Anyone FAA doing the group contests?

[Uncle Pete]

This is not going to do anything for me or the FAA group, but I just wanted to link one contest, for fun. I have participated in some of these. There's nothing to win except exposure.

https://fineartamerica.com/contests/contest-5-may-2021-dusk-to-dawn-photo.html?tab=overview&saved=true

Dusk to Dawn, Night photo, essentially transportation, but one of them someone posted a rocket, and people have added art creations with motorcycles. So it's not limited to a hard and fast regulation. If you have something transportation, speed, that kind of subject and want to play along? Winners get featured on the group page.

Just for fun.

[kall3bu]

There is a new contest might of interest:

Feel free to vote for mine

Only members can vote for it of course and each artist is allowed to submit 3 images.

My 3 imges, if you like, vote. Thx.

https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest-2021.html?tab=vote&artworkid=31381784

https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest-2021.html?tab=vote&artworkid=34331711

https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest-2021.html?tab=vote&artworkid=34331568

The link to the vote-site of the contest:

https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest-2021.html?tab=artwork&removeartworkfromcontestid=34332399&page=1

Nothing wrong to follow. So, if you did not follow yet, do it!

[Photobomb]

There is a new contest might of interest:

Feel free to vote for mine

Thanks for the heads up on this contest - I voted for your images

And here are my three if anyone is interested.

https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest-2021.html?tab=vote&artworkid=38962177
https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest-2021.html?tab=vote&artworkid=32055126
https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest-2021.html?tab=vote&artworkid=31117778

Thanks
Steve

[For Real]

all nice images! 

[Mantis]

There is a new contest might of interest:

Feel free to vote for mine

Thanks for the heads up on this contest - I voted for your images

And here are my three if anyone is interested.

https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest-2021.html?tab=vote&artworkid=38962177
https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest-2021.html?tab=vote&artworkid=32055126
https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest-2021.html?tab=vote&artworkid=31117778

Thanks
Steve

Done.

[steheap]

And my three if anyone feels like voting! The first one has the most votes so far!

https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest-2021.html?tab=vote&artworkid=20966375
https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest-2021.html?tab=vote&artworkid=35649163
https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest-2021.html?tab=vote&artworkid=33689344

Steve

[Orchidpoet]

For the fun of it, my three 

https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest-2021.html?tab=vote&artworkid=7735549

https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest-2021.html?tab=vote&artworkid=27753377

https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest-2021.html?tab=vote&artworkid=35103160

[Photobomb]

There is a new contest might of interest:

Feel free to vote for mine

Thanks for the heads up on this contest - I voted for your images

And here are my three if anyone is interested.

https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest-2021.html?tab=vote&artworkid=38962177
https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest-2021.html?tab=vote&artworkid=32055126
https://fineartamerica.com/contests/billboard-contest-2021.html?tab=vote&artworkid=31117778

Thanks
Steve

Done.

Thanks Mantis, and anyone else who voted.

Steve

[cascoly]

 i found contests to have little worth other than seeing your name listed for a small group of artists - my wins never made any difference to views and no increase in sales

and many group administrators ban asking anyone to vote for your image, so be sure to check the rules (eg this one specifically says to ask for votes)

[Uncle Pete]

i found contests to have little worth other than seeing your name listed for a small group of artists - my wins never made any difference to views and no increase in sales

and many group administrators ban asking anyone to vote for your image, so be sure to check the rules (eg this one specifically says to ask for votes)

You can't ask on FAA which is a FAA rule, not just Admins. As for the rest, I'd agree, it's just for fun and I doubt that anything makes any difference to rank or sales.

Just for fun.

[kall3bu]

i found contests to have little worth other than seeing your name listed for a small group of artists - my wins never made any difference to views and no increase in sales

and many group administrators ban asking anyone to vote for your image, so be sure to check the rules (eg this one specifically says to ask for votes)

You can't ask on FAA which is a FAA rule, not just Admins. As for the rest, I'd agree, it's just for fun and I doubt that anything makes any difference to rank or sales.

Just for fun.

