intuitive and easy to use:
"how-to" guide on how it works
"how-to" guide on how it works
WORKFLOW
1. Getting Started
Sign up, User Profile & Organization Setup
Sign Up
There is nothing to install. All you need is a Web browser and Internet connection.
Sign up, follow the instructions and get free GetArchive account, website, widgets and more!
Sign up, follow the instructions and get free GetArchive account, website, widgets and more!
| Sign Up |
User Profile, Collaborators, Invites
When you signed in, the first page you see is your User Profile.
Click on the pencil symbol to update your profile name, avatar, email and password. At the screen bottom, find a list of organizations where you are a member or an administrator.
To invite new members to an organization, you should have administrative access.
Click on the pencil symbol to update your profile name, avatar, email and password. At the screen bottom, find a list of organizations where you are a member or an administrator.
To invite new members to an organization, you should have administrative access.
| Edit User Profile |
Organizations, Membership
To publish archives, you have to create or join existing organization. It can be your "personal" organization or a larger organization you are the member of. A user can be a member of multiple organizations.
Once you're done with your user account setup, in "Memberships" section, click Create Or Join Organization button or click on any of the organizations you are already a member of and proceed to the organization profile screen.
Once you're done with your user account setup, in "Memberships" section, click Create Or Join Organization button or click on any of the organizations you are already a member of and proceed to the organization profile screen.
Organization Default META Data
ORGANIZATION PROFILE is where you can find and edit organization info, address, URL, add logo, cover and more.
To edit organization's defaults and invite new members to an organization, you should have administrative access.
DEFAULTS is a handy way to keep your account media and collections META Data consistent. It makes it easier to manage and organize. Defaults may include the name and address of your organization, default URL of your website, default historical period and default location name and geotag. Default values will be automatically assigned to every new object you or your team members upload.
To edit organization's defaults and invite new members to an organization, you should have administrative access.
DEFAULTS is a handy way to keep your account media and collections META Data consistent. It makes it easier to manage and organize. Defaults may include the name and address of your organization, default URL of your website, default historical period and default location name and geotag. Default values will be automatically assigned to every new object you or your team members upload.
Collaborators, Access Management
COLLABORATORS: The lists of users participating in organization's activities;
Administrators vs. Members:
There are two types of users roles: Administrators and Members. Your organization designates at least one person as the account administrator. Administrators can invite new collaborators to the team and assign user roles. Administrators can edit organization information and set up default organization's parameters such as default tags, geotags, and dates. Users with member status cannot change the default parameters. However, they may have full control of individual object tags, location/position, dates, and descriptions.
Administrators vs. Members:
There are two types of users roles: Administrators and Members. Your organization designates at least one person as the account administrator. Administrators can invite new collaborators to the team and assign user roles. Administrators can edit organization information and set up default organization's parameters such as default tags, geotags, and dates. Users with member status cannot change the default parameters. However, they may have full control of individual object tags, location/position, dates, and descriptions.
2. Uploading
Uploads, META Data, Slugs, Tags, Geotags and Dates
Uploading Media
Uploads tab is where your organization members upload media files. To publish media (images), find the tab "Uploads" at the top of Organization screen.
GetArchive supports uploading in batches. The process is relying upon your browser's resources, so on older machines, we recommend to upload max 200 large image files (megabytes per image). For newer machines or smaller files, batches of 500+ files should cause no problems.
GetArchive supports uploading in batches. The process is relying upon your browser's resources, so on older machines, we recommend to upload max 200 large image files (megabytes per image). For newer machines or smaller files, batches of 500+ files should cause no problems.
Your First Upload
On the Organization screen, click Uploads from the top menu, and you will see a screen like this.
Click "+" button, choose where from your files will be uploaded and follow instructions.
Videos. GetArchive can handle various media types. The most popular media type is image type. Videos should be hosted on YouTube. More media types and hosted videos will be added soon.
Click "+" button, choose where from your files will be uploaded and follow instructions.
Videos. GetArchive can handle various media types. The most popular media type is image type. Videos should be hosted on YouTube. More media types and hosted videos will be added soon.
Upload Sources
GetArchive supports uploads from a local machine, from Dropbox and import Youtube video data.
