For example, when users browse visual search results or image-based platforms like Google image search, clear, appealing photos stand out. You only have a small space alongside other brands in those results.

As seen in the example search below for children’s bedroom ornaments, top-ranking images allow shoppers to clearly see each product. With multiple thumbnail options competing for attention, ensure your product images are high-quality and clearly show the product to entice clicks. 

Be aware that low-quality images can be as bad as having no images at all because it can lead to disappointment and show a lack of care.

Put images in your sitemap

Your sitemap is essentially a “map” of your website—it houses information about the content on your site and the relation between those elements, such as text and images. Search engines use this file to crawl your website and learn more information about it. It helps search engines understand what is on your site.

If you create an image sitemap, you’ll give crawlers more information about the photos—and make them more primed to appear in searches. You can learn more about sitemaps and how to submit them on Google Search Central.

Add Google image badges

Google released an Image Search update back in 2017 to include small badges on search results thumbnails. These badges let users know what they’ll see when they click on the image, such as a recipe, a product in an online store, or a video.

To this day, you can see these badges in search results, and Google Images and Google Lens also use them. Follow Google’s guide to add this structured data to your product pages. 

Learn how to optimize your images for visual search

Size and format your images appropriately

Google’s image optimization guidelines include recommended file formats. They say PNG and JPEG files are best for still images, and WebP and AVIF files are best for animation. 

Reduce your image file size

A big part of SEO is having a quick-loading site—and large images can slow load speeds. Compress your images so the file size is smaller, without using image quality

You might also consider lazy loading to reduce the page load time, but it requires some technical knowledge to set up.

Use keywords in file names and alt tags

Uploading a product image titled “Photo_123” will make it difficult for search engines to understand what’s in the photo and when it’s relevant to people’s search queries. Instead, be descriptive about the subject matter.

For example, if you’re selling a red women’s coat, you could give it a file name, “Red-women-winter-coat,” and also include your brand name.

When it comes to alt tags, remember that they help visually impaired users with screen readers understand what’s in the image. Alt tags also display when your images fail to load on the site, which could happen when the user has a bad internet connection.

Using the example above, you could add an alt tag, “A dark-haired woman in a long, red coat and black boots, sat on a park bench.” Think how you would describe the image to someone who can’t see it. And make sure not to add too many keywords in your alt tags because Google may consider it spam.

Go beyond images

A multimedia approach is best, especially if you’re optimizing for visual search. Think product videos and 360-degree photos that bring static images to life. This will not only help you stand out in search, but also in the eyes of the customer.

Matches has high-quality videos and close-up shots to enhance the visual search and user experience. The different media options help shoppers see the product from several angles. 

Create your own visual search

Even though it’s not mainstream yet, creating your own visual search experience can help get ahead of the curve. Implementing it now gives you time to work out the issues before it becomes widely adopted. This way, your competitors will deal with technical issues while you’ve already hit your groove.

How do you build your own custom application with visual search features? You’ll find numerous visual search providers offer this service, such as Snap Vision, Intelistyle, Clarifai, and Syte among others.

Your own visual search can help shoppers find relevant results faster. It may even inspire them to add complementing products to finish the full look. As a bonus, you’ll also get even more data and insights on your customer behavior, adding to marketing opportunities.

Some brands are taking visual search into their own hands now, too. ASOS Style Match, for example, lets its app users upload or take a photo of an outfit, and the store will find similar product recommendations. It’s a great cross-sell and bundling opportunity. 

Remember Google Snippets

Ever notice how some Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) have a “People also ask” box with dropdown questions related to your query? It looks like this: 

Sometimes, they include images. You can use images to optimize for those highly coveted Google Snippets. Start by researching what type of images currently appear for your search query and add or replace them with a high-quality image that better captures the query.

Opt for photos with your product centered and move the image to the top of your page. Don’t forget to also add appropriate image titles and alt text.

Visual search platforms to know

For customers, visual search is a simple, interactive way of browsing products that closely match what they’re looking for. For ecommerce brands, it’s an untapped opportunity to have their product images appear in the searches.

But that’s just the basics. Visual search tools continue to get more advanced as technology improves. Social media platforms, especially image-driven ones like Pinterest and Snapchat, have also launched their own versions of visual search. The list of visual search platforms only continues to grow—here are a few popular ones you might want to note:

Google Lens

The Google Lens app, for example, is a seriously improved version of a basic image search. You can find recipes or directions, add events to your calendar, and translate words from a photo. Google Lens also allows users to find where to buy products online. They snap or upload a shot of the coveted piece, and Google will tell them where to get it. 

Over 12 billion monthly searches encompass a wide range of information, from identifying plants to translating signs. In 2022, Google launched Multisearch, which combines text and image search, making it easier to find variations of similar products.

Bing Visual Search

Microsoft’s search engine hit 100 million active users in 2023, so while not in the same league as Google, it’s still notable for its visual search feature. It works in a similar way—users can upload or take photos or paste image URLs to find similar search results.

Pinterest Lens

Users can take photos of an object or select parts of pins to find other related pins with Pinterest Lens. For example, by highlighting just the shoes of an outfit image, you can find pins related to the selected footwear. With more than 465 million monthly users going on Pinterest to find products, it’s definitely one to watch. 

This platform is all about inspiring its users. So, if your product images can be the source of a new home project or outfit idea, you can gain their attention before they go to a competitor.

Pinterest also publishes yearly predictions for which searches will trend. The predictions are based on their user searches, so it’s a good resource for ecommerce brands planning in advance.

Amazon Lens

Unsurprisingly, the world’s largest marketplace has also capitalized on visual search. Using the Amazon app, users have different ways to shop. They can use the Shop the Look feature to upload their own photo or browse public images by other users to find products, take a photo of an object, or scan a barcode. 

Find It On eBay

Launched back in 2017, eBay’s visual search feature lets mobile users snap a photo of a product, upload an image or screenshot, or scan a barcode to find similar listings. eBay had 135 million active users in 2022, so any ecommerce brands selling there shouldn’t sleep on optimizing images for the app’s visual search. 

Scan by Snapchat

Similar to Google Lens, Scan by Snapchat users can interact with almost anything using visual search. One of the features includes finding related products in partnership with Amazon so users can shop while using their favorite social media app.

Why visual SEO is important

Visual SEO isn’t just a marketing buzzword we’ll forget about when the next one comes along. It’s important to incorporate it into your SEO strategy alongside text-based searches so you can start creating a better customer experience.. As Google, social networks, Amazon, and other online platforms continue to bolster their visual search experience, the tech isn’t going anywhere soon.

A good search function is essential for 9 out of 10 U.S. consumers. That means if your store website or product images aren’t updated with SEO in mind, shoppers may soon abandon their carts. This is because it’ll take them too long to find exactly what they’re looking for. Or they may not find your product in search results at all.

With 43% of consumers aged 16 to 64 using the Internet regularly for researching products and brands, it’s even more important for smaller or lesser-known ecommerce brands to make sure their visual SEO strategy is on point or, at the very least, gets regularly updated.

For example, Australian furniture retailer King Living saw a 15% increase in clicks and overall revenue after it updated its site and replaced previously text-heavy content with product images. The brand found visuals more effectively communicating product information than just text descriptions. 

Besides helping users find products, SEO-optimized images improve website usability, also making it more mobile-friendly and load faster. Smartphones account for 74% of online purchases, so paying attention to the mobile experience is well worth it.

The benefits of visual searches go beyond hitting marketing goals. Those who may face a language barrier or can’t put what they’re looking for into words can use visual search technology to help find good quality information and answers in their daily life.

Implementing visual SEO into your ecommerce strategy

Setting up an effective visual SEO strategy takes time and effort, but the payoff for your ecommerce business can be huge. By optimizing your product images and site for visual search, you make it easier for interested customers to find you and explore your product range.

But visual SEO is just one part of a solid marketing plan. Together with a strategy for text-based searches, faster website speed, and a great mobile experience, you’ll be well on your way to more sales and customer engagement. 

Visual search optimization FAQ

What is visual search?

Visual search uses photos or screenshots instead of text to find relevant information or products. Users can upload or share an image using technologies like Google Lens, which will look for matching visual attributes instead of keywords.

How do I optimize an image for search?

Optimize your images for visual search using descriptive filenames and relevant alt text. Ensure the image is high-quality, shows the product in focus, and the file is compressed to avoid exceeding recommended file sizes based on platform requirements.

How do you optimize visual content?

Optimize visual site content with high-quality, high-resolution product photos and videos. If appropriate, include multiple angles, supporting lifestyle imagery, zoom functionality, and other multimedia elements like 360-spin images.

What is an example of visual search?

Examples of visual search include taking a photo of a plant on your phone and searching Google Lens to find information about it, using Pinterest Lens on a part of a pin to find matching objects, or snapping an outfit with Amazon’s app to find buying options.

What are ways to optimize your search?

Use a combination of visual and text-based search improvements. For example, use relevant keywords in metadata, text and image content, and URLs. Regularly create fresh, high-quality content to target search content, and refresh existing content.

What is the best image size for SEO?

The best image size for SEO depends on how you intend to use the image and any marketplace requirements. For a standard website, use a hero image with 1280×720 pixels, a blog image with 1200×630 pixels, and a thumbnail image with 150×150 pixels. Try to ensure file sizes are below 100 kB.

The post Visual Search Engine Optimization: How to Use Visual SEO to Boost Visibility and Sales appeared first on Path Edits.

Preparing and filing freelance tax can be complicated for self-employed photographers. To help you navigate this process, we’ve compiled a tax guide for photographers to get you started.

How to file taxes as a freelance photographer

Start with small business recordkeeping

Before moving forward, set yourself up for success by keeping good records of everything — and we mean everything.

Some of the records and receipts you need to set aside include:

• Receipts for business-related expenses (don’t worry, we’ll detail deductible expenses later)
• Invoices
• Payroll records for full-time or contract employees
• Bank statements
• Any W2 or 1099 forms from employers
• Previous income tax returns

While you can hang onto all this paperwork in a shoebox for your accountant to sort out, we recommend getting organized. Set up a proper paper filing system or use an accounting tool like Wave or QuickBooks to digitize, store, and categorize paper receipts and track invoices. 

To keep track of everything, Jody Siebert, an accountant at Fix Your Accounting, recommends you build two good habits: scanning and filing all your receipts.

“Scan and file all receipts by month, writing on each receipt the purpose of the expense,” she says. “Credit card statements are not audit-proof and will likely result in the expenses being disallowed on audit.”

Even if you’re working with a pro bookkeeper or accountant, you’ll need to have your important paperwork organized so that they can effectively help you.

“A tax professional can’t do their job effectively without a clean set of financial statements,” said Lozelle Mathai, owner of Closing Your Books, which specializes in bookkeeping and accounting for female freelancers.

As the saying goes, ‘Garbage in, garbage out.

“When a freelancer has poor accounting records, the tax accountant will be forced to file taxes based on sloppy and inaccurate financial statements,” she says. “The tax accountant can’t minimize the client’s tax liability based on inaccurate financial statements.”

The prospect of collecting and organizing all this paperwork may seem daunting, but you’ll thank yourself come tax season. Accurate bookkeeping will make life easier during tax season, especially in case of an audit.

Know which business expenses qualify as tax write-offs

As a freelance photographer who may need to rent or buy pricey equipment, market your services, and rent out studio space, you’ll have a spectrum of expenses you can deduct from your taxes.

There are business-related costs you can write off to decrease the size of your tax burden. To summarize some of the most common expenses freelance photographers can deduct, here’s a quick list of the top deductions:

• Equipment purchases and rentals
• Studio and venue rentals
• Travel costs
• Home office space
• Cost of training, development, and education
• Equipment depreciation costs
• Legal fees
• Costs to market or promote your business (i.e., online or print advertising, website fees)
• Miscellaneous business costs (think equipment insurance, licenses, transaction fees for online payment processors, etc.)

Equipment expenses

As a freelance photographer, there’s a lot of expensive equipment involved — from cameras to lighting to props — which make the startup costs for freelance photographers prohibitively high. Fortunately, when you purchase or rent any equipment related to your work, you can deduct those expenses.

That’s why it’s important to track every piece of equipment you buy during the year, including cameras, lighting, stands, tripods, film supplies, lenses, and even hard drives and computers. Keep a list of all your equipment and important data (like its value and any serial numbers) in a spreadsheet so you have an equipment inventory for both insurance and tax purposes. 

For rentals, keep copies of your invoices or receipts in a safe place so you can access them during tax time. Or, if you don’t trust your paper filing system, digitize your receipts and save them to the Cloud.

Studio or venue spaces

Running a photography business also means making some pretty hefty investments in venue or studio spaces. If you’ve rented out any spaces for photo shoots, remember to deduct those costs on your taxes. And if you rented (or still rent) an area for equipment storage, you can deduct that cost as well.

