I guess hosting your own site doesn't make as much as through the big 4 libraries but wondered what the trend is...
Is it growing?  Unfortunately, No.
Are buyers happy to buy direct?  Most seem unaware of the option.
Is it a viable percentage of your overall income?  More like a drop in the ocean. 

Who knows, things could change.  If PictureEngine ever decides to integrate Ktools, or if some other multi-site search develops, then it might be worth having my own site.  Not yet, though. 

I license photos from my website but it's small potatoes right now. I've been too busy with other work  to market it but I have had some success just by making sure my photos are keyworded well and available. My site is set up for direct download but all my sales have been via contact from an editor or art director who found the photos via a search and then contacted me to negotiate a price - better than anything Alamy has gotten me and I get to keep the lion's share of the profit - usually all of it. My first stock photo client was Time Inc, so there is sales potential.

I'm hoping to have time to start marketing my stock photos directly next year. For those of you who are marketing now, do you find that sending out postcards with images and info about your site gets you results, as well as phone calls and emails the same way you'd market yourself for an assignment? I've been going through photographer's market targeting the types of clients I think would be looking for my traditional stock photos and debating whether to do a huge mass mailing or really target those who are the best candidates and follow up with a phone call and/or email. Any advice?

What do you do re: your bestselling micro stuff? Do you price those differently or just keep everything consistent?

Happy to bat around ideas for the best way to get traffic to my site. Haven't written on my blog in ages and thinking that's a good place to start. Do any of you find blogging helps drive traffic to your site?

Lately I've been getting more solicitations than usual - stock agencies asking me to join and people who sell products to photographers, but getting more photo inquiries too - only lately it's people asking to license photos I've taken for clients (I use my site to get assignments) that are there to show what I can do, but that are not available as stock.

Interested to hear how others are doing.