GetArchive provides means to organize and manage video collections hosted on YouTube.
Youtube videos are not counting towards your payment plan, so it's free to organize them.
GetArchive provides means to organize and manage video collections hosted on YouTube.
Youtube videos are not counting towards your payment plan, so it's free to organize them.
Upload Videos
Videos: The most popular video hosting is YouTube. It has many capabilities other video hosting services don't: it's fast, mobile-friendly, works like a clock, and it's Free. It is also crucial that video publishers can make money on YouTube.
However, YouTube hosting is missing tools that many customers including influencers, libraries, and archives need to have to keep their collections organized. For instance, on YouTube, a user cannot assign or search by a historical period: video's upload timestamp is in use.
However, YouTube hosting is missing tools that many customers including influencers, libraries, and archives need to have to keep their collections organized. For instance, on YouTube, a user cannot assign or search by a historical period: video's upload timestamp is in use.
Upload Dialog
When a user starts uploading your files, the user sees a screen like this:
Start Upload. Upload of images from local machine takes some time, depending on files size and Internet connection.
Upload from Dropbox is much faster. Video "upload" takes no time since only YouTube META and links are imported.
Start Upload. Upload of images from local machine takes some time, depending on files size and Internet connection.
Upload from Dropbox is much faster. Video "upload" takes no time since only YouTube META and links are imported.
Upload Complete
This screen shows Upload results. If some of your files failed to upload, they might be corrupt, or their names include non-standard symbols. Fix and re-upload.
Sometimes, if your computer is old, or your files are too large or too many, the process may stall. If it happens, cancel the upload, refresh the page and re-upload in smaller batches.
Sometimes, if your computer is old, or your files are too large or too many, the process may stall. If it happens, cancel the upload, refresh the page and re-upload in smaller batches.
View Upload
When the upload is complete, the user can review it by clicking "View Upload." After clicking on "View Upload," the next screen looks like this one.
Click on any image to see the original image info (note that if your image had EXIF META Data embedded, the data from Image's Exif should be successfully imported).
Youtube video's Meta Data should be also imported automatically.
Now it's time to organize your archive by adding or editing META Data for uploaded files!
Click on any image to see the original image info (note that if your image had EXIF META Data embedded, the data from Image's Exif should be successfully imported).
Youtube video's Meta Data should be also imported automatically.
Now it's time to organize your archive by adding or editing META Data for uploaded files!
3. Meta Data
Titles, Summary, Tags, Geotags and Dates
Automated META Data Import
A handy method to import objects META Data is to include your META into image's EXIF. EXIF is the wide-spread standard that allows metadata to be included in the image file. Modern digital cameras, including mobile phones, automatically add parameters such as date and geolocation into the image file when taking photographs.
When the user uploads images with EXIF information, GetArchive imports META data automatically. You can review and edit META data later. We recommend using EXIF to save user's time.
When the user uploads images with EXIF information, GetArchive imports META data automatically. You can review and edit META data later. We recommend using EXIF to save user's time.
Tagging
A method to organize media is to add relevant tags. If object's information was included in imported image EXIF, and when importing YouTube videos, META Data such as tags and description should be already assigned to the imported media.
Now it's time to add META Data or edit imported META Data: remove irrelevant tags, add new tags, titles, summaries, add dates. It can be done separately one by one imported object, or by use of mass edit actions.
Now it's time to add META Data or edit imported META Data: remove irrelevant tags, add new tags, titles, summaries, add dates. It can be done separately one by one imported object, or by use of mass edit actions.
Massive Tagging and META Data Editing
If your file came with EXIF META tags, it should be automatically imported. If there is nothing to import, the default organization values will be applied to all files in the upload.
Meta Data editing is 100% necessary but can be extremely time-consuming. To make this process a bit more pleasant, GetArchive allows massive tags and META Data adding and editing. On this screen, the "label/tag" tool is in use to add or remove tags in all selected objects.
To edit tags, first, select objects you would like to edit from the list. Then, click on the tag tool from the tools panel on the screen right.