Would be interesting how views from other artists and views from real customers count and do not forget about all the bot views. LOL

What I always read and see, artists on FAA searching for VIEWS VIEWS VIEWS! - the only chance to get a higher ranking - beside luckily sales inbetween.
But as mentioned: How these different views count and influences the ranking?

What about views via social medias and for example pinterest, the new way Steve Heap tries - until now without any difference, but who knows, if keeping on.

[kall3bu]

Just a backside view:
Soon I will check, if it is worth it to invest the 30$ yearly fee on FAA with my around 300 POD photos i have online elsewhere already.

Luckily I have a credit card, which expire until this September, so FAA will not be able to take the money next year and I can relaxed decide, if I want expire for another year or go back on 25 images. The minimum benefit from this invest will be to find out, which photos would have a chance to get a sale, after analysing the views and hopefully sales. The top 25 will be than kept there and maybe changed regulary with other salable photos.

[Pacesetter]

Is this the contest where you have to chase 100 votes just to qualify for the judging round? Looked at that and then deleted the email. Got far better things to do than market a website that hasn't sold any of my content and charges contributors to upload more than 25 images.

[kall3bu]

Is this the contest where you have to chase 100 votes just to qualify for the judging round? Looked at that and then deleted the email. Got far better things to do than market a website that hasn't sold any of my content and charges contributors to upload more than 25 images.

100 votes, THEN the final jury.
I guess, most of them just follow to get more views - like me, to find out if it helps in any case. Even I am pretty sure not.

Did you try the premium? with how many photos?
I will try it out soon. But I am also pretty sure, it will be not worth it.

[Uncle Pete]

Is this the contest where you have to chase 100 votes just to qualify for the judging round? Looked at that and then deleted the email. Got far better things to do than market a website that hasn't sold any of my content and charges contributors to upload more than 25 images.

What do you win for getting selected for a billboard?

[cascoly]

...
Did you try the premium? with how many photos?
I will try it out soon. But I am also pretty sure, it will be not worth it.

i've had about 1000 images online for last 2 years and gain slightly more than the $30/yr so i'll keep as passive income but not upload many new images

[kall3bu]

...
Did you try the premium? with how many photos?
I will try it out soon. But I am also pretty sure, it will be not worth it.

i've had about 1000 images online for last 2 years and gain slightly more than the $30/yr so i'll keep as passive income but not upload many new images

Thank you for sharing your experience.

[Uncle Pete]

...
Did you try the premium? with how many photos?
I will try it out soon. But I am also pretty sure, it will be not worth it.

i've had about 1000 images online for last 2 years and gain slightly more than the $30/yr so i'll keep as passive income but not upload many new images

283 images, my first year pay, close to $100, which beats all the past free years added together. I won't say this is all great and wonderful, just that, even for someone who has only run up 283 images, I made back the fee. Some were good and some commissions under a dollar. BUT... you set your own prices.

I am adding images that someone wanted printed, so it works for order fulfillment, no printing, no shipping, no anything, I just have the customer pick the image, the size, the frame and I get paid. Just pointing out how someone can make money from direct sales to local buyers. I don't think FAA is a great place to have your work "discovered".

Anyone know what the prize is for getting on a billboard? These contests are always spammed anyway. But I'd expect the final 20 to be selected by judges. Hey everyone vote for me, I need a free T. (just kidding, I didn't enter anything)

[Orchidpoet]

Something must have happened this month. I have made quite a bit of sales which probably equals what would I get from Alamy in one entire year.

I had far better days. But these days have not repeated themselves in recent years.

Personally I have always been happy to pay the annual fee and never had a year that I did not make some profits.

[alexandersr]

How is your experience with contest on FAA? That contest help to improve sales? Thanks!
This is my profile there. fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-alexander-sanchez   

[Photobomb]

What do you win for getting selected for a billboard?

The billboard is the prize.

[Orchidpoet]

I doubt if my sales has something to do with the contest. The sales started before I joined the contest.  There were very few votes (1-3 only) for me, lol.

