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Microstock Photography Forum - General => General Stock Discussion => Topic started by: PaulieWalnuts on November 09, 2007, 21:53

Title: Free photos, help or hurt?
Post by: PaulieWalnuts on November 09, 2007, 21:53
Several sites have free sections. Does this help drive exposure and sales or just distract/deter buyers from buying? Discuss.
Title: Re: Free photos, help or hurt?
Post by: Gregor909 on November 09, 2007, 22:01
It does on Shutterstock.
I have read that more than once on the forums.
Other sites.. I don't know!
Title: Re: Free photos, help or hurt?
Post by: yingyang0 on November 09, 2007, 22:30
I had a photo that was free photo of the week about a year ago on iStock. After that free week it became my most downloaded photo (for money). It also increased the sales of photos that I linked to it while it was the free download.

To each their own.
Title: Re: Free photos, help or hurt?
Post by: Kngkyle on November 09, 2007, 22:44
I think sites that have like a weekly or daily free photo is good. But if they have an entire section with thousands of free photos like Fotolia and Dreamstime, it just hurts sales overall. I think so at least.
Title: Re: Free photos, help or hurt?
Post by: fotografer on November 10, 2007, 01:56
I think sites that have like a weekly or daily free photo is good. But if they have an entire section with thousands of free photos like Fotolia and Dreamstime, it just hurts sales overall. I think so at least.

I totally agree with this.  It doesn't seem good business sense to me to have a whole section free.  I'm sure that most buyers will check out that section first and often find something suitable resulting in a loss of a sale.
I've had the same experience as yingyang0 on both DT and SS in that a free image has gone on to be one of my best earners which amazed me given the 1000's of times that they were downloaded free.

Title: Re: Free photos, help or hurt?
Post by: madelaide on November 20, 2007, 11:24
In which sites does giving a free photo work best?

I have some New Year 2007 images that I thought of using for that.

Regards,
Adelaide