Educational costs

Additional training and courses you take to upgrade your skills can give you a nice tax break — so be sure to deduct the costs of your courses on your taxes. That also includes industry conferences where you go to learn from and network with your peers.

Don’t forget to account for how you got there (mileage or airfare) and any hotel arrangements.

The educational deductions don’t stop there either. Professional photo editing software, reference materials like magazines and books, and any annual membership costs may also be deducted if it relates to training and education.

Travel expenses

As a freelance photographer, travel expenses can add up quickly — which is why it’s important to keep detailed records of each trip so you can accurately deduct those costs on your taxes. Travel expenses can include mileage, airfare, car rentals, lodging, cab fares, meals, entertainment and even a portion of your car insurance.

Just be aware that the IRS has specific parameters that dictate how much you can deduct from these costs.

And the one travel expense most freelancers forget? “Mileage to purchase supplies,” Lytton says. Even the smallest detail counts.

Home offices

Regardless of whether you rent or own your home, you can still deduct the cost of your home office space. And in 2013, the IRS actually made this deduction easier for Americans by providing a simplified way to determine this deduction: $5 per square foot, up to 300 square feet.

You may even be able to deduct a portion of your rent, mortgage interest, insurance and utility costs—but always check with a professional before deducting these expenses on your taxes. One thing you definitely shouldn’t forget: office supplies.

Business costs

A few other expenses Lytton says are commonly forgotten fall under this category: licenses, website fees and, surprisingly enough, tax preparation costs. Along with those, you can also deduct legal fees (if you have a lawyer, for example), insurance costs and promotional expenses.

Transaction fees

If you accept payment through websites like PayPal or Square, you’re more than likely hit with a small fee for payment processing. The good news? You can deduct those transaction fees, too.

Depreciation and repair costs

Since your expensive photography equipment can be used for longer than a year, it’s considered a capital expense. Capital expenses or expenditures are essentially purchases that are investments in your photography business. For these kinds of purchases, there are two ways to deduct them on your taxes using Form 4562:

• Deduct a portion of the cost: Referred to as depreciation, you only deduct a portion of the equipment’s cost for each year of its expected life. If you go this route, consider maintaining a spreadsheet to keep track of your purchase date and depreciation schedule.
• Deduct all costs upfront: Referred to as a Section 179 deduction, some prefer to deduct all costs upfront in order to receive a larger tax break within the first year as a business. To do so, start by skipping to “Part V” of Form 4562 to deduct what’s called “listed property.”

If you choose not to list your equipment as listed property on your taxes, you might be eligible for a depreciation allowance. The IRS describes this as “an annual allowance for the wear and tear, deterioration or obsolescence of the property.”

Self-employment costs

If you’re self-employed, you’re eligible to deduct personal costs on your taxes as well. These may include any paid insurance premiums, and a portion of your social security and Medicare taxes, also known as the Self-Employment Tax.

Get the required tax forms

Aside from the 1040-ES form, there are several others to consider before you do your taxes in the U.S. As a freelance photographer, many of these forms will be directly related to the types of deductions you can make on your return.

• 1040
• Schedule C
• Schedule SE
• Form 2106
• Form 8829
• Form 4562

1040

The 1040 is a basic tax form for inputting your gross income, deductions, and tax credits. Think of this form as the mandatory front page of your return.

Schedule C

Schedule C is the form to report income and expense. It includes your income, business expenses as it relates to your home, costs of goods sold, vehicle information and other expenses not otherwise included.

Schedule SE

This form must be submitted with the Schedule C form and should be used to determine your social security and Medicare taxes for the year. The form also comes with a flowchart to help you determine if it best fits your tax situation.

Form 2106

If you’ve received or are planning to receive a W-2, use this form to write off your business expenses instead of the Schedule C. With this form, you can account for meal, travel, vehicle, and travel expenses.

Form 8829

If you use part of your home for freelance photography such as photo editing tasks, you can use Form 8829 to write off a portion of your rent or mortgage as it relates to the size of your home office.

Form 4562

This form is important to remember if you want to write off the depreciation costs of expensive equipment like cameras, lenses, and lighting. But before you start randomly writing off costs, understand how to properly depreciate your property. Here are the three most common methods:

• Straight-Line Depreciation: This is one of the easiest ways to calculate depreciation. Subtract the equipment’s salvage value (an estimate of how much it’ll be worth after its expected life) from the original cost. Then, divide that number by the number of years you expect to use it.
• Double Declining Balance Depreciation: Helpful for an item that depreciates quicker at the beginning of its life, you can use this method to write off a larger deduction earlier to minimize tax costs. Generally, you can take your straight-line depreciation number and multiply by two.
• Sum-of-the-Years’ Digits Depreciation: This is for items that depreciate right in the middle of the three methods. To determine your annual depreciation, estimate the item’s life expectancy. If it’s five years, add the digits: 5+4+3+2+1=15. With 5 being the first year’s value, create fractions for each year by putting the value over the sum of the years: 5/15, 4/15, 3/15, 2/15, and 1/15. Then, divide your straight-line depreciation number by each fraction to determine each year’s depreciation cost.

For additional resources, refer to Publication 946,  How to Depreciate Property and ask a professional.

If you’re not based in the U.S., check out these resources to help you determine which forms and info best fit your needs for filing your taxes:

United Kingdom

• Self-employed tax forms
• Business tax information

Australia

• Forms and instructions

Canada

• Forms and publications

Once your forms are ready to go, you can submit them. This is usually done online or via mail. 

Organize estimated quarterly freelance tax payments

The IRS states that if you owe less than $1,000 “after subtracting [your] withholding and refundable credits, or paid withholding and estimated tax of at least 90% of the tax for the current year or 100% of the tax shown on the return for the prior year, whichever is smaller,” you may not need to make quarterly estimated payments.

If you expect to owe more than $1,000 on your taxes, you might need to make estimated quarterly tax payments. If this applies to you, start by familiarizing yourself with the 1040-ES form—it’ll be your main tool for estimating what your tax payments will be.

According to the IRS, you’ll first need to figure out your expected adjusted gross income, taxable income, taxes, deductions and credits for the year. If this still sounds like jargon to you, reference last year’s tax return to find this information.

Quarterly estimated payments are based upon the income from your prior year. If income increased dramatically over the prior year, you might increase the amount remitted each quarter.

The 1040-ES form will be your best friend when it comes to determining your quarterly tax payments. This form will walk you through the scary math formula to determine your quarterly payments based on your expected income for the year. Also remember that if you estimate too high or too low for one quarter, you can always fill out the 1040-ES worksheet again for the next. With some trial and error, you can get a more accurate estimate.

Lytton also recommends to keep your payment vouchers in a safe but easy-to-find spot to help you remember when they’re due. For additional tips on making your quarterly tax payments, check out the IRS guide on the subject.

If this process still feels a little overwhelming, consider hiring an accountant to simplify making your quarterly payments. For example, Lytton’s system provides a payment schedule that has amounts and payment due dates.

Tips for handling taxes as a freelance photographer

Set aside money for taxes throughout the year

Whether you pay freelance tax quarterly or annually, you’ll have to set aside enough cash to cover your bill when tax time rolls around. But how do you know you’ve budgeted enough?

If you set aside too little, you’ll be scrambling to find more cash to cover the difference. But budgeting too much toward taxes means you’re diverting dollars away that could be allocated to upgrading your skills or equipment.

Saving ahead of time for freelance tax takes a little simple math and a lot of discipline. A common rule of thumb is to save around 30% of your income toward freelance taxes. But take a breath and swallow that sticker shock.

Yes, 30% sounds like a lot—but remember, this number covers both your income taxes and self-employment taxes and isn’t applied to your gross income. Instead, you set aside 30% of your taxable income, which is your freelance income minus all your business expenses (just add up all the deductions we just talked about above).

For example: Let’s say you’re a freelance photographer and your gross monthly income is $5,000. Your total monthly expenses add up to $1,500. So, the formula to get your taxable monthly income would look like this:

Total income – business expenses = taxable income

$5,000 – $1,500 = $3,500

From there, apply the 30% rule to estimate how much you should set aside monthly in taxes.

$3,500 x .30 = $1,050

From here, you’d hypothetically put aside $1,050 per month. A simple way to set aside this cash is to transfer all your tax funds into a savings account you’ve earmarked just for that purpose—that way, you don’t accidentally spend it.

Based on the example, it may be tough to set aside $1,050 in one fell swoop each month to cover your freelance tax. Rather than moving that tax cash into savings on a monthly basis, some freelancers prefer to take a portion of each paycheck they receive instead.

The same formula above would apply—you’d simply plug in the amount from each client payment (minus expenses, of course). The amounts are far smaller and might be a little less painful to set aside.

Prove you’re a legitimate business, not a hobby

Before you jump into the ins and outs of prepping for tax season, determine if your freelance photography endeavors can legally be considered a legitimate business. In the U.S., the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) takes this seriously, since photography is a hobby for so many. You’ll want to ensure you can prove you’re running an actual business.

If you haven’t already, consider a business license. The good news is that freelance photography does not require a federal license in the U.S., as photography isn’t regulated by a federal agency. And this might even be the case for state business licenses—but always look into your state’s requirements before skipping this step.

To go even further, photography as a business activity isn’t regulated in many countries, but again always do your homework to find out what’s required in your specific country.

Generally, U.S.-based freelance photographers should consider forming a limited liability company (LLC) business structure. This is one of the easiest, most flexible ways to protect you and your business, especially within a partnership or as a sole proprietor.

If you form an LLC and you only have one member (you, the business owner), you can skip having to complete a corporate tax return and instead claim your income and expenses on your individual tax return. And it goes without saying that you also get legal protection and may look more favorable to future clients if you demonstrate that you take your business seriously.

Quick tip: One popular method to set up an LLC in the U.S. is through LegalZoom.com

Once you have your LLC set up, you’ll want to set up a bank account that’s separate from your personal finances. Depending on your needs, you can approach a financial institution like a bank or credit union to open a business checking or savings account..

If you’re a one-photographer show based in the U.K., you can register as a sole trader. However, while you’re allowed to keep all income made through this structure, you’re still liable for all debts. Another option is to form a private limited company (Ltd.) — this is a good idea if you don’t have employees and want the added benefit of liability. 

When in doubt, leave it to a pro: how to hire an accountant

You might consider hiring a professional accountant or bookkeeping expert to help you through the entire freelance tax process.

A professional tax preparer has the knowledge to assure all income and expenses are taken to mitigate your tax liability. Plus, there is a lot of incorrect information floating around regarding freelance tax.

Tax law is complicated and a tax pro will be able to determine how the laws apply to your specific situation to help minimize your tax obligation.

How exactly do you find a well-versed accounting pro? Beyond some heavy Googling, you have a few options to source an accountant seasoned in preparing returns for freelancers:

• IRS directory of tax preparers
• Check your state’s certified public accountant directory (like the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants)
• The Better Business Bureau (you can find local pros and check their BBB score while you’re on the site)
• Word-of-mouth referrals from fellow freelance photographers

With a professional by your side and good bookkeeping practices, you’ve laid the foundation for success. Now, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with everything else you need to know about how to prep and file your taxes as a freelance photographer.

Best practices before filing your taxes as a freelance photographer

Now that you’ve got a clear idea of what you need to prep for your taxes as a freelance photographer, there are still several things to remember for filing your taxes and how to maintain good bookkeeping practices throughout the year:

• As a freelance photographer, you’re more than likely not handing over any tangible items to your clients. But in the case you physically give your clients images on a hard drive, U.S. residents may need to look into collecting state sales tax on those concrete items.
• We’ve already touched on it, but it’s one of the most important parts to claiming your freelance photography expenses and income on your taxes: Always, always keep receipts. Bonus points if you keep digital copies, too.
• Set up a solid bookkeeping and invoicing system. That means organizing and centralizing all your invoices for clients, suppliers, and vendors in one place. You also need a foolproof system to organize your receipts and payments. While a paper filing system does the trick, we strongly recommend using an online tool — that way, all your important tax paperwork is at your fingertips and you save a few trees in the process.
• Schedule time to regularly maintain your books. Mathai recommends that freelancers schedule an hour once a week to manage, maintain and understand the financial side of their business. “Make an ‘appointment’ with your financial books, the same way you have clients make an appointment with you.”
• Even if you use your home often for your freelance photography work, never write off your entire rent or mortgage cost. This can be a major red flag to the IRS, which can trigger an audit. Instead, only claim the literal area of your home in which you regularly do business.

Path and its affiliates do not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction. 

How to file taxes as a freelance photographer FAQs

What can you write off as a photographer?

• Equipment purchases, rentals, and insurance
• Studio and venue rentals
• Travel costs
• Home office space
• Cost of training, development, and education
• Equipment depreciation costs
• Legal fees
• Costs to market or promote your business (i.e., online or print advertising, website fees)
• Miscellaneous business costs (think licenses, transaction fees for online payment processors, etc.) 

