More agencies will emerge to challenge Stocksy and OFFSET providing higher-end RF imagery at Macro(ish) prices. More and more high end shooters will abandon the Micros as royalties become increasingly unsustainable - clients will follow them.Stocksy and Offset are not microstock sites pricing at macrostock levels, they are macrostock sites pricing at microstock (midstock) levels. They are trying to take customers away from more expensive agencies (going after the RM market with cheaper RF images) not trying to convert lower paying customers into higher paying ones.
Please let this come to fruition....
There's a lot of truth in that. I suspect Stocksy is taking a lot of business from Getty. But as Getty pays an unfair royalty rate I have no sympathy...I doubt Stocksy is taking too much business, they are pretty small relatively. If they can put upward pressure on royalty rates that would be great but at the same time Shutterstock's Offset pays a lower royalty rate (Getty RM is 30-40% depending on the type of file and where it's sold while Offset is about 30%). Last I saw SS said it pays about the same at Offset as the overall rate which, depending on which exec or which day is 27-30%, does anyone know what the royalty rate is at Offset or is it variable depending on the contributor?
There's a lot of truth in that. I suspect Stocksy is taking a lot of business from Getty. But as Getty pays an unfair royalty rate I have no sympathy...I doubt Stocksy is taking too much business, they are pretty small relatively. If they can put upward pressure on royalty rates that would be great but at the same time Shutterstock's Offset pays a lower royalty rate (Getty RM is 30-40% depending on the type of file and where it's sold while Offset is about 30%). Last I saw SS said it pays about the same at Offset as the overall rate which, depending on which exec or which day is 27-30%, does anyone know what the royalty rate is at Offset or is it variable depending on the contributor?
OFFSET is 30% royalty
OFFSET is 30% royaltyOk so that is worse for contributors than Getty RM.
OFFSET is 30% royaltyOk so that is worse for contributors than Getty RM.
I guess that's because of the difference between RM and RF. I know on Alamy I've had some RM sales that recurred whereas if they were sold as RF I would only have had one sale.OFFSET is 30% royaltyOk so that is worse for contributors than Getty RM.
But at least prices are fixed at OFFSET. I removed everything from Getty because many sales to high value clients were comparable to Microstock.
I guess that's because of the difference between RM and RF. I know on Alamy I've had some RM sales that recurred whereas if they were sold as RF I would only have had one sale.OFFSET is 30% royaltyOk so that is worse for contributors than Getty RM.
But at least prices are fixed at OFFSET. I removed everything from Getty because many sales to high value clients were comparable to Microstock.
I guess that's because of the difference between RM and RF. I know on Alamy I've had some RM sales that recurred whereas if they were sold as RF I would only have had one sale.OFFSET is 30% royaltyOk so that is worse for contributors than Getty RM.
But at least prices are fixed at OFFSET. I removed everything from Getty because many sales to high value clients were comparable to Microstock.
I don't follow. Why would they only make one sale as RF..??
Because RM sales have limits. I've had a few one time use sales for $50-100 that were then licensed again a few months later by the same company. $100 isn't too much but if it happens a few times it adds up. If those same sales were of an RF image (like at Offset licensing RF images to compete with RM sales) they would only need to licensed once and then they could use them over and over. A lot of RM sales are lower priced because of limited usage.I guess that's because of the difference between RM and RF. I know on Alamy I've had some RM sales that recurred whereas if they were sold as RF I would only have had one sale.OFFSET is 30% royaltyOk so that is worse for contributors than Getty RM.
But at least prices are fixed at OFFSET. I removed everything from Getty because many sales to high value clients were comparable to Microstock.
I don't follow. Why would they only make one sale as RF..??
Based on the thread from last year I predict this forum will disappear. A lot of people have left here since then haven't they.
Based on the thread from last year I predict this forum will disappear. A lot of people have left here since then haven't they.
Yeah after looking at it there are a few greyed out people and a lot of other people that don't seem to be active
Alamy doesn't seem to be on a rush to allow us FTP
The good news is that we are rolling the FTP option out to all contributors over the next month or so.
I will find more non-stock methods of monetizing my images. A couple years ago when I could see where things were going with stock I started experimenting with non-stock sales. This month my non-stock sales revenue is currently on track to be 3X my stock revenue. I'm glad I made changes back then.
