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Author Topic: Experiences with sales via wirestock on offered agencies?  (Read 22199 times)

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« Reply #25 on: June 04, 2021, 11:46 »
0
Everybody got problems with the so-called "similar images" which get rejected by SS, for example. Why not upload these "similar images?
The question is, how reliable is Wirestock? Will they disappear from the market after some years? Will they change their policy like other agencies.

Which agencies are left and did not change anything exciting even in the last 12 month?
We have to be flexible all time.
So, if wirestock changes something which is worse than the agencies themselves, we have to move the images again.
But for me personally: If that happens: depending on what, then I might quit totally from the stockphoto business.
Look: Who had Adobe and Alamy on its plan? Me either! Really shocking what these agencies are doing!
How could a contributor even trust ANY agency now? Do we still trust the agencies, who are still fair until now to us? Come on! For sure we are all more suspecting bad things even from them, right? And that not because of these left fair agencies, but because of the bad agencies who s....t in the soup and destroyed all trustness in this business!
If the time comes and no fair agency left, then I might submit all images to instant pay on wirestock. And the good images I sell only on POD sites or do not sell at all.
They can get my s...t as they take any s....t. But my diamonds: Sorry, you can try as often you like, you will never get and not for any offer.


Clair Voyant

« Reply #26 on: June 04, 2021, 11:49 »
+1
Everybody got problems with the so-called "similar images" which get rejected by SS, for example. Why not upload these "similar images?
The question is, how reliable is Wirestock? Will they disappear from the market after some years? Will they change their policy like other agencies.

Do not be confused by the roulette wheel of similar on SS with what an actual similar image is. Similar means exactly that, similar. Sort of like you are either pregnant or your are not pregnant, you can't be sort of pregnant.

You can find any narrative you want to justify desperately attempting to get as many images online as you can and you seem to be doing just that.

You take 5-6 shots from roughly the same angle and narrow it down to 1-2 or even just 1.

Maybe this will help you understand what similar means...  https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/similar



« Reply #27 on: June 04, 2021, 17:12 »
+1
Everybody got problems with the so-called "similar images" which get rejected by SS, for example. Why not upload these "similar images?
The question is, how reliable is Wirestock? Will they disappear from the market after some years? Will they change their policy like other agencies.

WS does reject images if there are similars found on other sites

farbled

« Reply #28 on: June 04, 2021, 17:21 »
+1
WS does reject images if there are similars found on other sites

Its refreshing being with them since they have actual human beings doing a lot of the work instead of what we see more and more at the bigger agencies. I was shocked to get a PM from one of the owners when I had questions about my stats showing properly. I think they are trying very hard to be the kind of agency we used to look for, and most of us have given up on finding.

« Reply #29 on: June 05, 2021, 04:56 »
+1
Selling images to a number of agencies I share the risk. Selling to Wirestock only, I may run into problems, when the good guys turn into bad guys like SS and recently AdobeStock. Wirestock follows the money like everybody else.

Brasilnut

  • Author Brutally Honest Guide to Microstock & Blog

« Reply #30 on: June 05, 2021, 05:13 »
0
Everybody got problems with the so-called "similar images" which get rejected by SS, for example. Why not upload these "similar images?
The question is, how reliable is Wirestock? Will they disappear from the market after some years? Will they change their policy like other agencies.

I'm in close contact with their management and they do listen to the community. They have a slack group and their management do respond to suggestions directly, ask for advice, etc. This just doesn't happen at SS, for instance. Wirestock are building up a great community and if other contributors do well then everybody does well if you think about SS's now silly tiered system.

As for whether they'll disappear, it depends on the agencies that they support...whether they will disappear! About a year ago iStock opted out but they're turds anyway with their controlled vocabulary nonsense.

They now accept clips, which is a positive step forward.

I'm going all in on them and sending all my commercial images (with editorials going to Alamy).

Wirestock did have issues with keywording a while back but have improved considerably. Still some ways to go but they'll get there. By the way, they're hiring remote keyworders:

https://jobup.am/jobs/wirestock-15/hiring-keyword-specialist-1223?fbclid=IwAR2E5VSV1nQY8uZtBrRwC3yFUKVBug7bzEEqOgcw56sULyHjgxcAjF05FNw

farbled

« Reply #31 on: June 05, 2021, 10:08 »
+1
I noticed the keywording improving quite a lot too.