What’s the minimum you need to earn to file freelance photographer taxes?

Normally, if you’re filing as a single person and you’re under the age of 65, typically you have to earn a minimum of $12,000 a year to be required to file income taxes.

But that number is far lower for freelance photographers and other business owners in the U.S. In fact, if you make $400 or more in income, you’ll also need to pay self-employment taxes to the tune of 15.3%. That percentage covers Social Security and Medicare taxes that your employer would normally withhold, as well as the portions of those taxes your employer would normally pay to Uncle Sam directly.

Depending on how much is owed, freelance photographers also don’t pay their taxes once a year like you do with personal income taxes. Instead, you’ll need to prepare for quarterly payments for your freelance tax.

How much should you set aside for taxes as a freelance photographer?

You should set aside around 30% of your income toward freelance taxes.

The post How to File Taxes: A Freelance Photographer’s Guide appeared first on Path Edits.

Outsourcing doesn’t need to be some forbidden word. Many of the most successful entrepreneurs outsource to help them focus on what they do best.

In this article, we’re going to cover everything you need to know about how to outsource your ecommerce business tasks and which areas are best to hand off to a qualified third-party professional.

What is ecommerce outsourcing?

Ecommerce outsourcing is when an ecommerce business pays a third-party vendor to manage various aspects of the business. Many ecommerce businesses outsource tasks to increase bandwidth, move more quickly, or get expertise in an area they lack resources. As many businesses look to be more efficient and keep costs low, more are turning to ecommerce outsourcing given the many benefits outsourcing provides.

Deloitte reports global spending on outsourcing could reach upwards of $731 billion in 2023. And a 2022 survey found that over one-third of businesses are actually increasing the amount of work they outsource. Nearly half of businesses were already in the process of outsourcing or looking to improve their outsourcing strategy at the time the survey was taken.

Editor’s note: Outsourcing isn’t to be confused with automation. Automation is when you use tools to automatically fire off specific actions, according to established variables or prerequisites.

Outsourcing is less of a “set it and forget it” deal. Instead, it requires more trust due to a hand-off of certain business functions to an external resource to handle independently. Just like with hiring the right employees, the vendors you choose will have a direct impact on what you’re able to accomplish.

Of course, outsourcing isn’t a one-size-fits-all strategy, there are different types of outsourcing each of which may be best suited for your specific needs.

Types of ecommerce outsourcing

Here are the types of outsourcing you’ll need to be aware of to make the best decision for your business.

Local ecommerce outsourcing

Local outsourcing is when you work with vendors at a local level. For example, you could hire an advertising agency in your town to help drive traffic to your ecommerce business, an especially strategic move if you’re targeting people who live in the area. You could also hire a local social media firm to help assist in getting the word out about your products.

Benefits of local outsourcing

• Close proximity to your vendor: While businesses have benefited massively from a global economy, being able to meet with your vendors in person can bring peace of mind and create more rapport.
• Localized expertise: Your vendor will deeply understand the challenges and pain points of your local market. They can even advise you with insights about your target audience.

Nearshore ecommerce outsourcing

Nearshore outsourcing is when you work with a vendor located in your greater surrounding area. For example, if you’re in the United States and work with an outsourcing vendor in Canada, that would fall under the nearshore outsourcing umbrella.

Benefits of nearshore outsourcing

• Similar time zones: When working with a nearshore vendor, you can communicate during your regular business hours. While this can be convenient, it does have the downside in that you don’t get the added benefit of having work done overnight.
• Similar culture and working environments: Working with a vendor who shares similar culture and work environments can help save time on communication and outsourcing processes. That said, as the world has become more globalized, this benefit can often be overstated. Many outsourcing firms from all over the world have capable and talented employees who can work with you on your every need.
• Predictable costs: Working with a nearshore outsourcing firm can be helpful when budgeting because you’re more likely to be familiar with how much a particular service is supposed to cost.

Offshore ecommerce outsourcing

Offshore outsourcing is when you work with a vendor located in a different country, typically overseas—hence the term “offshore.” As business becomes more globally connected, offshore outsourcing is becoming increasingly common. According to data shared by Microsourcing, some of the most common offshore outsourcing tasks include IT, finance, and payroll, with many businesses using offshore outsourcing to assist.

Benefits of offshore outsourcing

• Cost effective: Working with an offshore vendor is one way to keep your costs low. That isn’t to suggest you should take advantage of your vendors to get the absolute lowest quote—you still need quality work, after all. But there can be some pretty significant cost benefits to using offshore outsourcing.
• 24/7 coverage: Having someone work on your tasks overnight can give you a serious advantage. If you need a design request fulfilled overnight for an important presentation in the morning, waking up to it can be a game changer. 

Why should you outsource? 3 major benefits of ecommerce outsourcing

Businesses turn to outsourcing for many reasons. For some, it’s a purely cost decision. For others, being able to outsource an important component of business can help a business scale. As a business owner, knowing certain tasks are completed like clock-work can help keep you focused on your biggest-win opportunities.

Here are some of the major benefits of ecommerce outsourcing.

1. Outsourcing can save you money

According to Deloitte, 88% of businesses said they were able to save money by outsourcing. Outsourcing can help you control costs by allowing you to strategically invest in the services you need, rather than having to spend money on hiring new full-time employees as well as additional equipment, software, and tools.

Many businesses find themselves in the place of needing help, but not quite ready to make an additional in-house hire. Because outsourcing vendors handle all the logistics of the given tasks, you can get quality expertise at a fraction of the cost.

2. Ecommerce outsourcing allows you to focus on your strengths

Instead of spending time on tedious and time-consuming tasks, ecommerce outsourcing allows you to focus on your strengths. For example, if you’re good at marketing, but it takes two hours to create and edit a product image to use on social media, you could use our clipping path photo editing service to take the cut-outs completely off your plate.

You can then use those extra hours to drive awareness to your business, a much better use of your time. Growing a business is difficult, outsourcing can help you stay on track and avoid burnout.

3. Outsourcing helps you scale your business more quickly

Perhaps the biggest and most obvious benefit of ecommerce outsourcing is how it allows you to grow your business quickly. According to a survey conducted by Clutch, over 90% of small businesses have plans to use outsourcing in 2022 to help them grow.

You can focus on the revenue-generating aspects of your business rather than being bogged down by the necessary—but not big picture—needs of your business.

Which tasks to outsource in your ecommerce business

The benefits of outsourcing are clear, but what should you outsource? Let’s take a look at some of the specific tasks you can outsource.

Photo editing

Photo editing is one of those tasks that can be incredibly time-consuming but also essential to virtually any product-based business. The last thing you want is to use low-quality and poorly edited images, which ultimately reflects the quality of your brand.

If your images aren’t high-quality, will your products be?

Editing photos can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour per shot. This time adds up, especially if you’re not a photo editing expert. Photo editing can often take away valuable hours that can be used to focus on the essential—which is why it often makes so much sense to outsource.

Here are some of the photo editing tasks you can consider outsourcing:

• Clipping paths and image masking for background removal
• Color variants to launch new prints or add more color to your photos instead of holding a whole new photoshoot
• Ghost mannequin to bring your apparel product photos to life
• Photo retouching to remove wrinkles from fabric, smudges on your product, glares, and other imperfections

We handle your tedious and time-consuming edits so you can focus on more important tasks or your advanced edits done in-house.

Product photography

Photo editing isn’t the only photo-related task you should consider outsourcing. Using ecommerce outsourcing for product photography can save you even more time and money.

Product photography is essential to your ecommerce business because your product photos are how your potential customers get to know about your product—product images replace that in-store product experience. In fact, one Weebly survey found that more than three-quarters of people find quality product images to be “very influential” to their purchase decision.

White background product photos are perfect for outsourcing. If you plan on using white backgrounds for your product photos, it’s not as simple as just taking a product photo and removing the background. For the highest quality images, you have to customize the lighting for every shot and angle if you want to get your photos right. Let the product photography experts handle it. 

Silk dress brand VAUGHAN outsources simple photo retouching jobs. It was a no-brainer, as the brand didn’t need to waste money on an in-house graphic designer when a basic knowledge of Photoshop will do the trick. VAUGHAN outsources tasks like background removal and change so it can sell on Amazon.

If you want the highest quality product photos, it almost always makes sense to hire outside professional photographers to help you with your shoot. Here are some places to start your search for expert product photographers:

• Products on White Photography
• Squareshot
• Slack’s professional photographer channel
• Fstoppers, The LawTog, or Ladies Behind The Lens Facebook groups

Marketing and social media

Marketers are feeling more spread thin than ever. According to Semrush, nearly 64% of marketers said they wish they had more time and resources to focus on their core tasks in marketing. Ecommerce outsourcing can not only help support your marketing team, but it can help keep costs low by not having to hire additional full-time employees.

Here are a few of the things you can outsource within marketing:

• Social media: While social media can be an incredibly powerful tool, keeping up to date with the latest trends, best practices, not to mention time spent posting can get time consuming, quickly. Working with an ecommerce outsourcing vendor to tackle social media is one of the easiest ways to free up time. From editing images to the right dimensions for a specific social media platform or even the actual posting itself, there’s no shortage of tasks you can outsource for social media.

Motif Concept Store, an apparel brand for women, uses outsourcing to help with both its product photography and social media marketing.

• Content creation: Not only does posting on social media take time, but so does creating the actual content itself, not to mention your other content marketing tasks. Whether you need help with blog posts optimized for SEO or strategic marketing campaigns that require specific images or assets, outsourcing your content creation can, again, help save you significant amounts of time and money.
• Community management: You can use an ecommerce outsourcing vendor to help you stay on top of questions and inquiries across social media and your standard support channels. Having a team available to answer support-related inquiries around the clock can help you provide a world-class customer experience.

When outsourcing marketing and social media tasks, consider vendors who have experience in multiple social media platforms as well as experience with community management.

Web development and IT

Website maintenance is a never-ending process. Using a vendor specializing in web development can be invaluable in helping keep your site secure, technically optimized, and help take basic web development tasks off your plate.

Here are a few things you can outsource to a web development firm.

• Maintaining your ecommerce store: You can outsource the maintenance of your ecommerce store including, updating plugins, security patches, resolving server downtime and more.
• Running site speed and technical SEO audits: Your site speed is incredibly important when it comes to conversions. A slow site is detrimental to your bottom line. Additionally, having an outsourcing vendor audit your site for SEO improvements can go a long way in ensuring your site ranks well in search.
• Uploading images and product photos: Send over your images and product photos to your outsourced web development and IT team and let them handle the rest.
• Publishing blog content: Creating content is time consuming no matter how you slice it. Use an outsourcing partner to take that final draft and upload it to your website. A 2020 report by the Content Marketing Institute found that 84% of businesses have outsourced at least one aspect of their content marketing efforts.
• Building landing pages for new product launches: Stop wasting time building the perfect landing page and instead outsource the task to a vendor that has marketing chops.
• Setting up new email accounts: Have a systemized process for creating new email accounts and other important software you use to run your business.

Be sure to check out review sites like Clutch, GoodFirms, and G2 which each have detailed reviews of hundreds of web development and IT vendors.

Manufacturing

What’s great about outsourcing your manufacturing is you can focus more on brainstorming new product ideas and then letting your vendor take care of the rest. “We put the entire operation on our 3PL partner and now I don’t even think about it. It ended up costing less than paying for everything we need to keep doing self fulfillment,” says Allen Walton, founder of surveillance gear company, SpyGuy.

Outsourcing vendors that specialize in manufacturing have the systems, tools, and resources to help you create your products at scale. Manufacturing and fulfillment vendors can help with:

• Product development: You can hire a partner to help develop your product concept and bring it to life. 
• Holding raw materials: Your outsourced manufacturer can hold all the raw materials needed for production so you don’t have to invest in renting additional space.
• Manufacturing expertise: A strategic vendor can help provide improvements on the overall production process and introduce ways to decrease costs and improve your bottom line.

Virtual assistance

There are some truly incredible virtual assistant companies that operate all over the world that can help take those mundane tasks off your todo list. Using virtual assistants you can have them:

• Manage email: Keep track of important emails and stop being overwhelmed with your inbox.
• Answer and make calls: A dedicated virtual assistant can help screen your calls and answer any incoming calls related to your business.
• Customer service: Use a VA to respond to basic customer service inquiries or requests.
• Data entry: With a virtual assistant vendor you no longer need to spend hours of your time entering basic data into a spreadsheet.
• Slide decks: A VA can also help put together a deck for an important presentation as well.
• Research: Your VA can be a great resource to help you do research on potential product ideas, competitors, and best practices to grow your business.

Pro tip: When choosing a VA vendor, remember to account for timezones, so you know exactly what to expect for your outsourcing workflow.

VAs are often available at an affordable rate. Wise Advise virtual assistants, for example, have VA services available for just $25/hour.