Predictions >+1 Last week I submitted what I expect was my last microstock image - now on to what I hope will be bigger things (still enjoy reading MSG though - and best of luck to everyone in 2015 :D)
I will transition out of micro...
I will find more non-stock methods of monetizing my images. A couple years ago when I could see where things were going with stock I started experimenting with non-stock sales. This month my non-stock sales revenue is currently on track to be 3X my stock revenue. I'm glad I made changes back then.
are you talking about print on demand or other things like selling in a market or a local shop?
cheers and thanks for sharing your strategy!
I think a lot of us, me included, get stuck in the micro mindset that images aren't worth much. I've spent the past couple years brushing up my SEO skills and optimizing my images and am getting contacted directly regularly by companies who want to license my work.Why couldn't you have drawn up RM licences for these companies?
Because of my exclusive IS agreement I've had to send them to Getty/IS. These companies were willing to pay thousands. They were amazed with IS low pricing. So this was a customer I developed and got a small percentage of peanuts instead of 100% of thousands of dollars. And this was with the old IS pricing.
The bottom line is there are plenty of buyers willing to pay a premium for the right images and there are plenty of sales channel opportunities beyond stock. Experiment outside of stock and see what works.
I think a lot of us, me included, get stuck in the micro mindset that images aren't worth much. I've spent the past couple years brushing up my SEO skills and optimizing my images and am getting contacted directly regularly by companies who want to license my work.Why couldn't you have drawn up RM licences for these companies?
Because of my exclusive IS agreement I've had to send them to Getty/IS. These companies were willing to pay thousands. They were amazed with IS low pricing. So this was a customer I developed and got a small percentage of peanuts instead of 100% of thousands of dollars. And this was with the old IS pricing.
RM terms can be very wide.
Later thought: I suppose that should technically be for images you don't actually have on IS/Getty.
The IS/Getty exclusive contract also allows you to sell non-similar RM images elsewhere.
But - does the iStock Exclusive contract actually say anything about "similars" ? It certainly never used to. I haven't combed through it lately.AFAICS, it doesn't actually forbid similars.
But - does the iStock Exclusive contract actually say anything about "similars" ? It certainly never used to. I haven't combed through it lately.AFAICS, it doesn't actually forbid similars.
Personally, I am getting really tired of being fleeced. I will watch agencies very closely and will stop uploading to those with questionable business practices (many of those are not getting my new uploads already). Lucky for us, there are still a few places where stock business is done in a reasonable way.
Overall the stock world will become even more diverse and more confusing, which again will discourage the amateur shooter,because it will be very difficult to predict not just what to shoot but which marketplace is best to sell it through.
The demand for stock media will continue to grow
Overall the stock world will become even more diverse and more confusing, which again will discourage the amateur shooter,because it will be very difficult to predict not just what to shoot but which marketplace is best to sell it through.
modern stock is all about quantity and big portfolios and workflow, the average newbie has no chance to win at this game.
Rather than focus on doom and gloom and things out of my control. I will continue to try and work smarter and as long as my (rather poor) income keeps on an upward trajectory I will carry on.
exactly what I mean, we will see lots and lots of people every year trying to get into the stock game, but because the initial returns are so low, they will soon move on to try other digital ventures. Even very good people will have a hard time to survive as a single artist. So unusual original material will suffer, because the stock factories will have to shoot mainstream to survive.
Of course it will still be possible to make money in stock, but you will need a huge portfolio to make it work,so I suppose for the single artist it will be best to treat stock as a part time job. But many very good people are deciding to invest their time in other projects where they can make more money.
Predictions >+1 Last week I submitted what I expect was my last microstock image - now on to what I hope will be bigger things (still enjoy reading MSG though - and best of luck to everyone in 2015 :D)
I will transition out of micro...
Overall the stock world will become even more diverse and more confusing, which again will discourage the amateur shooter,because it will be very difficult to predict not just what to shoot but which marketplace is best to sell it through.
i don't think newbies are attracted by stock, they just step into stock while searching for a way, any way, to monetize their hobby.
but ... once their first batch of images is rejected or it's getting no sales and no activity whatsoever apart for 0.5$ downloads here and there in most of the cases they will quickly give up and never look back.
the irony is that the actual abysmal fees they're paying on micro agencies are the best way to keep amateurs out of the market unless they enter with a medium sized portfolio or are lucky enough to find a good niche.
moral of the story, only a small part of photography can be ever monetized as stock and most of it belongs to the low-sellers category so i can't see why stock could ever look like a get-rich-quick scheme for newbies.
modern stock is all about quantity and big portfolios and workflow, the average newbie has no chance to win at this game.
the more smartphones,the more people who will try to make some money by uploading through apps.
