How Many People Here Sell Images Regularly?

and if your selling your work is it photography or paintings?

yes, plenty of people make sales here and some with great regularity. I'm not one of them but do manage the occasional sale.

Fine Art America is a print-on-demand site and expects you to bring in your own customers through external marketing. Sales are made through the FAA search engine too but there are more than 6 million works available and the number is growing everyday. Add to that the fact that since you have had no prior sales your work will end up in the back of the search where it is harder to find.

There is a thread here somewhere about marketing which you might want to check out. Someone will post it shortly. In addition, there are many, many outstanding works available here so to avoid disappointment it might also be worth your while to search for works similar to yours and try to asses how these hold up to the competition.

unfortunately not... :(

in my case photographs. There are way more photographers (and photos) here than there are painters and digital artists but paintings and graphic art seem to sell better. There is a 'Recently Sold' section somewhere where you can gauge what is being sold.

http://fineartamerica.com/showmessages.php?messageid=98980

Click on marketing for more info...

I do not.

Too many competitors. more than 1.000.000 pictures.


The needle in a haystack.

thanks ill have a looky :P I have a good friend that sells his work on shutter stock but he is sick of selling his work for cents.. so he is now trying to sell his work on his own web page. im not interested at all in getting cents for my own work. If im going to sell my own work i want to make a few bucks from it.

Well man you can set your own prices here and FAA adds a markup. There is decent money to be made, but it's not going to be easy :)

yes i set my prices the bigger the picture the higher the price.. I also put one picture up as a 1 off sale once sold the image is removed from ffa and my computer. its a big $$ photo but you never know some one may buy it because they can afford it :)

I don't think there are any definitive numbers on the number of sales made through FAA in any specific time period. (I could be wrong, yet I certainly cannot readily find any numbers posted by FAA)

Does once in a blue moon count as regular? ;)

yes :)

I have a sale or two every month. Not getting rich. Mostly photography but a couple of my painted prints.

All photography:

3 this month so far,
5 in October,
4 in September,
3 in August
1 in July
3 in June
3 in May
2 in March
2 in Feb
2 in Jan

Though certainly not as much as others here, but given the efforts and time I put in, as well as the subject matter, I'm quite pleased.

~Michel Soucy
Visit me on my Facebook fan page

First step towards sales is understanding your market. Fine art and stock are different. Here you are selling to individuals buying art for their homes or offices. Stock is sold for commercial usage.

Stock agencies also cater to high volume buyers and often the images are used as one element in a final piece. Here you are selling to someone who might buy art a few times in their lives and want a finished piece to display as is.

Just porting your stock portfolio over won't cut it.

Hang out on the recently sold page and you'll start becoming familiar with the names of regular sellers.

P.S. Your bio seems to indicate that you expect your new camera to create the art for you.

I sell fairly regularly and it is photography. (revenue from this site pays most of my living expense bills.)

Like you, I stay away from stock sites as I do not have any desire to make a couple cents here and there. (Yes, some stock sellers make good money but they are not normally with the micros.)

Real money can be made here but as pointed out it is a lot of work to get there. That is no different than any other business you can get into though.

i sell here pretty much every day. i have sold abstract painting, photos, digital art.

you need lots of high quality work. things you would hang in your own house. don't post snaps of your own kid, add descriptions and locations to all. add more keywords and advertise yourself when you can. you should have a consistent style, your kind of all over the board right now. remove the words self taught in the bio. keep the bio to the point, tell people what you shoot, not what you shoot with, camera models are meaningless unless you own one of those models.

selling is not easy.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

selling stock has the advantage of the stock company to kind of push your work. there are lots of eyes. however if you have stock in here and there - you probably won't sell here. i've found that pattern to be true with many stock people. it might be that stock places rank better. or that the clients and uses for it are different. stock is stock, art is art usually. find yourself a style and stick with it. the images shouldn't look random in quality.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

"Results may vary" - should be added to any advice. You have to bring the goods, bring something unique and put in the time and effort to sell.