Business operations

As your company grows, don’t let the increase of admin tasks bog you down. Outsourcing some of the operational aspects of your business can help you focus on your core strengths.

Here are some related tasks you can outsource:

• HR documentation: You can outsource everything from standard employee contracts to creating onboarding documentation for new hires as well as standard operating procedures (SOPS) for your company to follow.
• Shipping: Stop wasting your time going to and from the post office. Find a third-party logistics (3PL) vendor to take care of shipping and fulfillment.
• Data analysis: Your vendor can help you with data analysis regarding your business’s performance and more.

Accounting

If finances and accounting isn’t your strong suit, you should definitely consider outsourcing this critical part of your business. Even if you enjoy accounting, it may not be the best use of your time.

Keeping track of your sales, customers, and metrics can get pretty chaotic, pretty quick. An outside vendor can help you with your accounting to ensure you have an accurate and up to date picture of your finances.

Vendors here can be especially helpful in saving you money on taxes and other other accounting best practices.

3 tips for successful ecommerce outsourcing

Now that we’ve covered all the things you can outsource, here are some extra tips to help you get the most from your outsourcing.

1. Get clear on your goals

Know from the start what you’re hoping to accomplish through outsourcing. Having a clear goal in mind will help ensure you’re getting the best bang for your buck. If you can’t clearly articulate your outsourcing goals, chances are an outsourcing vendor won’t be able to either.

Are you looking to improve your customer service? Are you wanting to optimize your manufacturing and product development process?

Being able to communicate your challenges and goals clearly with your potential vendor will help set you up for long term success.

2. Communication is everything

Open and strong communication with your vendors is a must. Setting communication guidelines and expectations up front is critical for getting the most out of your working relationship. Get in the habit of over communicating across the board to ensure you and your vendors are on the same page.

You should also negotiate with your vendors before signing anything. Make sure the terms are something both you and the vendor are happy with.

In addition, while working with your vendor (and even before you start) get everything in writing. Not only can this help you legally in a worst case scenario, it can also help keep everyone aligned.

3. Choose a flexible outsourcing partner

Businesses are complex and always evolving. Sometimes you may only want an outsourcing partner for a short time. Other times, it makes sense to find a partner long term.

Choose a vendor that is flexible to your needs, both now in the future. For example, if you’re outsourcing manufacturing, can they handle a 10x increase in volume as you expect in Q4? Can your vendor assist in other areas of your business as well?

At Path we have 300+ designers and has been in business for nearly 15 years so you know we’ll be here for a while. Whatever your photo editing needs, there’s a good chance we can handle it.

Looking to outsource your photo editing?

While there’s no shortage of tasks you can outsource, photo editing is the perfect place to start and it can truly be one of the best investments you ever make.

Your talent and creative energy are best spent doing what you love—not fiddling in Photoshop for hours. With Path, you can have professionally edited photos in under 6 hours.

FAQs about ecommerce outsourcing

What is ecommerce outsourcing?

Ecommerce outsourcing is when you choose to work with outside vendors to take care of a specific set of tasks related to your ecommerce business. You can use ecommerce outsourcing for anything from marketing, to finance, to project management.

What are the benefits of outsourcing in ecommerce?

Keeping costs low as you scale. Freeing up time to focus on more strategic initiatives for your business. Utilizing expertise outside of your domain.

The post Ecommerce Outsourcing: Get Back to What’s Important in Your Business appeared first on Path Edits.

Having the resources and capability required to execute is a challenge for most. As many as 86% of businesses agree it’s one of their biggest challenges.

Fortunately, for even the most resource-strapped businesses, user-generated content can be an effective way to get the content you need to execute your plans—and with minimal cost.

In this article, we’ll look at what user-generated content is and how to use it in your marketing and product pages.

What is user-generated content?

User-generated content, or UGC, is written and/or visual media created by users, customers, or fans. UGC can be a social media post, a YouTube video, or even a product review. Sometimes people share UGC organically, and other times brands proactively encourage or even incentivize customers to create UGC.

Handmade vintage brand Peppy Debs promotes its brand on various social media marketing platforms, including Instagram. On its Instagram page, it has a highlight section called “Customers” which curates all the UGC posts featuring Peppy Debs customers in its products.   

You might also find UGC videos. Here’s how hydration brand LMNT used a video created by one of its customers on its Instagram channel:

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Although UGC is often lower quality than professionally created and edited media, it’s still incredibly impactful as a marketing tool. According to TINT’s State of UGC 2022 report, nearly two-thirds of shoppers find customer reviews more credible than hearing from the brands themselves.

TINT also found 62% of consumers are more likely to click on content like ads, websites, social posts, or emails that feature customer photos rather than an image created by the brand. 

Put simply, customers sharing their experiences online is a great way to build trust and further establish your brand with new customers.

Beyond directly impacting sales, UGC is also a valuable addition to your marketing efforts, helping you save time and resources. According to one survey, as many as 37% of brands don’t have enough funding for content creation or don’t have enough time to properly create content.

UGC can reduce the amount of content you need to generate internally so you don’t have to tap into all those resources. Plus, it can serve as inspiration for future marketing campaigns.

Just remember to get the appropriate permissions for use (more on that later).

Where to get user-generated content

One of the main benefits of using user-generated content in your marketing efforts is there is no shortage of places to both find and use quality-content created by your users.

Customer reviews

Customer reviews and testimonials are powerful. More than three-quarters of people “regularly” or “always” read reviews before making a purchase. And you don’t have to wait for potential customers to find these reviews on their own. You can actually take customer reviews and repurpose them as UGC for other channels and purposes.

We do this on social media, for example. We choose some of the top customer reviews from our Trustpilot page and create images with fun design and branding to post on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Here’s an example of one:  

You can do the same for your product-based business—much like the Peppy Debs example we talked about above.

Whether you get an email from one of your customers raving about their purchase or see a review they’ve left on Google, the more reviews you can showcase on your homepage and product pages the better.

Rowan For Dogs delivers cuteness overload on their product pages using UGC.

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Influencer collaborations  

Cassie Pauley, social media and PR manager at Evelyn & Bobbie, frequently works with influencers to create UGC for the brand.

For new product launches, she coordinates with their targeted influencers to send them products to test before they’re available to the larger market. “We send out products with printed collateral urging them to post, tag, and share on social media,” says Pauley. “We generally repost it on all of our social media channels.” 

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Pauley credits their successful influencer collaborations to the exclusivity of early access to the product. “Customers are going to be more likely to share if they’re excited, love it and want to be an early adopter,” she says. Using user-generated content for ads and global reach.

This is the approach the marketing team at Würkin Stiffs takes. “Reaching out to followers with a decent-sized social media following and who are already posting good content has been the most successful,” says Dylan Self, ecommerce marketing manager for the brand. “They’re already familiar with the brand and are appreciative of being noticed.”

His advice? “Get out there in the social media scene and really tap into your customer base and network,’ he says. “Send honest DMs and emails, over-deliver on products, and have fun.” 

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Social media

For starters, you can check all the places you’ve been tagged or mentioned on social media. For some brands, Twitter might be the go-to social network, for others it might be Instagram. Block off some time on your calendar to do a “social media” audit, and take note of how your users are engaging with or talking about your product.

If you want to go a little more advanced, you can set up saved searches around your brand name or targeted keywords in a tool like TweetDeck or Radarr which is a little more platform agnostic. If you’re just starting to grow your brand, you can focus on keywords that are related to your industry as a starting point.

For example, here’s how Lush Cosmetics utilized several pieces of UGC from their most devoted fans which they used for multiple social ad campaigns. If you have the budget, amplify your social media based UGC and turn them into powerful campaigns for your brand. 

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Solicit submissions

Another great example of a brand using UGC well is Grilla Grills. The brand encourages customers to submit recipes to use with their smokers and grills. It wants the community to be more involved in recipe development for the brand, so it designed an entire page specifically for recipe submissions. 

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Grilla Grills doesn’t just ask for submissions, they go out of their way to highlight your recipe across their website and social media if chosen. This is a fantastic way to build community while also generating UGC. 

At the end of the day, whether you’re a brand just getting started or already have a thriving community, engaging with your community and connecting with influencers will get you far.

Where to use UGC

Before we get into how to take advantage of UGC for your brand, you’ll want to think about where and how you can use it. We’re big fans of repurposing content to maximize your investment. You can use user-generated content in multiple places, saving you both time and resources.

Social media

UGC is also incredibly useful for content across your social media channels. Of course, with the emergence of stories on platforms such as Instagram, you can also upload your UGC content to be viewed in real time as opposed to only your timeline.

If you have a global audience for example, you can post on your home feed in the morning, and repost the content on your stories later in the day.

Parachute has encouraged their community to share their photos with the hashtag #myparachutehome, where they can then source incredible UGC from. 

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Social ads

UGC can be great to use in your ad campaigns as well. For example, instead of using the standard stock photos for your ads, you can highlight the diversity and relatability of your customer base and appeal to a wider range of audiences.

Ritual, a healthcare and vitamin company designed for women, collected dozens of comments from their pages showcasing the demand for a probiotic. Real comments, from real women, show the massive desire for a quality probiotic. You can run similar campaigns using testimonials as well. Get creative! 

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Publish on your website

In addition to using UGC for customer reviews and social media, high-quality UGC can really make your homepage pop.

There are a few ways you can use UGC on your website. The simpler, more straightforward way—and the one that doesn’t require permissions—is by featuring a social feed on your website. This could be on a section of your site or on a separate page dedicated entirely to this purpose (this works especially well if you have a specific campaign).

This is the approach Fenty Beauty takes: 

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Fenty Beauty aggregates photos from thousands of their users who have used the hashtag #fentybeauty to share their experience.

Use UGC in email marketing

With email marketing continuing to be one of most powerful channels for marketing, increasing loyalty, and driving sales, you can supercharge your efforts by including UGC in your campaigns.

From highlighting your best video testimonials, to including authentic written reviews, email gives you another avenue to share your customer’s stories.

Here’s an excellent example by United by Blue which it used in its emails. 

Not only does it highlight the socks, it also shares several reviews at the same time, adding a more personal touch. In addition, the image can easily be reposted on social media platforms like Instagram.

Consider using user-generated content in your welcome email series or post-purchase emails to show shoppers they made the right choice. You can even link the image to a product page to help further drive sales.

Promote the images on Google Shopping

Given Google is one of the largest drivers of traffic and awareness online, optimizing UGC for Google Shopping can really go a long way.

It’s not as widely used as the tactics listed above, but one good example is the swimwear brand Cupshe. 

The more UGC content you have on your site and elsewhere, the better chances it will rank on the front page of a search for your brand. The benefit here is that user-generated content can appear more personal, and stand out from the standard product photos. Using a tool like PowerReviews can help you optimize your user-generated content and increase the chances of those specific images ranking highly.

At the end of the day, you want high-quality product images that will give a great first impression of your brand.

Use the images on product pages

While it’s common to showcase UGC on social media, many businesses forget about the product page. The product page stage is the closest you can get to a conversion, without actually making a sale. As such, using user-generated content to complement your professionally shot and edited product images is a powerful way to make a strong impression.

Here skincare brand Versed uses a mixture of professional shot photos and UGC on their product pages to further highlight their brand’s quality skincare products. 

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Not only can you use user-generated images, but you can also incorporate testimonials as well.

Getting permission for UGC

Although virtually any brand can benefit from UGC, it’s critical you always get permission to avoid potential social backlash from using content without permission. The last thing anyone wants is for someone to be unhappy with a photo or video being shared without their explicit consent.

Generally speaking, content posted on public social media platforms is fair game, but you can always go the extra mile and ask directly just in case. Many customers are thrilled to be highlighted on your website or social media but you can never be too safe.

If you’re using user-generated content in ads, you’ll definitely want to get explicit permission to cover your bases. You can send out a DM or email as follows:

If you use UGC content for your ads or on social media, it’s critical to always disclose if an influencer was compensated for their endorsement. Generally speaking, UGC in which no payment was involved doesn’t need any disclosure.

For example, in Parachute’s case, you’ll notice they commented on the user’s Instagram account asking for permission to use the photo. In the Parachute Home example from earlier, here’s how they reached out to a customer on Instagram to get permission. 

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Parachute Home even goes further in implementing UGC best practices by stating how they collect and use UGC. 

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More often than not, being overly communicative will do the trick. If for whatever reason they do not want you using their content, be sure to respect their wishes.

That said, sometimes simply retweeting or reposting the content is the best route to take. Given the content is public, you generally don’t need direct permission and that can help speed the content process along while ensuring you’re respecting your community.

How to edit and repurpose UGC images

We’re all about maximizing your marketing and branding efforts, which means getting the most out of every piece of UGC you have. Editing and repurposing your photos is essential for getting the most bang for your buck.

Here are a few ways to take your UGC to the next level.