I think the hard part is that we are so used to agencies hurting us that when one doesn't, we are disbelieving. Will WS change going forward? Absolutely they will. I bet SS will make changes if WS's placements hurt their tiers and sales, as will any other agency. Will those be good changes or bad? Time will tell. But they absolutely listen as Alex says.

The option as I see it, is to do nothing, and wait for the inevitable, or try out a place that is at least trying to do things in a better way. I'm with Alex on that, WS is getting all my stuff.

« Reply #32 on: June 05, 2021, 12:40 »
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Brasilnut & farbled:

I also agree totally - have same experiences.

Also my last keywording check was really bad and I told them. They checked it and agreed totally and after I changed the keywords via email, they DIRECTLY changed them on Alamy (the only one I submitted that images that time). That shows, they really care on contributors. But I also have to say, keywording THAT images were not that easy. I did not prove their keywording with normal commercial photos recently, but after I read, they searching for keyworder specialists and that even without them the keywording got better, I will be soon brave to use the easy submission.

Clair Voyant

« Reply #33 on: June 05, 2021, 14:59 »
0
I uploaded a few images/videos as a test drive... The keywording was horrible and in some cases had nothing to do with the actual content.

« Reply #34 on: June 05, 2021, 16:05 »
0
Higher royalties as a group. If they get some top artists, we could all be in the top tier!

What a brilliant idea!

« Reply #35 on: June 06, 2021, 16:51 »
+2
I do not understand why anyone would put images with wirestock, they are just a clearing house for anyones creative work and TAKE a % of the license fee. We get such a small return on OUR work now.
I have images with AdobeStock and Dreamstime and get regular sales with both most importantly NOT .10c an image.
We are being shafted enough already
The places that pay you .10c an image love all you creative people that put your hard eraned images with them, they pay themselves MILLIONS every year and I am sure in the not to distant future they will be telling you that .10c is too much and will drop the license ROI even further.

farbled

« Reply #36 on: June 06, 2021, 17:18 »
+1
.
« Last Edit: June 06, 2021, 18:30 by farbled »

Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #37 on: June 07, 2021, 14:51 »
+1
I uploaded a few images/videos as a test drive... The keywording was horrible and in some cases had nothing to do with the actual content.

When? They read metadata now. Unless it was a video, which I have no experience. Just images.

I do not understand why anyone would put images with wirestock, they are just a clearing house for anyones creative work and TAKE a % of the license fee. We get such a small return on OUR work now.


Just answering part, but yes you are right, they are just a clearing house, that takes 15%. This isn't the best thing since... BUT

Higher rank on Alamy, 40-50% instead the the new 20%
Higher percentage on SS instead of lower levels (I still don't use WS for SS or Adobe uploads of my own)
Better position possibly on many sites?
I don't have a DP, 123RF account. I don't need one.

You get paid as soon as you accumulate $30 from any agencies, all combined. I don't have to wait forever to get $100 from DT or whatever else places like 123 or Pond5 require.

I'm lazy... I keyword the image, upload once, and forget about them.

I still upload my own to Adobe and SS because that makes me a better return and I have some specific images on each, which are difficult and complicated to get uploaded to WS. Editorial to SS for example or Vectors to Adobe, which I keep on my own.

I'm not a huge fan of special partners and Instant Pay, but that's potentially interesting for many people. I've considered both and I'll make more by using Wirestock, than by doing everything myself.

There might be more that I'm missing, but tell me, besides the limited, but true view, that we give them 15% for being a clearing house, what about the benefits?

No I'm not a huge fan of Instant Pay, but old images and leftovers? Fine, I can get something instead of pennies or nothing. I'll take that. We do have a choice, selective, which images are in or out.

I don't see Wirestock making any promise of better sales or any reason to think uploading there, or on my own, would make any difference.

