Showcase

Thoughtful solutions are often created by those who know the underlying problems firsthand. Behind Showcase is a tech entrepreneur and a photographer who wanted to provide fellow creators with a platform for sharing photos and videos on their own terms, simply because they haven’t found a proper solution on the market.

Showcase is the first website builder where digital creators can publish content without being limited by the censorship and restrictive guidelines so common for most social media platforms. It’s a place where users can create galleries, share their art with the world, and protect each piece of content from intellectual property infringement.

At the beginning of the project, together with our client, we concluded that our number one task was to find the most effective solution for protecting visual content. Afterward, we planned to validate the technology with the first platform user, a photographer with a huge photo and video archive who would help us check our product hypothesis. So, with the website design provided by the client, we set out to develop Showcase.

Builder website

Our team developed an intuitive website builder where users can effortlessly create content galleries and choose from various layouts. We also enabled creators to integrate the platform with their own website domain. To enhance user engagement, we designed a captivating landing page that directs subscribers to the creators' content.

In addition to sharing photographs, the creators can download video content or add videos from Vimeo.

Unique digital watermarking

The client’s primary request was to protect each photograph and video with watermarks, as well as to track down stolen content if it gets published elsewhere. To meet this goal, we went for IMATAG integration, which allowed us to create ​​Unique Digital Watermarking per user on images. This technology enables us to track users who leak photographs, displaying all the details in a convenient dashboard on the admin side of the website.

Monetization

Showcase gives the creators an opportunity to monetize their content. Through the platform, they can set various types of subscriptions to their website: for instance, a subscription for one month, six months, or a year. All the payments are securely processed through Stripe, and to set up subscriptions to the creator's site, we use Stripe Connect.

The platform also features a separate admin panel where creators can view key performance indicators for all their showcases, including Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) and Revenue Per Month. Such an overview allows creators to manage their earnings and optimize content strategies.

Locked content

By adding the locked content feature, we allowed creators to leverage an additional revenue stream and monetize exclusive content by setting an additional fee for access. This content can be limited in quantity, with the creator specifying the price and the number of available copies directly within the builder.

Additionally, we enhanced the Showcase platform with the following functionality:

• A unified registration for all users, both creators and subscribers, although in reality, these are different websites;

• A system of tags for convenient content search and a Discovery page, where photos and videos from all galleries are randomly displayed every time;

• An option to set up a non-disclosure agreement for subscribers;

• An option for creators to enable two-factor authentication for their site, as well as require two-factor authentication for users;

• Personalized emails for subscribers from each individual creator.

Before the official launch, Showcase attracted three paying customers in its first month. One creator gained 237 subscribers, with 99% actively purchasing the subscription. We also identified the first cases of leaked photographs, proving our watermarking technology effective. The silent launch was a success, and as we continue developing the platform, we are excited about Showcase’s future.

Showcase has a clear strategy for the future, and we are happy to be part of their growth. Currently, we are working on new features like video watermarking, scheduled publishing, and ID verification. While we are finishing with this functionality, we are also already developing a product roadmap together with the client and getting ready to explore new markets beyond photo and video content.