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Author Topic: Selling video direct?  (Read 33410 times)

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WeatherENG

« on: June 19, 2015, 10:49 »
+1
I've gone through a few of the older topics here but now with video sales slumping I am investigating the feasibility of selling direct, as a second/backup site to my page on Pond5 primarily.

Any ideas on what platform/site to use? (I can't code and can't learn to code in a day).

I'm just looking for some ideas and perhaps from those who are doing it, how are sales? prices etc?.

I see some private still photography and art websites selling content for well into the thousands per piece of work, they aren't selling it for a few dollars, wondering if this can apply to video.

At least half of my content is branded editorial as you can see, mostly weather, severe weather, students/on-campus events, etc, but I assume on a private site the same disclaimer can be posted.

Just exploring all options at this point due to the dramatic slump in sales that started since mid-April and is continuing.

I have basically a niche area, weather/news/enviroment/events.....that's what I did in TV news and that's what I am good at, plan on chasing more hard news and adding to my 24,000 clips.  Most stock sites are not very editorial friendly, SS is impossible and the others are rather finicky, Pond5 is the best with that but these sales aren't even close to pre-free fall levels for me.

Thoughts?

A lot of my work can be found here.
http://www.pond5.com/artist/WeatherENG

M


« Reply #1 on: June 19, 2015, 14:50 »
+2
I've been selling footage direct using Photodeck for about a year now. In the beginning I seemed to gain some traction with pretty good ranking of my videos in google and got some sales as a result. Now, however, I'm having a hard time finding videos from my site when searching for them in google and my traffic and sales have dried up.

While I'm happy with Photodeck overall, it's about time I pulled the plug on this as a failed experiment. I seem to just be wasting money every month now. I still like the idea of selling video direct but it has to pay for itself and with the huge storage and bandwidth requirements of footage it just doesn't seem very feasible.

« Reply #2 on: June 19, 2015, 20:27 »
+1
With such a large portfolio, it should be worthwhile to create your own site.  Then you can put there whatever you want.
Have you looked at the new Symbiostock or grfx?

« Reply #3 on: June 20, 2015, 00:21 »
0
The question is a traffic and security.
If you go to service - then traffic can be a problem, they pay for clouds and this explains many things regarding search. Photos require less.
If you go selfhosted - or you have to pay for expensive but very qualified hosting or care yourself on dedicated hosting. Your time and knowledge invested there and less time for your direct business. Last time i found that hosting with which i was many years has changed. Downwards. I am again with problem of choice and happy that main portfolio is at photodeck. But only photos. Cheap hosting is not a solution for online shopping at all. Even static website needs attention often on such hostings.
« Last Edit: June 20, 2015, 05:42 by skyfish »

WeatherENG

« Reply #4 on: June 21, 2015, 12:44 »
0
Thanks for all the advice, I will keep exploring options, sales have suddenly dropped of to a point that working in fast food full time at min wage would earn me more money, something has happened and it's not just the site that my 24,000 clips are hosted.  I am wondering if in general things are dead slow for our buyers as well as smaller budgets and it all spirals down to less of our product being needed period.

I actually did better in my first week in this game with 11 clips of a pumpkin exploding than I did last week.

« Reply #5 on: June 21, 2015, 18:18 »
+1
It's a lot of work to sell on your own! The only way I see it working is to have 5 of the top producers band together to sell their work, but then someone has to be in charge and the like. I am doing ok as an exclusive on iStock June and July are always slow for me but I keep plowing on with producing and doing side jobs. Love what I do so the money will come.

« Reply #6 on: August 23, 2015, 15:42 »
0
Thanks for all the advice, I will keep exploring options, sales have suddenly dropped of to a point that working in fast food full time at min wage would earn me more money, something has happened and it's not just the site that my 24,000 clips are hosted.  I am wondering if in general things are dead slow for our buyers as well as smaller budgets and it all spirals down to less of our product being needed period.