« Last Edit: June 08, 2021, 11:28 by Uncle Pete »

« Reply #38 on: July 13, 2021, 13:22 »
0
is it possible to opt out of instant pay?

farbled

« Reply #39 on: July 13, 2021, 16:45 »
0
is it possible to opt out of instant pay?

Yup, you can opt out of any agencies, instant pay, etc. either per image, or everything. And if you mess something up, they are quick to help you out, personally.

I have the majority of my images already key'd, but a few thousand I never bothered because they were b-roll stuff, similars, etc. So I decided to upload and let them key and put forward to instant pay. Worked out very well! Plus at least one agency has an exclusive images section. I've made some dollars per sale on that too.

I like them because of everything Pete said, plus my own frustrations with the various agencies. Now, I dont care at all. I have one dashboard with totals (and yes, you can see what sells where, but I dont bother). Certainly has reduced stress levels and increase my income quite a bit with fewer images.

Its not for everyone. If you are a details/data person like so many are, or only submit to one or two agencies, you might find it limiting.

farbled

« Reply #40 on: July 13, 2021, 16:52 »
0
Also my last keywording check was really bad and I told them. They checked it and agreed totally and after I changed the keywords via email, they DIRECTLY changed them on Alamy (the only one I submitted that images that time). That shows, they really care on contributors. =

This. The backend for contributors still needs work in my opinion, as do their sales stats, but, and this is a big but, they listen and do improve things. Its a process they are actively working on, along with other initiatives.

It costs nothing to sign up, you are not obligated to upload and if you do, you're not obligated to submit, but if you do, you can pick and choose where. In my opinion it costs nothing to give it a try and see if it suits you.

Full disclosure, if you decide its not for you, it takes 6 months to close up and remove your images, mainly because of DT and Alamy. They are under the same rules as us individuals.

« Reply #41 on: July 14, 2021, 08:28 »
0
farbled:
Full disclosure, if you decide its not for you, it takes 6 months to close up and remove your images, mainly because of DT and Alamy. They are under the same rules as us individuals.

right!
For example Adobe:
I deleted my photos on my personal Adobe account - just one click for each image. Then DIRECTLY after that I clicked submit to Adobe on Wirestock. That was possible because if you delete a photo on Adobe it DIRECTLY disappears, And because I upload and submitted that images to other agencies via wirestock already, it was also just one click for each photo on wirestock (to submit to Adobe again). Easy!



Brasilnut

  • Author Brutally Honest Guide to Microstock & Blog

« Reply #42 on: July 14, 2021, 08:36 »
0
What I like most about Wirestock is that in their Slack Group, which any contributor is free to join, you can directly ask the management questions and they will reply almost right away! Which other agency does this?!

That in itself, plus the in-house keywording of both commercial and now editorial images, is well worth the 15% commission they charge on sales!


« Reply #43 on: July 14, 2021, 08:44 »
0
What I like most about Wirestock is that in their Slack Group, which any contributor is free to join, you can directly ask the management questions and they will reply almost right away! Which other agency does this?!

That in itself, plus the in-house keywording of both commercial and now editorial images, is well worth the 15% commission they charge on sales!



absolutly right!


« Reply #44 on: July 14, 2021, 09:01 »
0
For me not caring about keywords in the near future and leave it by wirestock:

Adobe: Order of Keywords are totally not relevant ANYMORE, but nobody - including Matt - says that.

Alamy: If somebody search for an image and uses the keywords we put on the end (not marked as 10 most important keywords), the buyer can still find it!
It is only about the ctr. But does that really matter that much? Maybe if there are thousands images from other contributors competiting with my image.
If I leave it to wirestock, it MIGHT be they keyword not best and I might be better with it, but the keywords are still good enough to get found.
The last check of their keywording was bad in my eyes and I changed them and wirestock change them as I wanted asap! BUT: I also learned from these bad keywords, that I mostly were to explicite and exact instead of giving also general keywords. In my case: The images were from Phra Chedi Rai and YES it is a part from Wat Pho Buddhist temple in Bangkok. I used so many keywords that I forgot to include Wat Pho. Customers who just searching for Wat Pho might also interested in photos from Phra Chedi Rai which is a part of it. Even on Alamy Wat Pho should be included.
So at least: Yes, I like my keywords more, but it also shows that wirestock could be sometimes better.

