From 300 images online to 6800+ in 2 WEEKS!

[Jon D]

Ok...

I started doing Stock full time from well let's say a year to 18 months ago and have somehow managed to get to roughly $500-1000 a month on various platforms, not huge but a start!

HOWEVER, I forgot I had joined Alamy and had originally uploaded about 280+ images and simply forgot!

Well I sold one for around $100 about 4-5 months ago, but didn't pay much attention and again forgot about it!

 

After doing some more research on Stock and especially news articles etc I decided to try and get as many and more specialist images up on here as soon as possible....

So far in 2 weeks I have managed to add 6500 more images to my portfolio.

 

I know how stock works and wasn't really expecting anything until January at the very earliest, however I am very happy to report that I sold one already not for much only $30 something dollars but very happy to get a sale so early!

 

Now to get my other 5000+ images up and Keywords! hahahaha

 

Looking forward to speaking with some of the long time serving Alamy users! 

Hope life is treating you all well!

 

*Oh and I can't seem to add any kind of picture to my profile, any ideas on this guys and girls?

Thanks

 

** One for the regulars if possible guys and girls?

I've had 28 Zooms in the last 2 weeks and the one sale I had from an image was NOT A ZOOM?

Is this normal for Alamy? 

Do they not really mean a lot!?

Edited November 18, 2019 by Jon D

[spacecadet]

Most sales don't show up as zooms beforehand- in my case only aout a quarter do.

By the way you have an astonishing number of similars of some subjects- you have almost a page of phone icons and there are almost a dozen of the Instagram logo alone.. This will dilute your ranking and push your images further down search results.

Edited November 19, 2019 by spacecadet

[Jon D]

Hi there,

I see as of this am I have about 30 something zooms for the week now and no sales of yet so you seem correct on that!

 

As for repeat images, this is something people believe that is false sadly...

Many companies who purchases images do not buy solely one image they may need a variety....

Therefore different angles aspects, closeup etc. Are VERY useful!

 

It's a myth frankly about repetitive images. This year alone I've sold numerous "similar" images to magazines and newspapers who required 4,5 or 6 of my images for a spread...

 

This is not always the case of course.

But covering a subject in slightly different ways to a contributor is actually common sense as a buyer may want that slight variation....

 

I would also repeat that on Shutterstock some of those images have sold several hundred times and I've only been doing this well 18 months now.... (of course many of those are just $0.38 subscriptions .... but they still add up and I would say that somewhere between 20-30% are on demand too. 

This is where I already know Alamy will be very different! LMAO

 

The one thing I have learnt is that every agency seems to have a different method, keywords etc work on some but not on others...

It's strange but good to know your thoughts so thank you very much for the insight!

 

I'll give it 3-6 months selling here and decide if I need to change and what!

 

It's gonna be another STEEP learning curve I feel for sure hahaha!

Thank again for your reply much appreciated 🙂

Edited November 19, 2019 by Jon D

[Jon D]

Oh by the way, I should have made something clear, as I am basically "catching" up in uploading images, they are being done in batches, so that it's far quicker to keyword etc, not all of those  social media images where taken recently, but simply added together to get them up swiftly :-)....

That's why you will see larger batches of different topics, I will of course over time change some titles, keywording etc so they appear in different searches so hopefully not to fall down that search hole you've mentioned! LMAO 

 

[Joseph Clemson]

Spacecadet is right about the numerous similars having a harmful effect on your search ranking in the medium to long term. Much better to limit similars to just a handful. I would also recommend you aim to use fewer keywords. Keywords which are peripheral or barely relevant to the subject of the image will produce false positives in searches and, again, drive down your ranking in searches. The other issue which you might want to address with your existing portfolio before uploading many more imaages is to make sure you mark any RF images which contain recognisable property or unreleased people as 'editorial only'. 

 

I note the response you give to Spacecadet on similars. I would point out that Alamy isn't microstock and things can work differently here, but time will tell for each of us. Note that it is very difficult to recover a poor search ranking at Alamy once a portfolio has headed downwards. 

 

You clearly have some talent for this work and I'm sure you will be sucessful, but even more so if you start out on the right foot.

 

One final question. I not that you have some arial shots, presumably from a drone. I know that Alamy will only accept such work from a properly CAA authorised operator. Do you have to provide Alamy with evident of CCA authority before submitting, only when you make a sale, as is the case with model and property releases? Have you found the costly investment in a drone and training to provide a decent return on stock shooting alone? I have wondered more than a few times whether to enter that particular field.

