Author Topic: Microstock Earnings Breakdown - March 2011 (Read 9155 times)

Oldhand · « **Reply #25 on:** April 01, 2011, 13:07 »

Good month - SS rolled in at $700+. Double that and that's not far off the income for the month.

Fell for your 10 Alamy sales on the last day of the month Mr. Antonio! I went to check mine and found another $350 in there from the 31st March - nice tip.

Fotolia in decline pricewise per pic. 123 over $100 which is good for me. Don't like IS...

Roll on March 2012

Oldhand

Anyka · « **Reply #26 on:** April 01, 2011, 15:46 »

Well, March was an interesting month. Used to be a BME every year, but not this time.
What made it interesting :
1. For the very first time, Dreamstime beat Istockphoto, which made DST number 3 and Istock number 4 (but only just)
2. 123rf did very well, and gave me the only BME of March.
3. Fotolia and Shutterstock had a 10% increase in downloads compared to March 2010, but ended just below BME because of fewer EL's
4. All sites came close to their BME (March 2010), except Rodeo and Istock, who both went down about 40%

I expected a decline this year, but did not expect that this decline would be caused by Istock only.

holgs · « **Reply #27 on:** April 01, 2011, 16:32 »

BME for $$ both at iStock and overall (which is the same thing for me now!) The month came home very strongly & April is also off to a good start.

BaldricksTrousers · « **Reply #28 on:** April 01, 2011, 17:03 »

epantha · « **Reply #29 on:** April 01, 2011, 17:59 »

BME with a 36% increase compared to March 2010.

SS - 35% (BME)
IS - 27%
DT - 15% (BME)
Veer - 7%
FT - 7% (BME)
BS - 4% (BME)
123RF - 3%
CanStockPhoto - 1%

Jonathan Ross · « **Reply #30 on:** April 01, 2011, 18:38 »

Hi G,

Yes, you are so right. The math is 10% thanks for pointing that out. That actually makes me happier that my number are still growing. I should add 10% to last months sales and see what I would have made if not for the change.

Best,
Jonathan

RacePhoto · « **Reply #31 on:** April 01, 2011, 18:39 »

Fed the beast, SS went up. Sent the same files to IS, all but two rejected, IS went down. Roughly reversed from 40/60 to 65/35. No ELs, and SS is down about 30% from last year. Feb. IS was flying, SS was dying. March they have reversed.

I don't count BigStock and when I get to the end of the year, it's pull the plug on that one. StockXpert via ThinkStock? maybe $3 a month now, they have until the end of the year, and then I'm not wasting time watching that failure.

Still working my way towards SS exclusive!

Alamy for editorial and RM.

wordplanet · « **Reply #32 on:** April 01, 2011, 19:05 »

Dreamstime - BME +75% from last month; $ +>150% from March 2010 (95% larger portfolio than last March, +3% since Feb).
56% of total royalties. Second time Dreamstime beat Shutterstock.

Shutterstock -12% with exactly one less DL than Feb. $ +>150% from March 2010 (113% larger portfolio, <1% larger than Feb).
36% of total royalties.

Fotolia is up since I had no sales last month after a strong December and January, but was a very weak performer. $ +400% from last March and with a 430% larger portfolio. My port there is <half the size of the other two.
3% of total royalties

Alamy's been only NU's after a strong January (when it accounted for 43% of revenue). Overall first quarter of the year is down 70% from Q1 2010 (which was my best quarter ever), despite many more sales due to lower prices. My portfolio is 150% larger than last year. Full-priced Alamy sales for March probably won't show up until May.
3% of total royalties

I've only added 3 new photos since Feb 1, so old ones still working for me

lagereek · « **Reply #33 on:** April 02, 2011, 02:19 »

Yes but with all respect, this doesnt give a clear picture. When I started with IS, SS, FT, DT, etc, some 5 years back, I used to have BME, every single month, it was almost impossible not to have a BME in the beginning, first year, etc.

Some people here have quite small ports, few DLs and they shout BME!! great! but not so hard in that case. However when you start getting up a bit, large ports, high cannister levels, etc and getting used to some good revenues rolling in, then its not so easy to achieve BMEs, all the time.

Konstantin Sutyagin · « **Reply #34 on:** April 02, 2011, 03:30 »

4 years in microstock. BME, +20% to February.

aeonf · « **Reply #35 on:** April 02, 2011, 05:51 »

Quote from: lagereek on April 02, 2011, 02:19

Yes but with all respect, this doesnt give a clear picture. When I started with IS, Shutterstock, Fotolia, Dreamstime, etc, some 5 years back, I used to have BME, every single month, it was almost impossible not to have a BME in the beginning, first year, etc.

