Author Topic: If you could be microstock god for a day... what would you do? (Read 9980 times)

studio10 · « **on:** March 16, 2009, 00:53 »

To read forums on many of the sites, the industry appears to be at a turning point - over-saturated libraries, low image views, poor communication, search (keyword) issues, redundancy, inspection overload, low return on investment... these are just some of the symptoms. Change is on the horizon. Some sites appear healthier than others, but it all depends on who you ask. There are a lot of smart people here - If you could be the microstock GOD for a day - what would you do for the industry to revitalize it, to give it a permanent fix?

Here's a radical one: Forced exclusivity across the board! - Contributors have to pick a favorite and put all of their eggs in that basket. Think about what that would do - Sites would become known for their images, their unique contributors and the culture that grows there. The cream will rise to the top, along with the compensation... ?

What would you do?

sharpshot · « **Reply #1 on:** March 16, 2009, 02:44 »

Quote from: studio10 on March 16, 2009, 00:53

To read forums on many of the sites, the industry appears to be at a turning point - over-saturated libraries, low image views, poor communication, search (keyword) issues, redundancy, inspection overload, low return on investment... these are just some of the symptoms.....

I think that a lot of people who do well at this don't post much, perhaps because they are busy working or they don't want to encourage more competition. So we hear mostly from people who are struggling to sell or have complaints about the sites. I think this gives a false impression. From my experience, the microstock industry is still growing, there are no signs of over supply, reviews are generally quick and fair and anyone who who has some skill and puts in the hours can make a decent return.

There are things I would like to change, I would like to see a minimum of $0.35 for subscription sales on all sites. I would also like to see added security, a pin number for withdrawals would be one good extra.

Clivia · « **Reply #2 on:** March 16, 2009, 02:46 »

How about only allowing 10 images per contributor per week on each site? Contributors would be forced to submit only the cream of their images, and the standards would go through the roof. Approval time would be minimal, and the sites would not need as many approvers, giving more cash to spend on advertising. The top contributors would really be the best artists, not the most productive.

Oh, and all my images come first in every search.

massman · « **Reply #3 on:** March 16, 2009, 04:47 »

Weighted keywords, with a max of 20.

Dreamframer · « **Reply #4 on:** March 16, 2009, 05:01 »

Maybe it would sound to harsh to some of us, but I would delete all images that didn't sell in last two years. and I would make something like TinEye to search every microstock site. This way, all duplicated images in one agency would be detected and deleted, and most image thieves would be detected and destroyed before they make big damage.

anton9 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 16, 2009, 06:47 »

A magical extended licence to all my images

I like how istock have the dollar bin so I think every image that hasnt sold for 2 years gets automatically put into a dollar bin for 30 days. If it sells a certain number of times it gets put bk into your portfolio otherwise the image is deleted

Sean Locke Photography · « **Reply #6 on:** March 16, 2009, 07:32 »

Outlaw subscription sites.

RT · « **Reply #7 on:** March 16, 2009, 07:40 »

I'd add a bullsh*t meter on the SS forum next to everyones name.

dirkr · « **Reply #8 on:** March 16, 2009, 07:42 »

Set the minimum commission on any site to 50% - for non-exclusive files.

Change all subs plans to include size into the pricing, increase the price point (at all sites) to a minimum payout of 1$ for subs for the smallest size, a minimum price of 5$ for the smallest size for PPD.

vonkara · « **Reply #9 on:** March 16, 2009, 07:49 »

Quote from: RT on March 16, 2009, 07:40

I'd add a bullsh*t meter on the SS forum next to everyones name.

The SS forum is legendary

studio10 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 16, 2009, 09:21 »

Quote from: sharpshot on March 16, 2009, 02:44

I think that a lot of people who do well at this don't post much, perhaps because they are busy working or they don't want to encourage more competition. So we hear mostly from people who are struggling to sell or have complaints about the sites. I think this gives a false impression. From my experience, the microstock industry is still growing, there are no signs of over supply, reviews are generally quick and fair and anyone who who has some skill and puts in the hours can make a decent return.

