I did some calculations,and came to some conclusions.

I calculated the number of sales,because in my opinion it is the most important data,of course the earnings are what count in the end,but in the microstock the earnings can vary depending on the licenses sold,so the only thing that in my opinion can give a solid data is the sales number,this number must absolutely increase year after year if I work actively.

here is the percentage increase of the number of the sales in my first 2 quarters between 2023 and 2024:

1Q +36,2%
2Q +18,8%

I wanted to have an even broader vision,and I calculated the percentage of annual growth,even if I had always calculated the differences between years,I had never calculated the percentages in detail.

here are the growth percentages in the number of sales since 2019:

2019-2020 +60,9%
2020-2021 +62,12%
2021-2022 +22,8%
2022-2023 +110,6%
2023-2024 +27,5% (half-year)

so considering the situation in general,I think Adobe Stock can be a gold mine if you have time on your side,because I believe that we also need to make a projection into the future and see if we will then have time to enjoy the fruits of this work.

then in the end it's all subjective,it depends on what you're looking for in the microstock,I'm looking for a solid income,certainly not to become rich,but to earn enough.

so as i said,in my opinion,Adobe Stock can be a gold mine if you start at 30 years or maximum 40 years,because you still have more time,over 40 years instead,it depends on what you are able to produce,and in what quantity,because the time left to enjoy the fruits of labor is less,you simply have less time,it's not negativity,it's simply a fact,reality.

so in conclusion,as far as I'm concerned,if I can have an annual growth in number of sales of at least 80% every year for the next 4 years,in 4 years I can start to have a good income from Adobe Stock,if instead the this year's growth percentage or some of the next 4 years will be less than 80% I don't think I can continue,not actively,maybe some uploads if I feel like it a couple of times a year.

so for the moment until the end of this year I will continue consistently,and then at the end of the year I will evaluate,if I can achieve at least 80% growth in sales numbers,I will continue next year too.

Those are very good numbers.

Maybe stock is dead in other agencies but with Adobe we seem to have a winner.

You sell AI generated bullshits, right? So, why not ask chatGpt for your future?
If I am in a car, I want to know how to drive it, not to know the direction where it goes.

no,I mostly sell "real" and "hybrids" bullshits! 

But won't AI generators get to a point when anyone can generate their AI images and videos themselves at good enough quality and then the AI stock images and videos will be irrelevant? And the technology is moving so fast in that direction. After that it may be better to focus on real photos of real places and authentic people.

I partly agree,in fact I prefer to create mostly real or hybrid contents,because even hybrids have a real elements,which can be,but not necessarily,also the subject,but unfortunately even hybrids must be labeled as AI,because they still have generated elements.

I also create purely AI content,because it's better to do everything anyway,and then I think that even if technology improves,stock content will always sell,because you have to consider time,purchasing content from a library is always better because you save time,and you can immediately view many contents and find the one that best suits you.

But won't AI generators get to a point when anyone can generate their AI images and videos themselves at good enough quality and then the AI stock images and videos will be irrelevant? And the technology is moving so fast in that direction. After that it may be better to focus on real photos of real places and authentic people.

Anyone with a phone could also snap a photo or download from free websites just as easily as they can create AI now or in the future.

To quote my art teacher from 80s:  � anyone can use a pencil, it�s just a tool.� Then he often would add � what sets you apart?� �What do YOU bring to the easel?� Etc.

Ideas, composition, persistence, and perfection are my strengths, no matter the medium. Discover your strengths and bring them to stock, your images will pop!

Double post

Quote from: Injustice for all on July 27, 2024, 06:44

I did some calculations,and came to some conclusions.

I calculated the number of sales,because in my opinion it is the most important data,of course the earnings are what count in the end,but in the microstock the earnings can vary depending on the licenses sold,so the only thing that in my opinion can give a solid data is the sales number,this number must absolutely increase year after year if I work actively.

here is the percentage increase of the number of the sales in my first 2 quarters between 2023 and 2024:

1Q +36,2%
2Q +18,8%

I wanted to have an even broader vision,and I calculated the percentage of annual growth,even if I had always calculated the differences between years,I had never calculated the percentages in detail.

here are the growth percentages in the number of sales since 2019:

2019-2020 +60,9%
2020-2021 +62,12%
2021-2022 +22,8%
2022-2023 +110,6%
2023-2024 +27,5% (half-year)

so considering the situation in general,I think Adobe Stock can be a gold mine if you have time on your side,because I believe that we also need to make a projection into the future and see if we will then have time to enjoy the fruits of this work.

then in the end it's all subjective,it depends on what you're looking for in the microstock,I'm looking for a solid income,certainly not to become rich,but to earn enough.

so as i said,in my opinion,Adobe Stock can be a gold mine if you start at 30 years or maximum 40 years,because you still have more time,over 40 years instead,it depends on what you are able to produce,and in what quantity,because the time left to enjoy the fruits of labor is less,you simply have less time,it's not negativity,it's simply a fact,reality.

so in conclusion,as far as I'm concerned,if I can have an annual growth in number of sales of at least 80% every year for the next 4 years,in 4 years I can start to have a good income from Adobe Stock,if instead the this year's growth percentage or some of the next 4 years will be less than 80% I don't think I can continue,not actively,maybe some uploads if I feel like it a couple of times a year.

so for the moment until the end of this year I will continue consistently,and then at the end of the year I will evaluate,if I can achieve at least 80% growth in sales numbers,I will continue next year too.

