Frequently Asked Questions

Tell me more about Talentcase—who are you guys?

We are artists too... who happen to design and build websites during the day. This puts us in the unique position of being able to appreciate how much time, effort and money go into websites, while also realizing that the average artist does not have the kind of budget necessary to create a great site. After a bit of research, we saw that most website packages that are priced in a range that emerging artists can afford are lacking in several areas: decent design, accessibility, and long-term affordability. Why would any artist want to spend their precious money on a site that is not designed to show off their work, and that they would have to continuously pay somone else to update?

So we created Talentcase. Our site packages are purchased for a one-time flat fee that is competitively affordable in today's website market. Our sites are designed to be incredibly flexible as far as content, accommodating whatever photos and text you choose to use. We set you up to be self-sufficient and able to edit and update your own site. That means you will never have to pay us to do things like add photos or update your news/schedule. We have focused on providing the basics in a practical, professional format. Basically, we created a product that we, as artists, appreciate and enjoy using.

And who are we? We are the staff of WireMedia Communications... but we are also a painter, a singer, and several illustrators, animators and graphic designers. We are artists too, and hope you enjoy what we have made.

Back to the top

Can you give me an overview of the Talentcase product?

Sure. The Talentcase product has everything you need to create your own unique website. You select a product package (which means choosing a design template that compliments your style, then selecting the type of Showcase that best highlights your stuff), then place your order—a one-time flat fee. We build your site, which comes with a Control Panel that allows you to add and edit your own site content (text, images, media files). Those are the basics... though it's really basically that simple!

Back to the top

What comes with it?

  • Your choice of design template from our Gallery
  • a number of Content pages for text and images (this depends on the package you select)
  • At least 1 Showcase: choose from three types of Showcases, tailored for different types of work (photographs, text, sound, video)
  • An easy to use Control Panel for managing site content
  • Product Installation

Back to the top

How much is it?

Several product packages are available at prices starting at $150. All packages are priced at a one-time, flat rate—there are no recurring charges and no licensing fees. Add-ons are available at low rates, starting at $50.

Back to the top

Who uses it?

Emerging artists looking for a simple, affordable way to get their work online.

Back to the top

What is a Showcase?

The Showcase is a specific area of your website, designed to highlight your portfolio or repertoire via images or media files (MP3s, videos, PDFs, etc.). We offer several different types of Showcases—it is up to you to select the one that will best present your work. All Showcases are available for use with all templates.

  • Image Gallery Showcase: one or several galleries for photos or other images—you have the option of creating as many galleries as you like.
  • Simple Media Showcase: a single page of media files that your vistors can experience and download. Audio files are embedded in individual mini-players right on the page.
  • Expanded Media Showcase: a multi-page Showcase—each media file is given its own subpage, allowing for more detailed presentation. Audio and video files are presented in embedded players, and visitors have the option of downloading.
Back to the top

Can I have more than one Showcase?

Yes. Additional Showcases can be purchased as add-ons to highlight different types of work. Visit the product page for more information.

Back to the top

What is a domain name and host? Are they the same thing?

Your domain name is your website address: ex. www.mysite.com. This name is purchased separately and is usually purchased for a period of several years. All by itself, the domain name does nothing—after you buy your domain name, you must then find hosting. Think of it as a real estate arrangement—you own an address, now you need to rent space to go with it. Hosting space is rented for a small monthly or yearly fee. While not necessary from a tech standpoint, it is usually easiest to buy your domain name and rent hosting with the same company.

Back to the top

Will I have email with my site?

That is determined by your web hosting provider. Most hosting packages include at least one email address—many give you the option of having several. To determine email options and set up your email, contact your web host.

Back to the top

Will I have to pay a monthly fee?

Absolutely not. Your site package is purchased for one flat rate—there are no additional fees for basic design and construction. Extra charges only apply if you need tech support or would like to purchase Add-ons.

Back to the top

Will I be able to make my own edits and changes?

Absolutely. That's the whole point! Using your Control Panel, you can change and update your Talentcase site at any time, from anywhere you can get online. If you're on tour in Europe and the schedule changes, you can pop into an internet cafe and update your site. If you go home for the holidays and sell a painting, you can update your site from grandma's house (assuming Nana is internet-ready). You control your site content.

Back to the top

Can I rename my pages?

Yes. You can customize the name of your site and the titles of your main pages. For example, you could rename your home page "Welcome", or give your Showcase a name that is applicable to the work ("The Heights Collection", "Self-Portraits", "Hear My Music", etc.).

Back to the top

Will I be able to change my site design?
What are my options as far as customization?
How can I make the most of my site and create something unique?

The Talentcase product involves making some important initial choices. You are paying a one-time flat fee for a specific product package, which includes a site design that influences the overall look of your website. After your Talentcase site is created and installed, you will not be able to change your design or site structure without making additional purchases. Consider which product package will best suit your needs—the option of using custom color palettes and header graphics are included in certain packages. And you can purchase Add-ons (extra pages and Showcases) with any package—learn more on the product page.

Meanwhile, it's all about your content. We recommend thinking of your site as an empty stage—though a design will be in place, your site is waiting for you to bring it to life as a presentation space. You can dramatically customize the look your site depending on the content you choose to add via your Control Panel. No two people will construct exactly the same page... you can create all sorts of different looks with just the simple combination of photos and text.

Back to the top

How should I handle my custom color palette and header graphic?

Ideally, you'll have selected your custom color palette prior to order, and you'll be ready to provide us with a header graphic. However, we understand that a little discussion is sometimes necessary (though please note that extended back and forth is not included in the package price of your site). If you have chosen a custom header, we will provide dimensions and you can either provide us with 1) a finished upload-ready header graphic or 2) assembled images and logos, which we will use to create a simple custom header. We will work with you to help you choose colors and develop a header, but this process must be kept to a minimum—design discussion is limited to 3 rounds of back and forth maximum.

