An anonymous person with an anonymous self-hosting project that asks personal questions about uploading habits, income and portfolio size, portfolio links and personal contact information but assures everyone their information will remain anonymous. Lol.

Sorry...just realized Jacob is not anonymous. Still, an awful lot of digging for personal info without disclosing anything about the project.

Took a look at your survey.

I think I know what type of project you want to put together (if it's what I think it is, I was thinking of doing the same thing a while back).

Creating a site where you charge a fee to host files (photos/videos) is kind of a good idea - but I think you have a limited market.

The issue I think most photographers/videographers have is they don't know how to market themselves to generate sales - so unless you solve that problem, I don't think charging a subscription fee for photographers/videographers to host their own files will be that appealing. Simply because they don't know how to market it (even though you'll probably promote it that way). So what's the point of *paying* someone to host files for something they already get to do for *free* (portfolios on other sites). Yes, yes - you can say "no agency commission!" - but then the challenge is marketing and making SALES. And most don't really know how to do that on their own. They are photographers/videographers, not marketers.

So the thought process would be 'why should I PAY you money to host, with no sales if I have to do ALL the work in marketing TOO'? And they probably wouldn't buy.

BTW - re: income - do you generate $40,000 USD per month through photography? You had that in your survey question.

My educated guess is there is maybe 1% that do above $5k/month - but - they'd probably be happy with how they are doing things already (letting the agencies promote), so wouldn't really be interested in such a service. Then, maybe 10% that do $1-$2k/month - but again, too much work to promote themselves. And then probably 75% doing from $100-$500/month - but then your service would probably be too expensive (assuming you'd be charging between $30-$50/month) - AND - reaching those people and converting them I think would be a challenge. Unless you have some 'in' (relationship with an agency) - or - some way of reaching that vast majority of photographers/videographers - OR - figuring out how to make them SALES - I think you have a bit of a challenge before you.

Very good considerations SuperPhoto.

There's definitely pros on cons about being self-hosted. And in terms of sales it will never be anywhere near as what you can achieve with the help of stock agencies. But I do see it as an interesting alternative to the stock agencies for people who have a certain size of portfolio. Some of the interesting aspects:
- 100% commissions
- Options to sell different licenses (exclusive licenses, TIFF files, RAW files, graded / ungraded video)
- More control to present your portfolio the way you want
- Get to know you customers

If you don't mind SuperPhoto it could be interesting chatting a bit more. Can I get your email?

Quote from: SuperPhoto on August 29, 2018, 23:22

Took a look at your survey.

I think I know what type of project you want to put together (if it's what I think it is, I was thinking of doing the same thing a while back).

Creating a site where you charge a fee to host files (photos/videos) is kind of a good idea - but I think you have a limited market.

The issue I think most photographers/videographers have is they don't know how to market themselves to generate sales - so unless you solve that problem, I don't think charging a subscription fee for photographers/videographers to host their own files will be that appealing. Simply because they don't know how to market it (even though you'll probably promote it that way). So what's the point of *paying* someone to host files for something they already get to do for *free* (portfolios on other sites). Yes, yes - you can say "no agency commission!" - but then the challenge is marketing and making SALES. And most don't really know how to do that on their own. They are photographers/videographers, not marketers.

So the thought process would be 'why should I PAY you money to host, with no sales if I have to do ALL the work in marketing TOO'? And they probably wouldn't buy.

BTW - re: income - do you generate $40,000 USD per month through photography? You had that in your survey question.

My educated guess is there is maybe 1% that do above $5k/month - but - they'd probably be happy with how they are doing things already (letting the agencies promote), so wouldn't really be interested in such a service. Then, maybe 10% that do $1-$2k/month - but again, too much work to promote themselves. And then probably 75% doing from $100-$500/month - but then your service would probably be too expensive (assuming you'd be charging between $30-$50/month) - AND - reaching those people and converting them I think would be a challenge. Unless you have some 'in' (relationship with an agency) - or - some way of reaching that vast majority of photographers/videographers - OR - figuring out how to make them SALES - I think you have a bit of a challenge before you.

Quote from: jacoblund on August 31, 2018, 03:06

Very good considerations SuperPhoto.

... terms of sales it will never be anywhere near as what you can achieve with the help of stock agencies. But I do see it as an interesting alternative to the stock agencies for people who have a certain size of portfolio. Some of the interesting aspects:
- 100% commissions
- Options to sell different licenses (exclusive licenses, TIFF files, RAW files, graded / ungraded video)
- More control to present your portfolio the way you want

you forget to include:
-- time & effort involved in setting up and maintaining your own web site
-- cost of marketing aand advertising to get noticed
-- reason for anyone to come to your relativley small site rather than an agency

Quote

- Get to know you customers

how?  i was actively involved in shareware for any years, as a developer and as officer of the ASP & ESC (shareware organizations) - dealing with thousands of customers, i had only a handful of personal contacts w buyers - customers want your product not a friend for life

Quote from: cascoly on August 31, 2018, 13:10

Quote from: jacoblund on August 31, 2018, 03:06

Very good considerations SuperPhoto.

... terms of sales it will never be anywhere near as what you can achieve with the help of stock agencies. But I do see it as an interesting alternative to the stock agencies for people who have a certain size of portfolio. Some of the interesting aspects:
- 100% commissions
- Options to sell different licenses (exclusive licenses, TIFF files, RAW files, graded / ungraded video)
- More control to present your portfolio the way you want

you forget to include:
-- time & effort involved in setting up and maintaining your own web site
-- cost of marketing aand advertising to get noticed
-- reason for anyone to come to your relativley small site rather than an agency

Quote

- Get to know you customers

how?  i was actively involved in shareware for any years, as a developer and as officer of the ASP & ESC (shareware organizations) - dealing with thousands of customers, i had only a handful of personal contacts w buyers - customers want your product not a friend for life

idk. When I was self hosting I made one sale, paid for the domain that year. and I've only got 100 something little crap graphics.

'Grand Canyon' shows 14 images of the Hawaii version!!!!! )

yes, symbio is easy to setup & maintain, but still takes time, esp'ly to add hundreds/thousands of images; I've stopped adding to my site and instead point to SS - simple to do and generates real $

AND symzio has never taken off - very few artists,  and lacks coverage in entire areas (look what you get for searches on India, Italy, Germany or Paris.  'Grand Canyon' shows 14 images of the Hawaii version!!!!! )  so why would a buyer go there rather than SS et al?

Quote from: cascoly on September 01, 2018, 21:54

yes, symbio is easy to setup & maintain, but still takes time, esp'ly to add hundreds/thousands of images; I've stopped adding to my site and instead point to SS - simple to do and generates real $

How come? I upload photos and it's easiest of all 'agencies', just drop files on favorite FTP program and they will be ready for sale in minutes. No need to apply model releases and all that jazz, no rejections ...

Quote from: cascoly on September 01, 2018, 21:54

AND symzio has never taken off - very few artists,  and lacks coverage in entire areas (look what you get for searches on India, Italy, Germany or Paris.  'Grand Canyon' shows 14 images of the Hawaii version!!!!! )  so why would a buyer go there rather than SS et al?

Agreed. We just need to look in mirror