In the past we had folks claiming 100% gains but they went from like $20 USD per month to $40 USD. I am assuming you make over $2,000 USD per month thus you're doing a great job. If you make more than $5,000 a month than I am inspired by your work and results!

i am afraid that you assume wrong! 

If I earn 2,000 USD a month I wouldn't have any problem!

that's why I will need to earn at least 80% more every year for the next 4 years.

if instead I earn 40% more every year,it will still take 8 years before I have a decent income from Adobe,and with a growth of only 20% per year it will take 16 years!

hence my considerations,this is why I absolutely must proceed with a growth of at least 80% more every year at least for the next 4 years,then this percentage can also decrease,once I already have a good income every year,I can have a growth of even 20% per year is fine.

Quote from: Injustice for all on July 27, 2024, 06:44

...
here is the percentage increase of the number of the sales in my first 2 quarters between 2023 and 2024:

1Q +36,2%
2Q +18,8%

I wanted to have an even broader vision,and I calculated the percentage of annual growth,even if I had always calculated the differences between years,I had never calculated the percentages in detail.

here are the growth percentages in the number of sales since 2019:

2019-2020 +60,9%
2020-2021 +62,12%
2021-2022 +22,8%
2022-2023 +110,6%
2023-2024 +27,5% (half-year)

...

so as i said,in my opinion,Adobe Stock can be a gold mine if you start at 30 years or maximum 40 years,because you still have more time,over 40 years instead,it depends on what you are able to produce,and in what quantity,because the time left to enjoy the fruits of labor is less,you simply have less time,it's not negativity,it's simply a fact,reality.

so in conclusion,as far as I'm concerned,if I can have an annual growth in number of sales of at least 80% every year for the next 4 years,in 4 years I can start to have a good income from Adobe Stock,if instead the this year's growth percentage or some of the next 4 years will be less than 80% I don't think I can continue,not actively,maybe some uploads if I feel like it a couple of times a year....

those goals are wildly out of reality - few sales/incomes in any field achieve even 30% over 4 years, not to even think of 80% - just look at all the old-timers who report significant decreases over the last 10 yeas.

and projecting 30 or 40years is a fool's errand - 30 years ago there was barely an internet - 40 years ago we had 300 baud modems. 

and counting # of sales rather than total income may look nice but i'd rather have 10 sales at $1 than 50 sales at $.10

yes,but as you can see,I achieved 110% more in number of sales between 2022 and 2023 and 60% between 2019-2020 and 2020-2021

if instead of number of sales we want to talk about money,which in the end is what counts,then I should have 100% growth for at least the next 4 years.

after these 4 years then it is certain that even a 10% growth is enough or even that I remain more or less stable,because precisely after 4 years at 100% growth I already have a decent income,so I can also end up with a loss of 10 or 20%.It doesn't matter much anymore,a bad year can happen,and at that point I'm already earning enough.

at this point however I need to maintain at least 100% growth in earnings every year for the next 4 years, otherwise it will take too long before I can have a decent income from Adobe.

Far be it from me to question your word Cascoly!  I know you know what you're talking about,and you're right,I certainly can't predict what will happen in 10 or more years,that's why I have to make sure I double or almost double my income year by year.

if 100% more income on Adobe seems like a lot,consider that last year,if we're talking about money,I earned about 300% more compared to 2022,but this is the result of everything,bonuses,free collection,missions,everything.

if instead I only count sales I earned around 100% more in 2023 compared to 2022.

In theory, a cash growth of around 80% more every year for the next 4 years is enough for me, which although difficult, very difficult,is not impossible.

Here is another story (only real photos and vector illustrations):

2006      100%
2007      2316%
2008      519%
2009      296%
2010      138%
2011      140%
2012      -56%
2013      -43%
2014      -84%
2015      -71%
2016      -98%
2017      120%
2018      101%
2019      103%
2020      123%
2021      127%
2022      114%
2023      107%
2024      -4% (for half year)

Conclusion: there is no absolute rule.
More than ever today, sales happen if your ingredients match the recipes imposed by the automated subjective algorithms that choose images more than customers do. Especially since the objective sorting by new content has disappeared.

