Hi! Looking for some advice again

[Sebas Jakim]

Well, after about 6 months uploading photos to 8 sites, i achieved a lot of sales in some, little sales in some others, and Alamy stills remains as the only one with not even one sale...
Is this site harder to make a sale? It´s not so popular? I don´t understand my mistake.

I took some advice in the keywording and other things that you people gave me in my previous post. But, in fact, with the same kind of keywording (and everything, because I upload at the same time with the same info in several sites) i´m having sales everywhere except here... 

Any suggestions? 

Thank you

[Jill Morgan]

Selling on Alamy is very different than selling on micro sites.  Very editorial base.  Also if you are putting the same images everywhere, then people hunt for the cheapest place to buy.

 

I am a buyer as well as a seller.  As soon as I see an image I like, I right click on it and the click "Search Google for this Image".  Then I will see everywhere this image is for sale and I hunt down the cheapest venue. Buyers are very savy.  If you have images of common subjects where there are lots available, buyers will always seek out the cheapest one.

 

Jill

[wiskerke]

And buyers don't like it when the image is: Lake Epuyén shore in Puerto Patriada. Chubut Province, Argentina, but the keywords say Scotland and the caption is Relaxing in the lake shore.

 

Not selling here, but selling in other places, could well mean you have already found the right place to sell.

 

wim

[Sebas Jakim]

2 hours ago, wiskerke said:

And buyers don't like it when the image is: Lake Epuyén shore in Puerto Patriada. Chubut Province, Argentina, but the keywords say Scotland and the caption is Relaxing in the lake shore.

 

Not selling here, but selling in other places, could well mean you have already found the right place to sell.

 

wim

I don´t understand quite well this. Let´s imagine, for example, somebody types "Scotland" and my photo comes out. Ok, maybe he´ll not buy it. But if someone is looking for a Puerto Patriada image, you say that because there´s a tag "Scotland" he´ll not buy it? Doesn´t sound coherent for me.
Incorrect tags may cause you to appear in searches that are not what the buyers are looking for, but not much more than that. Am i right?

And "Relaxing in the lake shore". Why is it incorrect? I can´t see it.

Thanks

[Sebas Jakim]

3 hours ago, Jill Morgan said:

Selling on Alamy is very different than selling on micro sites.  Very editorial base.  Also if you are putting the same images everywhere, then people hunt for the cheapest place to buy.

 

I am a buyer as well as a seller.  As soon as I see an image I like, I right click on it and the click "Search Google for this Image".  Then I will see everywhere this image is for sale and I hunt down the cheapest venue. Buyers are very savy.  If you have images of common subjects where there are lots available, buyers will always seek out the cheapest one.

 

Jill

and here images are more expensive? 
I sold images at a very good price and also very cheap in other sites. The same image. It doesn´t feel like im only selling at low prices.

But even in that case, what would be the correct strategy? Reserve some images only for this site? Wich ones? 

Thanks!

[Betty LaRue]

1 hour ago, Sebas Jakim said:

I don´t understand quite well this. Let´s imagine, for example, somebody types "Scotland" and my photo comes out. Ok, maybe he´ll not buy it. But if someone is looking for a Puerto Patriada image, you say that because there´s a tag "Scotland" he´ll not buy it? Doesn´t sound coherent for me.
Incorrect tags may cause you to appear in searches that are not what the buyers are looking for, but not much more than that. Am i right?

And "Relaxing in the lake shore". Why is it incorrect? I can´t see it.

Thanks

For one thing, using a tag that isn’t correct is dishonest to the buyer, who is looking for a true picture of Scotland. Second thing, that person will not buy your image, but since it came up in an erroneous search, those “views” with no zooms or purchases will hurt your CTR and cause your images to fall back to distant pages.

That vague caption is not what’s needed here on Alamy. Your caption should have your most important keywords.

For instance in one of mine, I might caption, “Caucasian woman and small girl child picking up shells early morning on the beach of St. Croix, west end, U.S. Virgin Islands, Caribbean Sea.

I have “who” (what people, woman, child, what they are doing, (picking up shells) and precise location. Then I will put all of those keywords in the body of my tags, along with approximate ages of the people, and name what they are wearing. Such as swimsuits, bathing suits, or maybe casual clothes, shorts, tee shirt. I may have the tags, sunglasses, sun hat, sandals.

What you use for a caption is very important.

Image 2G5RXXD, you have the caption of “pair of little mushrooms in the ground.”

Your caption should say the common name and the scientific name of them. And it should say where they are growing. Woods? Urban, like in your yard? What country and part of the country? Possibly even the season you found them…spring, summer, autumn? Some tender plants only grow in a specific season. You have left out the information, the keywords, a buyer would use.

This month, I sold three plant images. In every single case, they were searched and zoomed ONLY by the scientific name, although the common name was also in my tags. The thing about common names is that what we might call them in the United States might not be what they are called in England or some other country where they grow. But the scientific name is always the same.

Most of your images aren’t being found by buyers because you aren’t tagging or captioning them right.

