In one word - prostitution!
First 6 months of 2022
I sold 662 image - for 354 US Dollars!
How did they go so down! Why do we still contribute???

My monthly sales of images was about 150 images in average. in the last 2 months it dropped by half to about 75 images. is it only me+ What happens to Shutterstock? i do not have this kind of drop in other stock sites...

I have uploaded lately many new images. I have a total of 5,235 images online.
Most of the sales are from older images.

Most of my newer images have very low views and sales. All keywording is done properly, as I also sell on other sites.

Why is that?
How can it be changed?
What is your experience?

Quote from: leaf on September 18, 2019, 19:24
The other difference is that the SS site search currently doesn't have a 'popular' search sort (like the API does).  The site search only has relevant and fresh as options

What is API?

Quote from: leaf on September 18, 2019, 10:38
Thanks for the heads up / reminder.  I'll see if I can get this fixed!

Quote from: ronyzmbow on September 17, 2019, 08:54
For some years I am using the Microstock Keyword Tool of the site here with great success and no problems.

Lately there is a big problem!

As far as I know the tool is based on the Shutterstock site and takes the results from there.
When I make a search of a specific word (in this case - coffee) the results are very few. Searching directly Shutterstock give way much more results and VERY different!
See the attached pictures.

Why is this?
Am I doing something wrong?
Am I the only one experiencing this?
Can anybody recommend any other online Kewords Tool that works properly?

Please let us know when and if fixed!

For some years I am using the Microstock Keyword Tool of the site here with great success and no problems.

Lately there is a big problem!

As far as I know the tool is based on the Shutterstock site and takes the results from there.
When I make a search of a specific word (in this case - coffee) the results are very few. Searching directly Shutterstock give way much more results and VERY different!
See the attached pictures.

Why is this?
Am I doing something wrong?
Am I the only one experiencing this?
Can anybody recommend any other online Kewords Tool that works properly?

I am using the Microstock Keyword Tool almost on a daily base.
Today - it does not work!
When entering a search term and clicking to get a result - you get just large thumbnails of images.
You cannot choose any to generate keywords.
Any idea why is this problem how and when to solve it?

Some time ago I wrote to YAY the following -

7 months without even ONE image sale???
Out of portfolio of 4162 images.
Does it seem normal???

It took them a long time to answer -

I believe your portfolio has been hit by the transition to yayimages. A lot of (most of) our sales come from people buying an image after finding it on Google Images. After we transitioned into yayimages.com, Google has only indexed about 1/4 of the images - and from what I can see, not your portfolio. In addition your portfolio has a bit too low boost, which is the rate the search algorithm gives results from. I can see if I can get an approver to look into your portfolio and see if you deserve a higher boost. Sometimes we change these things manually.

I understand your confusion, and you have done nothing wrong. Two years ago we decided to switch from yaymicro to YAY Images as our customer portal in order to switch to a subscription model. All images (almost) from yaymicro are available on YAY Images, and YAY Images is the only website we run where customers can buy images. We have not yet made a new photographer website, so images must still be uploaded to yaymicro - from where they'll automatically appear on YAY Images. Therefore photographers don't need a login to YAY Images. Any sales will show up on your yaymicro account.

So, to answer your first questions:
1.Do I have to register to the new web site? No.
2.Do I have to opt-in? If yes' how? Nope. It's already done.
3.Is there anything I should do (what?) or should I leave things as they are and you will move all my content to the new web site? Nope.

In regards to sales, I can't say anymore than I've already done. You've been hit hard by the transition, but hopefully sales will pick up over the coming months as Google is hard at work indexing our images now. Therefore, I can only advice you to have a little more patience and I'm confident sales will pick up over the next few months.

Here is my reply -

Still some things are not clear to me.

1.What does it mean - "You've been hit hard by the transition"... - By checking my images I can see that in YAY Micro I have a total of 4223 images - while in the new site I have 3893 images - this is less 10% - so what do you mean by saying - HIT HARD?

2.What does it mean that Google is indexing images? How customers in the new web site search for images? Is it by using Google Images or is it by using the site search engine?

3.What about your offer to promote my images in your social media?

4.I do not understand how in the old model or web site I managed to make sales and almost nothing in the new web site?

I would look in some Microstock related forums what other contributors are saying about the new web site.


