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Messages - PicturEngine-JustinB
76
« on: May 26, 2012, 16:52 »
Hi grafix04, Thanks for helping answer questions here on the forum. You are making my job easier. Find your answers below in bold. Justin, I have a few questions that I couldn't find answers to on your support page. If you don't mind, I'd appreciate if you could answer the following:
I see a lot of image not available thumbs in the search result which prompts me to ask what happens if an image is pointing towards an agent that you leave? How long before the relevant images are re-indexed and linked to a new site(s)?
As stated previously, the current search is for demonstration purposes only and is static (some of the thumb links are broken). The search is indexing constantly, and will be updating the results every 2 hours (when we go live out of the Photographer Beta).How many agents have signed up so far? All I see is Corbis and Deposit Photos and I plan to leave DP.
Agencies over a million images dont sign up, we index them. We currently index over 60 agencies.
How are search results sorted? Will there be various options such as relevancy, popular, best selling, upload date? If there's no further options, how are they sorted/ranked now?
The search results are sorted based upon the individual image buyers past searching and buying habits. The more a user searches, the better their results are targeted to their preferences. Yes, we have many advanced search options and filters available on the PicturEngine search platform (many of these and more will be live when we launch).When do we get to see how the sim search works and how agents are compared?
The sim search (visual sim search) link under each image will be activated when we go live out of the Photographer Beta. Know that we do NOT allow price comparisons (period). When agencies compete selling the same image, the photographer loses. When exact matches (duplicate images) are identified, we show only the originating agency (usually this is the first agency to receive the uploaded image) or the photographer (if they are on our platform).Will the Advertising Only plan remain at $10 after the launch?
All prices are subject to increase after the beta. Beta prices are locked-in for life for those who subscribe during the beta as a thank you for helping us test and perfect the platform before the official launch.
Roughly when do you plan to launch? Is it when you have a certain number of stock agencies and photographers signed up?
We would like to launch ASAP! Our launch sequence depends upon actual testers. We have a lot of photographers and agencies (under a million images) currently signed up, however not enough of those registered are actually testing the platform on a regular basis, we need more active beta testers sending us feedback.Before this thread, I hadn't head of you before. Will you be marketing to attract buyers?
PicturEngine quietly opened the Photographer Beta last month. Yes, we will start our advertising campaign for PicturEngine when we launch from the Photographer Beta. Is the $40 lifetime plan (if you sign up before launch) fixed or is it capped? If in future you decide to reduce the monthly charges (due to competition or if decide to start charging agencies), are we still locked into the $40?
If you register during the Beta, you are guaranteed our lowest price locked-in for life. If we ever offer a lower price, your subscription will be moved to that lower price. This will ensure that our beta testers receive the best deal possible for helping with the beta.Sorry, I know it's a few questions but I'd want answers to these before signing up.
I don't mind answering questions. I will have more answers for the rest of you on Monday.
Stay ahead of the curve!
JB
77
« on: May 25, 2012, 16:26 »
" And last, but certainly not least, an indispensable tool, so unique that image buyers make it their FIRST stop when searching for images. "
What makes it unique? It looks like any other stock search site.
"I studied other industries for a proven model and the search engine sales advertising model was a near perfect fit."
What is the 'search engine sales model'?
Hi Sean, You asked: What makes it unique? It looks like any other stock search site. PicturEngine is a search engine with 300 million images from the worlds largest stock photo agencies, alongside the best niche agencies and individual photographers. We reduce these results by 1/3 after removing duplicate images, providing truly unique results and perspective on the entire stock photo industry. Just as Google knows your location, searching habits, and what you click on and buy through its search, we serve image buyers the types of images that they like to see and buy, based upon past searching and buying behavior. The agency format is familiar and comfortable to buyers. We provide the look and feel of an agency with the direct to base supplier approach. Image buyers who use our platform know they are seeing all that there is (readily available) of a subject, without duplication. Knowing they are going directly to (or closest to) the image source, buyers can feel confident about getting a fair price and that the money they spend is NOT going through a labyrinth of intermediaries before paying the actual image producer. You also asked: What is the 'search engine sales model'? http://support.picturengine.com/customer/portal/articles/478866PicturEngine shares the same business model as any other search engine, meaning advertisers pay for the search. The big difference is, our advertisers are unique image producers. We use this to our advantage by providing buyers with the best, most comprehensive search possible and without paid bias. Just as Google records your search patterns and habits to better serve you targeted advertising, we do the same, but instead of side posted targeted advertising, we rearrange the users results according to what they like seeing, sharing and BUYING. With our search, the BEST IMAGE wins, NOT an advertiser with the most money. This promotes buyer loyalty. I hope that answers your questions. Best, JB
78
« on: May 25, 2012, 11:25 »
Thanks very much for coming in and posting Justin. From your description, it does sound like what I have been hoping someone would come up with. Would love to have a one-stop-shop that could direct buyers of my images to my own site.
