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Symbiostock is the easy-to-use, fair trade network of photographers, videographers and illustrators that offers you the chance to sell directly to buyers and receive 100% commission. It also offers you tremendous marketing power by allowing you to link your site to other artists’, building on each other’s marketing efforts and increasing exposure to your work. Buyers can search multiple portfolios with just one click.
With Symbiostock, there are no levels to reach. No surprise price reductions. No approval process. No waiting period to sell images or get access to your earnings. You decide how much to charge. You decide which images to sell. You connect directly with buyers, building your own contact list and your own brand.
When you join, you’ll find we’ve done most of the work for you. Just sign up for hosting and a free domain name at bluehost.com. Follow the step-by-step instructions and video tutorials at symbioguides.com to build your site. Then, visit the free forums at symbiostock.net to connect to other artists and build your marketing power.
The Symbiostock network gives you 100% commission. Greater artistic freedom. More flexibility. And the chance to build alliances with fellow artists. All for just a few dollars a month for web hosting (a little more if you want to add specialized add-ons and plug-ins).
I like it. Well done!!!
Couple of quick things I noticed
A) Forums are at Symbiostock.org, not Symbiostock.net.
B) The line:
@shelma1 wrote:When you join, you’ll find we’ve done most of the work for you. Just sign up for hosting and a free domain name at bluehost.com.
Makes it sound like bluehost is the only site that can be used. It is the one the Leo recommends but any decent host will do, and if you already have your own domain and hosting, it is a breeze to add a Symbiostock wordpress site.
Maybe change it to….”Just sign up for hosting and a domain name at sites such as bluehost.com”
Glenn
Great read! But I have to agree with grsp my site buying-images.com is hosted at bluehost but I wouldn’t recommend it the only good thing about bluehost is the unlimited storage-space, I had big issues with bluehost.
Good stuff.
But I agree with the above – I wouldn’t even mention BlueHost judging by the grief many have had with them.
I would also not suggest (as your phrasing seems to) that you need to buy your site domain name and hosting from the same company. There are advantages to buying a domain name with one company and hosting with another and just pointing your domain name to your site.
@russell wrote:
I would also not suggest (as your phrasing seems to) that you need to buy your site domain name and hosting from the same company. There are advantages to buying a domain name with one company and hosting with another and just pointing your domain name to your site.
There are also disadvantages as she found out when she tried it !
When you are first starting out you need it to be as simple as possible
http://kerioakimaging.com - trying to reopen
http://nail-art-at.kerioak.com - Art and Nail ArtI did NOT like it at all.. needs many corrections.. I am sorry in advance if I sound too harsh but these need to be told..
first of all, Shelma, I appreciate you writing a description.. and have been reading your comments, but you actually STILL have no idea of what symbiostock actually is..
no offence, but you must realize what symbiostock is NOT before writing a description:
1- it is NOT an agency..
2- we are NO contributors.. drop “for contributors”.. we are the owners of our own sites, own domain names, own hosting.. symbiostock is JUST A TOOL.. there are others available such as K-TOOLS and CMSACCOUNT.. but we prefer symbiostock as it has a networking aspect that may prove to be very useful for SEO and google rankings..
3- as stated above, bluehost is an option but NOT a must..
4- we do NOT receive %100 commissions.. We keep %100 of royalties as the store and content belong to us.. royalties, not commissions..
5- you do NOT join! instead, you download the script and open you own shop.. there is nowhere to join as it is NOT an agency.. you open the store and you link with other store owners.. you can choose with whom you will link.. you are not linked to anyone by default.. in fact, you may opt not to link to anyone, and be a totally independent site if you wish.. so network is optional.. anyone using symbiostock theme can very well be a one-man-show if they prefer..
6- again: no %100 commissions (should be called %100 revenue or royalties)… no agency (should be self-hosted), no contributors (should be artists, photographers etc.)You’re all free to change or modify whatever you like. If there are problems with Bluehost, though, I’d recommend changing the online instructions. If you want to attract artists, I’d keep things as simple as possible so you don’t scare people away.
@cidepix wrote:
I did NOT like it at all.. needs many corrections.. I am sorry in advance if I sound too harsh but these need to be told..
first of all, Shelma, I appreciate you writing a description.. and have been reading your comments, but you actually STILL have no idea of what symbiostock actually is..
no offence, but you must realize what symbiostock is NOT before writing a description:
1- it is NOT an agency..