On a microstock just about anyone can feel the excitement of selling a photo. The high volume of sales almost guarantees that you will sell something eventually. Here you had better come with a marketing strategy.

Oooooh, God always the same theater. Now again boast the best selling. And the reason is always the same. Your images can be found on the first pages of FAA. But admit they do not this the reason is. boring



The Tortures Never Stop

The longer I have been on here, the more I sell every year. But I also do art fairs so folks actually know my work is out there. I do not depending on the fact that because I have put images on FAA, that folks will find them and want to purchase them.

Ben,
you will not get any stats from the company or the forum ( where only 1% of the artists frequent)...the company makes big bucks...which means work sells.

Ah, the old chicken and egg scenario.

Your images sell because they are on the front page but your images are on the front page because you sell.....

Which came first?

Unlike the chicken and egg this is an easy one to answer.

Since the best sellers were once new that means they started at the back of the search. That means that they came here and found a way to sell in spite of the fact that they were not on the front page. Sorry Herr Pfleghart that argument just doesn't cut it. You can sit back and complain that you cannot be seen or you can get out there and get yourself seen. Get yourself seen and you sell. Sell and you can get to the front of the line.

Or, you can sit back and complain about all the reasons why you don't sell and of course none are ever your fault.

Here is the big picture on sales direct from the owner.

Sales at FAA are as strong as ever. This will be another record year.

If sales are down for an individual seller, that's because the individual seller is getting lost in the mix as hundreds of new artists join the site each day. That brings the conversation back full-circle to the fact that you have to promote yourself and not rely on a website to bring the sales to you.

You have to promote yourself to be successful - no matter what line of business you're in.

There are thousands of new members who join FAA each week.

If you don't promote yourself, you will get lost in the shuffle.

That's why we give you your own Artist Website. That's why we give you the shopping cart widgets. That's why we created the e-mail newsletter feature... the Facebook shopping cart... the Facebook and Twitter auto-posts... etc.

You have to promote, promote, promote.

The same thing goes for FAA, as a business. We have to promote, promote, promote. That's why we runs ads on TV. That's why we run ads on radio. That's why we run ads on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc.

There are hundreds of different POD sites for buyers to chose from... just like there are millions of artists and photographers to chose from. We have to make ourselves stand out from the crowd, just like you do.

You have to promote yourself to be successful. Period.

Every time this question comes up - that will always be the answer.

We've always been very open about this and have written many articles on this topic over the years. You can read them here:

http://fineartamerica.com/articles.html

If you're spending your time worrying about what everyone else is doing, that's a path to nowhere. Collections have ALWAYS been on FAA since the very beginning. Large image libraries have always been on FAA since the very beginning.

You can sit around and hope to be 'discovered', but in reality, most 'discovery stories' involve years of hard work before the artist, musician, author, athlete, etc. was actually discovered.

As the saying goes, you have to make your own luck.

Promote yourself, and generate some sales on your own... just like a musician trying to kickstart sales for his new album.

When you do, here's what will happen:

1. Your images will naturally rise in our search results. The search engine algorithm always brings fast-sellers to the top... even if the member is new to the site. There is a little bit of preference towards older, established sellers (as there should be)... but it's nothing that can't be overcome by a few quick sales from a new seller. After all, FAA wants to discover new, talented artists... just like our buyers do.

2. When you make a sale, that forces an FAA employee to look at the image that you sold in order to check it for quality-control purposes before we send it off to printing. That same employee has the ability to feature your image on our homepage... create a collection around your images... suggest that we do an artist interview with you for our interview series... suggest that we create a limited time promotion featuring one of your images... etc. Essentially, that employee has the ability to 'discover' you and then feature you on the site. Our collections, for example, feature lots of artists who don't have spectacular sales numbers. They have some sales... which got them noticed by our staff... and then someone on our staff decided to build a collection around them because they thought they would be interesting to other buyers.

We also have lots of other tools to help our staff 'discover' unknown artists on the site that don't rely on sales. We have tools that bring artists to our attention based on comments, visits, inbound links from other sites (i.e. news sites), etc. When we find an artist that we want to feature... we'll create a collection... or do a limited time promotion... or do an interview... etc.