[kall3bu]

i found contests to have little worth other than seeing your name listed for a small group of artists - my wins never made any difference to views and no increase in sales

and many group administrators ban asking anyone to vote for your image, so be sure to check the rules (eg this one specifically says to ask for votes)

I got emails from members, who asked me to vote, if I have one left from the 25 votes limit. That shows again, how artists there fighting for votes and even views. More views (even from members) might put them up in ranking.
Look at all the groups and in the discussions: All about getting views, views, views. And of course exposer where you still do not have one.
Also one theme discussion only about this contest, where everyone can put in the links of their contest photos and ask for votes.

I am not really a friend of using a website, which is doing NOTHING for exposer your work like FAA. But FAA has other customers and sells in the USA - different to other POD-sites, which I like much more: Best is photo4me in case of exposer, getting views and even if just new uploads: ranking on top for 90 days! Unfortunally not yet in US and still sales focused on UK themes and these strange aviation war things.

I will try out FAA now and see what is going on. And in a year also I know, what about the plans from photo4me to reach the US market.

Alexander already asked, but I think there was no answer yet:
is it possible to pay the years fee for premium via paypal?
I thought, it is the right time for me, even if paid with credit card, because it expires until end of September. But I just got the new one and unforutnally the number of the credit card this year didn�t change. So FAA might take it again next year, even if I cancel it early enough. Side add: I could not find, WHEN exactly I have to cancel it, if I do not want them to expire next year. Really tricky they are! And if I ask for that on FAA forum and they can read my critique between the lines, they might close directly my thread and who know what else, because they do not accept any critics.

[Uncle Pete]

How is your experience with contest on FAA? That contest help to improve sales? Thanks!
This is my profile there. fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-alexander-sanchez   

Consensus is NO to contests doing anything more than taking up time. I did make one sale for an image that I used to promote a contest. Something that I never uploaded to Alamy until after someone asked for it.

This contest, the example photo:  https://fineartamerica.com/contests/contest-2-feb-2021-exotic-cars.html?tab=overview

I started the group for Motorsports, it morphed into Transportation. People still upload flowers and portraits because they can't read or think that totally ignoring the guidelines and rules will get them some views or money? So then I have to delete their photos. The above average winner is 6 votes. So if the contest allows only entrants and only one vote, someone with a few friends could win every one of them easily. I think 4 or 5 is a winner. That's how little interest there is, and those are participants.

Something must have happened this month. I have made quite a bit of sales which probably equals what would I get from Alamy in one entire year.

I had far better days. But these days have not repeated themselves in recent years.

Personally I have always been happy to pay the annual fee and never had a year that I did not make some profits.

Nice! And now that you mention it, FAA has passed earnings on Alamy. I'm happy I went pay last November. I think the reasoning and answer is pretty basic. Instead of 25 images, I have many more.

I still don't think that it's easy getting found on FAA and I really don't think they have a large audience of buyers who are searching for something to print for their home or office. My sales seem to be very specific subjects and not great broad interest. I think the best I've heard is from people who do self promotion on social media and direct traffic to their FAA pages.

What do you win for getting selected for a billboard?

The billboard is the prize.

I'd rather win  T-Shirt? 

But then I'd have to upload and spam all my friends for votes, and really, I just don't care enough to be a pest. This is why I'm not really interested in any contest that involves, get votes, as the votes are usually, if not almost all, the result of sending emails, posting to forums or somehow begging for a vote.

I'd trust a simple, panel of impartial judges and save all the hullabaloo and BS. But I suppose FAA thinks, all of the members, begging for votes, will drive the site recognition.

Whatever it is, I don't think I'm playing.

I'm happy with FAA and Pixels and as long as I make more than the annual fee, I'm in. Pretty simple, just like a small business. As long as income, exceeds expenses, I stay open.

[cascoly]

whether to use a jury or direct vote is up to the administrator, not FAA

as far as instructions - in a 'color landscape only' group that i took over, i'd constantly get images of bldgs, animals,people, etc even tho the group desc clearly said these were not appropriate - sometimes over 50% of new submissions