Edited December 29, 2021 by Betty LaRue

[meanderingemu]

2 hours ago, Sebas Jakim said:

Incorrect tags may cause you to appear in searches that are not what the buyers are looking for, but not much more than that. Am i right?

 

 

 

It also means You are breaking your part of the agreement that you signed when you joined, which should be enough reason.

 

Quote

4.4 You will ensure that all Metadata including, without limitation, any and all other information pertaining to the Content: (i) is and will remain accurate and factually correct;

 

in addition it means clients getting inappropriate images means more chance they will not come back.  How would you feel in you went to a Fruit and Vegetable shop, and most of the things you saw on offer was Fish and meat? Would you go back the next time you wanted Fruit and Vegetable?  

Edited December 29, 2021 by meanderingemu

[Sebas Jakim]

Thank you all!, i will take some time to make corrections on my photos

[Chuck Nacke]

On 29/12/2021 at 11:09, Sebas Jakim said:

Well, after about 6 months uploading photos to 8 sites, i achieved a lot of sales in some, little sales in some others, and Alamy stills remains as the only one with not even one sale...
Is this site harder to make a sale? It´s not so popular? I don´t understand my mistake.

I took some advice in the keywording and other things that you people gave me in my previous post. But, in fact, with the same kind of keywording (and everything, because I upload at the same time with the same info in several sites) i´m having sales everywhere except here... 

Any suggestions? 

Thank you

Jakim,

 

I have been in the agency business for decades and have contributed to too many agencies and libraries to list.  I have found that Alamy is my favorite

library to work with.  While I have a small number of images online with Alamy, they do well enough licensing them.  I do wish they could get better fees.  I do also 

contribute to one of the major "large agencies" and they do license images often, for pennies.  I joke that could take a picture of my feet and they would license

it for pennies.  Now if a took a really good picture of my feet and I captioned and keyworded it correctly Alamy would also license it and likely for a better fee.

 

In my opinion it is first the image, then then caption and keywords and all three of those equal licenses.  I am also mainly an editorial photographer.  If it is not international news or going to be,  I do not waste my time on it.

 

I will add that it is tiring to read about contributors complaining about the lack of "sales" or better written "licenses."  I would suggest learning the business and

working to make images that publications, publishing companies, broadcast networks, etc. need to illustrate stories or issues of the day.

 

Just my opinion.

 

Chuck 

[Ed Rooney]

 

Sadly, I don't have photogenic feet. 🤭

[Chuck Nacke]

On 01/01/2022 at 14:33, Ed Rooney said:

 

Sadly, I don't have photogenic feet. 🤭

Edo,

 

Neither do I, was trying to make a point and a joke....

 

Happy New Year.

 

Chuck

[dunstun365]

On 29/12/2021 at 16:30, Jill Morgan said:

Selling on Alamy is very different than selling on micro sites.  Very editorial base.  Also if you are putting the same images everywhere, then people hunt for the cheapest place to buy.

 

I am a buyer as well as a seller.  As soon as I see an image I like, I right click on it and the click "Search Google for this Image".  Then I will see everywhere this image is for sale and I hunt down the cheapest venue. Buyers are very savy.  If you have images of common subjects where there are lots available, buyers will always seek out the cheapest one.

 

Jill

I tried to search for an image on Alamy elsewhere on the web but couldn't get it to work. and zooming on the image doesn't work either. The only way was to download a preview then upload to google search but would buyers have the time to do that? I certainly wouldn't if I still worked in design (if designers are the buyers) 

They may find same picture on the SS or DT sites for less but would a buyer really want to risk taking out a subscription with them just to get the photo cheaper? There's been many complaints on trustpilot etc. about buyers not being able to cancel subs & the microsites continuing to charge them. people have even had to cancel their bank cards to stop them.

Edited January 6, 2022 by dunstun365

[Jill Morgan]

31 minutes ago, dunstun365 said:

Does a buyer have to zoom on an image here to search it on google? If so, I've only had 5 zooms in the last year. 

They may find same picture on the SS or DT sites for less but would a buyer really want to risk taking out a subscription with them just to get the photo cheaper? There's been many complaints on trustpilot etc. about buyers not being able to cancel subs & the microsites continuing to charge them. people have even had to cancel their bank cards to stop them.

 

You can now just drag the image into Google Image search in another window and then google searches for that image.

 

Jill

[dunstun365]

1 hour ago, Jill Morgan said:

 

You can now just drag the image into Google Image search in another window and then google searches for that image.

 

Jill

 

On 29/12/2021 at 16:30, Jill Morgan said:

Selling on Alamy is very different than selling on micro sites.  Very editorial base.  Also if you are putting the same images everywhere, then people hunt for the cheapest place to buy.

 

I am a buyer as well as a seller.  As soon as I see an image I like, I right click on it and the click "Search Google for this Image".  Then I will see everywhere this image is for sale and I hunt down the cheapest venue. Buyers are very savy.  If you have images of common subjects where there are lots available, buyers will always seek out the cheapest one.

 

Jill

But if a buyer wanted the cheapest images, wouldn't they search on microstock sites before Alamy?

