Most real estate photography platforms fail onboarding in the first hour — not because they are hard, but because owners try to configure everything at once.
This checklist gets you live for the next listing in under 60 minutes. Skip nice-to-haves until after your first successful delivery.
We wrote this for StudioFront (14-day trial, plans from 49 USD/month, pay-as-you-go at 5 USD per listing), but the sequence applies to any link-first RE delivery stack.
Before you start (5 minutes)
Gather:
- [ ] Studio logo (PNG, square or horizontal)
- [ ] Primary brand color hex code
- [ ] One package with a clear price (e.g. "Standard stills")
- [ ] Stripe account email (for Connect payouts)
- [ ] Domain or subdomain you want for galleries (optional day one)
Do not import five years of clients on day one. You need one clean test job.
Minute 0–10: Account and studio profile
- [ ] Sign up and verify email
- [ ] Set studio display name (what agents see)
- [ ] Upload logo
- [ ] Set contact email and phone on public site
- [ ] Choose timezone for booking slots
Done when: your public studio URL loads with name and logo.
Minute 10–20: Packages and pricing
Start with one package. You can add twilight, video, and sq-ft tiers later.
- [ ] Create "Standard Photo Package" with fixed price
- [ ] Add turnaround note in description (e.g. "Delivered next business day")
- [ ] Enable online booking if you take direct agent orders
- [ ] Set service area or "contact for travel" if applicable
| Package field | Example |
|---|---|
| Name | Standard stills (up to 3,000 sq ft) |
| Price | 275 |
| Duration on calendar | 90 minutes |
| Deliverable | 25–35 edited photos |
Done when: you can book a test order from the public site.
Minute 20–35: Delivery and galleries
- [ ] Create a test listing / job from admin
- [ ] Upload 5–10 sample JPGs (not full shoot — speed matters)
- [ ] Generate token gallery link
- [ ] Open link in incognito window (simulates agent with no login)
- [ ] Confirm previews load on mobile
Token galleries mean no agent account. The link is the credential.
Done when: incognito preview works on your phone.
Minute 35–45: Pay-to-unlock (if you collect at delivery)
Skip this block if you invoice brokerages net-30 separately.
- [ ] Connect Stripe (Connect onboarding)
- [ ] Enable pay-to-unlock on the test gallery
- [ ] Run a 1 USD test payment with your own card
- [ ] Confirm download unlocks after payment
- [ ] Verify payout shows in Stripe dashboard
Read Stripe Connect for photographers if Connect language is confusing.
Done when: test payment unlocks download.
Minute 45–55: White-label basics
Full custom domain can wait. Do these now:
- [ ] Set primary brand color on public pages
- [ ] Confirm gallery page shows studio name, not generic platform branding
- [ ] Add link to your pricing or packages page in gallery footer if available
Advanced: point photos.yourdomain.com CNAME when DNS is ready — not required for first delivery.
Done when: a friend says "this looks like your studio site."
Minute 55–60: Send a real delivery email
Use this template:
Subject: Photos ready: [Address]
Hi [Agent], Your listing gallery is ready: [gallery URL] Preview in the browser, complete payment if required, then download MLS-ready files. No account needed. — [Studio Name]
Send to yourself and one trusted agent.
Done when: email sent and link opened on mobile.
Post-hour: week-one enhancements (optional)
| Priority | Task | Why |
|---|---|---|
| High | Add second package (twilight or drone) | Upsell |
| High | Custom domain | Trust with brokerages |
| Medium | Import top 20 agent emails | Faster rebooking |
| Medium | Pay-as-you-go vs monthly plan decision | See pricing |
| Low | Team seats for second shooter | Scale |
Common onboarding mistakes
- Configuring six packages before first delivery — agents only need one clear offer to book.
- Skipping incognito test — you will not see login assumptions until an agent complains.
- Connecting Stripe last — payment bugs on a real job are stressful; test with 1 USD first.
- Migrating every old gallery — forward-only for new jobs; migrate history on request.
FAQ
Can I go live without a custom domain? Yes. Use the default studio URL until DNS is ready.
Do agents need accounts? No — token gallery links are enough for preview and download.
What if I only shoot 4 listings this month? Consider pay-as-you-go at 5 USD per listing instead of a monthly plan — see per-listing vs monthly.
Is 60 minutes realistic? Yes for one package and a test delivery. Custom domain DNS may add 24–48 hours propagation outside that hour.
What about migrating from Aryeo or Drive? Run parallel for new jobs only — switch from Aryeo or leave Google Drive without moving history day one.
Who is this checklist for? Solo photographers and small studios who need to deliver the next listing professionally, not perfect every integration on day one.
Onboarding is a delivery problem, not a settings marathon. One package, one test gallery, one payment test, one agent email — then iterate. Start your 14-day StudioFront trial and use this checklist on your first session.