How many agencies do you use?

jwsc101

« on: October 07, 2010, 17:36 »

#link

Ok, so as most of you will know (and is apparent cos this is the newbies forum Tongue

) I am new to this.

So far, I am concentrating on building my portfolio with 5 agencies, which are spit across the top middle and bottom in the ratings here. I feel quite happy with this number and tend to be a loyal kind of person.

I am just interested in how far most of you spread your portfolios around, do you upload to every agency you can find, or just a few which you come to know and like?

Thanks


	Ignore \| Logged

« Reply #1 on: October 08, 2010, 03:16 »

#link

It depends on your portfolio. For one is agency A a low earner for the other is agency A a top tier. Everybody should make one experiences and should then decide, which way to go. I've tried a lot of the whole range (top- and middle tier and also the low earners). Now i'm uploading more and more to macrostock-agencies.


	Ignore \| Logged

lisafx

Premium Member

« Reply #2 on: October 08, 2010, 09:49 »

#link

I am on 10 agencies, but 85% of my income comes from the top 4. If you add in BigStock and 123 that accounts for 95% of my income.

If I was just starting out I would stick with the top 4 or maybe top 6. Only worry with the smaller sites once you are up and running well on the big earners.


	Ignore \| Logged

takestock

« Reply #3 on: October 08, 2010, 09:58 »

#link

At one stage I was with 6 or 7 agencies.
Now it's down to just 3 and I feel more comfortable with that.
Also, less work involved.


	Ignore \| Logged

spike

« Reply #4 on: October 08, 2010, 10:09 »

#link

On six, but it seems that BigStock is just not worth the effort, so it might soon be five.


	Ignore \| Logged

Blufish

« Reply #5 on: October 08, 2010, 11:19 »

#link

Currently on 6. Also considering stopping BigStock. I'm on a little of all tiers, still experimenting.


	Ignore \| Logged

microstockphoto.co.uk

« Reply #6 on: October 08, 2010, 12:17 »

#link

All of the big 4 and middle tier (about 97% of total earnings);

And a small number of low earners, just to be there in case they turn into the next big thing - never happened for now though; uploading to all the low earners is nearly impossible unless one has a lot of time to waste


« Last Edit: October 08, 2010, 12:26 by microstockphoto.co.uk »	Ignore \| Logged

RacePhoto

« Reply #7 on: October 08, 2010, 14:47 »

#link

Two = SS and IS that I continue to send in new work.

I left my pictures on BigStock and StockXpert/ThinkStock, which are owned by the same companies, so maybe the answer is four? FT and DT I had personal issues with their changes in policy, and dropped them. Some folks do very well and are happy with those two. But I think once you read the messages, you'll find that most agree, the top four are where you'll make the best return for your time.

SS
IS
FT
DT

That's about it for micro! (opinion) Grin

ps if someone uses my SS link below and actually uploads and gets a photo accepted, you'll be the first! I find that interesting after three years that, one time, one person signed up for 123RF and did become active. All the rest have been interested and never uploaded one photo. Not begging for a referral, just being amused at the number who come and ask and visit the site promoting Microstock that I created. (spam alert) And never one has gotten past the looking stages into an active uploader. Must be harder than I thought? Wink


	Ignore \| Logged

jwsc101

« Reply #8 on: October 13, 2010, 17:09 »

#link

Thanks all, that's really helpful.


	Ignore \| Logged

Giuseppe Parisi

« Reply #9 on: October 13, 2010, 17:48 »

#link

I'm selling my works on 6 agencies.
5 microstock (Shutterstock, Dreamstime, Fotolia and iStock) and 1 macrostock (Alamy)

My best selling agency is Shutterstock.
I might consider joining other mid-earners only if they will pay to have my portfolio as Veer did. Otherwise it is not worth it.


