Method for presenting visual assets for sale, using search engines

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for causing purchasable visual assets that can otherwise be accessed only by the visual assets provider' proprietary search engine, to appear within the result lists of public search engines, comprising: providing for each of said purchasable visual assets web page which includes at least the following: (a)—a representation image of said purchasable asset; (b) textual description best describing the content of said purchasable visual asset; (c) indication within said page or representation image for indicating that the asset is purchasable; and (d) a link to said stock library where the purchasable visual asset is sold.

1 . A method, implemented by a computing system including a processor and a memory, of making copyrighted media files available via public search engines, the copyrighted media files being available for licensing, the method comprising:
 maintaining, by the computing system, a plurality of media files, wherein each media file is copyrighted by an author, is available for use by others in accordance with licensing terms, and can otherwise be accessed by a dedicated search engine;   creating, by the computing system, a web page for each of the plurality of media files, each web page being distinct from the associated media file and including:
 a representation image corresponding to the media file; 
 a textual description of the content of the media file; 
 an indication within the web page or the representation image that the media file is copyrighted and is offered for licensing in accordance with licensing terms; and 
 a hyperlink to a location where the media file is available for licensing; and 
   making, by the computing system, the created web pages available to a plurality of public search engines, the web pages being indexed by the public search engines so that one or more web pages are included on results lists of search queries to which the associated media files are deemed relevant by public search engines, thereby rendering the copyrighted media files accessible through querying public search engines.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a media file is an image file, an audio file, or a video file. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a web page is further formatted to be efficiently indexed by a public search engine. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the textual description of the content of a media file includes keywords that are expected to be used by a user searching for that media file using the public search engine. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a media file is an image file and the representation image that is included in the associated web page is of lower resolution or quality than the image file. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the indication is a visual indication appearing within the representation image. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the indication is an audible indication. 
     
     
         8 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to implement a method of making copyrighted media files available via public search engines, the copyrighted media files being available for licensing, the method comprising:
 maintaining a plurality of media files, wherein each media file is copyrighted by an author, is available for use by others in accordance with licensing terms, and can otherwise be accessed by a dedicated search engine;   creating a web page for each of the plurality of media files, each web page being distinct from the associated media file and including:
 a representation image corresponding to the media file; 
 a textual description of the content of the media file; 
 an indication within the web page or the representation image that the media file is copyrighted and is offered for licensing in accordance with licensing terms; and 
 a hyperlink to a website where the media file is available for licensing; and 
   making, by the computing system, the created web pages available to a plurality of public search engines, the web pages being indexed by the public search engines so that one or more web pages are included on results lists of search queries to which the associated media files are deemed relevant by public search engines, thereby rendering the copyrighted media files accessible through querying public search engines.   
     
     
         9 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8  wherein the media file is an image file, an audio file, or a video file. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8  wherein a web page is further formatted to be efficiently indexed by a public search engine. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8  wherein the textual description of the content of a media file includes keywords that are expected to be used by a user searching for that media file using the public search engine. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8  wherein the media file is an image and the image that is included in the associated web page is of lower resolution or quality than the image file. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8  wherein the indication is a visual indication appearing within the representation image. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8  wherein the indication is an audible indication.