Creator Playbook // Learn all about Media Manager
Learn All About Our Media Manager
Unveiling Media Manager’s Newest Feature: Video! Elevate your Marketplace presence with compelling videos – Up to 90 Seconds! This latest Media Manager enhancement is guaranteed to captivate shoppers’ attention.
What is Media Manager?
Introducing the enhanced Media Manager, your hub for managing the visual content on your Product Pages'! Now, you hold even greater control of how your product shines in the Marketplace. With the capability to showcase a total of up to 10 vibrant images and 90-second videos, you're in the driver's seat of crafting a compelling product story.
Media Manager isn't just about images and videos; it's a dynamic tool that empowers you to create an unforgettable impression in the Zazzle Marketplace and ultimately transform casually-browsing customers into committed buyers.
Maximize your product's potential by uploading up to a total of 10 images and videos using the "Media Manager" feature, conveniently located in the Listing Tool Bar of your Product Page.
Why Cover Photos and Videos Matter
The Media Manager experience is an evolution of the Cover Photo feature that has been embraced by the Zazzle Creator Community. We’ve seen explosive growth of the feature since launch, and have found it has had a positive impact on Creator success. As the Marketplace landscape shifts, so do we. We recognize that videos now play a vital influence in engaging potential customers.
Our existing commitment to an enriched customer experience is only enhanced as products that feature Cover Photos (and now Videos!) will continue to be favored in the Marketplace and will be showcased throughout the customer experience. However, we do want to note that Cover Photos and Videos are completely optional and we do not expect Creators to fill every slot in Media Manager (although you can!). We're empowering Creators with the capacity to artfully convey a product's narrative while providing the choice to incorporate a total of up to ten photos and videos. We're confident Cover Photos and Videos will inspire and enhance the customer experience while at the same time rewarding Creators who put maximum effort into their listings.
But wait, there's more! We're looking to showcase Videos and Cover Photos crafted by none other than YOU – our valued Zazzle Creator Community. When Zazzle selects your creations to feature, you can expect a range of benefits:
- Strategic Advertising: Your work may be featured in ads driving traffic to both Zazzle and your personal store, creating ample opportunities for customers to make purchases.
- Increased Exposure: Prepare for the possibility of soaring views and a growing follower base. Some of our top videos have experienced remarkable increases, going from just a few hundred organic views to millions.
- Prime Placements: Get ready for prime-time exposure as your creations may find their place in spots across our website, in emails, and throughout our social media channels.
Together, we'll elevate your creations and spread them far and wide!
Using Media Manager to drive sales
Media Manager should serve as a vehicle for Creators to ultimately drive sales on Zazzle. When creating multiple media images or videos for your listing, here are some tips to consider:
- You can use Media Manager to differentiate yourself from competitive products in the Marketplace. You may want to ask yourself the following questions: “What makes my design special?” “Why should a customer purchase from my Zazzle store vs. a different one?” "Is there a way I can make the experience easier to understand for the customer?" "Are there specific angles that best highlight the product's design and form?"
- You may also use Media Manager to help provide context to your design to engage and inspire prospective customers. For example: Instead of using laydown images, you may want to consider lifestyle imagery, in-situ photography or videos to provide a sense of the product in the real world.
- Media Manager can also serve as a point to help educate potential customers about your design. You may want to ‘merchandise’ your product by adding callouts and marketing language on your images and videos to grab the customers’ attention.
- Lastly, Media Manager could be an opportunity for you to connect with customers on a human level. You may want to answer questions such as “What kinds of designs do you specialize in?” as well as “ Where are you from?” Forging a human connection with customers is a critical element in social commerce!
Media Manager - Best Practices and Tips!
Things to keep in mind
- Aim for an engaging Product Page: Use at least 2 images, 1 video.
- Highlight the standout product image as "primary."
- Match product to Zazzle listing.
- Diversify cover photos/videos, avoid repetition.
- How realistic representation, complementing scenes.
- Keep videos short (10-30 secs).
- Use natural lighting for images and videos.
- Please double-check your network connection to ensure successful uploads
- Please note that there are known issues when uploading downloaded content from file-sharing services such as Google Photos and Airdrop. Please use alternative methods to transfer one device to another before uploading to Zazzle to prevent potential upload failures.
- For videos, add captions; useful for soundless viewers.
- Connect visuals to product message and emotion.
- Embrace authenticity, share your story.
- Zazzle values and respects intellectual property rights and laws. Please make sure you have the necessary rights and permissions (including relevant model releases, permission from parents to include images of children, etc.) to comply with our User Agreement before uploading any images or videos (including audio) to Media Manager.
Things to avoid
- Use of an image or video where the product cannot be seen clearly.
