Author Topic: And I made a site (Read 28322 times)

Les · « **Reply #50 on:** June 27, 2012, 21:31 »

Quote from: luissantos84 on June 27, 2012, 20:13

Quote from: Oleg on June 27, 2012, 14:58
Quote
I agree but what for? not even small/new agencies can compete with top agencies, how can us alone or even a few selected contributors open an agency and succeed?
I love the new. I like to do the impossible

we need to be rational too, don't forget that unless the expenses are very low

Actually, the initial setup expenses are quite low. The question is how much should one budget for advertising and what is the best way to advertise it?

I like Oleg's initiative, including teaming up with other photographers on his website and create a reasonable size mini microstock agency. However, IMHO, the subscription model is not viable for the small collections under 1 million images.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #51 on:** June 27, 2012, 21:34 »

Quote from: Les on June 27, 2012, 21:31

Quote from: luissantos84 on June 27, 2012, 20:13
Quote from: Oleg on June 27, 2012, 14:58
Quote
I agree but what for? not even small/new agencies can compete with top agencies, how can us alone or even a few selected contributors open an agency and succeed?
I love the new. I like to do the impossible

we need to be rational too, don't forget that unless the expenses are very low

Actually, the initial setup expenses are quite low. The question is how much should one budget for advertising and what is the best way to advertise it?

I like Oleg's initiative, including teaming up with other photographers on his website and create a reasonable size mini microstock agency.

those are the expenses I am talking about, of course it ain't the website itself or storage, getting buyers and such its the main goal not just upload and wait for magic!

luissantos84 · « **Reply #52 on:** June 27, 2012, 21:36 »

Quote from: Les on June 27, 2012, 21:31

I like Oleg's initiative, including teaming up with other photographers on his website and create a reasonable size mini microstock agency.

I haven´t said the opposite, I have questioned here what were the royalties and such, so far nothing, so I don´t it as teaming up anything, thats not even a proper way to announce a new "agency"

Les · « **Reply #53 on:** June 27, 2012, 21:38 »

Well, maybe we can get here some good estimates about the size of advertising budget and server costs for a small yet responsive website.

Les · « **Reply #54 on:** June 27, 2012, 21:39 »

Quote from: luissantos84 on June 27, 2012, 21:36

Quote from: Les on June 27, 2012, 21:31
I like Oleg's initiative, including teaming up with other photographers on his website and create a reasonable size mini microstock agency.

I haven´t said the opposite, I have questioned here what were the royalties and such, so far nothing, so I don´t it as teaming up anything, thats not even a proper way to announce a new "agency"

The good intentions are there, he just needs some polishing.
Once he has to pay the other photographers, he may find that $3.00 image prices are "unsustainable".

luissantos84 · « **Reply #55 on:** June 27, 2012, 21:47 »

Quote from: Les on June 27, 2012, 21:39

Quote from: luissantos84 on June 27, 2012, 21:36
Quote from: Les on June 27, 2012, 21:31
I like Oleg's initiative, including teaming up with other photographers on his website and create a reasonable size mini microstock agency.

I haven´t said the opposite, I have questioned here what were the royalties and such, so far nothing, so I don´t it as teaming up anything, thats not even a proper way to announce a new "agency"
The good intentions are there, he just needs some polishing.
Once he has to pay the other photographers, he may find that $3.00 image prices are "unsustainable".

honestly I believe its quite soon to think of sales, I am in a contributors agency too and even after many expenses in seo, ads and other things are still very very very slow.. if small, new agencies cannot compete imagine a 15k files "agency" like Oleg one.. if there isn´t a niche it will be even harder.. best of luck anyway

p.s: I am a big supporter of new agencies paying better royalties but in the end not much happen there, what I am trying to say that it ain´t easy, sure you and other know that

Les · « **Reply #56 on:** June 27, 2012, 21:58 »

Quote from: luissantos84 on June 27, 2012, 21:47

Quote from: Les on June 27, 2012, 21:39
Quote from: luissantos84 on June 27, 2012, 21:36
Quote from: Les on June 27, 2012, 21:31
I like Oleg's initiative, including teaming up with other photographers on his website and create a reasonable size mini microstock agency.

