MicrostockGroup
Agency Based Discussion => Shutterstock.com => Topic started by: sobm on July 04, 2010, 20:41
-
I feel a big slump at the begining of July.I dont know if others face the same way like me.I just have a question if its worth uploading files to SS at this time ?Because I think if the file dont get the first DL after uploading,it would sink into the sea and hard to get back to the surface,especially for SS.
-
It's much too soon to know how July will shape up. We're in the middle of a holiday weekend in the US, which likely depressed sales starting on Friday the 2nd and won't let up until Tuesday the 6th. Besides, what benefit will you get from not uploading? Shutterstock's my best earner month after month, and I never make a dime from images I don't submit. So I just keep submitting and hope things improve. It's either that or find some new obsession.
-
surprisingly i'v been getting dl all through this weekend and saturday's usually are death at ss. in fact, they've been downloading new approvals from july 4th. so, it's anybody's guess.
i also found stop uploading for a week or so do affect your overall sales. it's like turning on/off a spigot for potential buyers. with your newly uploaded pics going live right away, it's a marketing tool for your entire portfolio.
-
It's much too soon to know how July will shape up. We're in the middle of a holiday weekend in the US, which likely depressed sales starting on Friday the 2nd and won't let up until Tuesday the 6th. Besides, what benefit will you get from not uploading? Shutterstock's my best earner month after month, and I never make a dime from images I don't submit. So I just keep submitting and hope things improve. It's either that or find some new obsession.
Hey don't discourage him! If he wants to take a little time off why should we mind.
Have a nice vacation sobm -- see you in September.
c h e e r s
fred
-
No!!! definetely not, Im sure all of them have summer people, trainees or whatever , some cant even tell the differance between color and B/W.
-
Interesting question. Things definitely do slow down for summer so if you want to give your images an initial boost it is no doubt better to upload in early spring or early fall. That said, I don't generally slow down on uploading other than what happens naturally when I take a week or two off.
-
I see the "New photos added this week" number is down to 72K at the moment (from a peak of about 112K?). Maybe the lack of returns is starting to discourage some contributors?
-
I see the "New photos added this week" number is down to 72K at the moment (from a peak of about 112K?). Maybe the lack of returns is starting to discourage some contributors?
Yep!
Competition slowly leads to that, if you want to earn an average, you have to work as an average !
And it's working time of at least 8 hours a day ...
Soon, will end a hobbyist approach to the microstock ...
-
I am finding a big slump in sales at all of the sites EXCEPT Shutterstock. My sales there are not large or increasing but still a steady stream of sales just about every day. So I am loving Shutterstock. I wish they had exclusivity. 90% of my sales come from that site and I would probably drop the other sites in a flash if they had that.
-
No Micro agency really want real photographers or professionals, why? because they make demands, they make trouble, they expect returns, etc. amateurs, weekend-snappers are far more comfortable, theyre only too happy to see a sale and can be bullied.
The average buyer of micro is not educated to see if a shot is taken by a Pro or a happy-snapper and this is a Gods blessing to the Micro and RF.
-
I see the "New photos added this week" number is down to 72K at the moment (from a peak of about 112K?). Maybe the lack of returns is starting to discourage some contributors?
Well spotted! And I surely hope so. But I would think not - rather a lot of the happy snappers are in holidays. They'll be back flooding the approval queue.
-
I see the "New photos added this week" number is down to 72K at the moment (from a peak of about 112K?). Maybe the lack of returns is starting to discourage some contributors?
Yep!
Competition slowly leads to that, if you want to earn an average, you have to work as an average !
And it's working time of at least 8 hours a day ...
Soon, will end a hobbyist approach to the microstock ...
As a confessed Hobbyist Microstocker Student (not like the dedicated people who are in the majority here) I can say, avoiding uploading during the slow periods is a mistake. You make a good point, keep the image supply flowing. The sales will come later and can only help during the off months.