Some people here have quite small ports, few DLs and they shout BME!! great! but not so hard in that case. However when you start getting up a bit, large ports, high cannister levels, etc and getting used to some good revenues rolling in, then its not so easy to achieve BMEs, all the time.

You are absoultly right. That's why I keep saying that nice percentages, BME's, graphs and colorfull lines etc' are all very nice but quite MEANINGLESS !

luissantos84 · « **Reply #36 on:** April 02, 2011, 06:20 »

Quote from: aeonf on April 02, 2011, 05:51

You are absoultly right. That's why I keep saying that nice percentages, BME's, graphs and colorfull lines etc' are all very nice but quite MEANINGLESS !

But were you expecting photographers/illustrators showing real numbers? Why and what for? When earnings become quite good I think you show step aside and keep it to your own (not thinking about competition) but more regarding your own privacy, do you know "numbers" from friends of your friends or all family? Also numbers may not show a lot (once portfolios/quality etc change a lot your income), I think showing % is good to see what others are doing (if you want to know more you can open their profile and look what works better in each agency, you can also track numbers at DT, IS, DP but I guess you would be wasting a lot of time and nothing you would earn there)

Overall who wants to show thats their own business (I do show) others that don´t I would say stop asking every single month regarding that matter

sam100 · « **Reply #37 on:** April 02, 2011, 12:10 »

Quote from: lagereek on April 02, 2011, 02:19

Yes but with all respect, this doesnt give a clear picture. When I started with IS, Shutterstock, Fotolia, Dreamstime, etc, some 5 years back, I used to have BME, every single month, it was almost impossible not to have a BME in the beginning, first year, etc.

Some people here have quite small ports, few DLs and they shout BME!! great! but not so hard in that case. However when you start getting up a bit, large ports, high cannister levels, etc and getting used to some good revenues rolling in, then its not so easy to achieve BMEs, all the time.

Viola

Patrick H.

lisafx · « **Reply #38 on:** April 02, 2011, 12:14 »

Quote from: aeonf on April 02, 2011, 05:51

You are absoultly right. That's why I keep saying that nice percentages, BME's, graphs and colorfull lines etc' are all very nice but quite MEANINGLESS !

Well, they aren't meaningless to me. I pretty much know who's who on this site and so when someone like Leaf, Joanne, or Lagereek, etc. gives their percentages, it is helpful to me. At the same time, if someone is newer or their dial shows low activity, I know that information is less relevant to my portfolio.

I don't need to know exact $ amounts for the information to be useful.

aeonf · « **Reply #39 on:** April 02, 2011, 12:29 »

^^^ OK then so for some of the the people here you say the info does have meaning ? Can you explain to me exactly what usufull information can you deduct from this ?
The is especially true when nobody states how many photos/files they have on each site, this makes the data truely worthless (even missleading).

So I state portfolio size, canister level, downloads and total monthly earnings. This information IS helpfull, at least for exclusives like myself.

Yes, I am sharing some private information here, and no, I do not expect everyone to do the same, but if SOME do, it would be helpfull to me and yes, to you as well. (epecially if they make a decent ammount of $$$).

lagereek · « **Reply #40 on:** April 02, 2011, 15:38 »

personally I think there is something like "hitting the wall" you know, you can only get so far or earn so much and no matter how much you work or upload, etc, you find only a very small increase, its a weird state really. Maybe its got something to do with that new uploads hardly ever see daylight, are never given the chance to sell, dont know.
All Micros keep encouraging us to upload, more uploads but in reality the only ones that seams to benefit from a manic uploading tempo are either the beginners or the smaller ports.
My new uploads? well they simply seam to get drowned in my very own portfolio.

This phenomena was once explained by some old Greek mathematician, cant remember his name but his philosophy was something like: the harder you try the less success.

lisafx · « **Reply #41 on:** April 02, 2011, 17:56 »

Quote from: aeonf on April 02, 2011, 12:29

^^^ OK then so for some of the the people here you say the info does have meaning ? Can you explain to me exactly what usufull information can you deduct from this ?
The is especially true when nobody states how many photos/files they have on each site, this makes the data truely worthless (even missleading).

Well, I thought I already did explain. I'll try again. I am interested in the stats of people who I KNOW to sell at similar levels to myself and have comparable portfolio size. I don't need to know their exact $ figures, and frankly couldn't care less.

There's really no point in browbeating anyone into sharing exact $ figures just because you want to know them. You know what Mick Jagger said about getting what you want

oboy · « **Reply #42 on:** April 02, 2011, 21:24 »

This is my stock photography sales statistic for March 2011. You can find a complete list of stock photography agencies that I work with here.