I haven´t said the opposite, I have questioned here what were the royalties and such, so far nothing, so I don´t it as teaming up anything, thats not even a proper way to announce a new "agency"
The good intentions are there, he just needs some polishing.
Once he has to pay the other photographers, he may find that $3.00 image prices are "unsustainable".

honestly I believe its quite soon to think of sales, I am in a contributors agency too and even after many expenses in seo, ads and other things are still very very very slow.. if small, new agencies cannot compete imagine a 15k files "agency" like Oleg one.. if there isn´t a niche it will be even harder.. best of luck anyway

p.s: I am a big supporter of new agencies paying better royalties but in the end not much happen there, what I am trying to say that it ain´t easy, sure you and other know that

Louis, can you give some indication how much are your monthly expenses to run the agency?
I agree, that the niche orientation is the best route - at least for the start.
It's also good to know from Elena's posts that she is getting some sales, and the site not only pays for itself, but it is starting to make some money.

ProImage · « **Reply #57 on:** June 28, 2012, 03:08 »

Quote from: Oleg on June 26, 2012, 06:31

I like the sterile clean look - Oleg or les ?

Oleg

luissantos84 · « **Reply #58 on:** June 28, 2012, 07:24 »

Quote from: Les on June 27, 2012, 21:58

Quote from: luissantos84 on June 27, 2012, 21:47
Quote from: Les on June 27, 2012, 21:39
Quote from: luissantos84 on June 27, 2012, 21:36
Quote from: Les on June 27, 2012, 21:31
I like Oleg's initiative, including teaming up with other photographers on his website and create a reasonable size mini microstock agency.

I haven´t said the opposite, I have questioned here what were the royalties and such, so far nothing, so I don´t it as teaming up anything, thats not even a proper way to announce a new "agency"
The good intentions are there, he just needs some polishing.
Once he has to pay the other photographers, he may find that $3.00 image prices are "unsustainable".

honestly I believe its quite soon to think of sales, I am in a contributors agency too and even after many expenses in seo, ads and other things are still very very very slow.. if small, new agencies cannot compete imagine a 15k files "agency" like Oleg one.. if there isn´t a niche it will be even harder.. best of luck anyway

p.s: I am a big supporter of new agencies paying better royalties but in the end not much happen there, what I am trying to say that it ain´t easy, sure you and other know that

Louis, can you give some indication how much are your monthly expenses to run the agency?
I agree, that the niche orientation is the best route - at least for the start.
It's also good to know from Elena's posts that she is getting some sales, and the site not only pays for itself, but it is starting to make some money.

You are talking about Elena

not the average contributor, she has everything from people to travel to food, an amazing portfolio!

regarding the contributor agency I have not spend a buck, its one contributor that is dealing with all expenses, like I have said its a heck of a job running an agency, first you need to get the clients attention and then make them want your pictures, very hard if it was easy we all open our little store

Oleg · « **Reply #59 on:** June 28, 2012, 09:45 »

Compete with the big sites can and should be. There is a large transportation company, and there is very small (one truck). In large companies there are many disadvantages. Clumsiness, arrogance, they are the smartest ....
We all know how easy to load on Dreams. We spend a lot of time on useless work. But they do not care. How many years have passed - on Fotolia Revolution, made a batch attribution. I find it funny and sad

luissantos84 · « **Reply #60 on:** June 28, 2012, 09:55 »

Quote from: Oleg on June 28, 2012, 09:45

Compete with the big sites can and should be. There is a large transportation company, and there is very small (one truck). In large companies there are many disadvantages. Clumsiness, arrogance, they are the smartest ....
We all know how easy to load on Dreams. We spend a lot of time on useless work. But they do not care. How many years have passed - on Fotolia Revolution, made a batch attribution. I find it funny and sad

