When Daniel Frank the President of HostedFTP.com emailed WPA and suggested we give his file sharing program a test drive I was slow to take up the offer.  I played a bit, uploaded some files and thought well it might be useful sometime in the future.

Don't make the same mistake as me! When I created an account using the 30 day free trial and really looked at what this piece of software has to offer I saw how beneficial it was going to be. Its ease of use in a very secure environment plus the added advantage of branding made sure I added this piece of essential software to my photographic tools that is now in use on a daily basis.

HostedFTP.com Web Site

Top 5 issues to consider

The move to digital photography has created both opportunities and challenges for photographers. While there is now the possibility to present clients with greater choice and selection due to the reduced cost of shooting digital, photographers must grapple with how to deliver and manage ever increasing numbers of large files. This article gives a quick overview of the key issues that photographers need to address when deciding how best to share files online with their clients.

1. Security: Oops you shouldn’t have seen that

All file sharing solutions tout security when it comes to physically guarding your files, that however is just the start. There must be a way to ensure your clients only see their files and not the files of other clients. Security levels should be configurable by client; requiring the use of passwords means clients have to complete a password selection process that might be confusing and time consuming, this should therefore be optional. Encryption must be used whenever files are uploaded or downloaded to ensure that nobody can snoop as to their contents.

Secure Image Viewing

2. Ease of use – this bar has a two click maximum

There are two points of view to take into account when you consider whether a file sharing solution is easy to use – yours and your clients. From either perspective the learning curve must be minimal. Requiring clients to signup or create an account in order to receive files or otherwise participate in sharing files with you should be viewed with caution. The process of sharing or receiving files should be straightforward and simple. Wizards should provide step by step instructions and a few clicks of the mouse should be enough to receive and download shared files. A robust notification system that alerts you and your clients as to when files are shared, received or downloaded will help streamline jobs and avoid unnecessary follow up emails. The ultimate test is when you try to use a solution for the first time – if you can’t figure it out chances are your clients will have similar issues on their end.

An interface that is easy to navigate

3. Cost – if it costs an arm and a leg how can you take a picture?

The days of paying large sums of money up front for software are thankfully coming to a close. Your file sharing solution should let you get started with no setup fees or a minimal one. The cost to you should reflect how much you are using the system, when you are busy it stands to reason you would pay more, when you aren’t you should automatically pay less. The best way to achieve this mix is with a 'pay as you' go system that bills you monthly (or quarterly) based on your actual usage. Avoid plans which require you to guess ahead of time how much storage you will need, you will likely end up paying for storage you don’t use.

4. Collaboration – let’s all work together

Sharing files online opens the door to a whole new way of collaborating with your clients and you should take full advantage. Clients should be able to browse online the files you share, this can help streamline the selection process and speed up your workflow significantly. At some point you will need to receive files from your clients (maybe feedback or a marked up image), your file sharing solution must seamlessly provide this functionality. Advanced features, such as tracking versions or revisions, should be available but not required for use; you should be able to walk before you run.

Clients can browse thumbnails than view larger image

5. Marketing  – put your best foot forward

Photography is a very competitive business, you need to constantly remind your clients of the great work you are doing for them. The ability to add your corporate branding to your account and have it prominently displayed is vital. Remember that when choosing a solution you need to think about your needs as well as your clients’ needs – this means ad supported (or supposedly “free”) file sharing services, which inconvenience and annoy your clients with banners or other forms of advertising roadblocks, should be carefully considered.

Make the site your own - add your own brand logo

Conclusion

There are a multitude of file sharing options for the photographer on offer today thanks to the Internet. When making your decision keep in mind the issues mentioned above. Ultimately your success as a photographer will be impacted, in either a positive or negative way, based on how you decide to share files with your clients. FTP replacement for business, file sharing that is secure, reliable and easy to use.

Daniel Frank is the President of HostedFTP.com. www.HostedFTP.com. Single Wrench offers a file sharing solution that is secure, reliable and easy to use. Built to replace FTP servers, Single Wrench is designed to save you money while improving your network security.