Look at this from a marketing side. If you stop advertising during the slow months, that will carry over into the better months. New images are the same as marketing. If people don't see something they can't buy it. Holding back is a design for defeat just as a flood after a drought runs over the hard surface. There's no gain if there's no image.
All the gaming of the sites, sizes, keywords or the upload day is amusing folly. Good appropriate material sells!
If you have an image ready today, upload it today. Should I make this one of the micro mantras? "Buyers can't buy something they can't see."
(http://clipart.coolclips.com/100/agm/tf05244/CoolClips_wb029616.gif)
-
I see the "New photos added this week" number is down to 72K at the moment (from a peak of about 112K?). Maybe the lack of returns is starting to discourage some contributors?
Yep!
Competition slowly leads to that, if you want to earn an average, you have to work as an average !
And it's working time of at least 8 hours a day ...
Soon, will end a hobbyist approach to the microstock ...
As a confessed Hobbyist Microstocker Student (not like the dedicated people who are in the majority here) I can say, avoiding uploading during the slow periods is a mistake. You make a good point, keep the image supply flowing. The sales will come later and can only help during the off months.
Look at this from a marketing side. If you stop advertising during the slow months, that will carry over into the better months. New images are the same as marketing. If people don't see something they can't buy it. Holding back is a design for defeat just as a flood after a drought runs over the hard surface. There's no gain if there's no image.
All the gaming of the sites, sizes, keywords or the upload day is amusing folly. Good appropriate material sells!
If you have an image ready today, upload it today. Should I make this one of the micro mantras? "Buyers can't buy something they can't see."
([url]http://clipart.coolclips.com/100/agm/tf05244/CoolClips_wb029616.gif[/url])
Your reply helps me a lot, thanks ^^
-
As a confessed Hobbyist Microstocker Student (not like the dedicated people who are in the majority here) I can say, avoiding uploading during the slow periods is a mistake. You make a good point, keep the image supply flowing. The sales will come later and can only help during the off months.
Look at this from a marketing side. If you stop advertising during the slow months, that will carry over into the better months. New images are the same as marketing. If people don't see something they can't buy it. Holding back is a design for defeat just as a flood after a drought runs over the hard surface. There's no gain if there's no image.
All the gaming of the sites, sizes, keywords or the upload day is amusing folly. Good appropriate material sells!
If you have an image ready today, upload it today. Should I make this one of the micro mantras? "Buyers can't buy something they can't see."
Absolutely agree. You may want to keep some very special pictures for the autumn, otherwise it's best to keep uploading during the summer in my opinion. There are less buyers, but even less submissions, so new pictures aren't necessarily being buried.
-
Well spotted! And I surely hope so. But I would think not - rather a lot of the happy snappers are in holidays. They'll be back flooding the approval queue.
Flooding with pictures of beaches, see, palm trees of course. Santorini uber alles: a thousand more white houses and blue domes. Not actually an issue regarding competition. And sand and salt will eventually destroy every happy snapper's lenses - I'd never take my camera to the beach.
-
The best thing would be to upload fall/autumn themed images from last year...
-
I think it is great that other people stop uploading in the summer because they think it is slow. It gives more visibility to my new images.
I upload consistently all year round, and have seen an increase in sales monthly. I believe that adding to your portfolio is the key to increase sales, and of course you will slow down in the summer (or anytime) if you don't upload.
July has started off with a bang all around and is trending up for me, and I will continue to upload as usual. So far on the 7th day of July ... VERY worth it to me.
-
Well spotted! And I surely hope so. But I would think not - rather a lot of the happy snappers are in holidays. They'll be back flooding the approval queue.
Flooding with pictures of beaches, see, palm trees of course. Santorini uber alles: a thousand more white houses and blue domes. Not actually an issue regarding competition. And sand and salt will eventually destroy every happy snapper's lenses - I'd never take my camera to the beach.
LOL....made that mistake. I didn't go there to do microstock photos just family...but it was a costly mistake. Ruined my lens!