I am new in this forum (Hello all!) and quite new to the industry of micro stock - lucky to have sold a few mainly on Shutterstock since June with a tiny portfolio of 150 images with mostly landscape and nature images.

The Symbiostock project I find so interesting that I wanted to try. I downloaded and installed the theme and child. Followed along the instructions and searched around the forum to advance in the process and most things worked logically.

Then I got stuck with a problem when I tried to upload the first trial image - the image uploaded but didn't exist anywhere from within. I had to give up at that point. Too much work and learning curve and too little time for now.

I'm keeping an eye on the progress though

We are having our BME on Symbiostock. Our micro income is on target for WMY.
If that doesn't persuade you, I don't know what will

Numbers?

Quote from: Travelling-light on August 27, 2013, 00:48

We are having our BME on Symbiostock. Our micro income is on target for WMY.
If that doesn't persuade you, I don't know what will

Numbers?

I won't disclose any numbers but I will tell you that my SY site is right behind "Envato" on poll results..

bigstock and canstock are on par with symbiostock.. any sites below that are less than SY..

(apart from clipartof of course.. it is top tier for me)

Quote from: cidepix on August 27, 2013, 12:04

Quote from: Sean Locke Photography on August 27, 2013, 11:54

Quote from: Travelling-light on August 27, 2013, 00:48

We are having our BME on Symbiostock. Our micro income is on target for WMY.
If that doesn't persuade you, I don't know what will

Numbers?

I won't disclose any numbers but I will tell you that my SY site is right behind "Envato" on poll results..

bigstock and canstock are on par with symbiostock.. any sites below that are less than SY..

(apart from clipartof of course.. it is top tier for me)

Really, you wont even say how many images total you have sold?

that is disclosing the amount and I don't like talking about what I earn.. I also know a few people doing much better..

I am not sure how much of it could be attributed to symbiostock.. because my domain is 7 years old and I did have people buying from it even before symbiostock as I used another WP theme to sell.. but what I can say is that symbiostock increased the sales..

I am new in this forum (Hello all!) and quite new to the industry of micro stock - lucky to have sold a few mainly on Shutterstock since June with a tiny portfolio of 150 images with mostly landscape and nature images.

The Symbiostock project I find so interesting that I wanted to try. I downloaded and installed the theme and child. Followed along the instructions and searched around the forum to advance in the process and most things worked logically.

Then I got stuck with a problem when I tried to upload the first trial image - the image uploaded but didn't exist anywhere from within. I had to give up at that point. Too much work and learning curve and too little time for now.

I'm keeping an eye on the progress though

On the left hand side did you go to the "Lady Bug" Stock Images and click on Process Uploads?

Just to say thanks to all who answered my post. Really great! Will go and have another look!

Quote from: ArtesiaWells on August 27, 2013, 14:05

@DonLand: yes I did. Finally made the upload and then everything looked as if that was ok. Just that the image couldn't be seen from within or on the actual webpage. I am going to do it over on another site so I'll be back for sure:-)

Once you've uploaded your image and can see it in the "All Images" group, you still have to process it into a photo-related page and assign that page to a category (or more). Did you do that?

It's actually quite easy. Be gentle on yourself and try it again.

EDIT: What I described above as "process it" means to fill in the title, URL, descriptions **preferably using Yoast as your guide from the beginning**, assign it to a category or two, then click PUBLISH. 

Only then will you be able to see your photo on an actual web page.

even better is to have entered title, desc & keywords to the image itself before uploading  using an iptc/exif editor.  then when you upload & process you can immediately publish all images, and later tweak for SEO

I do like the sound of Symbiostock but every time I brace myself to look at it - the complexity (all these pages of incomprehensible questions and equally incomprehensible answers!), the technical stuff, networking (because without a network how will anybody find me?), and marketing, sorting legal contracts, pricing, paying for hosting and backup, SEO -  my eyes and brain just glaze over.....

I see some amazing sites there and I wouldn't be surprised if people are doing well with fab ports, specialized niches etc. So the 5th place on the right may have some reality.

