Here are 10 methods to get family and friends to visit your Share site often, as well as ways to acquire new members!

1. Ensure your site is public and set up to allow visitors to view your site and leave comments. A password-protected site is a big deterrent to site visits.

2. Create a ‘Welcome’ section on your home page that sounds inviting to everyone, not just friends and family.


3. Invite friends and family by e-mail. Ensure that your member notifications are set to receive emails
when your site has changes or updates. 

How to check notifications: Mouse over the ‘Customize’ menu in the upper right-hand corner of your Share site page. Choose the ‘edit email settings’ option, and click the ‘Digest notifications’ tab.

4. Tag your photos.

Let friends and family know they’re in your pictures by tagging them. When you tag a site member, it sends them an email with a link to the photo. It takes seconds to do, and is a great way to bring people back to your site!

How to tag a photo: Mouse over a picture and choose the ‘Add name tags’ option to start tagging.

5. Add a poll section.

Polls are fun and quick to complete, as there is just a single question and the answers are provided – so readers just have to choose one. Often people will submit a vote just to see how it works. This can help generate more views to your site, since most people will want to return to see the poll results as other readers vote.

6. Get your site indexed by Google.

Add your site’s URL to Google: http://www.google.com/addurl/?continue=/addurl

Add a Text section to your site’s Home page, with key words or a description that can be indexed by Google (and other search engines) that will come up when others search for the key words.

7. Promote your site by sharing the site URL.

- Add the URL to your Shutterfly Community forum profile. Log in to the Community forums. At the top, click on your name, then click on ‘Settings’. Scroll to the bottom, and you’ll see the Share site field.

Additionally, take a look through forum profiles for other people’s Share sites. Visit their sites, and encourage them to stop by yours! Here
is a list of some Share sites to visit: http://forums.shutterfly.com/posts/da9ff97ea8

- Add the URL to your calling card, if appropriate.

- Add the URL to your email signature. Your URL will be visible in every email you send out, letting people know you have a Share site and reminding others to visit more.

- Add the URL to your annual holiday card.

8. Make changes & add new content … often.

Readers have no desire to return if there is never anything new to see.

- Change your site headers about once a week. Not only can you swap out old images for new ones, but you can change
the header layout as well. There are 7 different layouts to choose from. (Mouse over one of the header photos, and choose ‘Layout options’.)

- Change the site theme. Update the theme to reflect spring or winter, maybe a certain holiday. (Customize > Edit site style)

- Change the page layout. Try a 1, 2 or 3-column layout. (Customize > Edit page layout)

9. If your Share site has a message board, try ending your posts with a question for your readers.

This encourages readers to return and follow posts, to see how other people answer. Additionally, place Comment sections throughout the site, and modify your other sections to say something along the lines of “'I love comments. I love visitors. Tell me what you think”.

10. Use Facebook & Twitter.

Not all of your friends may subscribe to your Share site, so letting them know you have new content can be tricky.

- Newly posted photo albums can easily be shared on your Facebook page with one click.

- Add your Site URL to your Facebook profile information. (Edit my profile > Contact Information)

- Let your Facebook/Twitter friends know you have just posted a new journal entry. Copy and paste the journal entry URL to your Facebook and/or tweet any new additions to your Site.