Meta Data editing is 100% necessary but can be extremely time-consuming. To make this process a bit more pleasant, GetArchive allows massive tags and META Data adding and editing. On this screen, the "label/tag" tool is in use to add or remove tags in all selected objects.
To edit tags, first, select objects you would like to edit from the list. Then, click on the tag tool from the tools panel on the screen right.
Massive META Data Editing
GetArchive supports bulk META Data editing. Titles, summaries, dates, and locations can be applied to multiple files simultaneously.
Click "Select all" files in upload or click on some of them, then click on "pencil" to edit title, summary, date, location and more.
Click on the thumbnail in the grid to edit individual file META Data. Use bulk actions to apply dates, locations, and tags to a whole upload. You can edit individual records later, of course.
Click "Select all" files in upload or click on some of them, then click on "pencil" to edit title, summary, date, location and more.
Click on the thumbnail in the grid to edit individual file META Data. Use bulk actions to apply dates, locations, and tags to a whole upload. You can edit individual records later, of course.
Location
A Location is a text field that can be used to name the place where the photo or video was made. A Position is actual coordinates of the place.
Add location and position to multiple objects simultaneously using mass action "pencil."
Even better, add location and position together by clicking "Location & Position."
Add location and position to multiple objects simultaneously using mass action "pencil."
Even better, add location and position together by clicking "Location & Position."
Location & Position
Add location and position to a single object. It is a cool and easy thing to do. It also works as a Massive action on multiple objects or a whole upload.
You can start with entering a street address or a landmark name. Once you see the location you have in mind, pick it.
Now click on text tags that you want to use as a name of the location.
You can start with entering a street address or a landmark name. Once you see the location you have in mind, pick it.
Now click on text tags that you want to use as a name of the location.
The Best Way to Geotag
The location is a text field and that can be conveniently populated by clicking on the tags automatically provided, and then it can be altered by typing whatever you need into the field.
In this screen, the first part of location name "The White House" was populated by clicking on the tag, and the second part "East Entrance" was added manually.
In this screen, the first part of location name "The White House" was populated by clicking on the tag, and the second part "East Entrance" was added manually.
4. Slugs, Titles, Tags and More
Search Engine Optimization with use of META Data, Slugs, Tags, Geotags and Dates
Slugs
Slugs are used as files permalinks as they help describe what the content of the media file.
An example of a media object permalink: https://picryl.com/search?i=statue-of-liberty-with...
The slug for that object is "statue-of-liberty-with-lower-manhattan-in-background-eb1498".
The "Chain" symbol generates slugs for selected objects. A slug is a few words that describe a media object. If you choose to generate slugs automatically, the object's slug will be a URL friendly version of the object title, but a slug can be anything you like.
An example of a media object permalink: https://picryl.com/search?i=statue-of-liberty-with...
The slug for that object is "statue-of-liberty-with-lower-manhattan-in-background-eb1498".
The "Chain" symbol generates slugs for selected objects. A slug is a few words that describe a media object. If you choose to generate slugs automatically, the object's slug will be a URL friendly version of the object title, but a slug can be anything you like.
Why Slugs?
GetArchive is designed to get your objects to be indexed by search engines. To achieve it, among other things, it tries to assign meaningful names to your files. The "slug" defines the name of the individual object file.
- Slugs can be edited manually or generated from titles.
- Objects without slugs cannot be published.
- Upload cannot be published until all slugs are generated.
- After the Upload is published, slugs in the upload cannot be changed unless you delete and re-upload the whole upload.
Slugs are as good as you make them. It is imperative that slug reflect object contents and is as unique as possible.
- Slugs can be edited manually or generated from titles.
- Objects without slugs cannot be published.
- Upload cannot be published until all slugs are generated.
- After the Upload is published, slugs in the upload cannot be changed unless you delete and re-upload the whole upload.
Slugs are as good as you make them. It is imperative that slug reflect object contents and is as unique as possible.
Great Search Interface + SEO
Tagging is as important as writing good titles and descriptions. GetArchive User Interface (UI) relies on tags and dates of individual objects to find them.
Date your objects! If you don't know the exact date or a year, set up a period like "1900-1920'. Put your objects on a map. GetArchive location and geo-position dialog are easy and fun to use!