That's what everyone has been clamoring for - a way to discover 'unknown artists'. Now that we're featuring some unknown artists in the collections, other artists are complaining that they're not being featured. Hopefully, the irony there is not lost on everyone.

There are two paths to increased visibility on the site. You can rise to the top of FAA's search results through your own sales efforts... or you can generate 'some sales' and then hope that someone at FAA 'discovers' you and features you on the site. Obviously, the more sales that you generate... the more opportunities you'll have to be 'discovered'.

The important point is - by having your images on FAA, you're on the largest art site in the world, and it's now up to you to stand out from the crowd.

If you're looking at POD sites and saying, this site isn't working for me or that site isn't working for me... then you already have the wrong mentality. That means that you're waiting for the site to deliver the sales to you.

You have to have that same mentality as a musician trying to sell albums... or an author trying to sell books...

You've got a great product, now it's time to promote it.

Take advantage of everything that FAA offers:

1. With our Artist Websites platform, you have the most powerful POD platform on the internet... dedicated specifically to you and your images. You can knock the appearance (don't worry, it will improve)... but it is truly more powerful than every other POD site on the internet. You've got your own responsive website... comprehensive search engine with color, size, shape, medium, and gallery filters... fulfillment centers located throughout the U.S. and the U.K... a call center that will answer calls from your buyers 24/7... a currency convertor for all major currencies... etc.

2. Use our shopping cart widgets to transform any / all of your websites into your own e-commerce storefronts.

3. Use our Facebook shopping cart to sell to your fans on Facebook.

4. Use our e-newsletter feature to send out graphical HTML newsletters.

5. Use our limited-time promotions to create weekly promotions for your artwork and try to create a buzz on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

6. Print out our PDF sales sheets and take them with you to art fairs, tradeshows, etc.

7. Create discount codes to offer buyers special incentives to buy from you.

etc...

Part of the problem with this discussion is that our best selling artists never participate in our discussions... ever. There is only one artist out of the top 50 that actually posts here on a regular basis.

As a result - you end up with artists who aren't selling talking to other artists who aren't selling, and there's not a lot of good advice that comes from that when the topic is 'How do I sell more?'.

Create a good product... work hard... work efficiently... and promote, promote, promote. That's the secret to success no matter what line of business you're in.

---------------------------------

This was taken from a post the owner of the site put up recently and it says it all. There are hundred and hundreds of excellent threads here about marketing your work, the how to and the where to.

If you want a critique of your work then ask for one. Be prepared to maybe hear truths you are not ready for. Many have asked and not like what they received.

We are now closing this thread as all the answers are above and to repeat...... Part of the problem with this discussion is that our best selling artists never participate in our discussions... ever. There is only one artist out of the top 50 that actually posts here on a regular basis.

As a result - you end up with artists who aren't selling talking to other artists who aren't selling, and there's not a lot of good advice that comes from that when the topic is 'How do I sell more?'.

Create a good product... work hard... work efficiently... and promote, promote, promote. That's the secret to success no matter what line of business you're in.

What an insight! Thanks folks😊

Ben;

You asked the wrong question: "How Many People Here Sell Images Regularly?" It doesn't matter if ten people sell regularily here or even a hundred people or a thousand people do. It's how we can all sell our stuff and doing what it takes. Then you said "Just wondering if many people are even selling on here? seems hard to get a sale on most of these sites.." Where did you hear it was going to be easy? We're asking people to spend their hard earned money to buy stuff we created to hang on their walls. That's ain't easy!

Your bio has more in there about the kind of camera you use than about you. No one cares how we get the images or with what gear. The ones that do care will ask. You've got 52 images up so far in about five months time, Most suggest the highest number of quality images you can muster. I', always adding, put up two from four years ago last night that had been nesting on my hard drive. None of the images on your page really jumps out at me when I pop on the page other than maybe the colorful VWs. I like the "Speed Through The Night" shot but then I have to scroll down to find it. "Pink Reflections" is another good one, but it's on the second page. Might want to check the horizon on that one. Looks like it's leaning clock-wise. It's about presentation, grabbing the viewers eye right as they hit the page. Most folks suggest grouping your images as Galleries. With 52 images total, maybe you're not there yet.

