little red roses - shutterstock © roberto marinello
Choosing subjects for your microstock images is an important step. How could I have visibility among thousands of photographers ad millions of images?
You have a beautiful ‘red rose' picture and you want to sell it in the microstock market… before try to see how many similar images are already in the stock agencies:
Shutterstock
Red Rose Stock Photos, Illustrations, and Vector Art Returned 36884 results.
Dreamstime Search results: 26810 images.
Fotolia Search results: 27805 files
and then try the Rob Davis picniche.com tool for assessing the supply and demand of online stock photography images from microstock sites.
Here the likelihood of making a sale for a ‘red rose' keyword phrase image:
PicNiche Rating (all): 0.93 (Rating < 10 is BAD)
If you have a stunning image maybe the chance of making a sale is higher, but generally it's better to find something else with more appeal for the buyers, find your NICHE photography.
Wood pellets for stoves, alternative energy related subject, is my niche. Here some numbers:
Shutterstock
Wood Pellets Stock Photos, Illustrations, and Vector Art Returned 41 results.
Dreamstime Search results: 31 images.
Fotolia Search results: 94 files
PicNiche Rating (all): 1560.60 (Rating > 100 is a NICHE) Awesome!! 😉
wood pellets closeup - dreamstime © roberto marinello
My best seller wood pellets image at Dreamstime
See also ThePrint‘s post 10 Tips for Serious Microstock Wannabes
and 36clicks Hugo de Wolf post Find your niche in (micro)stock
Let me know if you have a winning niche or if you are “flower and mountain landscape” best seller photographers.