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If you've been reading my blog you've heard me talk about branding before. Branding yourself is extremely important. Today I attribute10-15% of my sales to the brand I've created. For me that translates into over $10,000 USD per month—have I gotten your attention yet?
Since I first wrote about the importance of branding yourself as a photographer, things in the microstock industry have changed and the concept has gotten even more important. 
Why you must brand
Let's use Shutterstock as an example. When I first wrote about branding, Shutterstock was accepting about 30,000 new images per week. This week, almost 80,000 new images were accepted. Think about that: 80,000 new images this week alone! This is an astronomical amount of new product added each week. Many people wonder if that quantity is really sustainable. The answer is yes, and I predict these image libraries will continue to grow at a breakneck pace. Like it or not, there is huge competition out there and this is just the beginning.
But guess what? I like it. Why? Because this huge volume of photographs can actually work in your favor if you're careful to stand out from the crowd. Buyers are utterly overwhelmed by new images and new content. They drown in page after page of options. Most are in a rush, working on a deadline, and need to find great images fast. So what do they do? They develop favorite photographers and artists. People they can go to for consistent freshness and quality without the hassle of groping for a needle in a haystack. That's how our buyers are navigating this cluttered landscape today. And guess what? If you aren't anyone's favorite…well, you do the math.
There are two things that support my assumption. One is some interesting backend information the CEO of Crestock shared with me. He said that the most converting search string in their search bar was a search for "Yuri Arcurs". If you're not too familiar with SEO terms, "conversion factor" refers to the number of browsing visitors that actually "convert" into customers. So, apparently people went to the Crestock site and searched for my name, and if they got a result, they would sign up for an account (my name was not the only one on the list). To sell you must be seen. If you get a loyal following of buyers, they'll look for you specifically. That translates into a win-win for both sides.
Building a brand 101
Follow these four tips and you'll be well on your way to developing a great brand for yourself.
First, have great taste. Edit your own submissions in a very tough and optimized way. Don't settle for mediocre. Every picture in your portfolio represents you. If you are discerning and focused, your buyers don't have to root through any junk. A happy buyer is a repeat buyer.
Second, size matters. Yes, unfortunately you really need a lot of images. And not just any images, you need a large quantity of great stuff. Otherwise, you end up with a huge portfolio that's more like a garbage-bin of everything in your life that looks just a little stock—not appealing.
Third, don't copycat. Do your research elsewhere—don't just do what other microstock photographers are doing. The goal isn't to blend in, it's to be unique. I intentionally do not look for inspiration in microstock. Why shoot the same stuff that everybody is competing so hard for while so much is still untouched in micro?
I find my inspiration from the following sources:
Walking around in my hometown looking at advertisements and window displays: 10%
Looking at my own earlier shoots with a critical eye: 10%
Browsing the web: 10%
Magazines: 20%
Traditional agencies (macrostock): 10%
Microstock agencies: 0-5%
Brainstorming and storyboard building (often with my stylist): 30%
Talking to my partner Cecilie about my shoots: 5%
Fourth, do the unthinkable. I'd say that about 20% of the time I spend on a shoot I spend taking pictures that are off the wall and different. I have absolutely no idea about whether these ideas will sell or not. But by pushing the boundaries, using your instinct and working with a good model, you may just come up with something great in the end. Not a lot, but something, and it's this special extra oomph that really make your shoots stand out from the crowd.
If you follow these basic ideas your brand will begin to grow in size and strength. Nowadays, with almost 100,000 new images accepted at Shutterstock each week, being "favorite worthy" is more important than ever.
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