2- we are NO contributors.. drop “for contributors”.. we are the owners of our own sites, own domain names, own hosting.. symbiostock is JUST A TOOL.. there are others available such as K-TOOLS and CMSACCOUNT.. but we prefer symbiostock as it has a networking aspect that may prove to be very useful for SEO and google rankings..
3- as stated above, bluehost is an option but NOT a must..
4- we do NOT receive %100 commissions.. We keep %100 of royalties as the store and content belong to us.. royalties, not commissions..
5- you do NOT join! instead, you download the script and open you own shop.. there is nowhere to join as it is NOT an agency.. you open the store and you link with other store owners.. you can choose with whom you will link.. you are not linked to anyone by default.. in fact, you may opt not to link to anyone, and be a totally independent site if you wish.. so network is optional.. anyone using symbiostock theme can very well be a one-man-show if they prefer..
6- again: no %100 commissions (should be called %100 revenue or royalties)… no agency (should be self-hosted), no contributors (should be artists, photographers etc.)You’re what people in the ad industry call a “bad client.” everyone else who commented was nice and offered constructive criticism, but you immediately jumped down my throat.
Most of the people here are nice, but a couple are so nasty it really makes me want to avoid Symbiostock like the plague.
I promised I’d write a second description targeted towards buyers, so I’ll do that. But with reception I’ve gotten here, I think that will be it for me, unfortunately. Some of you sound like iStock. forum moderators.
I like it very much. And I do like the fact that you “speak a language” current stock contributors will understand. Like I said before, we need to do easy to understand marketing. Very simple, very basic. If we try to spread ground breaking philosophical theories that make people’s head spin, we won’t get a lot of new Symbiostockers. We’ll scare them away.
Good job and thanks again for doing this.@cathyslife stockphotos wrote:
I guess you can consider me a bad client too then because i agree with what cidepix has said. He is only telling the truth about what SY is and isnt, and i dont see any “jumping down throats” or ” smackdowns”, as you also like to say, going on.
It is very important that the message that goes out is correct. Everyone appreciates the time you have spent on this, but if you are unwilling to listen and the wrong message gets out, it will do no one any good.
I only see cidepix giving you constructive criticism, just as i tried to do in another thread. He thanked you once and apologized three times in his message but you didnt notice that. You are immediately offended, and in your post below have even resorted to likening people to istock forum moderators, in essence name calling.
If you think SY is the plague, perhaps it is best that you do avoid it. It does take patience to get a SY site going, and not everyone will be cut out for it.
OK Cathy and Cidpex show us how to do it right!
What was provided is a much needed MARKETING piece. Is it 100% accurate…no, but it does it job of getting people interested which is what we need. Can we tweak it..sure.
If all you are going to do is shit all over someone elses hard work, then you have to be able to offer alternatives.
@shelma1 wrote:
@cidepix wrote:
I did NOT like it at all.. needs many corrections.. I am sorry in advance if I sound too harsh but these need to be told..
first of all, Shelma, I appreciate you writing a description.. and have been reading your comments, but you actually STILL have no idea of what symbiostock actually is..
no offence, but you must realize what symbiostock is NOT before writing a description:
1- it is NOT an agency..
2- we are NO contributors.. drop “for contributors”.. we are the owners of our own sites, own domain names, own hosting.. symbiostock is JUST A TOOL.. there are others available such as K-TOOLS and CMSACCOUNT.. but we prefer symbiostock as it has a networking aspect that may prove to be very useful for SEO and google rankings..
3- as stated above, bluehost is an option but NOT a must..
4- we do NOT receive %100 commissions.. We keep %100 of royalties as the store and content belong to us.. royalties, not commissions..
5- you do NOT join! instead, you download the script and open you own shop.. there is nowhere to join as it is NOT an agency.. you open the store and you link with other store owners.. you can choose with whom you will link.. you are not linked to anyone by default.. in fact, you may opt not to link to anyone, and be a totally independent site if you wish.. so network is optional.. anyone using symbiostock theme can very well be a one-man-show if they prefer..
6- again: no %100 commissions (should be called %100 revenue or royalties)… no agency (should be self-hosted), no contributors (should be artists, photographers etc.)You’re what people in the ad industry call a “bad client.” everyone else who commented was nice and offered constructive criticism, but you immediately jumped down my throat.
Most of the people here are nice, but a couple are so nasty it really makes me want to avoid Symbiostock like the plague.
I promised I’d write a second description targeted towards buyers, so I’ll do that. But with reception I’ve gotten here, I think that will be it for me, unfortunately. Some of you sound like iStock. forum moderators.
my message was a real kind one compared to yours 🙂 a proper criticism was due, and it was given..