I actually did better in my first week in this game with 11 clips of a pumpkin exploding than I did last week.

as your dropping worsening numbers seem to coincide with Google's latest flavour-of-the-day update to practically "requiring" a responsive layout etc, could it be that (part of) the answer lies in that corner? Just thinking...

« Reply #7 on: September 07, 2015, 08:06 »
0
.

« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2015, 09:54 »
+1
Best I've seen so far is Photodeck.

« Reply #9 on: September 07, 2015, 10:21 »
0
Best I've seen so far is Photodeck.

Do u know any website built on Photodeck ? I'm curious to see how well it integrates clips, response times....etc
I would like to build one to support around 5000 clips.

« Reply #10 on: September 07, 2015, 10:34 »
0
Best I've seen so far is Photodeck.

Do u know any website built on Photodeck ? I'm curious to see how well it integrates clips, response times....etc
I would like to build one to support around 5000 clips.
They have some samples there and I know of one guy who's using it successfully for video. Like anything though, it depends on what you are selling. It appears to be automatic and does clip resizing as necessary, along with delivery and billing via PayPal. You will have to drive traffic there. So there has to be a reason for a customer to go to your site instead of a much much larger, probably easier and cheaper alternative. 5000 clips is a lot, check the monthly data limits and total storage costs for your collection. But at $79 per month for basic video package, that's only one or maybe two sales on P5 in commission. Not expensive. I do think though that the collection has to be somewhat unique and with a potential market. Then prices can go to $200 to $400 per clip and achieve sales.

« Reply #11 on: September 08, 2015, 08:29 »
0
Maybe this is a little off topic but since i am a non techie what constitutes good seo? I hear people all the time claim they are seo experts. The guy who just installed my shutters in my house told me he does seo on the side and is the BEST. Well, i am the BEST photographer in the whole wide world, so there ;)

So since i am not really the best photographer in the whole wide world what makes for a good seo program? How does one compete with the big boys on seo if you host your own site? What kind of discipline does it take?

« Reply #12 on: September 09, 2015, 12:28 »
0
I want to start uploading video to my photodeck website but it seems you need to get a license to do it, going by the help section on photodeck.

What do you guys think?


« Reply #13 on: September 09, 2015, 12:54 »
0
They're just trying to cover themselves.  I wouldn't worry about it.

« Reply #14 on: September 09, 2015, 13:19 »
0
No, what they are saying is you must be the one to issue the usage license terms. i.e. set the terms under which the buyer can use the image or clip.

« Reply #15 on: September 09, 2015, 13:39 »
0
No, what they are saying is you must be the one to issue the usage license terms. i.e. set the terms under which the buyer can use the image or clip.

No, what they are saying is that technically, you need permission to use the codec for professional work.  In reality, it isn't going to happen.  But if it doesn't, it isn't their fault.

« Reply #16 on: September 09, 2015, 14:02 »
0
No, what they are saying is you must be the one to issue the usage license terms. i.e. set the terms under which the buyer can use the image or clip.

No, what they are saying is that technically, you need permission to use the codec for professional work.  In reality, it isn't going to happen.  But if it doesn't, it isn't their fault.
It would help to read the whole thing.  :-[

« Reply #17 on: September 09, 2015, 14:20 »
0
No, what they are saying is you must be the one to issue the usage license terms. i.e. set the terms under which the buyer can use the image or clip.

No, what they are saying is that technically, you need permission to use the codec for professional work.  In reality, it isn't going to happen.  But if it doesn't, it isn't their fault.
It would help to read the whole thing.  :-[

The entire thing is about licensing the H.264 codec.  Am I missing something?

« Reply #18 on: September 09, 2015, 14:30 »
0
No, what they are saying is you must be the one to issue the usage license terms. i.e. set the terms under which the buyer can use the image or clip.

No, what they are saying is that technically, you need permission to use the codec for professional work.  In reality, it isn't going to happen.  But if it doesn't, it isn't their fault.
It would help to read the whole thing.  :-[

The entire thing is about licensing the H.264 codec.  Am I missing something?
Not at all. It's I who somehow interpreted the text in green to refer to issuing licenses to buyers.


 

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