Back to the top

What is the Control Panel? Is it easy to use?

The Talentcase Control Panel is a password-protected online tool that you can use to edit the text, images, and files on your site. Type, click, and see your changes immediately—it's as easy as filling out an online form. And since it's all online (no downloading and installing extra software!), you can update your website anywhere you can access the internet.

On the tech end, the Control Panel is built with PHP and MySQL, two of the most popular and well-supported open-source web development platforms. The user-interface is accessible enough for even novice internet users to use comfortably.

For more info about the Control Panel, take a look at the Demo.

Back to the top

What kind of files can I upload?

We recommend the following standard file formats:

  • Images: JPEG, GIF, PNG
  • Audio: MP3, WAV
  • Text: PDF, DOC (Microsoft Word)
  • Video: MPG (MPEG), MOV (Quicktime), MP4, WMV, ASF, AVI, SWF, FLV

For more information about uploading files, take a look at the Talentcase User Manual.

Back to the top

What about e-commerce options?
Can I add PayPal links to my site?

The Talentcase product currently has no built-in e-commerce features, though you can easily link to sites like PayPal or eBay that assist you in selling products online. So yes, absolutely, you can add PayPal links to your site. If you're familiar with PayPal, you already know that they provide you with code for buttons and links to your product pages. Using your Control Panel, simply copy and paste their code into any item on your site—treat it as text. Note that Talentcase is not connected to PayPal in any way—we are not responsible for your PayPal links and cannot provide customer support for PayPal.

Back to the top

When will my site be live?

Your site will be live and available on the internet as soon as we deliver the files (standard turnaround time is two weeks). You are then responsible for adding content, even if that content is simply a disclaimer that informs visitors that your site is UNDER CONSTRUCTION or COMING SOON. We can't store your site in a hidden location until you are ready to unveil your online presence to the world, and therefore recommend that you add content as soon as possible. Keep in mind that unless you have specifically put your url into circulation, it is doubtful people are finding their way to the site on their own and seeing a "work in progress".

Back to the top

How can I see how many people are visiting my site?

Check the handy Visitor Statistics link in your Control Panel.

Back to the top

How do I get my site noticed? What about search engines?

Ready to show your site to the world? You can register with search engines and increase your visibility. We recommend registering with Google and DMOZ — these two are enough to get you listed on most major search engines. Google is one of the most popular search engines and DMOZ, which requires you to submit your site via category, is used as resource by many major search engines. Submitting your site is easy, free, and potentially attracts more visitors to your site.

  • Submit your site to Google
  • Submit your site to DMOZ, a human-edited online directory
Back to the top

Will my site work on both Mac and PCs?
Why does my site look different in different browsers?
What are web standards?

Talentcase sites are built to be compatible on both Mac and PCs and in all major web browsers (such as Internet Explorer, Safari, etc.). True, your site may look slightly different on different computers, or in different web browsers, but this is the case with most every site on the internet.

There is a recent movement to standardize the way pages are displayed on the web—this web standards movement envisions a future where all sites will look and function exactly the same on all computers. All Talentcase websites are created with web standards-based XHTML/CSS code and designed to be clean, simple, and functional. Your website will load faster, work in more web browsers, be more easily indexed by search engines, and be easily accessible via mobile devices such as PDAs and cell phones. We at Talentcase are big fans of web standards. If you'd like to learn more about them, please visit this page on the site of our parent company, WireMedia Communications: www.wiremedia.net/standards

Back to the top

How do I change my source code?

If you don't already know, you shouldn't be trying to do so. Your Control Panel is really the only tool you need to create a functioning, fabulous website.

Back to the top

What if I try to tweak my source code and mess things up?

We do not recommend changing your code unless you are an advanced web user with some knowledge of web programming. Talentcase is not responsible for errors that result from your changes to the code, and you will need to pay for tech support if you need us to fix it. We strongly suggest you back up your original files before you make changes, and that you proceed with caution.

Back to the top

Why does my site have a copyright of last year?

We automatically add the © symbol, the current year and your name in the footer that appears at the bottom of your site. If your site was created in 2005 and you would like to change the year to say 2005-2006, you can easily do so in the Edit Site Information section of your Control Panel. The shift does not automatically occur—you must make this change manually.

Back to the top

Can I have a blog with my Talentcase site?

Absolutely, though you will need to set it up elsewhere. Talentcase does not currently offer an included blog option because there are so many existing free or affordable ways to get a blog. Blogs are either user-hosted, which means installing software onto your own hosting server (ex. Moveable Type, Wordpress), or developer hosted, which means your blog is operated by a external site (ex. Blogger, LiveJournal). Once you set up your blog, simply link to it from any page within your Talentcase site. Any technical questions need to be directed to the customer service departments of your blog software of choice—while we certainly support blogging, Talentcase is a separate product and not responsible for externally created pages.

Back to the top

Can I have video clips from places like YouTube with my Talentcase site?

Sure, though you will need to change the width and height of the player screen to fit your Talentcase site (for example, the average YouTube clip has one width/height for the player itself and then a second width/height for a built-in buffer zone around the player—you would need to remove the buffer and make the widths/heights the same). If you aren't comfortable doing this, it's not a good idea to try and put these types of videos on your site (you can always link to an external page). Note that in order to use embedded clips within your showcase you need to have the Expanded Media Showcase. Talentcase is not responsible for technical issues caused by attempts to include embedded video from external sources.

Back to the top

Have a question that has not been covered by this FAQ?
Please consult the User Manual or contact us.