	Ignore \| Logged

sharpshot

« Reply #10 on: October 13, 2010, 18:14 »

#link

I use over 20. Started off with the top 4 sites and added more after I started getting regular payments from them. It has worked out well for me, the smaller sites don't make as much but the money adds up over the years and they usually pay a better commission. I would of lost a lot of money just sticking to the big sites.


	Ignore \| Logged

YadaYadaYada

« Reply #11 on: October 14, 2010, 20:55 »

#link

Quote from: sharpshot on October 13, 2010, 18:14

How much is a lot over years how much money sites years for how much work. in round numbers. How many pictures do you have to make it work?


	Ignore \| Logged

sharpshot

« Reply #12 on: October 15, 2010, 01:03 »

#link

^^^Outside the top 7 sites I made around $2,800 in the last year. My portfolio varies, as I now only upload my best images to newer sites so I have between 600 and 1,800 on most of them. The time it takes also varies, most sites I just upload while doing other work, it only takes a few minutes of my time. Other sites want categories and can take more time, I only use them if they make me enough money. I don't use people, so no model releases and that saves time.

I like the fact that most of the smaller sites pay higher commissions and they might provide some competition to the bigger sites, if they can get enough images. Sticking to the top 4 sites gives them too much control and we can already see where that is going, lower and lower commissions.


	Ignore \| Logged

dirkr

« Reply #13 on: October 15, 2010, 01:54 »

#link

Quote from: sharpshot on October 15, 2010, 01:03

I like the fact that most of the smaller sites pay higher commissions and they might provide some competition to the bigger sites, if they can get enough images. Sticking to the top 4 sites gives them too much control and we can already see where that is going, lower and lower commissions.

+1

And for some of these sites (like Yaymicro) the effort really is close to zero, just upload via FTP and you are done.


	Ignore \| Logged

a.k.a.-tom

Premium Member

« Reply #14 on: October 17, 2010, 18:51 »

#link

Quote from: lisafx on October 08, 2010, 09:49

If I was just starting out I would stick with the top 4 or maybe top 6. Only worry with the smaller sites once you are up and running well on the big earners.

I agree absolutely... I too started with.. wow, I lost count.. 10, 11, more? .... most of them were a complete waste of time.. now the bulk of my stock income comes out of SS & IS. 8)tom


	Ignore \| Logged

Will

« Reply #15 on: October 17, 2010, 19:18 »

#link

Quote from: sharpshot on October 15, 2010, 01:03

Excellent point! Selling on the top few sites is of course in one's best self interest...today... or maybe even for the next few years. However we've seen what happens when one company seems to think it can control the marketplace. IMHO it's far better to also work on strategic diversification in order not to become a total pawn in any one company's game.


	Ignore \| Logged

corepics

Premium Member

« Reply #16 on: October 17, 2010, 19:38 »

#link

Quote from: a.k.a.-tom on October 17, 2010, 18:51

Quote from: lisafx on October 08, 2010, 09:49

If I was just starting out I would stick with the top 4 or maybe top 6. Only worry with the smaller sites once you are up and running well on the big earners.

I agree absolutely... I too started with.. wow, I lost count.. 10, 11, more? .... most of them were a complete waste of time.. now the bulk of my stock income comes out of SS & IS. 8)tom

I only partially agree. Although I started with the big 4-6, some small, unknown sites, perform really well for me. An example is a small - local - Dutch site, De Nationale Beeldbank. Mostly editorial stuff, but consistently in our top 5 earners for over a year now, battling with FT for the 4th spot, way ahead of number 6. A local market, allowing for a different approach, and a different clientele. They provided what I hoped CC would do - revenue wise.

Seeing the difference in performance in the monthly breakdown of percentages, especially across the smaller sites, I believe it really depends on the styling, diversification and type of images in your portfolio. That makes it extremely difficult to predict which sites are worth your while to submit to.


	Ignore \| Logged

Sign up with Shutterstock

Pages: [1]

« previous next »

MicrostockGroup

Microstockgroup Sponsors

Topic: How many agencies do you use?

Microstockgroup Sponsors

Microstock Poll Results