I think most of my sales have come from keywords, and the fact that I have a lot posted and people stumble over me once in a while.

Keywords are important. I have sold a photo of an old sign from a diner in Massachusetts. It sold twice to someone in Massachusetts. I'm betting they saw the name of the diner in my keywords.

I don't sell that much here, but I have only recently (after four years), started occasionally tweeting my work. The fact that I have done ZERO, ZIP, ZILCH advertising to this point and I've sold 35 images, says to me I'm doing something right and I could really sell more if I get myself out there, which I'm starting to do.

Someone has to be able to find you in this sea of images.

Hey, JC, does that mean if I stop participating in the forums I will instantly become a top seller? LOL. (just kidding, obviously).

I don't sell well here yet (I just opened up here in August 2014), but I do sell fairly well on another site... On the other site I sold two prints my entire first year (2013), and I've sold 36 prints so far this year (with plenty of holiday season to go). I suspect those numbers will continue to improve next year. It can take years to establish yourself on any particular site.

I feel like building inventory and promoting my FAA site right now is prepping me for next year.

So promote yourself, do not give up and do not get discouraged. And, hopefully, you'll start selling given some time.

Hope dies last. But she dies. But one thing Americans can. You can give us hope.

sure your dropping enough images in here?


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

huh? doesn't really answer the ops question in any way though.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

JC,
walk the walk, hon..you said you were closing this thread.

i guess the standard clause doesn't work for all threads... maybe that pun was intended...


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Nice to see you again Franz!

The question of how many sell regularly: 1%? 2%? Somewhere around there imho

Why close the thread when a member came in with a vald question? Just because of one of those here are Top 50 sellers? That makes no sense.

You also have to offer something people want. Something people can connect with. Most of what I sell is of the Milwaukee Art Museum or images from Door County, WI. They are of places and things people relate to or have a connection to. As already stated, keywords are important. For example, the shot below. I could see that in a frame. But where is it? There is no description, which Google can index. The key words are missing the place too. Also include the train's name, in the US trains have names that people know the routes by, don't know if you do that down under. For example there is a route between Milwaukee and Chicago called the Hiawatha. In other words include everything you can that's relevant.

BTW, I don't sell a lot, but I'm also doing very little to promote my work. I'm just starting to ramp that up.

When customers search on tags. For example horse. So thousands of pictures with horses are shown. And where the customer is looking? On the last page? No back on the first pages that are displayed. No later than 15 pages he will opt for a picture. So, again that will sell that are listed on the first pages.

People should probably narrow down the search for "horse." Might as well search for "flower."

You can get a good idea of what sells and who sells by checking the recently sold images linked from the home page. Refresh it (F/5) and you will see more.

http://fineartamerica.com/recentprintsales.html

Franziscus, none of my images show up on any of the first pages, or second, or 3rd pages for that matter. According to you I should not be selling, but I do.

I do actually. Usually a canvas print of a decent size about every 3 weeks. And that really surprises me because I don't "advertise" on any of the sites besides my FB page, & a Pinterest board. Of course I would like to see more sales, I am just busy involved in other things until I can get a grasp on what I like to do. Basically computer illiterate - & would rather be playing with paint if I have any free time.
My watercolor work sales by far exceed my Photographic Art work. I will return my attentions back again to watercolor.

Best wishes.

Chuck, Since you been lucky.

The only search images where mine shows up on the first few pages that I can find is location-specific. Which is why putting the location in as keywords and in the caption is so important.

its not luck, according to stat counter i've seen people move through a 100 pages of the search . but you can't rely on the search, you have to seek people out, you have to sell it yourself. reel people back into your store and then they look at your store itself. and thats how many sales happen. they never went into the search. or they found you in google.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

I'm off, I have to save the world.