 

 

[Jon D]

16 minutes ago, Joseph Clemson said:

Spacecadet is right about the numerous similars having a harmful effect on your search ranking in the medium to long term. Much better to limit similars to just a handful. I would also recommend you aim to use fewer keywords. Keywords which are peripheral or barely relevant to the subject of the image will produce false positives in searches and, again, drive down your ranking in searches. The other issue which you might want to address with your existing portfolio before uploading many more imaages is to make sure you mark any RF images which contain recognisable property or unreleased people as 'editorial only'. 

 

I note the response you give to Spacecadet on similars. I would point out that Alamy isn't microstock and things can work differently here, but time will tell for each of us. Note that it is very difficult to recover a poor search ranking at Alamy once a portfolio has headed downwards. 

 

You clearly have some talent for this work and I'm sure you will be sucessful, but even more so if you start out on the right foot.

 

One final question. I not that you have some arial shots, presumably from a drone. I know that Alamy will only accept such work from a properly CAA authorised operator. Do you have to provide Alamy with evident of CCA authority before submitting, only when you make a sale, as is the case with model and property releases? Have you found the costly investment in a drone and training to provide a decent return on stock shooting alone? I have wondered more than a few times whether to enter that particular field.

 

 

Hi Joseph (my son's middle name btw...lol)

Firstly thank you so much for your response. 

Yes you are quite right I do want to start off on the right foot so to speak, and I knew almost immediately that this is not going to be microstock that's for sure... (Thank god 😉 ).

*As for Keywording, I have so so so many different opinions on this from so many different contributors and indeed companies themselves. Some clearly state "less is more" some state if there is space for 50 use 50... in my long experience of Alamy so far (all of 2-3 weeks really, lol) I have noticed that Alamy don't seem very happy at all if I'm not using all 50 keywords and labels it as "not as well seen, as it could be"... So for me the jury is out on this one as yet. I think this will be a long run call. 

I will DEFINITELY be going over all of my keywording for Alamy in a different document, my current one for Shutterstock is about 260 A4 pages and growing daily... but as I have realised different keywords on different agencies seem to work in very different ways.

 

* Onto the drone one 🙂

Firstly no Alamy haven't asked me, however I think they may have checked my status on various other platforms, or my website (being totally refurbished as I type this).

I of course have the required documents for this, also being a former Royal Marine I have rather "different experience" should we say flying slightly larger objects also.... LOL

Do I think the drone is worth it, well it's certainly payed for itself and I've had LOADS of fun, the one thing I would say for sure though is that I have owned a few and for me The Mavic 2 Pro with the 1 inch Hassleblad sensor is amazing, the images and low light quality really astounded me, for such a small neat package. 

Yes it's costly all in probably £1400 BUT the fun you have, and also tbh as long as you fly safely and carefully you encounter no problems at all from anyone.

In fact I covered Remembrance for the council last year using one over thousands of people. Nobody quibbled.....

 

I don't really use it much in Winter at all to be honest but will do come the new year as the weather eases off! 🙂

 

I hope I've covered everything! Thank you so much for your reply!

Knowledge is power, and the more experience I gain from you experienced Alamy members the better I will do! 🙂

Edited November 19, 2019 by Jon D

[hdh]

Not saying I do not understand what you say or disagree with your point of view, neither is it illogical.

Still on Alamy too many similars (more in keywords than in content) will hurt your CTR and potentially decrease your rank, long term. 

CTR is zooms per views, so if for any search you get a zoom, it matters how many of your images were displayed until the zoom.  

The better your CTR the higher up your image(s) appear. 

[Jon D]

4 minutes ago, hdh said:

Not saying I do not understand what you say or disagree with your point of view, neither is it illogical.

Still on Alamy too many similars (more in keywords than in content) will hurt your CTR and potentially decrease your rank, long term. 

CTR is zooms per views, so if for any search you get a zoom, it matters how many of your images were displayed until the zoom.  

The better your CTR the higher up your image(s) appear. 

Hi hdh

& this is exactly the kind of brutally honest opinion I want to hear.

It doesn't matter what I think personally it matters ONLY how Alamy do things here!

Rest assured once I have my entire portfolio up, I will 100% be going through all of this and more, but also for the next few thousand images I will already be starting to take note and advice on these subjects.

So thank you for your message.

Right I'm being too lazy today must get on the treadmill!

Thank you for your reply! 🙂

[John Morrison]

3 minutes ago, Jon D said:

Right I'm being too lazy today must get on the treadmill!

