MicrostockGroup

Hello

Here are some simple steps we do to divert traffic from istock and fotolia to smaller sites.  Basically everyone has some kind of website or blogs. Backlinks are very important for search engine rankings. If we can get a few thousands backlinks removed , it would make a lot of difference. I think this is the only way for unhappy contributors to show displeasure of the commission cut


1. Remove all links to istock and fotolia from your website.

2. Remove all your istock and fotolia profile,badge links on forums

3. Remove all refferal links that you spread on the internet.  Stop using refferal links from these sites




Create new links on your blog/website all the other middle tier sites. If you don't have one just register a blogspot or wordpress and write a 300 words post write something nice about stock photography, then create links to these sites. Basically search engines eg. google likes good content.


Replace with the keywords below http://www.123rf.com with all the other sites. eg shutterstock, dreamtimes , canstockphoto, veer, bigstock

for example



You may also use the following keywords as href tag description






Keywords by traffic monthly


stock photos           110000
iphoto                   90500
free images           74000
free photos           60500
free stock photos        60500
stock photo           60500
free pictures         40500
royalty free images   40500
i stock                   33100


and spread this to 5 unhappy microstock photographers.

Cheers!


reference

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PageRank

Well, I think it works itself pretty good. Firstly major of sales occur on photographer-client basis, not agency-client. Second, from agencies micro is just tiny part. Third - did you see microstock images in Google images results? Me not...

Don't rely on the figures on the right. They represent a small proportion of microstock contributors.

Some of us here are exclusives so damaging IS damages ourselves.

Did that a week a go 

What a f...!?

So I need to suffer these 16% to protect your profits???

We are removing links to our portfolios not yours...

Remove my work at Istock and redirect as much traffic as possible to other sites simple!

So, where is the problem? We are talking about OUR portfolios and OUR promotion not about IS or FT complete portfolio...
If I remove my photos from iStock, probably I will make all 3 steps in first post... There is no reason to leave these links on my site, blog, etc (only if you want to leave those links for you )...
What is wrong if I am making campaign to bring buyers to better sites for me...?

You can doing that for your iStock portfolio...
I don't want and I can't to prohibit that to you,  it is your right and of course, this is market competition...

P.S.

I do not see No# 4 in the first post: "Customers please do not buy from Istock exclusives, because of me!!!"

So trying to send a semi unified statement, by removing the traffic that we can control is a bad thing ? what if by some miracle enough unhappy contributer makes an effort, and it actually made an impact wouldn't that maybe make the other stock reconsider pulling the same lame greedy decisions?

Then again, we will advertise some new small sites ... Sorry because "Robin Hood" syndrome ....

Well, some of us here are willing to take a chance and do any kind of small thing to make a difference, instead of throwing our hands up in the air and giving up.

I appreciate Joanne's post, and in fact had already taken some of the steps she talks about. Sorry about you exclusives, you will have to make up your own minds about what is good for you. And if you choose to stay with those greedy agencies, you don't have to berate others for trying to do something constructive for themselves.

And some of us who are small fries might become big fries if it weren't for the constant greediness and taking of our royalties.

I don't get the part about talent?

That is just your opinion, which I totally disagree with. But you are certainly entitled to your opinion.

If it weren't for IS's greediness, I would still be shooting, still be improving. Since I was already at the gold level, I would be working my way towards the next little icon, whatever that was. Diamond? The talent must have been there, otherwise I wouldn't have made it to gold, would I have? And to advance any further, I either 1. needed more money to buy bigger and better equipment and hire models or 2. join your club and become an exclusive. Neither was a reality for me, and it has nothing to do with talent.