Everybody got problems with the so-called "similar images" which get rejected by SS, for example. Why not upload these "similar images?
The question is, how reliable is Wirestock? Will they disappear from the market after some years? Will they change their policy like other agencies.

Do not be confused by the roulette wheel of similar on SS with what an actual similar image is. Similar means exactly that, similar. Sort of like you are either pregnant or your are not pregnant, you can't be sort of pregnant.

You can find any narrative you want to justify desperately attempting to get as many images online as you can and you seem to be doing just that.

You take 5-6 shots from roughly the same angle and narrow it down to 1-2 or even just 1.

Maybe this will help you understand what similar means...  https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/similar

WS does reject images if there are similars found on other sites

Its refreshing being with them since they have actual human beings doing a lot of the work instead of what we see more and more at the bigger agencies. I was shocked to get a PM from one of the owners when I had questions about my stats showing properly. I think they are trying very hard to be the kind of agency we used to look for, and most of us have given up on finding.

Everybody got problems with the so-called "similar images" which get rejected by SS, for example. Why not upload these "similar images?
The question is, how reliable is Wirestock? Will they disappear from the market after some years? Will they change their policy like other agencies.

I'm in close contact with their management and they do listen to the community. They have a slack group and their management do respond to suggestions directly, ask for advice, etc. This just doesn't happen at SS, for instance. Wirestock are building up a great community and if other contributors do well then everybody does well if you think about SS's now silly tiered system.

As for whether they'll disappear, it depends on the agencies that they support...whether they will disappear! About a year ago iStock opted out but they're turds anyway with their controlled vocabulary nonsense.

They now accept clips, which is a positive step forward.

I'm going all in on them and sending all my commercial images (with editorials going to Alamy).

Wirestock did have issues with keywording a while back but have improved considerably. Still some ways to go but they'll get there. By the way, they're hiring remote keyworders:

https://jobup.am/jobs/wirestock-15/hiring-keyword-specialist-1223?fbclid=IwAR2E5VSV1nQY8uZtBrRwC3yFUKVBug7bzEEqOgcw56sULyHjgxcAjF05FNw

Brasilnut & farbled:

I also agree totally - have same experiences.

Also my last keywording check was really bad and I told them. They checked it and agreed totally and after I changed the keywords via email, they DIRECTLY changed them on Alamy (the only one I submitted that images that time). That shows, they really care on contributors. But I also have to say, keywording THAT images were not that easy. I did not prove their keywording with �normal commercial� photos recently, but after I read, they searching for keyworder specialists and that even without them the keywording got better, I will be soon brave to use the easy submission.

Higher royalties as a group. If they get some top artists, we could all be in the top tier!

What a brilliant idea!

.

is it possible to opt out of instant pay?

Also my last keywording check was really bad and I told them. They checked it and agreed totally and after I changed the keywords via email, they DIRECTLY changed them on Alamy (the only one I submitted that images that time). That shows, they really care on contributors. =

This. The backend for contributors still needs work in my opinion, as do their sales stats, but, and this is a big but, they listen and do improve things. Its a process they are actively working on, along with other initiatives.

It costs nothing to sign up, you are not obligated to upload and if you do, you're not obligated to submit, but if you do, you can pick and choose where. In my opinion it costs nothing to give it a try and see if it suits you.

Full disclosure, if you decide its not for you, it takes 6 months to close up and remove your images, mainly because of DT and Alamy. They are under the same rules as us individuals.

What I like most about Wirestock is that in their Slack Group, which any contributor is free to join, you can directly ask the management questions and they will reply almost right away! Which other agency does this?!

That in itself, plus the in-house keywording of both commercial and now editorial images, is well worth the 15% commission they charge on sales!

For me not caring about keywords in the near future and leave it by wirestock:

Adobe: Order of Keywords are totally not relevant ANYMORE, but nobody - including Matt - says that.

Alamy: If somebody search for an image and uses the keywords we put on the end (not marked as 10 most important keywords), the buyer can still find it!
It is only about the ctr. But does that really matter that much? Maybe if there are thousands images from other contributors competiting with my image.
If I leave it to wirestock, it MIGHT be they keyword not best and I might be better with it, but the keywords are still good enough to get found.
The last check of their keywording was bad in my eyes and I changed them and wirestock change them as I wanted asap! BUT: I also learned from these �bad� keywords, that I mostly were to explicite and exact instead of giving also general keywords. In my case: The images were from Phra Chedi Rai and YES it is a part from Wat Pho Buddhist temple in Bangkok. I used so many keywords that I forgot to include Wat Pho. Customers who just searching for Wat Pho might also interested in photos from Phra Chedi Rai which is a part of it. Even on Alamy Wat Pho should be included.
So at least: Yes, I like my keywords more, but it also shows that wirestock could be sometimes better.

It will still take a long time in Indonesia until we can talk about post covid unfortunally, but when we are ready to travel around again too, then I am pretty sure that wirestock got much better in keywording. So the photos from my future travels will be for sure just upload to wirestock without thinking about keywording anymore! Great!
Hopefully they got already the new keyworder they were already searching for.
In my opinion: wirestock is getting better and better. Could we say that about the (other) agencies?

AND: We do not have to follow the rules from each agency, which is often different. No confusions anymore. Upload and forget! Thats it! Easy!
And faster payout because no 100$ limit!
On alamy 36% instead of 20% on alamy itself, if you cannot reach the yearly 250 Pounds revenue limit.

Even nowadays, I see things that make me cringe...but they have improved and are improving. Also put out an ad for a freelance keyworder, although the pay isn't very high which may mean that only monkeys accept to be paid in peanuts.

Without sounding like a frustrated socialist, we should be helping Wirestock to help us! They will listen and will take on constructive criticism to improve.

For specialist editorials, best to upload ourselves to places like Alamy and keyword ourselves. They aren't geniuses to know details of relatively little known places, unfortunately.

WireStock has a referral program. 10% nowadays! Why not expand it to keywording? Let the keywording be done by contributors and give them a percentage of sales keyworded content by them generates. Only thing they have to do is a final check and distribution.

i know you dont care,
but instant pay isnt a good idea, more free images will continue to devalue your work
and your regular sales will decrease to zero
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we should be helping Wirestock to help us! They will listen

cmon all have been the nice guys until they had enough content