- Including multiple products in a single Cover Photo may be confusing. If you have a collection of products, it's better to use the Collection feature's Media Manager to display several products together in the cover image.
- Use of an existing in-situ for the Creator uploaded media options. Images should be unique and stand out in the Marketplace.
- Products that do not match the exact base product on Zazzle for your cover photo or video (eg. tote bag handles shown attached to the outside v. inside of the bag)
How to create images and videos to use in Media Manager
You can take advantage of platforms like PlaceIt and Creative Market, which provide a wide range of mockups, templates and videos to create unique and visually appealing product content to market your product. While some resources may require payment, there's also a selection of free options. Consider conducting a quick Google search for "free product mockups" or “AI product photography” to explore available services and templates that best suit you and have appropriate terms of service. Ordering samples and utilizing Instagram Reels, CapCut and TikTok apps can be effective for producing engaging short-form videos.
Zazzle values and respects intellectual property rights and laws. Please make sure you have the necessary rights and permissions (including relevant model releases, permission from parents to include images of children, etc.) to comply with our User Agreement before uploading any images or videos (including audio) to Media Manager.
Downloading artwork and product images
To create Media Images, you can download a high resolution .PNG file of your design by going to the product page and clicking on the “Downloads” button. In addition, you can download high resoulation product images.
How to upload images and videos to Media Manager
1. Go to your published Product Page and click “Media Manager" in the Listing Tool Bar
2. Upload and select images or videos from your image folder. You can select multiple at a time! Below are the Media Manager guidelines:
3. Images and videos can be reordered by clicking, holding, then dragging. Customers will see the “primary” image on the Product Page and within search results. Note, only images can be selected for “primary”.
4. Add captions to share with customers on why your product is unique!
5. Click close to save changes. Please allow up to 24 hours for your changes to apply.
Media Manager guidelines:
Images
- Images should be at least 1480 x 1480px
- We support JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, WEBP, and most image file types
- Collections banner images should be 2280x630px
Videos
- Videos must be shorter that 90 seconds to be added to the media manager
- Videos cannot be the “primary” product image
- Videos may need extra time to process on servers after uploading
- We support MP4, MPEG, 3GP, AAC, AVI, FLV, MOV, and most video file types
- We recommend uploading video content in a 1080×1920px, 9:16 smartphone video aspect ratio for optimal mobile viewing but welcome other sizes as well. Feel free to repost your content on multiple platforms to maximize exposure
Please note that there are known issues when uploading downloaded content from file-sharing services such as Google Photos and Airdrop. Please use alternative methods to transfer one device to another before uploading to Zazzle to prevent potential upload failures.
Before uploading third-party images or videos into your store, please ensure you thoroughly check that you have the rights to do so. For more information, please review our User Agreement.
Examples of Great Cover Photos
We love what these Creators are doing to merchandise their listings on Zazzle!
Created By Lea Delaveris
Product and Design Image Size
Ensure the Primary Product Image has the product sizing large enough to be recognizable on a page of search results. In addition, the placement of the design should match similar to the in-situ shot.
Created By Colleen Michele
Props that fit the theme
Setting just a few related props can make a cover photo look more intentional, and draws customers into the scene better.
Created By Sugar Sparkle
Colored Backgrounds
Since Zazzle’s background is white, it really helps creators to stand out when they upload a cover photo with a colored background – even amongst cover photos only, those with a bright or even just different background color really pop.
Created By Little Ham Collection
Show the product in context
For items that are, essentially, just a flat piece of paper/label – showing the intended use of the item can really have it stand out. Things like stickers, labels, stamps, envelopes… Show the product in-use, so that customers can imagine using it for their own needs.
Created By CharmWorthy
Show the product in a room setting
Be sure to crop as needed to show the product a bit more when merchandised with multiple other cover photos or PIDs.
Created by Plush Paper Design
Cropped model photos
Showing products in-use, or on a model can also be amazing. From a merchandiser point of view, there’s a fine balance between showing a lived-in product, and being able to see the design. This is an example of one that handles that balance well - it's cropped in, and clearly visible as a thumbnail as well as when viewed larger.
Created by Becky Nimoy
Flatlays are great for apparel
They show the design very clearly, even in a thumbnail, but still give it an extra edge over the standard views.
Created by Custom Sports Gear
Utilize Different T-Shirt Colors
For tees in particular, another great way to stand out is to use t-shirts of different colors. Zazzle offers a ton of different colors for customers to customize with, so showing that can really help sell your product, as well as make it stand out in search results against a sea of white.
We’re here to help!
We are very excited for Media Manager and its potential to inspire our customers and unlock sales for Zazzle Creators. If you have any questions, we're here to help! Feel free to drop us a note at team.designer@zazzle.com.
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