True what you say about who is kicking up a fuss on the forums - but you guys must be feeling it in your bottom line too, and worry about where it is going.

tan510jomast · « **Reply #11 on:** March 16, 2009, 10:03 »

as far as micro stock goes, i am an athiest

no just joking, i would make all anal reviewers with vague disposition coded reasons fingerless. this way, they will use their nose to punch in that disposition code

jim_h · « **Reply #12 on:** March 16, 2009, 10:22 »

Level all these get-rich-quick sites that have forced stock to 25 cents by offering 5 million unsearchable photos. Let someone new come in and do a better job. Maybe someone who will make a serious investment in properly keywording and categorizing their image stock.

The current microstock business model is just a web site hooked to a big database. Submitters provide the content and the keywording. Subscribers pay a monthly fee to build up their own archives; once they have enough they quit buying. Your only investment is in "screeners" that give you enough quality to sell full-size (even upsized) images. The business runs itself - for a couple of years, then it hits a wall.

null · « **Reply #13 on:** March 16, 2009, 10:26 »

- Address the search engine breakdown by new keywording standards:

a - maximum 20 keywords in order of importance; search algorithm takes this weight into account;
b - 3 classes of keywords: [1] the usual one, [2] a conceptual one (maximum 5) that will replace categories, and [3] for travel/landmarks/editorial the exact location/sublocation/country (with geopos) that can be extracted from the IPTC field (YAY does this for the country).

For SS only: use the short title and not the long description as image title.

- Model Release key embedded in the metadata (Adobe is working on an extended IPTC standard that allows it).

- Abolishment of categories.

- Introduction of support for a unique PID or picture identification number like the ISBN embedded in the EXIF and generated by the cam.

jim_h · « **Reply #14 on:** March 16, 2009, 10:45 »

I wonder if anyone running a microstock will ever read any of this.j They're all busy trying to make deals to sell their businesses before the profits go over a cliff.

Abolish categories - absolutely - it's a huge waste of time. Submitters should not have to do anything but FTP, and please don't make me check an "I accept the license terms" for every image. Just accept my IPTC data, including my "suggested" keywords.

sharpshot · « **Reply #15 on:** March 16, 2009, 11:24 »

Quote from: studio10 on March 16, 2009, 09:21

Quote from: sharpshot on March 16, 2009, 02:44
I think that a lot of people who do well at this don't post much, perhaps because they are busy working or they don't want to encourage more competition. So we hear mostly from people who are struggling to sell or have complaints about the sites. I think this gives a false impression. From my experience, the microstock industry is still growing, there are no signs of over supply, reviews are generally quick and fair and anyone who who has some skill and puts in the hours can make a decent return.

True what you say about who is kicking up a fuss on the forums - but you guys must be feeling it in your bottom line too, and worry about where it is going.

My earnings are going up each year, so I am not concerned. If things get tougher, I might have to start working more than 20 hours a week

lisafx · « **Reply #16 on:** March 16, 2009, 12:02 »

Quote from: dirkr on March 16, 2009, 07:42

Set the minimum commission on any site to 50% - for non-exclusive files.

Change all subs plans to include size into the pricing, increase the price point (at all sites) to a minimum payout of 1$ for subs for the smallest size, a minimum price of 5$ for the smallest size for PPD.

These are great suggestions! I agree with both.

I would also tighten up standards across the board so that the sites aren't choked with crappy to mediocre images that will not likely ever get sales.

I would have every site include titles and descriptions in the search relevance like Dreamstime does.

And I would have each site weight keywords like Fotolia does.

studio10 · « **Reply #17 on:** March 16, 2009, 12:09 »

Yes - tighter upload requirements to cut back on all the crap bogging down the libraries and inspections. But with that should come a higher return for contributors - if the quality improves, so should the commission or sell price to buyers.

Great suggestions here - I hope that some site admins are reading this!

davey_rocket · « **Reply #18 on:** March 16, 2009, 12:13 »

I would make fotolia rework their esoteric categories. Or at least put a miscellaneous option in the conceptual category list.