 

Some treadmill! Editing and uploading 6,000 pix in a fortnight would mean 3 minutes per pic... and that's without taking any time away from the computer screen, to eat or sleep. Go and take a nap. You deserve it...

[Jon D]

1 minute ago, John Morrison said:

 

Some treadmill! Editing and uploading 6,000 pix in a fortnight would mean 3 minutes per pic... and that's without taking any time away from the computer screen, to eat or sleep. Go and take a nap. You deserve it...

Hahaha, 

Well after doing this solidly for 18 months to make some sort of regular side income on normal photography work I've learnt a bit and fairly fast, and made probably most mistakes possible, and to be fair I have found Alamy to be so much better to work with than Shutterstock etc, so with my folders etc it hasn't been too hard, yes I've invested time for sure, and the better half and children have moaned a few times, but you've gotta put the time in this game!

I haven't added anything to Shutterstock really in 8 month and have still got pretty good side income from it so can't moan, that's without the others of course!

..... Oh and I must do the treadmill, I gained 2 stone over Summer, I was a very naughty boy! LMAO

 

[Joseph Clemson]

Thanks for your response Jon D, especially on the drone work. I shall ponder whether it is right for me...

 

Have a look at other forums discussions on the 'Discoverability' bar to get a handle on what users here think about using all 50 keywords. There is not unanimity, but the leaning is towards less being more.

 

Have fun. 

[Jon D]

2 hours ago, Joseph Clemson said:

Thanks for your response Jon D, especially on the drone work. I shall ponder whether it is right for me...

 

Have a look at other forums discussions on the 'Discoverability' bar to get a handle on what users here think about using all 50 keywords. There is not unanimity, but the leaning is towards less being more.

 

Have fun. 

Thank you very much Joseph, I certainly will. 

Take care

[Inchiquin]

18 hours ago, Jon D said:

I have noticed that Alamy don't seem very happy at all if I'm not using all 50 keywords and labels it as "not as well seen, as it could be"... So for me the jury is out on this one as yet. I think this will be a long run call. 

 

The general consensus here is that this is misleading. Yes of course more keywords will lead to more people seeing your images, but if the keywords are irrelevant or peripheral the pictures are never likely to get zoomed or sold, and so all that will happen is that your CTR will be low and you will gradually sink to the bottom of the rankings.

 

On the other hand, the late Keith Morris reckoned that if you put enough effort into thinking about keywords that might be totally relevant, by considering concepts as well as objects, you could very often fill the quota of 50.

 

Alan

 

[Jon D]

11 minutes ago, Inchiquin said:

 

The general consensus here is that this is misleading. Yes of course more keywords will lead to more people seeing your images, but if the keywords are irrelevant or peripheral the pictures are never likely to get zoomed or sold, and so all that will happen is that your CTR will be low and you will gradually sink to the bottom of the rankings.

 

On the other hand, the late Keith Morris reckoned that if you put enough effort into thinking about keywords that might be totally relevant, by considering concepts as well as objects, you could very often fill the quota of 50.

 

Alan

 

Exactly this Alan, this is my point entirely. you can easily find 50 keywords to each subject every time. I also have a special way of correlating keywords. I know right now they are not 100% correct but by the time I have the next 5000 up they will definitely be on the money or there about.

 

I honestly believe that the more buyers that find your portfolio and explore your images has to be a bonus.

Especially in todays world.

I wouldn't place everything on search rankings etc tbh but I'm the new guy on the block at 2 weeks. I can't really say anything for 6 month to a year and only if I have sales! LMAO

Take care Alan & thanks for the reply

[John Morrison]

1 hour ago, Jon D said:

I honestly believe that the more buyers that find your portfolio and explore your images has to be a bonus.

 

You want people to see your pix if they meet the search criteria... 'cos you might make a sale.

BUT...

If your pix don't meet the search criteria... your ranking here at Alamy will go down (and with so many pix here, that's not a "bonus").

And the time to ensure your tags/keywords are relevant is now, before your portfolio gets any bigger...

 

[Jon D]

24 minutes ago, John Morrison said:

 

You want people to see your pix if they meet the search criteria... 'cos you might make a sale.

BUT...

If your pix don't meet the search criteria... your ranking here at Alamy will go down (and with so many pix here, that's not a "bonus").

And the time to ensure your tags/keywords are relevant is now, before your portfolio gets any bigger...

 

Oh absolutely, but we're all assuming here that the purchaser "MAY" leave a bad mark, review if they have stumbled across an image with slightly different keywords etc etc, that won't always be the case. Many buyers will be here indefinitely and will line up images or profiles they like for future purchases too.