Put the image on a white background

Let’s say for example, someone shares an amazing photo of them drinking your sparkling water beverage on social media. The photo displays the drink clearly, but the background is a little blurry. What can you do?

You can remove the background entirely using the help of a professional, and put the product on a white background. This gives you flexibility to reuse the image on a variety of platforms and helps ensure that your brand quality continues to shine through. 

While hiring a professional is often the easiest route to go, here’s the most cost effective way to put a product on a white background. Additionally, we put together a detailed guide on how to change the background color of an image.

With a white background you can easily add more products to the image or even written testimonials to make the image all that much better.

Do a color change

A color change is a powerful editing technique that helps you showcase multiple colors of the same product. This can be especially helpful in industries such as apparel. If you have a favorite piece of UGC you can use a color change editing service to stretch a single photo into a half dozen variations you’ll love. 

For example, you can take one piece of UGC and change the color of the product to highlight different color options. If you’re short on time, we offer 6- and 12 hour-turnaround times, perfect for those last minute emergencies.

Photoshop it into a different context

You can also use background removal to add a different environment or background, again making your UGC go further. For example, if you’re selling shoes, wearing them during the evening is going to look and feel different than wearing them during the day.

By experimenting with different backgrounds and contexts, you can see what resonates most with your community and customers.

Here’s how Monsoon uses different contexts to showcase their clothing in different contexts. 

Image source

Retouch to fix imperfections

Even just a little professional photo editing can take your user-generated content to the next level. Maybe there was a smudge on the camera, or a little too much light or you need to remove something from the frame. Minor edits like these are definitely encouraged.

Look at this example below. The woman is wearing a dress from Motif Concept Store, but her bathing suit underneath is a bit distracting. So our designers retouched the photo to remove the bikini top. Now the photo features the dress without any distractions. 

That said, you want to ensure you’re not overly editing the photo to the point where the photo looks nothing like the original. Remember, this is user-generated content we’re talking about! Editing to improve the “attractiveness” of an image is a big-no-no. Not only will that dehumanize your UGC, it can put you at risk of offending some of your most loyal fans.

If you’re considering running a contest or asking for UGC from your community, consider explaining the things to avoid when taking photos.

You’ll also want to use this time to enhance your product in the photo. Ultimately a good looking product photo is what you’re after, so don’t be afraid to spend a little extra time touching up your products.

Add your branding or logo

Last but not least, consider adding your logo or distinct branding to all approved user-generated content. This can be especially powerful for images you plan on using for social media, as it further extends your brand awareness at next to no cost. 

Using a tool like GetStencil or Canva, you can quickly add your logo to your image. From a design perspective, we encourage keeping the branding in the same spot on every image, as moving the logo around can cause some confusion.

If you’re using the image in your emails, experiment with a call-to-action (CTA) button below. You can also hyperlink the image and test whether or not that improves conversions.

User-generated content, a marketer’s secret advantage

Creating content is hard. Fortunately, UGC is one of the most effective ways to improve your content and drive more sales.

If you’re not using UGC in your marketing strategy you’re missing out. If you need a hand getting your user-generated content where it needs to be, we can help with all your editing needs. In under six hours we can edit your UGC content while you focus on the more pressing issues of growing your brand.

Discover your virtual photo editing studio, starting at just 39¢ per image

The post How to Get the Most from User-Generated Content (+ UGC Examples) appeared first on Path Edits.

What is outsourcing in business?

Outsourcing is when you hire an external business or individual to provide services. These services can be the same, complementary, or supportive to your business’s core offerings.

More businesses—photography included—are catching on to the benefits of outsourcing. In fact, the outsourcing market amounted to $92.5 billion in 2019. And as many as 80% of small businesses planned to outsource some aspect of their business in 2021. 

Professional product photographers regularly outsource work to virtual assistants, accountants, and second shooters, so why should outsourcing photo editing be any different? Hiring photo editing help is one of the smartest things a photographer can do to help their business. Outsourcing means more bandwidth, optimized business processes, reduced costs, and potentially even new specialities or lines of revenue.

So how do you know you’re ready to start outsourcing photo editing? Here are a few indications.

14 signs it’s time to outsource photo edits

1. You can’t keep up with demand 
2. You’ve maxed out your photographer’s bandwidth
3. Your photographer is too expensive but you don’t want to sacrifice the quality
4. You have to meet a tight deadline
5. You’re too stressed
6. You’re stuck creatively
7. You’re working a lot of overtime
8. You spend hours doing repetitive edits
9. You’re expanding to more commerce channels
10. You have seasonal fluctuations
11. You want to shorten turnaround time
12. You’re outside of your expertise
13. You want to focus on growth
14. Your competitive landscape is getting tougher 

You can’t keep up with demand

Whether you’re working for yourself, in-house, or both, there might come a point in time when you can’t keep up with the workload. Clients and colleagues are pulling you in different directions, all with urgent requests. More than a quarter of small businesses that outsource do so in order to become more efficient and save time. 

That’s what happened when Jim Palmer, product photographer at Toysmith, was responsible for keeping up with 100 product launches each week. So, he relied on outsourced photo edits to help him get it all done. In these situations, outsourcing work can be a blessing. You can streamline your workflow by offloading post-processing work to an editing professional.

Simon Woodcock, business owner and photographer of Man With A Camera Photography, also uses outsourcing to increase his freelance bandwidth. “I started outsourcing my retouching and editing work when my event photography work was really busy,” he says. “It freed me up to deal with the event clients who often needed images quickly.”

You’ve maxed out your photographer’s bandwidth

If you outsource product photography and editing already, you might find that your photographer has a limit in terms of workload. Alee Mills, director of operations at Ice Cream Castles, can relate. Their talented product photographer had a max of 50 edited photos per batch, so Mills started outsourcing extra edits to Path. Doing so helped them shorten their workflow from one week to just one day. 

Outsourcing can be a smart move to protect your photographer from burnout. It also helps keep your production schedule on track. A win-win.

Your photographer expensive but you don’t want to sacrifice the quality

More than half of those who outsource do so to reduce costs. In fact, 59% of respondents to one survey say their company uses outsourcing services because it’s a cost-cutting tool.

In many cases, outsourcing your photo editing gives you the best of both worlds: savings and quality. All you have to do is find an outsource partner who can maintain your level of quality at the right price. For example, Path’s image editing services start at just 39¢ per image.

You have to meet a tight deadline

Last-minute product launch? On the way to a trade show? A sudden influx of client work? Concerned about how to outsource photo edits quickly? Whatever your deadline is, it’s usually possible for outsourcing teams to meet it.

At Path, for example, the rush fee is just 1.25 times extra if you want your images back in 6 hours (compared to the normal 24-hour turnaround time).

You’re too stressed

It’s probably no surprise that work is a major source of stress. In fact, worker stress reached a record high in 2020, according to Gallup’s Global Workplace 2021 Report. Workload, financial stress, and economic uncertainty all played a part in increased anxiety. 

It’s easy to fall into the routine and feel like stress at work is normal. It’s not. Stress can be bad for your physical and mental health, and if work is too stressful for you, it’s time to make a change.

Outsourcing photo edits is a great way to ease some of the burden and delegate part of your workload to someone else.

You’re stuck creatively

Employee burnout not only threatens personal health but also productivity and professional success. And unfortunately, almost half of workers reported feeling burned out, and experts believe that the most burned out people have already quit. Workers are putting more value on flexibility and a better work/life balance (both of which outsourcing can help). 

If you’re feeling burned out or unmotivated, consider outsourcing the photo edits you dread doing or the ones that take the longest to complete. Then you can use that time to work on projects and tasks that are more inspiring—or, use that extra time to rest.

You’re working a lot of overtime

Many people get into photography because they’re chasing work-life balance: a fulfilling career that lets you pursue your creative passions, with plenty of free time to spend with friends and family and on hobbies.

But many Americans regularly work overtime. According to a study by ADP Research Institute, one in 10 people say they work at least 20 hours a week for free. Although many people felt they had more flexibility working from home, remote work blurred the lines between work and home life.

These are not numbers we like to see. But thankfully, outsourcing can address these workplace challenges and improve satisfaction. You can spend less time editing and more time enjoying your life outside of work.

You spend hours doing repetitive edits

Detailed photo edits like background removal and drop shadow require a lot of concentration and time, and the work can be tedious.

We ran a survey to find out how long it takes to edit each product photo, on average. We found that nearly 24% of professionals spend less than 5 minutes on each shot, but 20% spend more than a half hour. That’s 16 images in a single day if you’re not working on anything else.

Now imagine what else you could fit into your schedule if you outsourced those edits. Another product shoot? A new client? 

Find out the cheapest way to put products on a white background 

You’re expanding to more commerce channels

Today’s retailers can’t survive with limited commerce channels. The social commerce industry alone, for example, is expected to grow three times as fast as traditional ecommerce (from $492 billion in 2021 to $1.2 trillion by 2025) according to a recent Accenture report. And third-party marketplaces are starting to outperform traditional ecommerce benchmarks. Website sales, wholesale possibilities, and voice commerce add even more options for customers.

More touchpoints hopefully means more customers and more sales, but it also means more work. Each channel has its own image requirements. That means you not only need to familiarize yourself with each channel’s guidelines, but also spend extra time sizing and editing each product photo accordingly. But pro photo editors are familiar with all of these requirements and can execute quickly.

You have seasonal fluctuations

The holiday season is a busy period for any brand. The winter holiday months are responsible for driving a huge number of sales. 2021 holiday sales increased by 14.1% from the year before. With those numbers, retailers need to prep their collateral well in advance. That means lots of photo editing. 

Holidays aren’t the only busy seasons. Fashion brands have sales fluctuations based on the winter, spring, summer, and fall. Bathing suits, for example, are popular in the spring, as consumers prepare for summer vacation—while warm clothes are in high demand during autumn.

Trade show season and regular product launches can also create a surge in demand for photo editing, making it an ideal time to outsource.

Pro tip: Don’t wait until you’re in the midst of your busy season to start outsourcing. Find a reliable outsourcing partner beforehand, so you can become acquainted with one another and hit the ground running when it’s time.

You want to shorten turnaround time

Looking to improve your turnaround time to impress clients and stakeholders? Or are you hoping to streamline your current workflow? Whatever the reason, outsourcing can help with turnaround time.

For example, a batch of 50 photos that would otherwise take you a full day to complete now takes significantly less when the job is outsourced to a team of editors who can work together to finish the edits.

With outsourcing comes more time to focus on other things, all while ensuring your edits are handled quickly and efficiently.

You’re outside of your expertise

Not everyone excels in Photoshop. While powerful, it takes time and practice to learn.

It’s okay if Photoshop isn’t in your skillset. Learning Photoshop takes hours upon hours—time you could be spending on more valuable and impactful business tasks.

Nisa Zulkifli, co-founder of conscious skincare brand Speak, tried learning Photoshop herself at first. She and her co-founder were running a lean operation, so it made sense to keep everything in-house. They even took a photography course in addition to learning Photoshop. Eventually, they realized that outsourcing to a skilled editor made more sense for business growth.

You want to focus on growth

Whatever “growth” means to you—more clients, more sales, more customers, a promotion, more money, management or new skills—outsourcing will free you up to focus on it. Deloitte conducted a survey on outsourcing and found that many companies use the practice to give themselves a competitive edge. And as many as 19% of small businesses in another survey say their primary motivation for outsourcing is to grow the business. The key to success is to outsource strategically. 

Delegating tasks allows you to focus on impactful business functions or projects while keeping overhead costs low. Outsourcing gives you flexibility with staffing, professional access and workload so you have more time to chip away at your larger goals.

Your competitive landscape is getting tougher

Depending on the size and stage of your business, outsourcing can be a fantastic strategy to stay competitive in a crowded industry. More than a quarter of small businesses that outsource do so because they want to work with specialized experts. 

Outsourcing tasks such as photo editing increases the efficiency of your business and can level the playing field, especially for smaller or younger brands. Contracting expert help is much more affordable than hiring another full-time staff member.

Outsource smartly: choose a proven partner

There are so many fantastic reasons to outsource your photo edits: more time, more growth, and less stress. If you’re unsure where to start, it’s worth getting to know the Path team.

Path is well-versed in professional-quality photo editing. Brands all over the world trust the team to provide beautiful images on time.

Find out more about how photo editing works with Path > 

The post 14 Reasons to Start Outsourcing Photo Edits appeared first on Path Edits.

While choosing your clipping path provider, you’ll likely do some research about their pricing, turnaround time, and customer reviews. But some companies participate in dishonest business practices and solicit fake clipping path service reviews—from their employees, friends and family, or even bots. So when you look up clipping path service reviews, you need a keen eye to distinguish fraudulent versus genuine customer feedback.

