Why You Should Switch to PhotoBiz 9
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Wednesday, July 27, 2022
By Jeremy H.
Originally published July 2020, revised July 2022
PhotoBiz features and tools just keep getting better and better. We recently released tons of new features and enhancements to the PhotoBiz platform. All these new elements are exclusive to PhotoBiz 9, the most advanced website builder for photographers. Thousands of professional photographers are already taking advantage of its incredible features.
The PhotoBiz platform is always evolving. If you were a customer before 2022, you may not have made the jump to PhotoBiz 9, yet. No worries, we want to walk you through making the switch.
If you are a current customer and not quite sure what product you have, here is a breakdown of our current and past platforms.
PhotoBiz 9 (2022 - Present)
PhotoBiz 9 is the most advanced website builder today. It has new features and enhancements that our previous builders didn't have and is 4X faster than PhotoBiz 8! It is also more secure. And we have plans to add even more new features.
If you don’t have a PhotoBiz website, see how we compare with other website builders.
PhotoBiz 8 (2018 - 2022)
PhotoBiz 8 was the predecessor to PhotoBiz 9. It included a versatile and modern collection of website templates, and robust tools to help your business perform and grow. All PhotoBiz 8 users were automatically upgraded to PhotoBiz 9 when it released.
Legacy Builder (2013 - 2018, no longer updated)
This website builder featured vertical page designs based on the use of specific page types (home, gallery, info) and a collection of layouts. You can still edit and add customization to a website using the legacy builder, however, we are no longer making updates to this builder.
Portfolio Builder (2008 - 2015, no longer updated)
The portfolio builder was a smartphone-friendly website builder that featured horizontal page designs (no vertical scroll) and allowed you to create individual pages and galleries to showcase your work. Many tools like a Store, Blog, and Proofing were available as add-ons (newer versions of these tools are included with the PhotoBiz 9 platform).
Flash Website Builder (2004 - 2013, no longer supported)
Our first website builder allowed people to set up and style Flash websites. It was a simple tool with a focus on interactivity and was a pioneer in the early years of the web. With the rise of smart devices and new software enhancements, Flash is no longer supported by web browsers. We no longer offer or support Flash websites.
DIY
You can switch to PhotoBiz 9 with a push of a button. In the WEBSITE tab of your control panel, look for the TRY PHOTOBIZ 9 button. When you click it, you will be prompted to switch your site to PhotoBiz 9 and choose a new template. Don't worry. Your new site won't go live till you tell it to.
You can click around and preview what each page of your new website will look like before you select the template you want.
Import your content or start fresh
After you select a template (which you can change at any time), you'll be asked if you want to import your existing website content or start fresh using the template's pre-filled layout.
What happens if I choose import?
The import tool is pretty handy if you're happy with how your current website looks and how the content is organized.
When you choose to import your content, our system will take your existing images and text and put them into the PhotoBiz 9 platform for you. The import tool is pretty smart! If you don't have a lot of extra code or CSS on your current site, we find that it is about 90% accurate.
Note: Keep in mind that you only have one (1) chance to import your website content using this automated tool. If you "start fresh," you'll have to reupload all of your images and re-enter all of your text content.
After you import your content, look over the pages of your website and make sure everything is where you want it before you go live. The PhotoBiz 9 version of your website will be hidden from visitors until you publish it.
Note: We recommend importing your content, and then updating your photos after the import. Over the years we have optimized our system to support and build websites with larger images. Depending on when your photos were originally uploaded, they may not be the optimal size for our current website builder. Plus, your work may have changed too. Use this as an opportunity to showcase your best and current work!
What happens if I start fresh?
Starting fresh means that your images and content will NOT be imported into the PhotoBiz 9 website builder.
The system will load placeholder content based on the template you select. Then you can customize it.
Using the PhotoBiz 9 website builder is a lot like building with blocks. Instead of having preset page types, you can make each page your own based on the blocks you choose to build with. When you select a template for the first time, there will be blocks with images, and placeholder text for you to edit, move, configure, and load your own content into.
Starting fresh is great if you want to try a brand new look for your website and take advantage of our designer-styled layouts! Our designers created a great collection of website templates for you to pop in your own words and images.
Launching Your PhotoBiz 9 Website
Your existing website will remain live and accessible to your customers until you set your new PhotoBiz 9 website as your main site (you can do this in domains section of the control panel). This gives you time to play around with and perfect your new website. You can switch back and forth between working in the new and old builder by clicking the link in the upper right that says "GO TO LEGACY BUILDER."
PRO TIP: It's a good idea to open up two tabs (one with the legacy builder, one with PhotoBiz 9) so you can quickly move between the two versions of your site while you build.
Once you have set up and styled your new website and are ready to launch it, go to the LEFT SIDE MENU and click DOMAINS. Then click EDIT MAIN and select your PHOTOBIZ 9 SUBDOMAIN and click SAVE CHANGES.
If you need help, we're here for you
Take some time to explore the PhotoBiz 9 builder to see what's new! There are a ton of new features, blocks, layouts, and options. No changes will be pushed to your existing site until you are ready to make it your main site.
If you get stuck, click on the question mark icon in the bottom right corner of the control panel to access the PhotoBiz Assistant. You can watch tutorial videos, read knowledge base articles, and submit support tickets. There is also a chat icon in the bottom right corner. Click on it to live chat with our support team!
Want us to do it update your website for you? Get our We Build It For You service.
With our We Build It For You service, our Pro Services team will assist you in setting up your content on the PhotoBiz 9 platform. We'll import your current site into the PhotoBiz website template of your choice and personalize it to match your branding. Then we'll optimize it for SEO. We'll help you quickly launch your new website.
Once your new website is set up, our support team will walk you through how to make updates and changes to your website. By making the switch to PhotoBiz 9, you'll not only be unlocking tons of new templates and features for your website like pop-up banners and sticky bars, you'll also get access to new tools like our scheduler for online appointment booking, and much more.
If you need help deciding how to make the switch to PhotoBiz 9, CALL US at 866.463.7620! Our team is happy to help you get started.