[meanderingemu]

32 minutes ago, dunstun365 said:

 

But if a buyer wanted the cheapest images, wouldn't they search on microstock sites before Alamy?

 

i can see if Alamy has the best selection of different stuff you would try here, and then look elsewhere if they also have that image with a google search, more efficient than going through 4-5 MS , under assumption that if it not on Alamy, it's not elsewhere, but i think those days are gone

 

Edited January 7, 2022 by meanderingemu

[Dave Richards]

On 30/12/2021 at 23:33, Chuck Nacke said:

Jakim,

 

I have been in the agency business for decades and have contributed to too many agencies and libraries to list.  I have found that Alamy is my favorite

library to work with.  While I have a small number of images online with Alamy, they do well enough licensing them.  I do wish they could get better fees.  I do also 

contribute to one of the major "large agencies" and they do license images often, for pennies.  I joke that could take a picture of my feet and they would license

it for pennies.  Now if a took a really good picture of my feet and I captioned and keyworded it correctly Alamy would also license it and likely for a better fee.

 

In my opinion it is first the image, then then caption and keywords and all three of those equal licenses.  I am also mainly an editorial photographer.  If it is not international news or going to be,  I do not waste my time on it.

 

I will add that it is tiring to read about contributors complaining about the lack of "sales" or better written "licenses."  I would suggest learning the business and

working to make images that publications, publishing companies, broadcast networks, etc. need to illustrate stories or issues of the day.

 

Just my opinion.

 

Chuck 

 

On 05/01/2022 at 19:19, Chuck Nacke said:

Edo,

 

Neither do I, was trying to make a point and a joke....

 

Happy New Year.

 

Chuck

My feet are not too attractive either, but you guys have given me an idea. How about we all upload a few pictures of our feet and see who licences one first.

A belated Happy New Year to everyone.🥂

Edited January 7, 2022 by Dave Richards

[Betty LaRue]

8 hours ago, Dave Richards said:

 

My feet are not too attractive either, but you guys have given me an idea. How about we all upload a few pictures of our feet and see who licences one first.

A belated Happy New Year to everyone.🥂

Those feet that have bunions or bunion scars might have an edge. Hammer toes? Snap ‘em. 

[Chuck Nacke]

On 07/01/2022 at 02:57, Dave Richards said:

 

My feet are not too attractive either, but you guys have given me an idea. How about we all upload a few pictures of our feet and see who licences one first.

A belated Happy New Year to everyone.🥂

Hey I am a really good "Footographer" 36MP in RAW processed in LR at 16bit, 200+MB aRGB file.  So shall we start, I also have a new pair of NORDICA

SPEEDMACHINE 110 ski boots to do feet in?

 

FYI: I don't do "nudes"

 

Chuck

[Betty LaRue]

I have a couple of bunionectomy and one neuroma scar. But I won’t inflict that picture upon you. I blame the bunions on my maternal grandmother. She got them young, skipped my mother, but nailed me and my two daughters. I had my surgery in my 40s.

[Dave Richards]

7 hours ago, Chuck Nacke said:

Hey I am a really good "Footographer" 36MP in RAW processed in LR at 16bit, 200+MB aRGB file.  So shall we start, I also have a new pair of NORDICA

SPEEDMACHINE 110 ski boots to do feet in?

 

FYI: I don't do "nudes"

 

Chuck

Hi Chuck.

Feet in ski boots not really 'on-brief' for this challenge. It's nude or nothing, warts and all, so man-up and get 'snapping'.

I use an old version of Lightroom in a non technical way, i.e. I just muck about until I like what I see.

 

6 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

I have a couple of bunionectomy and one neuroma scar. But I won’t inflict that picture upon you. I blame the bunions on my maternal grandmother. She got them young, skipped my mother, but nailed me and my two daughters. I had my surgery in my 40s.

Aww, come on Betty, don't be coy. I'm just waiting for daylight over here so I can get my shots, bent and mangled toes, toenails like talons and all!!

 

Edited January 10, 2022 by Dave Richards
added text

[Chuck Nacke]

Look, I am not serious.  

 

Chuck

[Brian Yarvin]

2 hours ago, Chuck Nacke said:

Look, I am not serious.  

 

Chuck

 

I knew that.

[Betty LaRue]

12 hours ago, Dave Richards said:

Hi Chuck.

Feet in ski boots not really 'on-brief' for this challenge. It's nude or nothing, warts and all, so man-up and get 'snapping'.

I use an old version of Lightroom in a non technical way, i.e. I just muck about until I like what I see.

 

Aww, come on Betty, don't be coy. I'm just waiting for daylight over here so I can get my shots, bent and mangled toes, toenails like talons and all!!

 

[Chuck Nacke]

1 hour ago, Brian Yarvin said:

 

I knew that.

Thanks Brian and happy New Year to you.

 

Yea, I am competing in a side by side slalom ski race this weekend.  First time racing in over 40 years......

 

Chuck

[Dave Richards]

4 hours ago, Chuck Nacke said:

Look, I am not serious.  

 

Chuck

That’s a pity, I was looking forward to competing with your Footography.