I can’t just watch someone who isn’t even a symbiostock user butcher the definition of what it is.. my intention is not to offend anyone..
if you really want to help, you need to write down a proper description..
I don’t see why it offends you.. your description has weak points and I will say it again if I have to.. I have nothing against you, it’s just that it is too obvious that you are not informed enough..
references to “agencies, commissions, contributors” should be removed and that “is” constructive criticism..
@cathyslife stockphotos wrote:
So both you and shelma must have skipped over the parts where we thanked shelma for her work. 🙂
Getting people interested should NOT be accomplished by misrepresenting what SY is, imho.
that’s what it is..
nothing personal..
@cathyslife stockphotos wrote:
I guess you can consider me a bad client too then because i agree with what cidepix has said. He is only telling the truth about what SY is and isnt, and i dont see any “jumping down throats” or ” smackdowns”, as you also like to say, going on.
It is very important that the message that goes out is correct. Everyone appreciates the time you have spent on this, but if you are unwilling to listen and the wrong message gets out, it will do no one any good.
I only see cidepix giving you constructive criticism, just as i tried to do in another thread. He thanked you once and apologized three times in his message but you didnt notice that. You are immediately offended, and in your post below have even resorted to likening people to istock forum moderators, in essence name calling.
If you think SY is the plague, perhaps it is best that you do avoid it. It does take patience to get a SY site going, and not everyone will be cut out for it.
Oh, you’re the original bad client, absolutely. But it’s Leo’s hope to attract more people to Symbiostock, which is why I volunteered to write copy for free. I saw people were struggling to get their message across in the Microstock Group forums. I saw some could use help with the writing on their Symbiostock sites.
I’ve put a lot of of my time into writing, and spent more time trying to get started on Symbiostock, which unfortunately turned out to be a very frustrating process. I already have my own website. I didn’t have to do one minute of it.
Comments like yours only help drive people away. It’s counterproductive to all the work Leo and others have put into Symbiostock.
Why you would make comments like these to people who are volunteering to help is beyond me, really. I don’t get it. And yes, it does remind me very much of the arrogance of the folks at iStock, which is going down in flames.
But like I said, it’s only a few of you. Everyone else has been very nice. For some reason you can’t see the difference.
@cathyslife stockphotos wrote:
@grsphoto wrote:
@cathyslife stockphotos wrote:
I guess you can consider me a bad client too then because i agree with what cidepix has said. He is only telling the truth about what SY is and isnt, and i dont see any “jumping down throats” or ” smackdowns”, as you also like to say, going on.
It is very important that the message that goes out is correct. Everyone appreciates the time you have spent on this, but if you are unwilling to listen and the wrong message gets out, it will do no one any good.
I only see cidepix giving you constructive criticism, just as i tried to do in another thread. He thanked you once and apologized three times in his message but you didnt notice that. You are immediately offended, and in your post below have even resorted to likening people to istock forum moderators, in essence name calling.
If you think SY is the plague, perhaps it is best that you do avoid it. It does take patience to get a SY site going, and not everyone will be cut out for it.
OK Cathy and Cidpex show us how to do it right!
What was provided is a much needed MARKETING piece. Is it 100% accurate…no, but it does it job of getting people interested which is what we need. Can we tweak it..sure.
If all you are going to do is shit all over someone elses hard work, then you have to be able to offer alternatives.
Cidepix already did. It doesnt matter to me so much because i will do exactly as has been said. I can take the parts and tweak them as i like. So both you and shelma must have skipped over the parts where we thanked shelma for her work. 🙂
Getting people interested should NOT be accomplished by misrepresenting what SY is, imho.
This thread is going nowhere so i will bow out now. I have images to upload and im trying to find out why leos name is showing up on my images in a google search. To me, that is much more pressing. Oh, and getting sales.
No, you can’t. I own the copyright to my work. You absolutely do not have my permission to use one word of it.
@shelma1 wrote:
You’re all free to change or modify whatever you like. If there are problems with Bluehost, though, I’d recommend changing the online instructions. If you want to attract artists, I’d keep things as simple as possible so you don’t scare people away.
@shelma1 wrote:
No, you can’t. I own the copyright to my work. You absolutely do not have my permission to use one word of it.
Shelma, I’m a bit confused. In the first post quoted you say we can change or modify what we like and later say no we can not change one word and implying copyright violation if we use it.
I thought your overall summary was good but agree that cidepix and Cathy have valid concerns with use of specific terms like commission and join that make it sound like there is a central agency.
So are you saying now that this was all for nothing as none of us can use this?
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