Here is the reply -

1. I didn't mean the number of images. Most of your images are on yayimages.com as well, except the editorial images. I mean that your images are not indexed in Google Images on yayimages.com. That means that customers searching for images on Google Images will not find your images, which is a significant loss in traffic.

2. Most of our new customers come from Google Images, and a lot of them buy a small amount of images that they've found on Google Images. Since all images have not been indexed by Google (including yours), it means that you are missing out on these customers. Previously registered customers will of course search the website directly, so that's the only chance you have of getting sales.

3. I'll remind Irina about this. She's responsible for that.

4. Again: Your images on yaymicro was indexed and mostly found through Google.


I have to admit that I am confused!
Are you also confused?
Any comments?
Should I keep uploading to them or not?
I mean - thousands of images and no sales for 8 months!!!

For some years I had a contributor account with Stockphotomedi - sales were VERY low.

About a month ago I wrote to them asking about performance.

Here is the correspondence  -

I simply cannot understand why a contributor should wait SO LONG for an answer from you!!!?


I wrote to you both directly and both via the web site, almost 3 week ago and NEVER had an answer!
Here is the message again -




I wrote to you but never had an answer. My porfolio is almost 5000 images. My last sale was 7 months ago!
How come?
Any idea why???

Well - finally I had a refund from PayPal paying what I had there (9 EURO) and when I try to log in - I cannot.

My conclusion is very simple - they have deleted my account!
Still no reply to my messages!

STAY AWAY FROM THEM!!!!!

Quote from: elvinstar on February 20, 2015, 20:22
Has anyone else seen a large number (relative to your normal volume) of $2.00 subscription sales at Dreamstime today? I've got about 5-10 times my normal volume today and the royalty for each was $2.00. I'm just worried that those downloads might be fraudulent.

Had the same and I like it!

Quote from: ronyzmbow on February 10, 2015, 11:36

Quote from: Maximilian on February 10, 2015, 11:07
You should write a letter and send it by regular mail. Perhaps generates enough attention to become well read by others. The support is outsourced often. Does not really make much sense to bother the support

Perhaps it is a good idea!
Even though I am close on giving up on iStock...

Here is the next answer from them -
Please know that many reasons why sales fluctuate, ranging from the season, market demand to more files on the site such as more competition for sales.


The more your portfolio grows the more exposure you will have with the other files in the search.

Also shooting what is demand will help as well:

Here is some resources for this as well:
http://www.istockphoto.com/article_view.php?ID=1413&Page=2

Linking similar files may also increase your potential exposure and sales as I see you have no files with this feature and it help customers find what they need in your portfolio

For information on how to create UBB links, please visit:

http://istockfaq.gettyimages.com/how-do-create-links-to-other-images-on-my-portfolio/

The more good quality files that you upload, the better the chance that one of them will take off and do well for you. So the mantra goes – shoot – upload – repeat.

Quote from: Maximilian on February 10, 2015, 11:07
You should write a letter and send it by regular mail. Perhaps generates enough attention to become well read by others. The support is outsourced often. Does not really make much sense to bother the support

Perhaps it is a good idea!
Even though I am close on giving up on iStock...

Quote from: ronyzmbow on January 29, 2015, 11:26

Quote from: ShadySue on January 29, 2015, 10:12

Quote from: ronyzmbow on January 29, 2015, 08:14

Quote from: fiftyfootelvis on January 28, 2015, 02:05
Vectorstock is okay if you sell vectors, but I wouldn't really recommend any of the other sites.
Sales are so slow that it is not worth the time to upload.
Unlike most people posting, my iStock sales have gone up over the last few months.

Here is my letter to iStock - Can you explain the SHARP DROP in sales in your site? 3 images in 2 months!!!

If you get anything other than "We have checked your account and it is correct", please let us know!
Actually, I'm thinking of firing off a similar post myself, other than I'm sure that will be the answer.

The last answer to a similar question was that I do not have enough pictures of Christmas subjects...I do not expect much.
Sales are so low to a degree where I consider stopping uploading the iStock.
BTW - the uploading process is the slowest and most complicated than my other sites!

Well, I finally have a reply from iStock. I have asked them if they can explain the sharp drop in sales.
Here is their answer - We recommend that contributors not only keyword properly but also shoot according to the creative briefs and really take a look at what is needed. iStock's collection grows every day and, while I understand your frustration,  it's become increasingly important to remain competitive be continuously uploading unique content.....

