Microstock Sales in Percentages for February 2009

My Microstock sales were slightly up on January. Although I did upload new images only a few were selling online. The majority of my sales coming from my regular downloaded images. As you can see from the graph, for the second month running iStockphoto was my number one income source with Shutterstock in a close second place. Dreamstime, who are usually very close to my main two were left behind this month. I managed my first sales at Fotomind, which isn't bad when you consider that I only started to upload a handful of images there in late January.

How Big Is The Market For Microstock Photography?

This is a question that I get asked frequently, mainly by the newcomer to the business. (The emphasis being on business and not a hobby). Well for a start ‘iStockphoto’ are paying out over 1.1 million dollars per week to their contributors, so if they are only paying out 25% commission then do the sums in terms of their sales per week. You can see it really is big business.

Then I get asked of how many photographs do I sell per week? Like all businesses you have highs and lows in term of sales. I have had images that have only sold once or twice in a year or more then have made ten or twenty sales in the same month. Other images that I have uploaded to the libraries sell week in and week out. Others images are being downloaded only a few times per month, but on a regular basis. What I will tell you is that within the next week, my total image downloads will have reached 10,000 (watch this space) through my GBPhotostock account.

What you have to remember is that you are selling stock. What you have to do is to aim your sock at the market. I had one photographer ask me why his images rarely sold. I discovered it was because the niche that he was photographing was too narrow. But he didn’t want to photograph anything else so his sales slumped almost to zero. What you have to do is to shoot images that will sell. I make a point at checking out the top 50 images that are selling each week. Note which images are in the top 50 week in and week out. I’m not saying copy them but to ask yourself why they are selling and meet the same criteria in you images.

Another question that I am frequently asked is how much traffic does the libraries get per day, week or year? I have taken the trouble to research the traffic volume and I was surprised to say the least. These are the top five Microstock libraries that I contribute to and their average number of visitors per day!

1 - istockphoto.com 2433628
2 - fotolia.com 918196
3 - dreamstime.com 775740
4 - shutterstock.com 716612
5 - bigstockphoto.com 68183

(figures taken from http://www.websiteoutlook.com/)

I must admit I was amazed that ‘Shutterstock’ down in fourth place as it has produced my greatest number of sales. What I have discovered is that subjects sell better with one library rather than another. Again only by uploading and recording your sales will you find the most suitable library.

The Continued Growth Microstock Photography In A Recession

I suppose the easiest and most graphic way to illustrate what’s happening in the World at the moment is to relate to a wildlife program. The large companies are the Wildebeest happily roaming the plains, grazing on the abundance of grass without a care in the world. Until a lion or other predator decides that he is hungry, he is the recession.

So which animal does the predator go for the fit fast thinking one or the slow lethargic unfit one at the back? Well that’s how a recession works. Although every company is at risk, the unhealthy ones are the most likely to fall or be attacked.

So what’s all this got to do with the Microstock Photography Market you’re wondering? Well in a buoyant financial climate the companies have money to spend and don’t look for cheaper alternatives. When it comes to marketing and advertising it’s a case of no expense spared.

But then along comes the recession a threat to all businesses. The unhealthy ones are attacked and fall by the wayside. They have no resources and run out of ideas when the recession bites. However, the healthy companies have the resources and on. They don’t stop marketing and advertising but market more aggressively and more cost effectively.

So where as before they would employ a photographer to shoot a simple illustrative photograph, they now look at stock images. Turning to the Microstock Photography Market they are able to satisfy there needs, yet saving thousands of dollars in costs. If the big companies do this think about all the small businesses who also have the ability to market both aggressively and cost effectively. They will be scouring the internet for images to compliment there marketing and advertising as you read this article.

The images they will come across will already be in the Microstock Libraries as they had already been marketing aggressively for the past few years and they are already established in the market place. So whilst many other markets are suffering from over indulgence in the past, the Microstock market is just starting to evolve. When companies and businesses have to market and advertise more aggressively yet cost-effectively and tighten their belts, the high quality yet low cost option of the Microstock Library is going to boom.

So it’s with this information in mind that I urge you to get your pictures uploaded to the libraries. 2009 may be a gigantic year for Microstock sales and you can be a part of it by uploading NOW! I know that some of you have been rejected and feeling downhearted. Don’t be! Don’t give up at the first hurdle. Take a look at your submission and weed out the weak shots and submit again and again if necessary!

Why not join me in meeting the growing demand for Photographic Images? Go to my website at www.gbphotostock.com for more info!