Author Topic: Fotolia sales - good or bad for you? (Read 9889 times)

nativelight · « **on:** August 29, 2008, 10:34 »

In many of the FT threads I've read where some people do very well on Fotolia and others do very poorly. I'm in the latter category. So I got to wondering what types of images do well and what types do not. If everyone is willing to share, I think it would be helpful to know some stats for those who do well and for those who do not. Again, I have never done well ($89 in about 18 months).

I have 233 images online which is about 33-50% lower than SS, IS, and DT because of my horrible (just above 50%) acceptance rate on FT. Most of my images fall into the categories of nature, travel and miscellaneus things like objects isolated on white. So apparently these are not the types of images FT thinks their buyers want. Is FT a site where they primarily want people in business situations? Something else?

What I'm really trying to determine is whether or not to continue with FT. If they don't want anything I enjoy shooting, it's just not worth it to me. But maybe there's something they need that I'm missing and would still enjoy shooting.

So let's hear from both those who do well and those who do not.

Peter · « **Reply #1 on:** August 29, 2008, 10:43 »

I do well on FT, but I have 7500 images there.

Seriosly, August was very bad month for me there. Hope september will pick up.

stokfoto · « **Reply #2 on:** August 29, 2008, 11:48 »

normally I am doing well too but certainly not this august.my worst month of the year:(

melastmohican · « **Reply #3 on:** August 29, 2008, 12:41 »

I've just started 4 months ago so I cannot upload to many photos (see rejection threads :-)) I got 170 photos and only 23 downloads (none this month). I feel like I came to late when I heard that somebody has 7K pictures there ;-)

nativelight · « **Reply #4 on:** August 29, 2008, 13:02 »

Quote from: Peter on August 29, 2008, 10:43

I do well on FT, but I have 7500 images there.

Seriosly, August was very bad month for me there. Hope september will pick up.

So what types of images does Fotolia like to see? Is there anything that stands out as a preference for them?

Dreamframer · « **Reply #5 on:** August 29, 2008, 13:06 »

I am not so good at Fotolia, but august was my BME

Peter · « **Reply #6 on:** August 29, 2008, 13:06 »

http://www.fotolia.com/TopSales/FromThisMonth

MikLav · « **Reply #7 on:** August 29, 2008, 13:15 »

My fotolia sales dropped significantly since they upgraded to v.2 (last summer) and remain low. Acceptance became very bad lately too.

It is still doing better than 123rf or Bigstockphoto for me, being #5 after IS, SS, StockXpert and DT

nativelight · « **Reply #8 on:** August 29, 2008, 13:25 »

Quote from: Peter on August 29, 2008, 13:06

http://www.fotolia.com/TopSales/FromThisMonth

Point taken.

Clivia · « **Reply #9 on:** August 29, 2008, 13:26 »

August is my best month ever on Fotolia. They have been my highest earning site this month for the first time ever, thanks to a number of extended licence sales. They usually come second to SS, but the gap between them has been narrowing month by month.

melastmohican · « **Reply #10 on:** August 29, 2008, 13:49 »

Less and less photos on a top of Fotolia every month. Illustrations seems to take over this site (I count isolation as non-photo too). It seem like they no longer want "raw produce" they need fully processed one :-)

gkpeterson · « **Reply #11 on:** August 29, 2008, 13:54 »

Horrible sales and rarely does anything get accepted there anymore.

DanP68 · « **Reply #12 on:** August 29, 2008, 14:47 »

Lackluster sales, and yes I do take the time to sort my keywords for them.

cdwheatley · « **Reply #13 on:** August 29, 2008, 14:51 »

#3 site for me the last couple of months. All over the map before that.

takestock · « **Reply #14 on:** August 29, 2008, 15:53 »

Ditto!

Quote from: DanP68 on August 29, 2008, 14:47

Lackluster sales, and yes I do take the time to sort my keywords for them.

nativelight · « **Reply #15 on:** August 29, 2008, 15:57 »

Quote from: takestock on August 29, 2008, 15:53

Ditto!

Quote from: DanP68 on August 29, 2008, 14:47
Lackluster sales, and yes I do take the time to sort my keywords for them.

I also sort my keywords. I wouldn't mind it if I saw results, but I don't.

madelaide · « **Reply #16 on:** August 29, 2008, 21:46 »

FT used to be much better for me than it is now. An occasional EL however saves a month (most my ELs happened in FT).

Regards,
Adelaide

Magnum · « **Reply #17 on:** August 30, 2008, 02:18 »

They´re weird. First of all they reject almost everything. Then when I upload some IS and SS rejects they approve it???

sam100 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 30, 2008, 09:02 »

Fotolia is loosing it...
Some stats, assuming April is 100 % :

- may minus 45 %;
- june minus 13 %;
- july plus 6 %;
- august minus 21 %

If this trend continious next month they won't even produce 100 dollar per month.

Patrick H.

rjmiz · « **Reply #19 on:** August 30, 2008, 11:31 »

For what it's worth (because I believe everyone has already hosted their opinion)
The best type of selling images are generally conceptual, in the category of business.

I key in on concepts because a concept image will yield a broad range of ideas that are
more open for interpretation than a non-concept image.

As for how I've done regarding sales on FT this month? I've managed to reel in $213
as of this posting. A bit above average.

the MIZ

lisafx · « **Reply #20 on:** August 30, 2008, 12:33 »

Welcome back Miz! It's been kinda dull around here without you

Mellimage · « **Reply #21 on:** August 30, 2008, 13:57 »

My sales have been getting better every month since May. Very satisfied.

pdtnc · « **Reply #22 on:** September 05, 2008, 12:51 »

slow sales, brilliant Referrals!

domencolja · « **Reply #23 on:** September 05, 2008, 14:33 »

Getting better and better lately. I assume it's probably because of search algorithm changes. I never invested time in keyword order and that's almost certainly the reason Fotolia was crappy in the past.

p.s.: But I still hate .svg format limitations of 1MB, unfriendly IPTC data migration on rasters (why on earth does it parse IPTC description in the title box?) and on vectors (.svg format doesn't support it).

DanP68 · « **Reply #24 on:** September 05, 2008, 14:53 »

Quote from: patrick1958 on August 30, 2008, 09:02

Fotolia is loosing it...
Some stats, assuming April is 100 % :

- may minus 45 %;
- june minus 13 %;
- july plus 6 %;
- august minus 21 %

Wow, that is scary.

I agree with your assessment Miz. And since you create a lot of images in that category, I'd say you are playing in the right ball park.

For whatever reason, they sell a lot of my food shots...which isn't exactly business-conceptual. Food sells well for me at FT and StockXpert, not so much at DT and IS. But I eat well.

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Author Topic: Fotolia sales - good or bad for you? (Read 9889 times)

nativelight

Peter

stokfoto

melastmohican

nativelight

Dreamframer

Peter

MikLav

nativelight

Clivia

melastmohican

gkpeterson

DanP68

cdwheatley

takestock

nativelight

madelaide

Magnum

sam100

rjmiz

lisafx

Mellimage

pdtnc

domencolja

DanP68

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