To this answer I replied by asking how come that my portfolio was good enough to create income some months ago and suddenly sales dropped to almost zero???
Waiting for an answer...

Quote from: ShadySue on January 29, 2015, 10:12

Quote from: ronyzmbow on January 29, 2015, 08:14

Quote from: fiftyfootelvis on January 28, 2015, 02:05
Vectorstock is okay if you sell vectors, but I wouldn't really recommend any of the other sites.
Sales are so slow that it is not worth the time to upload.
Unlike most people posting, my iStock sales have gone up over the last few months.

Here is my letter to iStock - Can you explain the SHARP DROP in sales in your site? 3 images in 2 months!!!

If you get anything other than "We have checked your account and it is correct", please let us know!
Actually, I'm thinking of firing off a similar post myself, other than I'm sure that will be the answer.

The last answer to a similar question was that I do not have enough pictures of Christmas subjects...I do not expect much.
Sales are so low to a degree where I consider stopping uploading the iStock.
BTW - the uploading process is the slowest and most complicated than my other sites!

Quote from: fiftyfootelvis on January 28, 2015, 02:05
Vectorstock is okay if you sell vectors, but I wouldn't really recommend any of the other sites.
Sales are so slow that it is not worth the time to upload.

Unlike most people posting, my iStock sales have gone up over the last few months.

Here is my letter to iStock - Can you explain the SHARP DROP in sales in your site? 3 images in 2 months!!!

Quote from: Ariene on January 26, 2015, 08:07
Did you read threads here?
http://www.microstockgroup.com/product-resale-forum/

No, I was not aware of it.
Thanks, Ariene

I an attempt to increase my sales I have registered and uploaded images to
Fine Art America
Redbubble
Until now - no sales at all.
What is your experience and opinion about these sites?
Are there recommendation to other sites that sell art-digital art?

Quote from: Uncle Pete on January 23, 2015, 03:25
New Sites? You mean most of the old ones haven't cheated and used you enough?

No, not at all - I am just looking for more new sites in order to increase sales.

Quote from: ShadySue on January 21, 2015, 12:49

Quote from: ronyzmbow on January 21, 2015, 10:39
In iStock there is a HUGE drop in sales! Do you experience the same? Any idea why?

Yes, many people are experiencing this.
Probably  because they've converted a high proprotion of their remaining buyers to subs.

If this is the case - then sales would go down slowly. But this is NOT the case - sales dropped down almost over night! This, I do not understand...

I am selling my stock images in the following sites -
Shutterstock, iStock. Fotolia, Dreamstime, Big Stock, Depositphotos, Can Stock, 123RF, YAY and Stockphoto Media.
Sales in most of them are quite steady.

Depositphotos is quite new to me and is doing very well - beyond what I expected.

In iStock there is a HUGE drop in sales! Do you experience the same? Any idea why?

Beyond this - I am looking for new Microstock sites in order to increase my sales.
Any suggestions?

There is a clear answer - The invoice is now paid and the site will be up shortly.

Here is the official reply I had from the support of the Swedish site -

Craystone that is attending our domain stockphotomedia.com have missed sending us an invoice
and therefore stockphotomedia.com has been down but the Swedish side fotomedia.se is still working.

Because of all the holidays it has been difficult to reach the support.

I have finally come in to contact with the support and has been told the reason for the interruption.
The invoice is now paid and the site will be up shortly.

We are extremely sorry for the inconvenience


Best regards

Team Stockphotomedia

My monthly a average was about 100 US Dollars. last month - 0 sales!!!
I wrote to them and their answer was that there few images related to Christmas in my portfolio....excuse me - how stupid is that???

In the last week I had no sales at all. Does anybody experience the same? Does anybody have any idea why is this?

Quote from: ronyzmbow on September 18, 2013, 18:43
I am selling my images in 10 Microstock web sites - Shutterstock, Big Stock, Fotolia, Dreamstime, iStockphoto, Stock Photo Media, 123 RF, Can Stock Photo, YAY and Depositphotos. I mange to get several hundred US Dollars from them.
I have set goal for myself to be able to make 1000 Dollars a month by the end of 2014.
What other web sites will recommend to join?

I also wonder about other sites which are more of art or artistic - such as - Redbubble, Zenfolio, Smumug, Photo Shelter etc. - what are your opinions about these sites? Can one make money out of them and are are the recommended among them?

Any more comments to the ART web sites?