SEO: Together with slugs, tags are a foundation of your collections online visibility. Without tags, titles, and summaries, search engines unlikely to index your objects. The more texts and tags, the better.
Date your objects! If you don't know the exact date or a year, set up a period like "1900-1920'. Put your objects on a map. GetArchive location and geo-position dialog are easy and fun to use!
SEO: Together with slugs, tags are a foundation of your collections online visibility. Without tags, titles, and summaries, search engines unlikely to index your objects. The more texts and tags, the better.
5. Publishing
Once you're done with META Data, it's time to publish!
Publishing Upload
GetArchive publishing works with Uploads. You can publish a whole Upload, not individual files in it.
So once you're done with your whole Upload tags, slugs, dates, geotags, titles and summaries, it's time to publish your Upload.
To publish, click the "PUBLISH" button on the top right of the upload screen. It will prevent publishing if you are not finished with slugs.
So once you're done with your whole Upload tags, slugs, dates, geotags, titles and summaries, it's time to publish your Upload.
To publish, click the "PUBLISH" button on the top right of the upload screen. It will prevent publishing if you are not finished with slugs.
Deleting Objects and Uploads
You can delete objects in any upload or delete a whole upload by clicking on a top trash bin symbol.
To delete the individual object, use "Trash bin" on Upload screen or in individual object editing window. To remove multiple objects, check them and use trash bin next to slugs symbol.
The top-level trash bin symbol is located on very top right of the upload screen: this one for the whole upload deletion.
To delete the individual object, use "Trash bin" on Upload screen or in individual object editing window. To remove multiple objects, check them and use trash bin next to slugs symbol.
The top-level trash bin symbol is located on very top right of the upload screen: this one for the whole upload deletion.
6. Collections
Creating and sharing posts and collections is the best way to connect with your target audience!
Creating Collections
Keep your followers engaged. Create collections that are relevant to your causes. Share, and communicate with those who care about media you share.
To begin, click the Collections tab on the header menu. On the Collections screen, click big "+" button to add a new collection. Type the collection name and short description.
To begin, click the Collections tab on the header menu. On the Collections screen, click big "+" button to add a new collection. Type the collection name and short description.
Adding Objects to Collections
Once an empty collection is created, you can add objects.
To add objects to collection click on "Upload" tab in the top menu.
Select files you want to add and click on the "collection" symbol to see and pick the collection from a list.
An object can be included in multiple Collections. Objects from one Upload can be added in many Collections. A collection can feature objects from many Uploads.
To add objects to collection click on "Upload" tab in the top menu.
Select files you want to add and click on the "collection" symbol to see and pick the collection from a list.
An object can be included in multiple Collections. Objects from one Upload can be added in many Collections. A collection can feature objects from many Uploads.
Finalizing Collection
Click on Collection in the list of collections and then, click on the "Gear" icon on the top right. Fill in the fields describing your collection:
The "Index Year" field is an approximate historical year for your collection.
A Slug is a few words that describe a collection. The slug can be a URL friendly version of the collection title. Slugs are used as permalinks as they help search engines to "understand" the content of the collection.
A Description is a full description of the collection.
The "Index Year" field is an approximate historical year for your collection.
A Slug is a few words that describe a collection. The slug can be a URL friendly version of the collection title. Slugs are used as permalinks as they help search engines to "understand" the content of the collection.
A Description is a full description of the collection.
Publishing Collection
Once you enter or generate slug for your collection, you can publish it.
To make the collection accessible online click on "Published" switch.
To make the collection shareable by anyone trough use of embeddable Web Widget, click on "Publicly available" switch.
To make the collection accessible online click on "Published" switch.
To make the collection shareable by anyone trough use of embeddable Web Widget, click on "Publicly available" switch.
7. Going Online
Your Archive Storefront(s)
Feature your archive on an Archive Storefront website and give your digital collections a place to shine. There are two ways to do it:
Classic: Hosted solution. Point your domain or subdomain to GetArchive-provided URL. Have your archive storefront right on your own website/domain/subdomain.
Viral: Insert a Collection or a whole Account into any web page or a blog with GetArchive Web Widgets. The Widget is great because it is an instant publishing solution.