These are for me the best 4 performing stock agencies for March 2011:

Shutterstock
Zoonar
iStockPhoto
123RF

March was a good month with a small decrease of 8% compared to February. It was the best month ever for Zoonar.

aeonf · « **Reply #43 on:** April 03, 2011, 00:28 »

Quote from: lisafx on April 02, 2011, 17:56

Quote from: aeonf on April 02, 2011, 12:29
^^^ OK then so for some of the the people here you say the info does have meaning ? Can you explain to me exactly what usufull information can you deduct from this ?
The is especially true when nobody states how many photos/files they have on each site, this makes the data truely worthless (even missleading).

Well, I thought I already did explain. I'll try again. I am interested in the stats of people who I KNOW to sell at similar levels to myself and have comparable portfolio size. I don't need to know their exact $ figures, and frankly couldn't care less.

There's really no point in browbeating anyone into sharing exact $ figures just because you want to know them. You know what Mick Jagger said about getting what you want

Well I guess if you KNOW the people it helps, but if you don't know how much they are making (at least a ball park) I would at least assume you know their portfolio size breakdown in each si5e, because without this piece of information any data isn't really worth much.

Regarding $$$ amounts, well its not a question of WANT (have no idea what MJ said about it though), first of all for us that are exclusives, and their are quite a bit of us here, the breakdowns mean diddly squat, the only useful information for us is RPI, $$$ made, canister level and sales % up/down.
This definably helps, not because I like snooping around in other peoples pockets but because it helps make business decisions for those of us that see this venue as a business rather then a hobby (and I KNOW you are one of them).

lagereek · « **Reply #44 on:** April 03, 2011, 01:01 »

oboy, here above is a perfect example really of what we are talking about, nice graphs, stats, breakdowns, etc, all very nice but with all respect, he/she, shows a port of about 300 files so weather its BME, WME, or whatever, it doesnt give the slightest indication to the overall market.

Same with me. If Lisa, Joanne, Leaf and similar guys here give an indication towards, lousy or great, well I dont even need to look at my own stats, I know for sure its pretty much the same, up or down.

djpadavona · « **Reply #45 on:** April 03, 2011, 08:28 »

Quote from: aeonf on April 03, 2011, 00:28

Well I guess if you KNOW the people it helps, but if you don't know how much they are making (at least a ball park) I would at least assume you know their portfolio size breakdown in each si5e, because without this piece of information any data isn't really worth much.

If you don't want the information, then stop looking at it and commenting about it.

aeonf · « **Reply #46 on:** April 03, 2011, 12:27 »

Quote from: djpadavona on April 03, 2011, 08:28

Quote from: aeonf on April 03, 2011, 00:28
Well I guess if you KNOW the people it helps, but if you don't know how much they are making (at least a ball park) I would at least assume you know their portfolio size breakdown in each si5e, because without this piece of information any data isn't really worth much.

If you don't want the information, then stop looking at it and commenting about it.

I would LOVE information, just having trouble sorting out from the NOISE.

Atwim · « **Reply #47 on:** April 03, 2011, 13:02 »

Quote from: aeonf on April 03, 2011, 12:27

Quote from: djpadavona on April 03, 2011, 08:28
Quote from: aeonf on April 03, 2011, 00:28
Well I guess if you KNOW the people it helps, but if you don't know how much they are making (at least a ball park) I would at least assume you know their portfolio size breakdown in each si5e, because without this piece of information any data isn't really worth much.

If you don't want the information, then stop looking at it and commenting about it.

I would LOVE information, just having trouble sorting out from the NOISE.

But even the data you are sharing without knowing how many pictures you have, how consistently you are uploading or even what type of content you are producing doesn´t give too much information to the rest.
My earning figures could be similar to yours but my port could be 10X bigger or smaller and the implications in both cases would be totally different so your data doesn´t give me much info either :-)
I think the info well stablished ports are sharing give a good idea of how things are, when can you expect to reach plateau and what quality and effort you need to reach where they are. Data like mine can help you see, as you can see my port, that even without being a great photographer or a great uploader, you can still see steady growth during the first years. I reckon that improving in my case is getting harder so I might hit the wall this year.
Hope it helps someone :-)

aeonf · « **Reply #48 on:** April 03, 2011, 13:32 »

You are right. my bad. my port is ~2,000 images (pictures only).
25% canister
300 dl's (2 EL's)
970$
up 8% from feb 11
up 930% from march 10

hoping to see some more $$$ from GI sells.

How many d/ls did you get?

And great port BTW !

luissantos84 · « **Reply #49 on:** April 03, 2011, 13:39 »

this topic is going good eheh FIGHT!

non-exclusive (15% comission, left 16% because of 48 RC´s)
portfolio 717 (end of March)
60dls
56.9$

this huge amount after 2 years, so I would say 2 more to be on the 100$, quite excited, now more uploading