It will still take a long time in Indonesia until we can talk about post covid unfortunally, but when we are ready to travel around again too, then I am pretty sure that wirestock got much better in keywording. So the photos from my future travels will be for sure just upload to wirestock without thinking about keywording anymore! Great!
Hopefully they got already the new keyworder they were already searching for.
In my opinion: wirestock is getting better and better. Could we say that about the (other) agencies?

AND: We do not have to follow the rules from each agency, which is often different. No confusions anymore. Upload and forget! Thats it! Easy!
And faster payout because no 100$ limit!
On alamy 36% instead of 20% on alamy itself, if you cannot reach the yearly 250 Pounds revenue limit.

Brasilnut

  • Author Brutally Honest Guide to Microstock & Blog

« Reply #45 on: July 14, 2021, 09:51 »
+1
I was one of the first here to admit that their keywording was unacceptable to begin with...probably a 12 year old native English speaker could have done better back when they started 2 or 3 years ago.

Even nowadays, I see things that make me cringe...but they have improved and are improving. Also put out an ad for a freelance keyworder, although the pay isn't very high which may mean that only monkeys accept to be paid in peanuts.

Without sounding like a frustrated socialist, we should be helping Wirestock to help us! They will listen and will take on constructive criticism to improve.

For specialist editorials, best to upload ourselves to places like Alamy and keyword ourselves. They aren't geniuses to know details of relatively little known places, unfortunately.

« Reply #46 on: July 15, 2021, 02:06 »
0
Even nowadays, I see things that make me cringe...but they have improved and are improving. Also put out an ad for a freelance keyworder, although the pay isn't very high which may mean that only monkeys accept to be paid in peanuts.

Without sounding like a frustrated socialist, we should be helping Wirestock to help us! They will listen and will take on constructive criticism to improve.

For specialist editorials, best to upload ourselves to places like Alamy and keyword ourselves. They aren't geniuses to know details of relatively little known places, unfortunately.
WireStock has a referral program. 10% nowadays! Why not expand it to keywording? Let the keywording be done by contributors and give them a percentage of sales keyworded content by them generates. Only thing they have to do is a final check and distribution.

« Reply #47 on: July 15, 2021, 16:21 »
0
thank you farbled

« Reply #48 on: July 15, 2021, 16:25 »
0
i know you dont care,
but instant pay isnt a good idea, more free images will continue to devalue your work
and your regular sales will decrease to zero
------

Quote
we should be helping Wirestock to help us! They will listen
cmon all have been the nice guys until they had enough content


farbled

« Reply #49 on: July 15, 2021, 17:27 »
+1
i know you dont care,
but instant pay isnt a good idea, more free images will continue to devalue your work
and your regular sales will decrease to zero
------

Quote
we should be helping Wirestock to help us! They will listen
cmon all have been the nice guys until they had enough content

Well it's not that I don't care, only that I think its an inevitability that I prefer to capitalize on while I can. My work on IP is all old unsellable stuff, so devaluing zero-value old stock doesn't worry me. It may, however, devalue others' work, and that's unfortunate, but if my old crappy stuff sinks someone else's work, then they should up their game to be honest. My sales have gone up actually, from under a hundred a month with SS after their changes, to 300 plus consistently, for a third of the number of images I have up. I don't believe that will continue for too long. So what are my options? Delete my work to please others? Not sure anyone would do the same for me.

This is just the natural progression when one has unlimited supply, in my opinion. It drives the value down to nothing. Its up to us to find those subjects, innovations, and unique images that are actually worth something in today's market. Not yesterday's. The market is just harder to succeed at now, which incidentally is what so many of us have been striving for (or complaining about) for a decade. The people who will succeed are the ones who can do more than just take a decent photo. There are great photographers, and there are great stock photographers. And I think the overlap is rather small.

As for Wirestock, I have no doubt that as they grow they will change. Hopefully for the better, but evidence of other agencies suggests its probably won't. I live to be surprised. In the meantime, carpe diem, while you can.


 

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