Uploading PSD files to Freepik: Tips to Succeed
PSD files have proved to be quite popular among users. It’s no wonder many of them opt for this content type for their commercial and personal projects. One of the best things about PSD files is that you can reopen them at any time, and change elements or keep working where you left. Made of individual layers, PSD files are customizable and can be used for literally almost everything. From mockups and templates to scene creators, they offer an extensive range of possibilities, like flyers, brochures, business cards, magazines, you name it!
At Freepik, we want to meet our users’ demands and provide them with a wide variety of PSD files to choose from. And you, as a contributor, play an essential role in this. Whether you already work with templates and mockups or plant to do it in the future, this post may be of great interest. We know that working with this type of resources can be sometimes tricky and tiresome. It’s a job that requires patience (a lot!) and time. But, no masterpiece was ever created by a lazy artist, right?
Below we share with you top tips that will help you make the most of your creations and avoid your files to be rejected. So, if you really want your mockups and templates to sell, don’t miss out the following tips!
1. Prioritize the design
Give priority to the design and try to do your best. As you know, we ask you to submit a preview and an editable file. Previews are preliminary images that work as a representation of what users are about to download. For this reason, they need to be appealing and catch the user’s attention. But, previews are not everything.
In fact, when reviewing your content, our team pays way more attention to the design. What we mainly assess is the quality and usability of the design rather than the use of compelling photos. The reason is simple: users download both the editable file and the preview, but only work with the editable one. We’ll know that a PSD file is successful if, after downloading it, users still find it appealing and useful.
That is why we suggest you try to focus on creating stand-out designs and deliver useful content. Also, providing PSD files with commercial value is essential.
2. Include photos only in the preview
As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. We get it, using photos in your files optimizes the result and improves the design making it compelling and attractive. But, if you want to include photos, then these should meet some requirements. Otherwise, your content will be rejected.
First things first: photos must be included in the preview, not in the editable file. We recommend you bear this in mind as we don’t accept editable files with photos on them. So, be careful if you want your files to go over the selection process!
Apart from this, there’re other relevant issues you need to consider when submitting your content. One of them is the image source: where does it come from? Don’t forget that you’re only allowed to incorporate photos of your own or CCO-Licensed or free public domain images. If none of these two conditions are met, then, we will not accept your resources.
And last, but not least. Whenever there’s a photo in the preview image, you must add the label “Image not included”. If it doesn’t appear, we will reject your file. Have a look at the following example:
3. Choose alternatives to photos
Not necessarily you need to use a photo each time, there’re other ways to make your PSD files appealing. Instead of photos, you can opt for other possibilities to indicate users where to place their images. Below we give you some alternatives which range from alpha layers and placeholder texts to no photo at all.
One option is to replace the photo with a transparency layer, which is a layer without opacity, also known as alpha layer. Here is an example of a business flyer template with a transparency layer (alpha layer):
Another possibility is to insert a placeholder text indicating where the design or image should go, such as “Your design here” or “Your mockup”. Have a look at the example below:
But, who said PSD files have to include photos? Fill in your template or mockup with a fresh and attractive design. Remember that what really matters here is that you create a quality and useful design that can be downloaded by as many users as possible. The following is an example of a business template with no photos on it:
4. Fonts are important, but not always
You can use fonts to enhance your PSD files, but it doesn’t have to be the main element of your composition. Let’s see it with an example. Imagine you are creating a poster template. Thus, in order for your design to be selected, make sure you use a nice font together with a nice design. If you focus on adding a cool font, but the design is poor, we’ll be forced to reject your template.
Including a beautiful font isn’t enough as we’ll assess your composition as a whole. Previews are just for attracting attention, so you can use as many elements as you want to improve them, but keep in mind that what we really evaluate is the design of the editable file.
5. Don’t use PSD files for advertising purposes
Please, remember that you can’t use your content for advertising purposes. If your name or username, the name of your company or any other personal or commercial info appears on the PSD file, it will be automatically rejected by our team. So, make sure you don’t include any element or information apart from those features necessary for the design or layout itself.
Well, you’re just five tips away from enhancing your PSD files. As a contributor, we need your help to expand our universe. We hope you’ll find all this info interesting and use it to create appealing templates and mockups. Not a contributor yet? What are you waiting for? Click below and start your adventure with us!