Why it’s important to look up clipping path reviews

Choosing the wrong clipping path provider could seem to be a simple mishap, but worse things could happen than lost money or more work fixing the edits yourself. In some cases, untrustworthy clipping path service providers may use or even sell your images elsewhere. And if your employer owns the rights or you’ve sold them to a client, this can put you in a legal jam. Worse, you could put your bank and credit card information in the wrong hands.

But don’t worry, there are many ways to protect yourself from these worst-case scenarios. Taking a few minutes to research clipping path service reviews can save you valuable time and alleviate potential issues.

Where to find clipping path service reviews

To avoid these worst case scenarios, put on your investigator hat and do some online sleuthing to find out whether the company is reputable. Many clipping path companies feature reviews on their own website, but for honest, unvetted reviews, you’ll want to visit third-party sites as well.

To start, do a simple Google search for “clipping path service reviews.” You can also type the name of the company followed by the word “reviews” to see what people are saying about them on the web. Make sure to thoroughly browse the results on Google—that means going past page 1.

Next you can check third-party sites for validated commentary. Here are a few to start with:

• Trustpilot
• Facebook
• Upwork
• Fiverr
• G2 Crowd

Here’s an example of one of the clipping path service reviews on G2 Crowd for a company. It’s the only review available, so it’s best to take it with a grain of salt and validate with opinions and reviews from other sources. However, G2 has validated the reviewer, so take it as another piece of your research through this vetting process.

Another trick? Search the company name again, but plug in the word “scam” at the end instead of “reviews.” If you have a repeat fraudster on your hands, this should show you the truth.

As a bonus, taking a deep dive into a company’s reviews may not only help prove their validity but also reveal their customer service response quality. The responses from service providers to reviewers can provide insight into the company’s customer care practices and further help you in your decision process.

Image source

 Pro tip: Remember to not only look at the overall review ratings, but the quantity of reviews. A company called Clipping Path Creative, for example, has a 3.8-star Trustpilot rating, but there are only tworeviews. Compare that to Path’s 5,000+ Trustpilot reviews with an average “Excellent” rating. It’s clear who is the more reliable choice.

Also worth noting: Trustpilot calls out that they’re unable to verify how Clipping Path Creative has gotten their reviews. So they could all be fake.

How to spot fake or biased clipping path service reviews

Unfortunately, there are tons of fake clipping path service reviews out there. While third-party sites do their best to monitor and prevent fraudulent customer reviews, it’s impossible to catch all of them. That’s why it’s important to stay vigilant.

Keep an eye out for these tells:

Watch for reviewers with generic names like John Smith or lots of random numbers in their names.

• A spike in the number of reviews over a short period of time can indicate a targeted campaign to boost a company’s rating.
• Fake reviews are often over-the-top in their praise, while honest reviews tend to discuss both the good and the bad.
• Use of more personal pronouns, like “I” and “me.” A study conducted by Cornell University found that fake reviewers use extra pronouns and fill their reviews with unnecessary details and scene-setting to sound more convincing.

You might also find biased reviews. For example, competitors may post reviews that position their own services more favorably than their competitors. Make sure you check a variety of sources and look for common customer praise and complaints.

Path clipping path service reviews

We like to share our favorite customer reviews on social media, but you can check our Trustpilot page for an unfiltered view of all our reviews.

Next steps to finding a clipping path service provider

Now that you’ve thoroughly researched and vetted clipping path service reviews, you can move forward with the outsourcing process by gathering quotes from your chosen providers. You can sit back and feel confident about spending money on a worthwhile expense while focusing on other tasks.

Check out these other articles to help find a high-quality yet affordable clipping path service provider:

• How to Choose the Best Clipping Path Service Provider
• Outsourcing Your Photo Editing? Here’s How to Find the Best Option
• How to Know It’s Time to Outsource Photo Editing
• Should You Outsource Photo Edits or Do Them In House?: A Complete Guide

At Path, our team of professionally trained photo editors is ready to assist you with all your editing needs.

The post Clipping Path Service Reviews: How to Spot the Real from the Fake appeared first on Path Edits.

For some photographers, photo editing is part of the job. For others, it’s an unnecessary, tedious task they don’t really want to do.

If you enjoy editing photos, guess what? You can turn that into an upsell. When you set up your photo editing services properly, you might not even need to shoot anymore — you just might trade in your camera to make a living as a photo editor.

That’s right: You could theoretically earn a decent income from home while dressed in your pajamas!

If this sounds good to you, you’re probably wondering how to charge for photo editing. And what photo editing rates to set.

Below, we’ll talk about hourly vs. per image vs. flat fee rates, how to determine which number to throw out, and what to make sure you’re including in those rates — and how you can make more money by outsourcing some of the work.

Editing as a standalone service vs. included with photography

You can offer editing-only services or add it to your existing photography packages.

Editing as a standalone service

Photo editing could be the only thing you offer as a service, and while helpful, you don’t have to have photography experience to be a photo editor. You do, however, need to have a creative eye and in-depth knowledge of professional photo editing software.

Keep in mind, if you’re offering photo editing as a standalone service, your website and social media channels should be created with photographers in mind — they’re your source of business, not the people or company receiving the photos. Do you offer culling or custom preset creation? Highlight how you can make a photographer’s job easier.

Editing included with photography

Some photographers prefer to wrap editing into their photo packages. Photographers that built their business on their unique style might prefer this route, and depending on their following, they may also have a few popular editing presents available for purchase.

Typically packages are based, in part, on the number of images the customer will receive. Customers choose a selection of their favorite shots and those will be the images that get edited as part of the package. If you wrap editing into your photography package, make sure you note that on your website. Let customers know that touch-ups, color corrections, etc. are included in the price.

Your editing approach comes down to your personal preferences. Managing a photography business entails much more than taking great photos. “Aside from shooting, which is extremely time-intensive, and editing (which is more time-intensive), photographers have to deal with client management, consultations, negotiating contracts, bookkeeping, constant marketing on Instagram/Facebook/Pinterest, website maintenance, and frequent blog updates,” says Katie Rivera, a full-time photo editor.

Depending on workload, sometimes outsourcing editing is more efficient. If you offer editing as a service, your freelance photo editing rates will depend on whether you wrap the edits in with your photography or you offer editing as a standalone service.

Knowing what you should charge

Determining how much to charge your clients for photography is challenging in and of itself. The internal debate probably goes a little something like this:

• How long will it take me to do this work?
• How big do I think their budget is?
• Am I overpricing? Underpricing?
• Am I going to lose this client if I charge too much?

And the debacle becomes further complicated as you grow your business and begin to outsource photo-editing work.

Even though outsourcing tasks can save you time and help you earn more money, you still need to ensure you’re charging your clients enough to cover those additional fees — and make it worth your while.

Factors that influence your photo editing rates

Turnaround time

As a general rule, the quicker your client needs the work done, the more you should charge. Before agreeing to work, ask your client what their time frame is for the specific project. It will affect how much you’re spending for outsourcing photo-editing work and the rate you’re giving your client.

Usually, clients will understand a higher rate if they’re giving you less time to complete a project.

Complexity of edits

First, let’s define “editing.” There are many ways to edit a photo, and each of them require a different amount of time, skill, and knowledge.

• Simple photo editing: There’s simple editing, which includes basic changes like color correction or straightening of horizons. A simple edit may include adding a drop shadow to a basic object, like this chair.

• Photo retouching: Then there’s retouching, which includes more detail like removing glare from glass or extending the background of the image.
• Special photo editing: And finally, there’s special editing. This can include things like changing the color of an item, smoothing out wrinkles, or swapping out the background entirely. This level of retouching can take anywhere from ten minutes to hours — per image!

Types of photos

Photo editing prices will also vary depending on the type of photo. For example, are they product photos, portraits, real estate or editorial photos? Different types of images require varying amounts of editing — anything from simple edits to more intensive retouching.

To edit sports, music, and other types of event photography, you need a solid understanding of the culture and coverage trends in these specific niches. Certain editing choices could seem out of date or out of touch.

Similarly, certain types of photos will also require some amount of industry knowledge (real estate or product photography, for example). Build that time and expertise into your pricing rates.

Editing real estate photography requires knowledge about the market. Luxury single-family properties, for example, will be presented differently than an office space.

Product photography edits also have a variety of photography and editing trends photo editors need to consider. Tech, fashion, and food shots should each have a different feel.

Image source

Revisions

Next, decide how many rounds of editing you’ll permit per image. If they’re not happy with the first set of photos, how many times will you allow them to request changes? It’s best to over-communicate this stipulation — with some customers, it’s all too easy to get sucked into an endless pit of revisions.

Associated outsourced fees

In some cases, it could make sense to outsource editing to a reputable company. While this costs money, some basic edits are affordable enough that you can make up for it with the saved time. This frees you up to do the finishing touches on your own and then send the image set back to your client. At Clipping Path India, for example, clipping paths start at just 49¢ per image. With this option, you can price your editing services much more competitively.

Costs for photo editing software

There is no shortage of easy photo editing software available. Here are just a few you can explore:

• Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom: Adobe might be the most recognizable name in photo editing out there. Their editors are cloud-based apps that work on desktop, mobile and tablets. Lightroom makes it simple to do basic edits, and Photoshop offers advanced options. You can buy Photoshop on its own or select a plan that lumps Photoshop and Lightroom together. (From $9.99 to $19.99 a month.)
• Affinity Photo: Affinity is another robust photo editor. It has more capabilities than Lightroom, but it probably wouldn’t make sense to have both Affinity and Photoshop. You can use all the features on both desktops and iPads. It’s considered a more affordable option. ($24.99 on sale, normally $49.99)
• Luminar AI: Luminar AI uses artificial intelligence to suggest edits. It’s simple to use and requires less learning to use than Photoshop, for example. (From $69.00 to $197.00 per year.)

If none of these options fit the bill, there are plenty of other photo editing technologies to choose from. Take the time to research your options, and pick the one(s) that fits your needs.

Your client’s budget

Opinions differ about whether or not to ask your client for their budget. If you are curious about the client’s budget, there are a couple of important takeaways:

• Ask for a ballpark range before releasing your rate.
• Wait to discuss their budget until the end of your first meeting.

If you ask the client about their budget after you disclose your rate, you might insinuate to them that you can work on their terms — and that you don’t know much you’re worth. But knowing their budget before telling them your rate gives you time to determine if you can go higher or lower and helps you retain your client. And if their budget is far lower than your usual rate, you can politely let them know and, if possible, refer them to someone whose rate is closer to their budget.

You’ll likely need to position the question as “Is there a set budget for this project?” or “What type of budget are we working with?” Then, you can determine if the rate, including any outsourced photo-editing work, is worth your time.

When you’re thinking about rate quotes, consider the size and age of the business, their industry, and location. A solo entrepreneur will have a much different budget than an NYC-based tech company, for instance.

Your experience or skill level

Of course, your skill level will come into play here. While it’s likely that you’ll have amassed more skills the longer you’ve been in the industry, don’t make the mistake of substituting years for skill.

Incremental charges

Are there additional charges for the outsourcing that you need to consider? Some photo editors might charge more if specific edits need to be made, like color correction, sharpening or resizing.

If you ask about these additional charges upfront, it could save you money and provide a quick turnaround. Consider the following to determine if you could do any of these tasks before sending the images out for editing:

• How are you sending the files? Are they easily organized for the photo editor?
• How many are you sending? Do you need all edited, or should you select your favorites before sending?
• Can you do the cropping and resizing upfront? Does each image need more than one size?

Ultimately, you want to consider doing some of the heavy lifting, like organizing and ensuring effectiveness, before sending your photos off for editing so you won’t be charged extra. Because if your editor assumes more time spent to sort through your images, they might consider increasing their rate.

If your schedule doesn’t allow the time you need to do the resizing upfront — or if different sizes are needed per image — this will easily increase your outsourced photo-editing rate. In this case, determine the rate with your photo editor before setting your rate with your client to ensure that you won’t lose money.

Set up your pricing structure

When it comes to pricing your editing, there are a few different ways to set your rates. Some photographers or editors use complicated calculations, but for the most part, setting editing rates usually boils down to three different methods: by the hour, by the project, and by the image. Each method has its pros and cons.

Hourly

Charging by the hour means you’ll get what you consider to be fair compensation for an hour of your time, and it’s relatively easy to calculate how much you’ll make on jobs you take on.

Downsides, however, include customers who are upset about how long the job took and clients who think they’ll be overcharged.

If you bill hourly, always provide the client with a quote. In the quote, make sure there’s language written about time for revisions, etc.

Average rates hover around $45 to $100 USD per hour. For complex and detailed work, that rate could go up to as much as $500 USD per hour.

Flat rate per image

A per-image fee is easy for clients to understand and makes rate calculations simple for you. The main downside is that on rare occasions, a photo could take longer than normal to edit, which means you’re working for less.

Average rates run from 30¢ to $7 per image. (The wide range takes into account the type of editing needed and the image. Jewelry, for example, is often harder to edit.)

