How to Monitarily Support the LetterMemories Website

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Written by: Jim Parker
Category: Marketing
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I plan to store tiff files on a local SSD and to upload resized jpg to amazon S3 to be displayed on lettermemories. I am thinking of restricting uploaded sizes to a maximum width of 800px. Viewers are welcome to copy the images and reuse. However, if they want copies of the original tiff files, i plan to charge a fee for that in order to help support the website. Any ideas?

 

Technical Implementation

  1. Automate the Workflow:

    • Use a script to batch resize TIFF files to 800px JPGs and upload them to S3.
    • Automate this process using tools like Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, or ImageMagick combined with S3 CLI commands.

  2. Metadata Preservation:

    • Ensure that metadata like copyright and attribution is included in both the TIFF and JPG files for tracking and potential legal claims.

  3. JPG Compression Settings:

    • Choose a balance between quality and file size to optimize loading speed without sacrificing clarity.

  4. Use S3 Presigned URLs for TIFFs:

    • Generate time-limited, presigned links for TIFF downloads upon purchase, ensuring secure access.

Monetization Strategy

  1. Set a Reasonable Price:

    • Price the TIFF files reasonably based on the value of the original high-quality images and the target audience's willingness to pay.
    • Consider offering bulk discounts for multiple files.

  2. Offer Download Bundles:

    • Allow users to buy themed or categorized bundles of TIFF files at a discounted price.

  3. Highlight the Benefits of TIFFs:

    • Educate users on the advantages of TIFF files (e.g., archival quality, high resolution, lossless format) to encourage purchases.

User Experience

  1. Image Previews:

    • Use low-resolution watermarked previews of TIFFs (optional) to give users an idea of the content they’re purchasing.
    • Clearly display the JPGs for free download.

  2. Purchase Portal:

    • Add a simple e-commerce solution for TIFF purchases on lettermemories.com (e.g., Joomla extensions like HikaShop or EasyDigitalDownloads).

  3. Licensing Options:

    • Provide different purchase tiers, such as personal use, commercial use, or full copyright transfer, with pricing based on the use case.

  4. Highlight Support:

    • Emphasize that purchases support the ongoing preservation and sharing of historical documents and photos to appeal to the audience’s sense of contribution.

Marketing and Engagement

  1. Promote Free JPGs:

    • Encourage sharing and reuse of JPGs with attribution or a small embedded logo, directing people back to lettermemories.com.

  2. Offer Exclusive Content:

    • Provide limited-time discounts or exclusive access to specific TIFF collections for paid members or contributors.

  3. Community Involvement:

    • Allow users to donate or become sponsors to help preserve the archive, with perks like free TIFF downloads after reaching certain donation milestones.

Future Scalability

  1. Patreon or Subscription Model:

    • Offer patrons exclusive access to newly digitized collections or early releases of TIFF files.

  2. Advanced Search Tools:

    • Implement tagging and categorization to make it easier for users to find images they’re willing to purchase.

  3. Collaborate with Historians or Artists:

    • Partner with professionals who might have an interest in purchasing high-quality archival material.