But a very average microstocker?  Anybody out there - modesty aside - who fits that bill doing anything much in the way of sales?  Ideally over 35 - as youngsters seem to take in all this IT stuff with their mother's milk!

I think the question is best answered by someone who does have a sys site

The only person who can answer the question of whether running your own site is worth it or not, is you.
Each individual has to decide for themselves.
Like everything you do in life your mileage will vary.

Is everyone getting sales - no.
Is everyone who has had sales getting regular sales - no.
But some are.

You have to consider this has only been going on for a few months.
I look at this as I'm in it for the long haul.
I bought / prepaid for my domain and hosting plan for a few years.
I didn't and don't expect immediate miracles.

Symbiostock sties will never challenge the top agencies.
But what you can do is get traffic away from sites where you may reach payout every few months.
If you can take a few sales away from the low earners every month there's your win.
You can't challenge the Subscription sites - (and to think they are worried about us taking away their customers is absurd).
Our market is the individual buyers - people who don't want to pay $199 for 750 images they will never use.
Or even $49 for 5 images - when they are only looking for one image.

Frankly having had no code background (the only web site I had ever built before was with MS FrontPage)
I went into this with a lot of trepidation but actually found it a lot easier than I thought.
I haven't done a lot of customization but I think what I have done is good yet simple and has gotten me a few sales.
For those without a lot of web building experience I suggest keeping it simple and follow the instructions in the tutorials.
That's all I did and it works. And honestly I thought it was going to take longer to get set up.
My simple site works with few issues overall.
I do have one small glitch currently but nothing that stops me or the site from functioning.
Is any site glitch-less? iStock, SS, DT, FT - Check their forums there's usually quite a list of issues.

Overall I didn't think the cost of hosting and subsequent paid add-ons were that unreasonable.
And I have learned quite a bit about WordPress, Code and SEO and Web Design.

If you are on the fence about building your own site - wait and see.
If in a year or so you find the network is in disarray and people are dumping their sites, then you were wise to sit on the sidelines.
Then again if in a year most of us are finding things are improving you will be a year behind on joining and getting it set up.

I do like the sound of Symbiostock but every time I brace myself to look at it - the complexity (all these pages of incomprehensible questions and equally incomprehensible answers!), the technical stuff, networking (because without a network how will anybody find me?), and marketing, sorting legal contracts, pricing, paying for hosting and backup, SEO -  my eyes and brain just glaze over.....

I see some amazing sites there and I wouldn't be surprised if people are doing well with fab ports, specialized niches etc. So the 5th place on the right may have some reality.

But a very average microstocker?  Anybody out there - modesty aside - who fits that bill doing anything much in the way of sales?  Ideally over 35 - as youngsters seem to take in all this IT stuff with their mother's milk!

2 very different considerations

1. the vast majority of postings here in msg were involved in the initial release and the ongoing symbiotic work of testers to improve the product -- someone wishing to install and use the theme doesn't need to read or even know about most of that -- just install wp and then install the sym theme and you have a working sales platform, linked to 100 other sellers

2. avg microstocker not necessarily age related -- I go on medicare next week -- other 20 somethings are clueless about coding.  the strength of symbiostock is it doesn't REQUIRE any coding knowledge -- but does need enough web familiarity to install a wordpress site and add a theme - something just about anyone can learn to do quickly.  and if you don't care to take that path, you can have someone install it for you, and then just upload your images -- something no more complicated than most stock submissions

so, the technical aspects really aren't a concern - it's whether you want to try to sell your work from your own site or just use agencies; that's a personal decision and there's no right answer

Quote from: Ron on October 06, 2013, 09:48

I think the question is best answered by someone who does have a sys site

How is someone with a sys site best placed to answer "What's holding you back from joining Symbiostock?" ?

 I thought you were replying to the comment above yours. If you were replying to the OP, you are indeed correct.

I do think that if someone asks if its worth starting up a symbiostock site and how much work it really is, its best answered by someone who does have a symbiocstock site.