Can anybody explain to me the Flickr thing as it pertains to polymer clay? I realize it's a photo-sharing website, but I'm starting to get the feeling there's a lot more to it. I poked around in there today and found a lot of polymer clay groups and artists, so now I'm wondering if there's more of a "community" aspect to it than I realized.
Do any of you use flickr? And if so, what do you *do* when you get there? Just poke around until you see new images that appeal to you? participate in discussions? Is there one main clay area where all of the big names can be found posting their eye candy?
Educate me :-)
Lisa
Do any of you use flickr? And if so, what do you *do* when you get there? Just poke around until you see new images that appeal to you? participate in discussions? Is there one main clay area where all of the big names can be found posting their eye candy?
Educate me :-)
Lisa
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Lots of the international clayers seem to be using Flickr groups rather than formal forum sites like Delphi or their own BB setups. For example, there's a PCAOEG group for the clay artists at etsy. There's a mostly portugese & spanish group that my site gets traffic off, an all canes group that also my site gets traffic off. The groups have access to a simple threaded message board and polls.
You can tag and sort your images on Flickr up the wazoo. It has an official no advertising of sale items - this can get you unindexed, so searches and google won't find you - but lots of people sell their stuff anyways. The shop at Flickr allows some very convenient printed stuff with your photosets there so that could be convenient. I've heard good things about the Flickr Moo business cards.
I haven't really dug in much there because I use an antiquated version of nutscape for my regular surfing and the flickr widgets don't work with it. So I have to fire up a more recent version or FF and I am an old dog.
It's on the list though... will have to do more, good marketing there if nothing else and more eye candy than you can imagine.
Thanks for the flickr primer. I have to spend a little time there, maybe post some images of some of the things I've done lately.
I'm also toying with the idea of opening an etsy shop. I already have my creations up on my website, but sales are pretty much non-existent. At least if I try etsy, I'll know whether the lack of sales thus far is because of the *way* I've been selling them or because nobody actually likes them, LOL!
We're enjoying a moderate amount of success with Etsy and Ebay so far - will give JB a try and a few of the other handmade sites.
The other benefits of the bloggy sites - and all the sites that have enabled trackbacks / pings and rss are the fact that they make the networking so easy. The sites talk to each other and as long as there are regular changes and updates, it keeps the search engines there.
For what it's worth - your blog here turns up in the top few for polymer clay blogs on google cause polkadotcreations is rated highly and links to it. Your ETSY will too, for same reason.
I looked into the PCAGOE recently, but decided that I wouldn't join just yet, as I don't think I could really devote the time I'd need to devote. I get busy with the book store end of things sometimes and don't actually make any claythings for *months* at a time.
I think I've seen your flickr group, but I have to check again. I really haven't gotten much of a chance to explore there since my post. I got sucked into etsy and blogs and am already overwhelmed with all of the eye candy and inspiration - I'm not sure I can handle more right now, LOL!
Lisa