OOPS,

I guess I cut and paste one line too many......

Not closing this. (yet anyway)

selling is about having variety. for example trying things in different colors, or different themes. try to make something for everyone. narrow the market down so the search can work for you. that's where that abilene theory comes into effect. not many people have that town represented, and if there are people who have even heard of that town, likes it enough they will get people buying it. if you have enough of those narrow niches, your other things will rise up in the search. think of a niche as a tent peg. with enough pegs you can raise the tent, or something like that.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

JC, so what is written below the dashed line is still all Sean and not you?

"Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions." ~ Dalai Lama

Happy Thanksgiving all :-)

Confused about the PDF sales sheets, shouldn't the prices reflect the artists selling price if using as a handout?
**** Nevermind...just answered my own question....logged out and tried again. :)

Thanks,

~Michel Soucy
Visit me on my Facebook fan page

I'm fortunate enough to make a few sales each month, and that's without putting much time and effort into marketing. All photography.

Ben, I am a photographer and I sell on a regular basis. Four years and only one month without sales.

I am a photographer and I sell quite regularly, but not to the level of some others.

I also promote my work.

I'm an artist and I sell nothing lol

Not me. Three years, one sale.

I have a longer term set of plans.

You can not assume you will sell because you show up. You will go hungry.

I simply plan on using all the tools well over a longer period of time.

I hope that my art eventually creates a name recognition that is salable.

When someone is successful here it is not simply from one angle. They might
have sales from emails campaigns or a larger pinterest following, whatever. One sale
from one source does not guarantee the next sale. It takes many marketing tools.

I believe Mike when he basically says he works morning to night.

I also put in very long hours. A job would be a nice short cut, but I want to be
a very successful artist.

Dave

I don't sell lot's but covers my fee and a wee bit more for the last 5 years ,

My sales are good, at present about 100 per year...been here 4 years and about 420 sales total on FAA.
They double every year so far!

I joined here and then canceled my account within 6 months. I also belong to a few other sites, but after really thinking about what I need to do, I had to step back. That is why I canceled my account here and reopened it a month later with one image. I have been taking marketing classes for the past two months and had to rethink my whole strategy of working online. Learning from the marketing class, I need a plan instead of just dumping tons of images all over the net. I also make money in others ways with my art, so the online stuff will wait until I'm prepared better and understand what I'm doing.

I usually sell 1 to 10 a month, anything from cards to 60 inch prints.

Just shoot everything. Download all 10,000 pictures, and already you're selling like a champion.


Currently all motive that has to do with Christmas. No matter how kitschy it is.

selling here is a lot like hollywood. some people make it big, but you don't know what they did to get there and it doesn't work for you. you might walk in and they happen to need someone, or you have to struggle and get your name known well. yet so many go to hollywood thinking they will be a star, and all they have to do is show up. and it never works that way. countless interviews, showings or whatever they call it there and so on.

its the same here, while you might get lucky and start selling from the get go, where someone just happened to have stumbled into your store, usually you have to work at it. either by advertising out, or creating lots of work. work that people will love and those people will then advertise for you.

if people are simply uploading and not telling anyone about it then they may never sell. if they tweet once a month same results. selling anything isn't easy.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Howgh, The chieftain has spoken

huh?

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

I sell occasionally here but I've been selling better on the overseas sites. Not sure why, since I do no promotion there and spend time here.

I do not sell for now, but I hope for a good 2015. I'm doing intensive marketing on twitter and facebook, hoping it will be useful

This is my second week of getting over 9000+ views in a week, out of my 275 images and having my pics often in the 'graphs' through out the day, 5 of them as I write this post in the hour one.....but my sales disappeared back in the early summer never to return it seems!!! lol

Dear Franziskus,

I love your work, I think you're brilliant.

Franz, I like it too

I am here on FAA little over 4 months and so far I had 2 sales. I am a photographer and I am very hopeful of more sales here and I continue to build my portfolio.

Franziskus - I believe you mean "upload".

Well, the OP has got about as much of an answer as he is going to get so we are closing this thread.