Wix is a free website builder tool, for the quick and easy creation of quality Flash websites. There are more than 4 million websites online created with Wix, and a significant portion of these are photography portfolios, exhibition fliers and websites of professional photography services.
Although the web software is flexible enough for any niche, and was not built exclusively to host photography-related sites, it has emerged as a favorite among photographers. Several features offered by the tool are cited by Wix photographers are responsible for this:
Visual Appeal. Flash web design offers photographers the ability to showcase their work in a way that is not matched by other mark-up languages. Animated photo galleries, flawless page transitions, interactive effects and high resolution images give Wix websites the visual appeal that photographers value.
The Freedom Enabled by Drag & Drop. Wix is a graphic, drag-and-drop editor tool. Fully customized websites can be easily created in minutes and just a few clicks. With no need to code, photographers can focus their creative energy on the aesthetics of their web design, rather than technical nuance.
Free Gallery of Photography Templates. Wix provides an extensive gallery of free photography website templates with features suited specifically for photographers. Most templates include separate pages for the homepage, artist’s bio, gallery of work and contact information. Everything found within a template is free to use and customize.
Originality. Photographers are artists. Everything inside a template is fully customizable in just a few clicks. Items like images, clip art, icons, widgets, buttons and more can be tweaked and adjusted, changing their size, color, location on a page, settings, effects and more.
SEO Friendly. Photographers with Wix sites enjoy high rankings in Google, Yahoo! and the other search engines. Although Wix is a Flash platform, xml files contained within each Wix site mirror the Flash into HTML code, fed directly to search engine crawlers.
Inspiration & Community Resources. A bustling community of creative professionals connect through various Wix channels. The Wix Photography Blog produces constantly churns out tips and tricks. Photographers can gain inspiration through the work of other Wix photographers, inside the “Explore” section of the Wix homepage. The Wix Photography Facebook fan page and Twitter account are constantly buzzing with news on updated features, Wix promotions, events, and more.
Update as Your Business Grows. You can save your website creation and return anytime you like to make full-scale changes, add or remove photos, or just tweak your design. Simply clicking “Save” will apply any changes instantlyto the published version of the site.
Online Shop. Upgrading to an eCommerce premium package transforms a free website into a fully functional online shop. Photographers sell work and services directly from their sites, with a Shopping Cart widget.
Promotional Opportunities. Wix provides several platforms for photographers to gain exposure to the online community. Artists can submit their websites to the Wix Photography Blog to get featured in a post. Photographers are also widely featured on the Wix homepage, as a Wix of the Day website.
Affordability. Free features include access and usage of the online editor, Wix hosting under the Wix domain, the entire gallery of Flash website templates, and the items found inside Wix (i.e. images, widgets, icons, etc.) Photographers wishing to gain an extra professional edge can upgrade a free photography website to a premium package, and gain access to advanced features like domain ownership, and integration with Google Analytics. There are many premium packages to choose from with flexible pricing options.
Examples of Wix photography websites can be seen at www.wix.com/sample/website. Click “Photography” in the Category list.