I agree but we see here in MSG many proofs that buiding your own clients database is very hard, if I ever feel the same I will jump into something too, so far not ready in all ways, I am in too many agencies paying over 70% and still nothing, so alone would be really mission stupidity not even impossible

Oleg · « **Reply #61 on:** June 28, 2012, 10:27 »

I want to do mini micro agency to a small group of photographers.
Little family. where everyone knows each other. They know the disadvantages of the site and suggest changes, advertise and help.
This will save money on website content, and rapid response to change.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #62 on:** June 28, 2012, 10:31 »

Quote from: Oleg on June 28, 2012, 10:27

I want to do mini micro agency to a small group of photographers.
Little family. where everyone knows each other. They know the disadvantages of the site and suggest changes, advertise and help.
This will save money on website content, and rapid response to change.

we got that already

if it is a template, how much time have you spent?

Oleg · « **Reply #63 on:** June 28, 2012, 10:44 »

Picked up the software (several companies), picked up a server, a lot had to be set in addition, some functions in conflict. Approximately two weeks

luissantos84 · « **Reply #64 on:** June 28, 2012, 10:50 »

Quote from: Oleg on June 28, 2012, 10:44

Picked up the software (several companies), picked up a server, a lot had to be set in addition, some functions in conflict. Approximately two weeks

several companies? I was thinking the only one needed was the server for hosting beside of the cmsaccount

cthoman · « **Reply #65 on:** June 28, 2012, 10:53 »

It's tricky to make money with your own site. I would say it's less about advertising budgets or hard work and more about determination.

My goal is that I want people to find my images and buy them from ME when they search the web. The best way to make that happen is to not have those images available at other sites (although I do have a couple fair pay agencies I still upload to).

That said, one or two exclusive images aren't going to make your site that unique, so you need to create more exclusive or unique content. I want my own site to be the definitive place to buy my work. It's hard to say that if the majority of your portfolio is everywhere and anywhere.

Obviously, there are SEO, advertising and other issues to deal with, but my core strategy is to create lots and lots of unique content that can only be found at my own site.

Oleg · « **Reply #66 on:** June 29, 2012, 10:10 »

My way - the convenience and price

Les · « **Reply #67 on:** July 01, 2012, 02:04 »

Quote from: Oleg on June 29, 2012, 10:10

My way - the convenience and price

Almost like istock - convenient and pricy

Oleg · « **Reply #68 on:** July 03, 2012, 14:31 »

I want to make a section for photos (phones, video stills, webcam, grinders and other devices which are able to take pictures)
Who thinks that?

luissantos84 · « **Reply #69 on:** July 03, 2012, 15:33 »

Quote from: Oleg on July 03, 2012, 14:31

I want to make a section for photos (phones, video stills, webcam, grinders and other devices which are able to take pictures)
Who thinks that?

what for? I believe it is a lot of stuff to market, why don´t you first try and get some buyers for pictures?

then you can think of editorial, illustrations, audio, footage, cell photos and 3d too

Oleg · « **Reply #70 on:** July 03, 2012, 15:39 »

Sales so far little, I would like to increase the

luissantos84 · « **Reply #71 on:** July 03, 2012, 16:27 »

Quote from: Oleg on July 03, 2012, 15:39

Sales so far little, I would like to increase the

you had sales already?

Oleg · « **Reply #72 on:** July 03, 2012, 16:34 »

very few sales -0

cthoman · « **Reply #73 on:** July 03, 2012, 16:37 »

Quote from: Oleg on July 03, 2012, 16:34

very few sales -0

You can only go up from there.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #74 on:** July 03, 2012, 16:38 »

Quote from: Oleg on July 03, 2012, 16:34

very few sales -0

ahah

best of luck

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