Quote from: synthetick on July 27, 2024, 08:05

But won't AI generators get to a point when anyone can generate their AI images and videos themselves at good enough quality and then the AI stock images and videos will be irrelevant? And the technology is moving so fast in that direction. After that it may be better to focus on real photos of real places and authentic people.

Anyone with a phone could also snap a photo or download from free websites just as easily as they can create AI now or in the future.

To quote my art teacher from 80s:  � anyone can use a pencil, it�s just a tool.� Then he often would add � what sets you apart?� �What do YOU bring to the easel?� Etc.

Ideas, composition, persistence, and perfection are my strengths, no matter the medium. Discover your strengths and bring them to stock, your images will pop!

exactly this

customers can just take great pictures with their mobile phones, they can also download billions of beautiful files with free commercial cc license from places like flickr etc...

And many, many, many people do, it is not like every commercially used image was bought from an agency

we cater to the market that have very little time, want legal indemnification and actual quality control.

this is a small portion of the entire media market.

but it is a growing market.

everbody can buy a beautiful fountain pen - does not mean they can write the next harry potter

everybody can use their smartphones and uploadi - does not mean they can create great sellable images, even if they try to copy other artist styles

absolutely everyone can record simple video clips - and still the video offerings are virtually empty, only 40 million clips after 18 years of being able to upload stock video

everybody can sign up for ai and with the same prompts generate very similar images - still there will be people that excel, develop their own style that needs a huge 10 page prompt and outsell everyone else

you really have to understand a tool well to create useful, interesting content

most of the current ai uploaders will give up in a year, just like the mobile phone crowd has become much smaller and you don't see many youtube influencers bragging about the millions they make with their iphones anymore

makes sense now. Here is my history to see if this helps you on your goal. I started in 2011 with $654 for that year. My 2nd year I made 247% more and as you can see my gains continued for awhile and then the wall hit me. Now I am losing each year. It was fun while it lasted.

Year            Income   %
2011    $654    
2012    $2,268    247%
2013    $7,778    243%
2014    $15,778    103%
2015    $26,433    68%
2016    $33,937    28%
2017    $35,238    4%
2018    $33,370    -5%
2019    $25,804    -23%
2020    $22,790    -12%
2021    $22,504    -1%
2022    $18,532    -18%
2023    $15,582    -16%

thanks for sharing.

these are certainly not encouraging numbers,since you have been making a loss since 2018,but I don't know if you continued to work actively or not.

then of course you have to consider that you started when it was easier to earn,there were higher royalties and less competition.

I started exactly when you started running at a loss,in 2018.

Here is another story (only real photos and vector illustrations):

2006      100%
2007      2316%
2008      519%
2009      296%
2010      138%
2011      140%
2012      -56%
2013      -43%
2014      -84%
2015      -71%
2016      -98%
2017      120%
2018      101%
2019      103%
2020      123%
2021      127%
2022      114%
2023      107%
2024      -4% (for half year)

Conclusion: there is no absolute rule.
More than ever today, sales happen if your ingredients match the recipes imposed by the automated subjective algorithms that choose images more than customers do. Especially since the objective sorting by new content has disappeared.

thanks for sharing.

these are excellent results,I see that this year is going badly,maybe you stopped uploading?

However,I agree, the sales system today has a key role,because we have become so many,that everything is in the hands of the sales system.

probably the best contents are somehow selected and better positioned in searches.

the only thing I am certain of is that in microstock today you have to continue to work consistently to hope for good results.

Like injustice I am rebuilding my income on a very fluid and adaptable 3-4 year plan.

The first question was - can I still reach my customers, can I still offer what they like to buy, especially with winter greeting cards.

That has been answered with a yes, at least on Adobe, my 95% focus with uploads.

By 2026 I would like to have a reliable 800 dollars a month from Adobe only in the off season and obviously a lot more in the winter season.

Since I am currently at around 400 dollars with only 5600 files, I think this is doable.

I have other plans for other agencies and especially for video, but I haven�t uploaded enough to adjust my plan for them yet.

Parallel to that I am reorganising my life and trying to cut out what is not really needed. It is a journey and the quality of my life has not suffered by soending less money.

Actually cooking more for myself is not just cheaper but tastes better, shopping cut down to a minimum, because allthough I have lost a lot of weight, I kept all my old clothes, no need to buy anything.

Readjusting my insurances etc�

So now after around 18 months of a full time focus on stock, I am confident it can work.

I am always looking at other online businesses I might build, but stock needs to reach a stable base level and that needs at least 20k files.

Now that I feel confident in using my ai tools, I can get back to processing standard video and also taking new videos and planning shootings with a normal camera with other producers.

I will never just be an ai producer, I really like my camera.

But this was a good solid new education and working with ai is a lot of fun.