Project fee

Project fees are simple: Potential clients know exactly how much it will cost them. One disadvantage is that if the project takes longer than you estimated, you may end up breaking even or losing money.

Project fees vary greatly depending on the size and scope of the project. For smaller projects, always make sure to discuss your minimum project rate.

Retainer

A retainer means that a client pays in advance to make sure your services are available to them for a certain amount of time. This type of payment is typically used for long-term projects or for access to services on a regular basis. Most retainers are for a month or more.

Budgeting your time is important when you have clients on retainer. It’s usually not wise to count on one client for 100% of your income, so their work needs to be interspersed with work from other clients.

Average retainers vary depending on the client and the agreement. Usually, retainer fees start at around $1,000 per month.

Packages

Some photographers and photo editors choose to set up packages for clients to choose from. Services are lumped together into categories (usually in a good, better, best set-up) so that potential clients know exactly what they’ll be getting. A-la-carte options and upgrades should be available as well.

How to present your photo editing rates to prospective clients

After you’ve discussed the potential job, it’s time to present your rates. For more straightforward jobs, you might feel comfortable giving the client your rate immediately. For many jobs, it’s wise to email the potential client a quote — that way it’s all in writing (and easier to refer to if they have questions).

In your quote, be very clear about the details. This benefits both you and the client. Include:

• Scope of work discussed
• Proposed timeline
• Allotted revisions
• Delivery method
• Payment terms

A written quote can be a good opportunity for upsells too. For example, if the client is asking about basic editing, you could include your rates for additional services or more advanced editing options. Note: This should probably be on a separate document so the client doesn’t get confused.

Know your worth

As you set your freelance photo editing rates, make sure you aren’t short-changing yourself. But be flexible enough to adjust your rate as necessary. If you’re newer to freelance editing or tackling a new industry, it may take some trial and error to nail down your rates.

 

Find out how it works

Learn more

FAQs about charging for photo editing

How much should I charge for retouching photos?

You should charge anywhere between $25/hour to $150/hour for retouching photos. Your rates should reflect your experience and skill level as well as the complexity of edits.

How much should I charge for photo editing?

You should charge $25–$150 per hour for photo editing, depending on your experience, skill level, complexity of edits, turnaround time, and number of photos.

How much do freelance photo editors make?

Freelance photo editors make $55,434–$70,875 per year, according to data from Salary.com.

 

The post Freelance Photography Tips: How to Charge for Outsourced Photo Editing appeared first on Path Edits.

]]> https://pathedits.com/blogs/tips/how-much-charge-product-photography-outsource-editing/feed 0 https://pathedits.com/blogs/tips/when-passion-becomes-burnout-how-to-have-fun-with-product-photography-again https://pathedits.com/blogs/tips/when-passion-becomes-burnout-how-to-have-fun-with-product-photography-again#respond Mon, 03 May 2021 20:30:00 +0000 https://pathedits.com/blog/when-passion-becomes-burnout-how-to-have-fun-with-product-photography-again/ Keeping passion for product work can be a challenge. Cultivate creativity and enjoyment with these suggestions.

The post When Passion Becomes Burnout: How to Have Fun With Product Photography Again appeared first on Path Edits.

]]> For professional creatives, staying passionate about work can sometimes be a challenge—especially if product photography is the focus of your business.

When you’re taking photos of products day-in and day-out, finding inspiration can be hard, but these ideas should help.

Try different photography equipment

New toys won’t cure burnout, but they can certainly help. An additional lens, upgraded photography studio lighting, or even a film camera might be enough of a nudge to spark your creativity.

Research gear

Take some time to research equipment and props you’re interested in — even if it’s not something that you think you could use on a regular basis. Researching and shopping for new gear can tap into numerous emotions, something to keep in mind during your product shoots. Your goal here is to welcome variety, and in turn, inspire some great ideas.

For example, consider giving refraction photography a try. To do so, you’ll need access to a macro lens and a glass ball. This is something you might even be able to incorporate into your product images.

Image source

Buy, rent, or borrow

Think of your gear exploration as a treat (and depending on what you choose, possibly a business investment as well). Try to step outside your comfort zone for this. “Find a vintage film camera at a secondhand store, and learn to use it. Rent a new lens, and master it,” suggests photographer Jen Hooks. Similarly, you could do a gear swap within your network of photographers. This gives you a low-cost way to experiment.

Learn something new

Education can be enlightening and inspiring. And depending on what you learn, your new knowledge could lead to business opportunities. Even better, learning skills is good for your mental health and keeps your brain healthy, helping to slow cognitive decline.

For benefits on all fronts, consider learning a new skill that complements your current abilities:

• Video and/or sizzle reels: Sizzle reels are short videos that offer an overview of a service, product or brand. They should be captivating and tell a story.
• Real estate photography: Adding real estate photography to your offered services can be lucrative. And it’s an interesting way to expand your skillset.
• Graphic design: Graphic design can be a great creative outlet. There are plenty of tools to learn and many free resources available.
• Blogging: Along with providing a change of pace, creating a variety of content for your website can help potential clients find you.

Spend time on a passion project

What’s something you love or have always wanted to photograph? Or is there a style you’ve been wanting to perfect? Turn that into a passion project — something stress-free and interesting. For you, this might mean photographing rescue animals, architecture, or even fashion.

For example, photographer Sarah Throop donates her time and skills to local animal rescue groups, capturing personality-filled images of adoptable pets.

Equestrian and lifestyle photographer Kate Kosnoff incorporates social justice into her photography, creatively weaving movements such as #MeToo and Black Lives Matter into her work.

Or take a page from this collective of photographers: The group came together to amplify equestrians of color. Don’t be afraid to collaborate on a project. If you want, you can use your passion project as a way to build friendships and meet other creatives.

Take a fresh approach

Product photography can get monotonous, especially if the bulk of your work is white-background shots. But that doesn’t mean you can’t try something new, especially for non-hero images (think social, web, advertisements, lifestyle):

Experiment with arrangement, lighting and styling. Don’t be afraid to play around with how you present products. If you need some inspiration, here are a few ideas:

Flat lay

Flat lays are useful for numerous types of products — clothing, books, gear, etc. You can use flat lays to add context to a product (think lifestyle) or to showcase it on its own.

Image source

Hang products

Bring life to products by hanging them — and you can get creative here. This works especially well for clothing and accessories. Look at what photographer Justina Reinhart did on her Instagram with apparel photography.

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Movement

Show the product in action to make it easier for customers to picture the item in their own lives. Sunday Lawn Care uses product photography on their site to show the product in use and attached to a hose. These shots also give shoppers a better concept of the size of the product.

Luggage brand Lojel uses lifestyle shots to show context and help shoppers envision themselves using their suitcases.

Texture

These are essential shots for products such as makeup and jewelry. Plan these keeping in mind what makes that specific product unique.

Image source

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Think about how you’re arranging and photographing your products. Is there any variety? If possible, mix up the composition: font angle, diagonal, group shots, etc.

Out of ideas? Check out these fun background alternatives to plain old white

LEARN MORE

Go macro and focus on details

Try emphasizing the minute details of the products you’re shooting. It’s a small change you can instantly put into practice.

• Focus on highlighting intricacies such as the texture of a watch band or highlighting detailed stitching in shoe photography.
• Aim for high-quality macro images: crisp, clear and balanced.
• If you’re using your flash for macro shots, consider getting a small diffuser to soften any shadows.
• Play around with the narrow focal plane.

If you don’t have a macro lens, this could be a great opportunity to rent, buy, or borrow some new gear.

Pro tip: Combine this with idea #2: Learn something new about macro photography with a Masterclass.

Not happy with the shadows in your shot? You can learn how to add a natural shadow in Photoshop to fix them in post-processing. 

Look to other’s work for inspiration

If you’re struggling to come up with new ideas, browsing at other photographers’ work could be just the inspiration you need.

• Browse photo books, other studios’ portfolios or blogs, or social media.
• Plan a virtual coffee session with other photographers (product or otherwise). Discuss your work, get feedback, and brainstorm ideas with your connections. Don’t be afraid to say you’re feeling stuck.
• Check out photo galleries, university art shows, and the work of contest winners.

Don’t feel like you need to stick to your niche here. You can pull ideas from all types and styles of photography. For example, I find a lot of inspiration for my own work from photographers like Barbara D. Livingston and Beba Vowels.

Remember self-care

Lastly, make sure you set aside time for yourself. Whether you want to go for a walk, take a bath, get a massage or go on vacation, it’s important to step away from your photography to refresh.

Find a support group

Create or find a group that you can lean on for support, ideas and advice. For example, Women Photograph has a wonderful online community and they also offer mentorships, workshops and grants.

Your support group doesn’t have to be made up of photographers. Other creatives can offer fresh perspectives as well as sympathize with similar struggles. Groups such as Freelancing Females bring together people from around the country (and beyond) and provide a wealth of knowledge and resources.

Set an out-of-office email

If you feel like you need a mental health day, take one. To relieve some stress, create an “out-of-office” email. Any inquires will get an automatic response so you won’t feel pressured to check your email constantly.

Not sure what to write? At a minimum, your message should include how long you’ll be unavailable and when you’ll return.

Here’s a template to use (and customize):

“Thanks for reaching out. I am currently out of the office and not checking email. I’ll be returning on [date], and I’ll respond to your email as soon as possible after my return.”

Talk to a friend or professional

If you’re going through a rough patch, consider talking to a trusted friend or professional. If you’re unsure how to find a professional:

• Go to Psychology Today
• Search for therapists in your area
• Vet few people until you find the one you connect with

Set up a sustainable self-care system

Taking care of yourself should be part of your daily routine. Take regular breaks, get good sleep and make sure you’re incorporating some movement (such as walking the dog or yoga) into your day.

Keep it up

Just like relationships, keeping the passion alive in a long-term career can sometimes take work. If you want more inspiration, check out these tips from entrepreneurs on fueling passion, get product styling ideas from Martha Stewart’s photo stylist, or explore more ways to support your mental health.

Getting out of a rut is definitely possible. And likely, your photography will come out stronger and more creative.

Let’s free up some time so you can pursue your creative photography pursuits

LEARN MORE

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]]> https://pathedits.com/blogs/tips/when-passion-becomes-burnout-how-to-have-fun-with-product-photography-again/feed 0 https://pathedits.com/blogs/tips/sustainable-scale-how-to-grow-your-commercial-photography-business-without-burning-out https://pathedits.com/blogs/tips/sustainable-scale-how-to-grow-your-commercial-photography-business-without-burning-out#respond Mon, 15 Feb 2021 11:29:15 +0000 https://pathedits.com/blog/sustainable-scale-how-to-grow-your-commercial-photography-business-without-burning-out/ Get ideas to grow your business without losing your passion for the work.

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]]> Wish you could grow but not sure how to get there with limited time and resources? Building your commercial photography business doesn’t have to be overwhelming, and you can do it without burning out. Here are 9 strategic steps to grow your commercial and product photography business.

1. Invest in pricing and bidding software

Pricing commercial photography can be tricky and time-consuming, and the worst thing you can do is pull a random number out of the air. Your fees should be based on several factors, including the size of the company and their industry, and how the photos will be used.

Customers want to know what they’re paying for. Often, potential clients will ask for your “day rate.” While a day rate may make sense to them, your work is far from over after a day of shooting — and it doesn’t account for your additional costs for equipment, business insurance, travel time, etc. 

How to Land More Clients With Product Photography Packages (+ How to Price Them)

Learn more

To save time and ensure you’re not undervaluing your services, consider investing in specialized software to create your project bids and quotes. This type of software takes the market into account and provides price breakdowns with line items for costs such as photography, editing, and assistant expenses. Many offer invoicing capabilities, image licensing, and currency converters too.

Want to explore pricing software? Here are a few well-known options:

• fotoQuote from Cracdoc fotoSoftware
• BlinkBid
• Getty Images pricing calculator

If you want a calculator that takes a look at business expenses as a whole, the National Press Photographers Association’s Cost of Doing Business Calculator is a good place to start.

2. Outsource parts of your photo editing process

One of the easiest ways to free up some time is to outsource parts of your editing. That leaves less for you to do post-shoot so you can focus on your next job, marketing or networking, i.e., scaling your business.

Not sure how outsourcing editing works? When you outsource your photo editing, you have multiple options ranging from basic editing to retouching.

• Photo clipping, background removal, and color variants (perfect for product shots)
• Ghost mannequin creation to bring clothing to life
• Image masking and shadows for added realism
• Retouching (or “Photoshopping”)

While some of the more basic edits could be handled by automated tools, you’re limited by the software. That leaves more room for errors (and increases the possibility you’ll still have to do manual editing). Plus, they don’t allow for any personal touch.

With edit outsourcing, you’re able to share the client brief, and each image gets personal attention from a creative professional — as long as you choose the right photo editor.