I do have a question about the plans you offer. I see there is a very reasonable "advertising only" plan for people with existing sales platforms (i.e. their own site), but also a more expensive plan where Picturengine does the sales and delivery part. I only would need the advertising function, but my concern is that down the road there will be incentive for Picturengine to promote the images from more expensive plans in the search ahead of the lower cost plan.
What do you plan to do to keep your search fair and equitable among all your subscribers?
Hi Lisa, Great question! The Advertising Only plan is very affordable. It is designed specifically for image producers/photographers who are representing themselves and already have an online sales and distribution platform. The Advertising Only plan imports your image database including your images searchable metadata, and a visual fingerprint into our industry wide search database. The Advertising Only plan, however, does not include access to any of our exclusive tools offered to PicturEngine RM or RM/RF (platform) photographers. PicturEngine platform photographers gain access to these tools, providing them assistance every step of the way, including real time comparisons with information on how images are performing in the stock photo marketplace relative to visually similar, similarly priced and keyworded images. These useful tools enable you to spend your time creating images that sell. To answer your question, those on the PicturEngine platform will have the competitive edge (if they choose to use the provided tools), but NOT as a function of any bias in the search itself. As far as a fair search, we do NOT allow and actually penalize anyone trying to trick the system to unfairly gain image ranking. Our mission is to assist image buyers in finding the best images to suit their needs FAST, and not require them to sift through irrelevant images. I hope Ive answered your question. Best, JB
79
« on: May 24, 2012, 15:53 »
Hello Microstock Group,
Some of you asked, who is behind PicturEngine?
My name is Justin Brinson, the founder and CEO of PicturEngine, Inc. I am a photographer (Brooks grad), specializing in Architecture and Food, and a traditional stock photo agency owner of two niche agencies (Picturesque and Corner House Stock Photo). I have participated in our industry from all perspectives; as a photographer, as an agency owner and manager, on the front lines helping clients, and working with submitting photographers.
Over four years ago, I set out to build the next generation platform for the stock photo industry, realizing that ALL the current models are broken and lacking regard for the very core of our industry: the image producer/photographer. This platform had to be very different, thinking outside the tradition or norm. First, it had to be informative, being the first to recognize industry searching and sales trends as they happen. Next, it had to be simple, easy to use, with time-saving tools to get new images online and selling fast. Additionally, an infinitely scalable platform, modular and accessible to all. And last, but certainly not least, an indispensable tool, so unique that image buyers make it their FIRST stop when searching for images. I studied other industries for a proven model and the search engine sales advertising model was a near perfect fit.
During this time I personally researched and polled thousands of photographers on the challenges they face and where they see the industry going. I also surveyed my client base of more than 40,000 active image buyers, receiving over 16,000 returned surveys in the past 4 years. From the photographer and client survey data, I built PicturEngine to solve the problems of photographer, photo buyer, and photo agency. Some compromises were made to satisfy all parties, however, surprisingly, most everyone ultimately wanted the same thing; a time and money saving one-stop, high-tech yet simple to use, search, sales & delivery platform encompassing the entire industry, without duplication, in one quick search.
I would like to start answering your questions, but first let me remind you that we have an interactive FAQ support system at support.picturengine.com
Answers/comments to current questions I have seen on the Microstockgroup site:
@Kenny Great detective work! Although, I have several hundred domains, all photo related.
@ED PicturEngine was designed and built to specifically direct image buyers to the photographer (who sets his/her own prices and receives 100% of the sale on the PicturEngine platform) or his/her home or original agency representing his/her work. PicturEngine does NOT compare prices. We do NOT refer buyers to the affiliate of the photographer's original agency (where the photographer gets only a fraction of a fraction of the original image sale). We try to identify the originating agency. PicturEngine looks out for image producers/photographers, period. When agencies compete with each other, selling YOUR images, YOU are the only one who loses. Without producing photographers, we have no industry.
@ ALL using our demo search: The current PicturEngine search is limited, as the popup states: We're in OPEN PHOTOGRAPHER BETA. Search results are for DEMONSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY. The current results are LIMITED in both size and functionality. At launch, we will open our industry wide search.
What does this statement mean?
Searching the entire industry of 300 million images while removing over ⅓ (one third) of the images as duplicates, all while pointing the image searcher/buyer to the home agency or photographer, is expensive!
It takes a cluster of servers to quickly search the industry data, a secondary cluster of servers to rate and rank images within the buyers search results, a third cluster to allow for visual and sim searches within the results, and finally a fourth cluster to analyze customer searching and buying habits to provide our PicturEngine photographers an edge and early lead on what's NEXT!
We are currently in open photographer beta. We are allowing photographers on the search, sales, and delivery platform to fully test and prepare for our big launch. During this time, we are offering Beta photographers a locked in for life discounted price to join and to help us complete the testing of the platform.
I hope this answers questions you may have about PicturEngine and its origin. I welcome questions, however my time is limited, so I may not get to every question immediately, but with the help of my staff and photographers already using the platform, I believe we will be able to clarify any remaining questions.
Stay ahead of the curve,
JB
Justin Brinson
Founder, President and CEO
PicturEngine, Inc.
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