The demand for phone photos is just a fad that will run its course
I expect SS will continue to gain market share, but I have the opposite prediction. I think they'll start making more big sales to ad agencies and pay contributors more. I say this because for the first time, I'm working in a major ad agency that has a contract with Shutterstock. It was all Getty until recently. And the art director I'm working with is impressed by the rise in image quality over the past couple of years.
I expect SS will continue to gain market share, but I have the opposite prediction. I think they'll start making more big sales to ad agencies and pay contributors more. I say this because for the first time, I'm working in a major ad agency that has a contract with Shutterstock. It was all Getty until recently. And the art director I'm working with is impressed by the rise in image quality over the past couple of years.
Exactly my thoughts!
We got to think about buyers and what they want/need when thinking about which agency will grow.
We have very little to go on since the agencies (probably for competitive reasons) are extremely stingy and poorly organised when it comes to providing their contributors with any data or trends or customer feedback that will help us make business decisions....I predict that won't change.
(This is a repost of what I wrote in the other 2015 predictions thread which looks like it's dying, so I'll add it here:)
My prediction: the Wall will come down on more people than ever in 2015, making them so depressed about microstock that they will give up. This will include many hobbyists who earn just a few thousand a year, as well as some of the big contributors who earn (or once earned) six figures.
People will do the math and realize that they can no longer increase their own ports as quickly (by percentage) as the agencies can, making microstock a losing game once your port hits a certain size. There's just no way around this math. In my first few years, I was certain I could beat the Wall. I was going to work harder, achieve better quality, find better niches than anyone else. Oh, how deluded I was.
I'm predicting my own income will fall 20% or so, and my resolution is to find another income stream. For me, 2014 was the big wake-up call that microstock is not the reliable source of secondary income I hoped might carry me into retirement. That dream is long gone. 2015 will be the year I resolve to find another income source to get passionate about and reduce the time I waste on this unsustainable numbers game.
People will do the math and realize that they can no longer increase their own ports as quickly (by percentage) as the agencies can, making microstock a losing game once your port hits a certain size. There's just no way around this math. In my first few years, I was certain I could beat the Wall. I was going to work harder, achieve better quality, find better niches than anyone else. Oh, how deluded I was.
(This is a repost of what I wrote in the other 2015 predictions thread which looks like it's dying, so I'll add it here:)My thoughts exactly!
My prediction: the Wall will come down on more people than ever in 2015, making them so depressed about microstock that they will give up. This will include many hobbyists who earn just a few thousand a year, as well as some of the big contributors who earn (or once earned) six figures.
People will do the math and realize that they can no longer increase their own ports as quickly (by percentage) as the agencies can, making microstock a losing game once your port hits a certain size. There's just no way around this math. In my first few years, I was certain I could beat the Wall. I was going to work harder, achieve better quality, find better niches than anyone else. Oh, how deluded I was.
I'm predicting my own income will fall 20% or so, and my resolution is to find another income stream. For me, 2014 was the big wake-up call that microstock is not the reliable source of secondary income I hoped might carry me into retirement. That dream is long gone. 2015 will be the year I resolve to find another income source to get passionate about and reduce the time I waste on this unsustainable numbers game.
(This is a repost of what I wrote in the other 2015 predictions thread which looks like it's dying, so I'll add it here:)
My prediction: the Wall will come down on more people than ever in 2015, making them so depressed about microstock that they will give up. This will include many hobbyists who earn just a few thousand a year, as well as some of the big contributors who earn (or once earned) six figures.
People will do the math and realize that they can no longer increase their own ports as quickly (by percentage) as the agencies can, making microstock a losing game once your port hits a certain size. There's just no way around this math. In my first few years, I was certain I could beat the Wall. I was going to work harder, achieve better quality, find better niches than anyone else. Oh, how deluded I was.
I'm predicting my own income will fall 20% or so, and my resolution is to find another income stream. For me, 2014 was the big wake-up call that microstock is not the reliable source of secondary income I hoped might carry me into retirement. That dream is long gone. 2015 will be the year I resolve to find another income source to get passionate about and reduce the time I waste on this unsustainable numbers game.