3. Create and sell courses, ebooks, or coaching sessions

Just because you’re a photographer doesn’t mean you have to limit your income to photography sessions. Are you a wiz with lighting? Create an online course or ebook to sell. Great with a specific niche? Set up “office hours” to coach other professionals.

If you like the idea but need some real-world inspiration, take a look at Jenna Kutcher’s business transformation. She went from a small-town photographer to an educator, podcaster and marketing coach. Or, as Kutcher puts it, “At the age of 22, I invested in a $300 Craigslist camera. […] That single investment led me to the 7-figure empire I’m running today.”

If this route interests you, start by getting to know designers, podcasters, and other creatives (along with other commercial photographers). Find topics that people are interested in by paying attention to conversations on social media and Quora, Reddit, and other forums. If it’s in your wheelhouse, do SEO research to see what’s trending online.

4. Update your website regularly

If a company in your area were searching for a commercial photographer, would your site pop up on the first page or two of Google? And would you be proud of the work showcased?

Your freelance photography website and portfolio should show off your best work and/or your specific niche. While you certainly want your portfolio to have personality, it should be created with your target market in mind. Focus on quality examples of your work over quantity. And if you want to do more of a certain type of work, highlight any related projects on your site.

Make sure the copy and content on your site are up to date. This is important for both SEO purposes and potential clients who find your site. (Note: If writing isn’t your strong suit, this could be something you outsource to a copywriter or you could even trade services.)

Ideally, your website will also have testimonials, a FAQ page, and a way to contact you. To take it up a notch, you can also add booking and payment functionality. Many photographers use a questionnaire where they can learn about prospective clients before confirming a date and taking payment. That’s what Tarango Visual Studio does on their website:

5. Rent equipment as needed

It can be expensive to get into the photography business, and the costs continue to add up when you start to scale. But that doesn’t have to be a barrier to growth.

Even though you’ve probably already built up a collection of gear, there may be occasions when it makes more sense to rent equipment than to buy it. In addition to cameras and lenses, you can rent lighting, studio space, props, and backdrops as needed.

Why would you need to rent equipment? There are a couple of main reasons photographers choose to rent:

• Try before buying. Before you invest thousands in new equipment, renting it beforehand gives you real-world experience. You can use it for a project and see how you like it.
• Take on bigger projects. When you’re scaling a photography business, hopefully you’ll land bigger and bigger projects as you grow. That means you’ll need more help and more equipment. Renting gives you a way to grow sustainably.

Regardless of your motivations, renting can be a cost-effective way to grow your biz.

6. Build relationships (online and IRL)

Referrals and positive reviews will help your business grow, but to get those you need to expand your network — online and in person.

When it comes to digital, stay active on (relevant) social media platforms or build an email newsletter list. Those connections could help you land new jobs or get repeat business. For example, photographer Aundre Larrow’s community engagement on Twitter helped him land a creative residency at Adobe.

You can also dedicate a small amount of time per week (or month) to reconnect with former clients or new connections that you’ve made. To make it efficient, use an email template and tweak as needed. (If you have a virtual assistant, this is a great task to outsource.)

In-person, you can join professional groups, host a head-shot event, or attend conferences. This will look different depending on your niche. You could be attending a Real Estate conference, Outdoor Retailer, or the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) Expo. Go with the intention of meeting potential clients and be prepared to pitch your services.

7. Do great work

Want your clients to refer you or come back to you for repeat business? Nail your projects. Or, as photographer Cole Joseph says, “One of the BEST things you can do is give your clients an experience that will blow them away.”

How can you do that?

• Follow the client’s brief (and clarify any details as necessary).
• Master your studio work. Great lighting can set your shots apart.
• Complete work on time. Send your proofs and final deliverables on or before the agreed-upon dates.
• Provide a seamless experience. A positive attitude and streamlined workflow go a long way.

You’re much more likely to keep and gain clients if you deliver great photos without hassle.

8. Sell stock photography

Selling stock photography is a simple way to generate passive income. Essentially, you upload your photos to an online stock photo marketplace (or multiple). When someone purchases or downloads your image, you earn a commission. Each site has its own payout and terms and conditions.

You have two options when it comes to selling stock photography: microstock or macrostock. So what’s the difference?

Microstock

Most stock photography sites (think Shutterstock and iStockPhoto) have a plethora of photos available at affordable prices. This means there are thousands of people searching for and buying image rights. The downside is the photos sell for less money (meaning you end up with less commission). But with the popularity of microstock sites, it’s a simple way to earn (a usually small but regular) passive income.

Macrostock

Macrostock sites (like Getty) offer buyers exclusive rights to the photos. There will be fewer sales on sites like these, but the payoff is greater. Photos sold on macrostock sites sell for much more money — into the thousands depending on how the image is licensed and sold. If you have some stellar images, this can be another good passive revenue stream.

9. Hire an assistant

If you’re looking to grow, hiring an assistant is one of the smartest steps you can take. Eventually, you’ll hit the point where you can’t produce any more work or take on larger projects. That’s where an extra hand comes in handy.

An assistant can help with lighting, arranging products, and other tasks the day of the shoot. They can also help with tasks such as website updates, marketing, and other communication. Before you hire an assistant, have a good idea of the kind of help you need. Similarly, try to document your general workflow so it’s easier to bring help onboard.

Operate like a business and think like a boss

Whether you hire an assistant, outsource work or use new software, it’s important to adjust your mindset. Think like a CEO: Set goals for your business and find a few ways to get there sustainably. 

Let’s start by taking one task off your plate: editing.

Learn more

The post Sustainably Scaling: How to Grow Your Freelance Photography Business Without Burning Out appeared first on Path Edits.

]]> https://pathedits.com/blogs/tips/sustainable-scale-how-to-grow-your-commercial-photography-business-without-burning-out/feed 0 https://pathedits.com/blogs/tips/the-ecommerce-entrepreneur-s-guide-to-fueling-your-passion-for-business https://pathedits.com/blogs/tips/the-ecommerce-entrepreneur-s-guide-to-fueling-your-passion-for-business#respond Mon, 18 Jan 2021 16:28:12 +0000 https://pathedits.com/blog/the-ecommerce-entrepreneur-s-guide-to-fueling-your-passion-for-business/ Here’s what research (and entrepreneurs) tell you to do to stay inspired.

The post The Ecommerce Entrepreneur’s Guide to Fueling Your Passion for Business appeared first on Path Edits.

]]> You started your ecommerce business out of passion. But what happens when that passion is temporarily misplaced? How do you get it back?

For ecommerce professionals who have to wear all the hats, burnout is a real thing. Add to that the stress of COVID, a lot of people are at a crossroads.

Studies have shown that entrepreneurs are prone to burnout if they are “extremely passionate about work and more socially isolated, have limited safety nets, and operate in high uncertainty.”

In the absence of boredom, one would remain trapped in unfulfilling situations, and miss out on many emotionally, cognitively, and socially rewarding experiences. Boredom is both a warning that we are not doing what we want to be doing and a ‘push’ that motivates us to switch goals and projects.

Source

It’s easy to forget the passion that made you pursue your business in the first place, here are some ways to reignite that creative, entrepreneurial spark.

Monotony: it’s time to shake things up

Per Eight Reasons Why We Get Bored, the first and foremost is linked to monotony of the mind. Dr. Shahram Heshmat explains, “Boredom is similar to mental fatigue and is caused by repetition and lack of interest in the details of our tasks (such as tasks that require continuous attention…). Any experience that is predictable and repetitive becomes boring. In general, too much of the same thing and too little stimulation can cause in its victim an absence of desire and a feeling of entrapment.”

Ask yourself:

• How is your work-life balance? Give yourself extra time off — you deserve it.
• Can you perform certain tasks differently? Change your routine and bust through the boredom of repetition.

One way to set a new routine is to theme your days: Mondays are for marketing, Tuesdays are for accounting, Wednesdays are for shipping/receiving, etc. Having different tasks daily can help break up the sameness that can sometimes take over. 

The lesson here is that there isn’t one right way to shake things up for you and your business. You might end up trying a few things that don’t work before you find what makes sense for you. And that’s okay.

Novelty: adding new products or services

Maybe what you’re missing is the excitement of NEW.

Sometimes what we need to reignite our passion (for our business) is to create something new, like a new product or perhaps a new bundle. This can be a great way to bring back the initial excitement from when we first launched.

Take more risks in your business by trying new things, like special offers or events like live tutorials may be just what the entrepreneur doctor ordered. Create two offers and call us in the morning.

Entertainment: the right playlist for the job

Music is good for your health, improving both mood and memory while reducing stress and anxiety. Further studies have shown that background music has certain cognitive effects on adults, including increased productivity.

Music releases the dopamine in your brain, which helps transform your overall mood and behavior. That said, creating a playlist can be a great way to help stimulate the dopamine on a daily basis.

The trick is to find the music that suits the tasks at hand. Tiffany DaSilva, founder of Flowjo, has different playlists depending on the day’s schedule. “It’s all about layering for me. First, I put on Coffitivity because for some reason the sounds of people talking in a café really help me stay focused. Then, I usually play either Louisiana Swamp Blues or Afrobeats depending on the type of work I’m doing over it.” 

Outsource: so you can focus on what you love

Sometimes, as entrepreneurs, we take on more than we should. And oftentimes, some of these daily tasks can easily be outsourced. Sure, it’s hard to let go but it’s often necessary because then we can get back to our passions.

Outsourcing doesn’t have to be a big, bad word. In fact, it often leads to business growth, as it did for the founders of Speak Skincare. Their tips? Vet your [outsourcing] options, provide direction, trust professionals and maximize your investment. 

When looking to outsource certain jobs, consider your strengths and hire (experts) for your weaknesses. What tasks can be outsourced? Any and all tasks, like marketing, sales, accounting, inventory management and fulfillment, product photography, and everything in between.

Your why: go back to the beginning

As Simon Sinek famously says, “Start with why.”

Getting back to your “why,” the reason you started your business, can often reignite those feelings you had earlier on.

Flowjo’s DaSilva explains, “One of the biggest ways I keep things fresh in my business is usually taking a step back and ignoring what everyone else is doing. I try to connect with why I started the business to begin with and try to find my way back.”

If you need a why-refresher, make a list of all the reasons you started your business in the first place (make more money, do what you love, don’t report to anyone, work-life balance, create something new, innovate, stand-out, etc.).

Then, consider what you still love and what makes you less excited when you think about your business. What are your business goals for the next year? Three years? Five years? Looking forward to your successes can help reignite that passion.

And sometimes, putting a sticky note on your wall or laptop with your Why in black marker can help to remind you on a regular basis, like an affirmation.

Community: joining ecommerce groups

As entrepreneurs, we’re often left to our own devices, which can get lonely. Not having colleagues to bounce ideas off of, troubleshoot issues, or share wins brings its own set of challenges.

That’s why finding like-minded entrepreneurs, specifically ecommerce entrepreneurs, can be instrumental in your success. Not only can they act as peers but you might also find the mentor or coach you didn’t know you needed.

Surrounding yourself with people who get it can make all the difference in the world. Joining communities and groups can be helpful and help bring back some of that passion.

Here are some ecommerce groups you can join:

• ecommTalk: there are more than 4,000 Shopify merchants and partners in this group
• ECN Community: a new-ish Slack community en francais (in French)
• Ecommerce Entrepreneurs: bringing together ecomm professionals to learn and grow
• Digital Marketing Questions: social media, analytics, SEO ecomm questions answered
• Cener Ecommerce Mastermind: founded by Justin Cener, this group is everything ecomm
• Ecommerce Elites Mastermind: also not a traditional mastermind, but this group is platform agnostic and helps answer your Qs 

Self-care: A little self-care never hurt anyone

Self-care is the buzzword du jour. But it’s never been more relevant (or needed) than during a worldwide pandemic and quarantine.

Maybe you’re overworking or maybe you need a little pick-me-up, either way self-care is the remedy.

Dr. Matthew Glowiak, a clinical faculty member in Southern New Hampshire University’s master’s in clinical mental health counseling program, explains, “By taking some time out to engage in self-care, you may relieve the pressures of everyday life and reset yourself to get back to a healthy point where productivity is once again maximized.”

It’s important to remember that self-care is different for everyone, and there shouldn’t be any shame in what brings you peace. For some, that might be a bubble bath and some soothing jazz, while for others it can be lifting weights or running a marathon.

For Alexandre Naggar, founder of RSD Bikes, self-care means riding bikes (yes, plural) 3-5 times per week. “It’s good for the body and the mind,” he explains, as well as spending time with his wife and twin daughters.

Get your passion back

It happens to most entrepreneurs that you lose a bit (or a lot) of your passion at some point or another.

The trick is finding creative ways to bring that same passion back that fueled you to start your own business in the first place. Remember: what works for you, knowing that can be different than everyone else and that’s ok. 

Find out how you can outsource tedious ecommerce photo edits to your trusted virtual photo-editing studio

Learn more

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