Weighted keywords are a good idea, and I like the idea of cleaning all the crap images off the sites except that would mean all mine would be deleted

vonkara · « **Reply #19 on:** March 16, 2009, 13:20 »

Quote from: davey_rocket on March 16, 2009, 12:13

I would make fotolia rework their esoteric categories.

Quote from: studio10 on March 16, 2009, 12:09

Yes - tighter upload requirements to cut back on all the crap bogging down the libraries and inspections.

Quote from: FlemishDreams on March 16, 2009, 10:26

- Address the search engine breakdown by new keywording standards:

a - maximum 20 keywords in order of importance; search algorithm takes this weight into account;
b - 3 classes of keywords: [1] the usual one, [2] a conceptual one (maximum 5)

For SS only: use the short title and not the long description as image title.

- Model Release key embedded in the metadata (Adobe is working on an extended IPTC standard that allows it).

- Abolishment of categories.

Quote from: jim_h on March 16, 2009, 10:22

The current microstock business model is just a web site hooked to a big database. Submitters provide the content and the keywording. Subscribers pay a monthly fee to build up their own archives; once they have enough they quit buying. Your only investment is in "screeners" that give you enough quality to sell full-size (even upsized) images. The business runs itself - for a couple of years, then it hits a wall.

Quote from: RT on March 16, 2009, 07:40

I'd add a bullsh*t meter on the SS forum next to everyones name.

Quote from: sjlocke on March 16, 2009, 07:32

Outlaw subscription sites.

Sorry for the long post, but there's many great thinking here. I agree with all this

jim_h · « **Reply #20 on:** March 16, 2009, 13:55 »

One thing everyone seems to agree on is that the current microstock sites really can't change or evolve very much, because they have too many old images to clean up. Or maybe I should say that they can't do that cleanup without spending a lot of money.

I think a second generation of stock sellers will come along and will invest in their own keywording/categorizing/indexing. They'll do it themselves, it will make sense, be consistent, and they'll be able to charge more for the images.

madelaide · « **Reply #21 on:** March 16, 2009, 18:22 »

No subs. That's my dream.

Now all I have to do is go to the Middle East and find a magic lamp in a bazaar.

Regards,
Adelaide

michaeldb · « **Reply #22 on:** March 16, 2009, 19:12 »

I would remove all submitter-specific information from all images when they are submitted and replace that information with a simple identification number. Then all images would be reviewed, searched on, and sold according to one thing only: Their value to buyers.

The merit of each image, image by image. Why on earth should anything else matter?

Graffoto · « **Reply #23 on:** March 16, 2009, 20:21 »

Abolish Subs, or at least make them all on the IS model.

Abolish categories as well with the possible exception seasonal categories.

Minimum of 50% payment to the artist, or 40% if the stock site does the key wording for us.

Minimum of $5.00 US for an extra small (web size).... as long as I am G_d might as well dream big

studio10 · « **Reply #24 on:** March 16, 2009, 23:11 »

I would allow the XS or S to still sell cheap - but all other larger sizes cost more. I often buy small and try them in my designs, present to clients and then once it is nailed down, then I go buy the selected image again at the large size. I hate designing with the watermark in place, so I spend the extra few bucks.

revamp pricing
50% commissions (sites can afford it if images cost more)
No subs
Limited keywords
strict and professional reviews

And as michaeldb said - let the image stand alone - a great image should be allowed to sell regardless of who shot it. It should show up in the search. But the buyer should be able to visit the shooters portfolio and bookmark it for future purchases.

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Author Topic: If you could be microstock god for a day... what would you do? (Read 9980 times)

studio10

sharpshot

Clivia

massman

Dreamframer

anton9

Sean Locke Photography

RT

dirkr

vonkara

studio10

tan510jomast

jim_h

null

jim_h

sharpshot

lisafx

studio10

davey_rocket

vonkara

jim_h

madelaide

michaeldb

Graffoto

studio10

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