Apply Watermarks to Listing Photos
Many MLSs add watermarks to their listing photos to help prevent those photos from being used without permission. There are two options for applying text watermarks to listing photos in Flexmls: Standard and Advanced. With either of these options, the watermark will be applied automatically when a photo is uploaded to a listing.
With the Standard option, the watermark is placed in the lower left corner of the listing photo. You can specify the watermark text and whether to include a copyright symbol, but you cannot customize the font size or style.
The Advanced option is more customizable. With this option, the watermark is placed in the center of the photo, making it more difficult to crop out. As with the Standard watermark, you can specify the watermark text and whether to include a copyright symbol. The Advanced watermark also allows you to select a font and style (italic or bold). You can also specify the font size and watermark transparency for both original photos and resized photos.
Secondary Watermarks
If you would like the ability for users to add an additional watermark to photos, you can request to enable the "Add a button to apply additional watermark" setting. If enabled, this setting allows users to apply a secondary watermark to an uploaded photo in a listing. Uploaded photos include an additional button that users can click to add the secondary watermark. The watermark appears at the upper left corner of the photo. The MLS can determine the wording used in the watermark.
The secondary watermark can be added to individual photos only. It cannot be added to a group of photos all at once. Once the watermark is added, it cannot be removed. If the watermark was added in error, delete the photo and re-upload it to the listing.
To request that this setting be enabled, reach out to Customer Success (cpr@flexmls.com).
The following MLS settings are related to this feature. To view or change your MLS settings, go to the MLS Settings page under General on the Admin menu.
Note
Watermarks cannot be removed from photos. Once a watermark has been applied, it becomes a permanent part of the image. If you change your watermark settings, the changes will not be applied to previously uploaded photos.
Use copyright symbol in photo watermarks - If set to On, the copyright symbol and year that the photo was uploaded will be displayed at the beginning of photo watermark text for listing photos. This setting is applicable only if text is entered for the setting Message displayed as a watermark on all photos uploaded.
Message displayed as a watermark on all photos uploaded - This setting controls the text for listing photo watermarks. If this setting is left blank, no watermark will be applied to new listing photos. If changes are made to the watermark text, be sure to click Save to save the change.
Add a button to apply additional watermark in upper left corner (FBS Staff Only) - This FBS-only setting controls the text for an additional listing photo watermark and makes a button available to apply this watermark when editing photos for a listing. If this setting is left blank, no secondary watermark will be available for listing photos. If changes are made to the watermark text, be sure to click Save to save the change.
Watermark Method - If set to Standard, the watermark will be displayed on the lower left corner of the listing photo and no MLS settings to customize the font size or style will be available. If set to Advanced, the watermark will be displayed at the center of the listing photo and the following additional MLS settings become available.
Watermark Font Style - Bold or italicize watermark text on listing photos. This setting is available only when the Watermark Method setting is set to Advanced.
Watermark Font - Select the typeface to use for the watermark. This setting is available only when the Watermark Method setting is set to Advanced.
Watermark Font Size -- Original Photo - Specify the font size of the watermark text on the original versions of listing photos that are uploaded to Flexmls. This setting is available only when the Watermark Method setting is set to Advanced.
Watermark Font Size -- Resized Photo - Specify the font size of the watermark text on the thumbnail versions of listing photos that are uploaded to Flexmls. This setting is available only when the Watermark Method setting is set to Advanced.
Watermark Transparency -- Original Photo - Specify the transparency of the watermark text on the original versions of listing photos that are uploaded to Flexmls. Changing this setting to a higher level will result in more transparent watermark text, allowing more of the photo to show through the text. This setting is available only when the Watermark Method setting is set to Advanced.
Watermark Transparency -- Resized Photo - Specify the transparency of the watermark text on the thumbnail versions of listing photos that are uploaded to Flexmls. Changing this setting to a higher level will result in more transparent watermark text, allowing more of the photo to show through the text. This setting is available only when the Watermark Method setting is set to Advanced.
Enable the ability to dynamically watermark photos pulled via RETS in RETS Administration (Superuser Only) - This FBS-only setting enables an option on the RETS User Permissions page to add dynamic watermarks to photos downloaded via RETS. Images obtained via RETS will be watermarked with the RETS user ID and a date/time stamp in the image’s lower left corner.
Note
RETS feed users typically use URLs to reference photos; they do not usually download and store photo files. However, if this option is enabled and dynamic watermarks are turned on for a RETS feed, users of that feed will no longer have the option to use image URLs. They will be required to download the watermarked photos instead. For existing feeds, be sure to give advance notice to any users of the feed before enabling this option. They will need to change the way they handle photos from the affected feed.