I think people may be looking into the ratings and rankings a little too much. 

Without anything "definitive" from Alamy themselves this is all just speculation.

 

I know of a certain buyer locally, just happens to be the "local council" they are ONLY allowed to purchase images from one agency, they have 4-5 FULL TIME buyers, who all spend £300-1000 a week just on this one agency.

Sometimes there are a variety of factors and you have to explore that may benefit you.

For me I would have been an absolute idiot not to have all of my local images on that particular site (which amounted to thousands), and it has certainly paid off.

 

So far I have found that there are unlimited things to research that may help you such as the above, rather than what people may think will help.

Of course I am totally new to Alamy, so at the moment I am taking virtually everything as gospel and trusting my commenters, that said we are all technically in some form of competition too! LMAO, 

 

It's a funny old world.

Thank you for your comment John it's definitely something I'm going to have to get to grips with for sure! 🙂 

Edited November 20, 2019 by Jon D

[DJ Myford]

It is not down to a customer to give you a 'bad review' or mark you down: it is done automatically by Alamy's algorithm. It doesn't care what customers think or want, it just looks at how many times your images appear in searches and are ignored. People with long experience of Alamy are giving you advice: of course, it is your choice whether you listen or not.

[Jon D]

8 minutes ago, DJ Myford said:

It is not down to a customer to give you a 'bad review' or mark you down: it is done automatically by Alamy's algorithm. It doesn't care what customers think or want, it just looks at how many times your images appear in searches and are ignored. People with long experience of Alamy are giving you advice: of course, it is your choice whether you listen or not.

That would seem a very very strange algorithm to have with 160million images, some topics with probably 100,000 images to the subject matter... People are going to get bypassed aren't they so it won't just be you that does so to speak it would be all the other ones that came up in the search too.......

This does seem odd, I will have to look into it and find out a bit more.

Thanks for the heads up DJ

[spacecadet]

21 hours ago, Jon D said:

It's a myth frankly about repetitive images.

It's not a "myth" here. I have been here a while and certainly don't have a top rank, but my more niche images appear much higher in searches than I'd expect for the total number of images available. This is due, in part, to tight editing of similars. I know, partly from experience, and  because Alamy have said that it's a factor in ranking.

 

21 hours ago, Jon D said:

This year alone I've sold numerous "similar" images to magazines and newspapers who required 4,5 or 6 of my images for a spread

Not from Alamy.

Direct clients are very different. Here there are 160,000,000 images to choose from, with nothing to differentiate them apart from their search ranking.

[John Morrison]

4 hours ago, Jon D said:

I think people may be looking into the ratings and rankings a little too much. 

 

OK... fair enough. Let me know how you feel in a few months, if your rating has tanked and your pix are mired at the bottom of the barrel...

[hdh]

7 minutes ago, John Morrison said:

 

OK... fair enough. Let me know how you feel in a few months, if your rating has tanked and your pix are mired at the bottom of the barrel...

 

Some things in life ought to be learned by first hand experience..... 

 

[Jon D]

I'm not expecting sales till at least January as I stated above, I have to be somewhat realistic of course, I was more than happy to get one in the first few weeks.

I am listening to advice, and will be going through things more comprehensively once all my images are up here on Alamy, however at this time I have a few projects that need finishing so it can't have my full attention, but I'm not ignoring you guys all advice is welcome and appreciated always! 🙂

[hdh]

I was just looking for cat pictures, to see where my first one appears then read this thread again. 

this is a cat from your portfolio and an example how keywords may hurt CTR: 

It has some unrelated keywords:

apple - you will hardly get a zoom on searches with this keyword 

harddrive - neither on this one, unless the cat got an invisible usb port

 ... 

Edited November 20, 2019 by hdh

[spacecadet]

2 hours ago, Jon D said:

will be going through things more comprehensively once all my images are up here

I find it much more difficult to revise annotations, and keep track of which images have even been revised, after the fact. Even now I come across the odd image with an incomplete caption left over from the original tagging- there's no way to find such images. Getting it right first time and not uploading excess images, is much quicker done first time round, and of course they're not there dragging down your rank.

[Harry Harrison]

14 minutes ago, spacecadet said:

Even now I come across the odd image with an incomplete caption left over from the original tagging

Wondered if you mean a truncated caption,  cut off in its prime at 150 characters? I don't predate the current AIM but that hasn't stopped me from entering captions that are too long in Lightroom. I use the csv download to find these by entering a new column with a formula to count the characters, anything at 150 is reason for suspicion.

Edited November 20, 2019 by Harry Harrison