MicrostockGroup

Agency Based Discussion => 123RF => Topic started by: AlessandraRC on March 19, 2016, 22:30

Title: free images
Post by: AlessandraRC on March 19, 2016, 22:30
I have been offering free images at 123rf since I subscribed as they promise an increase of exposure of your portfolio and the chance to sell a larger version of the image to the same customer.

I am not sure I have gotten much out of it. The free images are downloaded several times but never a larger version seems to be purchased and my sales since I subscribed back last Dec have only gone down.

I would like to hear people's perceptions about donating images there. Does it really help the photographer in any way? I am thinking to stop doing it.

Title: Re: free images
Post by: sweetgirll on March 19, 2016, 23:33
When you offer free images, in a microstock site I think you are attracting people looking for freebies or image collectors, the ones who just collect images thinking someday they might be able to use. So that's probably why nobody is buying the large version.

Those customers hunting for specific images are willing to pay.
Title: Re: free images
Post by: skyfish on March 20, 2016, 03:18
Here many times already started discussions about donations of images. Many thoughts, opinions posted. I think you need to search this forum. Personally, i never witnessed increasing of sales after donation of somehing for free not in photography, not in any other business which proposed donations. This is only your choice, but think about your time, your eyes, your expenses. Donations i think can be justified when you don't expect a cash flow in exchange (a real and low budget charity for example, which can return to you as positively as well as negatively), otherwise it is a myth.
Title: Re: free images
Post by: Pauws99 on March 20, 2016, 03:28
I'm struggling to think of other businesses  that do this..music I guess. But for instance you don't see supermarkets giving away free food in the hope you will buy something more expensive! To me if you give away images it gives an impression you don't value your work so why would anyone else?
Title: Re: free images
Post by: Dumc on March 20, 2016, 06:16
I offered free image a few times on 123rf. They were downloaded a few times, but I never saw any increase in sales, so I stopped offering them for free.
Title: Re: free images
Post by: Artist on March 20, 2016, 07:08
NEVER offer anything for free...
Title: Re: free images
Post by: longtimeshooter on March 20, 2016, 08:50
I do donate on 123 and many of the images are later bought at a full size and also related images are purchased. I rotate a whole bunch of ones that never sold there or elsewhere and they are now getting seen and purchased. So for me, it works and works well.
As for not giving anything away, my philosophy is you need to give in order to get. Just be fully aware of what you are giving.
Title: Re: free images
Post by: PixelBytes on March 20, 2016, 09:13
I have been offering free images at 123rf since I subscribed as they promise an increase of exposure of your portfolio and the chance to sell a larger version of the image to the same customer.

I am not sure I have gotten much out of it. The free images are downloaded several times but never a larger version seems to be purchased and my sales since I subscribed back last Dec have only gone down.

I would like to hear people's perceptions about donating images there. Does it really help the photographer in any way? I am thinking to stop doing it.

I tried that for about a year, a few years back.  Saw absolutely no sales increase so I stopped giving them away.  My sales improved after, but more then a year after, so I don't think the freebies had any effect on my sales there one way or the other.

The only time I ever benifitted directly from donating a free image was on the sites that featured ONE free image on their landing page.  That did get more exposure and sales for that week, but that is very different from tossing away images into some big free collection that competes with the images for sale.
Title: Re: free images
Post by: fiftyfootelvis on March 20, 2016, 13:09
Never give anything for free unless it is for a family member or a charity that you know and respect.
The business of graphic design, illustration and photography has been de-valued enough without us giving our work away for free.
Title: Re: free images
Post by: AlessandraRC on March 20, 2016, 19:47

Thanks for all the replies.  8)