How do people feel about members who advertise their blog on their photos?

[sharonb]

How do people feel about members who advertise their blog on their photos? 

Would people like to have a paid for listing of blogs on the site?

 

At the moment it is against the rules to stamp your blog address on photos as I ask members not to advertise on the site. If people want to advertise they can contact me about a paid spot as advertising pays the site hosting bills. 

 

If people want to water stamp a photograph for copyright reasons I ask them to use their name not their blog address but often this is ignored since photos are pulled from flickr. 

That said since I don't plaster adverts all over the place for my blog - and I pay for this site. I spend time hustling for the advertising and worrying over the bills.

 

At first I did not mind the odd photo appearing with a blog stamp on it, but I notice more and more people are joining the community in order to direct people to blogs or sites. I feel it is a little unfair on others who have contributed to the community and dont bend the rules on this.

 

If I offer a place to advertise blogs small business etc how would peopel feel? 

 

 

 

[Annette Garcia]

I like seeing the wide range of photo's on here and do like seeing a link in the photo description to where I can read more details about the work. I don't mind what is in the photo watermark, as long as the watermark itself is not obtrusive.

I do dislike those photos where the watermark is more visible than the details on the photos.  I know that watermarks are needed to protect copyright but not to the point where we cannot see the actual photo. Such "watermarks" are advertising not protection. 

I suspect that I am a typical member, who mainly visits the site to see all the wonderful work done by others and not overwhelmed by advertising.

[Janet M. Davies]

Opps sorry I will not put my blog address in my posts again. :)

[Loren Frantzen-Murris]

I can not agree more with you Sharon !! I have always been so pleasantly surprised by this sharing and connecting people with same interest !!!!! It should not make any difference if you make one project a year or hundred, if you want to share ,this is the place and it should stay like that.There are stitchers that are not in the position to have a blog/website for whatever reason but just visit here to share !!! If you are interested in someones work there are several other ways to find out about that person on the net. For me personally advertising on the projects photo has a opposite effect, I am not encouraged to have a look. I don't think that people that do advertise on there photo realise that perhaps I am not the only one. It is a little like is when you buy Art-postcards, if you really like it very much , you look on the backside for information. When people like your work KBSalasar they will find you, I am sure , but please let this site be the way it was meant . 
sharonb said:

There is a blog group here on stitchin fingers, where people can talk about their blogs and of course leave their web addy - and it's a group I often browse myself just to see if there are any great blogs out there I missing out on. 

The group is called our blogs

Also everyone has a 'my page' where they can list not only their blog but any other website they have too. 

Of course as a blogger myself I understand why people want to promote their blog.  I dont want to stop people linking to articles they have written that are a genuine resource to the community but I would like bloggers to recognize the difference between self interest and community building and act accordingly.

For instance we have the tutorials page where I am listing some of the great resources that blogger provide.   Sounds like I am grumpy about it - I am not as I too want to know when there is interesting stuff to read or see online. I just dont want the place over run with folks who are here to promote rather than participate. I hope folks can sense the differnce

[Sibille Kreideweiss]

I watermark my pictures for obvious copyright reasons. What I've uploaded here, is free of it (and will stay this way) and hopefully small enough it can't be copied. That's the result of non-marked pictures - they won't be large enough to show details, as I'm not interested in others taking the pictures and recreate. All pictures can be seen publicly, so literally everyone can copy them. Can't say I've seen a huge trend. We should keep in mind that designers mark their pictures for above reason, not to direct others to their sites.

Why is it that everyone thinks automatically that others only want to advertise this way? I don't understand that everything is seen immediately so negative, instead of seeing the reason behind it. It's immediately considered self promotion, increasing traffic to websites e.g. This is not so. I don't deny that some might have exactly this in mind, but I think it's wrong to see this kind of thinking immediately in everyone. we can also get traffic via tutorials to our website

I was a member of a group, where I was constantly reprimanded when I loaded a picture into my folder to show others. I was immediately seen as someone who just wants to promote because I'm a designer. Which was wrong, because these groups are the least to bring you any sales, because freebies is all they are after. I just wanted to share. However, I was always welcome to solve problems and help others. Needless to say I left this group.

