Not sure if everyone else got this, but recently when I logged in I saw a message on the top of my contributor page trying to get me to refer customers with a referral link.

I know some guys who are masters at using Facebook ads to sell products and promote people's pages, I was wondering if something like this could be used to promote your own portfolio. The reason I say "wonder" is I seem to remember in the past shutterstock making an announcement that you could get your account shutdown if you tried to use ad services like google adwords or Facebook ads to drive traffic to your portfolio.

Does anyone know for sure either way?

Quote from: bpepz on June 26, 2017, 13:39

The reason I say "wonder" is I seem to remember in the past shutterstock making an announcement that you could get your account shutdown if you tried to use ad services like google adwords or Facebook ads to drive traffic to your portfolio.

Does anyone know for sure either way?

I don't know but that seems very, very strange... Why would they forbid that?

Anyway, I think you'll be throwing your money away with Facebook ads. They cost $0.16-1 per click so you will be very likely to just lose money (99% likely). 

Use free sources and you might drive some traffic.

It took some digging but I think I found the part I was worried about.


"h.
you will not transmit unsolicited emails or engage in so-called "spamming" to publicize or promote your relationship with Shutterstock or the sale of your Submitted Content - nor will you advertise or otherwise publicize your relationship with Shutterstock through the use of pay per click search engine advertising or the like. This prohibition applies, by way of example and not by way of limitation to Google Adwords, Yahoo! Search Marketing (previously Yahoo! Overture), MSN AdCenter, and Ask.com. You acknowledge that such advertising might infringe on the intellectual property rights of Shutterstock and/or third parties. In addition to its other rights and/or remedies under this agreement, Shutterstock shall be under no obligation to pay you any referral fees or other compensation if you violate the terms of this subparagraph."

This is in the shutterstock TOS>