There are no limitations or charges for many widgets or (sub)domains.
Classic: Hosted solution. Point your domain or subdomain to GetArchive-provided URL. Have your archive storefront right on your own website/domain/subdomain.
Viral: Insert a Collection or a whole Account into any web page or a blog with GetArchive Web Widgets. The Widget is great because it is an instant publishing solution.
There are no limitations or charges for many widgets or (sub)domains.
Domain or Subdomain?
The chances are your organization already has a website with the address like www.yoursite.com, so it will be easy to create a memorable Web address for your media collections by using a subdomain.
For example, you could create a subdomain on your site called "archives", "collections" or "images" that is accessible through the URLs like archives.yoursite.com, collections.yoursite.com, images.yoursitename.com, etc.
If you have a brand new domain and no site yet, you may choose to point the domain itself to GetArchive.
How to Create Subdomain if you are with:
Godaddy
Networksolutions
Namecheap.
For example, you could create a subdomain on your site called "archives", "collections" or "images" that is accessible through the URLs like archives.yoursite.com, collections.yoursite.com, images.yoursitename.com, etc.
If you have a brand new domain and no site yet, you may choose to point the domain itself to GetArchive.
How to Create Subdomain if you are with:
Godaddy
Networksolutions
Namecheap.
Setting Up Your Website
GetArchive provides you with a Canonical Name record (abbreviated as CNAME record) - a type of resource record in the World Wide Web Domain Name System (DNS) used to specify that a domain name is an alias for another domain.
To set up your website and get your archive storefront CNAME, click on "WEBSITE" tab, then click on "REGISTER" button and follow the instructions.
To set up your website and get your archive storefront CNAME, click on "WEBSITE" tab, then click on "REGISTER" button and follow the instructions.
Connect Your Subdomain
To connect your domain or subdomain, login to your domain name registrar, an organization that manages your domain name, create a subdomain if you did not create it yet, and connect it to the server name GetArchive provides you.
Here how you connect your subdomain if you are with:
Godaddy
Namecheap
Networksolutions
Here how you connect your subdomain if you are with:
Godaddy
Namecheap
Networksolutions
| See Subdomain Showcase |
Account Widget
GetArchive provides an integration option that is crazy simple: a small script to paste to any webpage or a blog post. No IT background is required. Cut'n'Paste, and it just works.
The Widget contents is invisible for search engine crawlers, so there is no duplicate content issue, and it is safe for your search ranking.
To get your Widget code, on Organization screen, click the "WIDGET" tab and follow the instructions.
Read more about widgets.
The Widget contents is invisible for search engine crawlers, so there is no duplicate content issue, and it is safe for your search ranking.
To get your Widget code, on Organization screen, click the "WIDGET" tab and follow the instructions.
Read more about widgets.
Widget Placement Control
If you choose to, you can provide your Account Widget code with partners and friends, so they use it on their sites.
If your widget placement is set to unlimited placements, it may appear anywhere, and anyone will be able to use the code on any web page.
If your widget placement is set to "limited", you control the list of approved domains and instruct GetArchive to respond to authorized domains requests only.
Click the button below to see account widget for one of our collectors-collaborators.
If your widget placement is set to unlimited placements, it may appear anywhere, and anyone will be able to use the code on any web page.
If your widget placement is set to "limited", you control the list of approved domains and instruct GetArchive to respond to authorized domains requests only.
Click the button below to see account widget for one of our collectors-collaborators.
| See Account Widget Showcase |
Collection Widget
If you choose to, you can let other people share some of your collections.
If your widget placement is set to unlimited placements, it may appear anywhere, and anyone will be able to use the code on any web page.
If you set widget placement as limited, add approved domains to the list of approved domains to instruct GetArchive to respond to approved requests only.
Click button below for collection widget for our own website Picryl.com.
If your widget placement is set to unlimited placements, it may appear anywhere, and anyone will be able to use the code on any web page.
If you set widget placement as limited, add approved domains to the list of approved domains to instruct GetArchive to respond to approved requests only.
Click button below for collection widget for our own website Picryl.com.
| See Collection Widget Showcase |