I'm always happy to help, but I think it's wrong to see advertising and self promotion in each and everything people do, because they have designed it. When it is allowed to share links of other websites that also sell, why is it wrong for a designer to protect his intellectual property with a watermark, at least stating the name?

This is a wonderful board, and should stay that way. I love it. We just should be careful not always seeing the wrong site. I hope I haven't stepped on anyone's toes, if so, I apologize for it.

[Janet M. Davies]

Sibille I sometime think people forget that even though we are designers and sell some of the things/patterns we stitch. We like everyone else are proud of what we have made and want to show it to other stitchers to get comments. I am sure most want more than a "That looks lovely dear' from those in our houshold.

As for putting a name on the photos I have had many occasions when people have used my photos as backgrounds in their blogs etc and not asked to use the photo of given credit. Also I have found at least 3 over the years that have put a photo of my stitching in their blog and telling people 'they' have stitched it.

I do put links to my blog in the past as I have put bigger photos or from different angles.

But I understand Sharon having her rules and that is cool with me. :)

[sharonb]

Yes Janet names on photos are fine as even though you dont have to do that in order to claim copyright it stops people from saying it was their work.

I want to make it clear I do not mind people putting their name to their work on their photos but I dont like blogs and websites stamped on the photos as that is advertising in my opinion. One I see as making it very clear who owns the copyright and the other as an advert. 

That said, if people want to pay for advertising on this site and help support the network they just have to contact me! 

[Janet M. Davies]

It is not thecopyright thing as such. But people in the future not claiming them as their own stitching. :)

[Marianne Squire-Maszer]

I couldn't agree more or have said it better!

Hopscotch said:

I feel this website was set up by Sharon, as a meeting place of like minded, talented people with a willingness to share knowledge and develop and promote a love of all things textile - not to use the website  as a route to

self-promotion. 

An area where members pay for the links would, at least mean that some would contribute to the site, which we all of us are lucky to share!  If we members want to view blogs and commercial websites we have the option of doing so, and not having them displayed as a matter of course.

Barbara

[Cathleen Savage]

I think the current rules are fine and the paid ads ARE a good way to support the site.  Seems like there are enough avenues to publicize one's business or blog on the site.

[Ms Sharma]

Hi Sharon,

I am sorry I just came across this thread

I never knew that stamping blog address across photo meant advertising my blog. But that is my fault. One should be aware of the rules of the group or community. I am sorry.

A rule is a rule to be followed. I will remove my photos and add new ones. Just give me some time.

I am a working person and don't get much time to do blogging. I stamp my photos for copy right reasons only. In order to load a photo, I need to do so many things-like editing, cropping, resizing and then adding water mark. Sometimes it takes so much time that I am too tired to put it on my blog. Moreover picking up photos from already loaded sites are easy. If I have to post on each group a separately stamped photo, it would take lot of time for me.

I don't use my blog for commercial reasons like providing paid lessons or sales etc. My aim is only to share what I know with others for free.

I agree with what kbsalazar has said.

Yet the owner of the group or community should be respected and we should abide by the rules.

I will replace my photos at the earliest possible please. This site is a real good one and a great learning place. I respect the Rules of the community

[Jennifer Vaughn]

I can see not wanting people to list blogs that advertise sales but you do allow us to list our blogs on our home pages so I don't understand not wanting the photos to show a blog address? Am I miss-understanding what you are unhappy with? 

[sharonb]

Jennifer 

Photos appear on the front page of the site and many people head straight for the photos every morning - I know I do - as that is where the fresh new stuff appears. Where as listing on your page it is on your page  and the people that visit you are interested in you so its Ok. One is in your face and the other is not. 

I have decided to offer anyone who does the opportunity to pay for advertising and help support the site.