Microstock for beginners

 

Microstock is a specialized site intermediary on which any interested author (who has passed registration) can post his work for sale:

• photo 

• videos 

• raster and vector illustrations

In addition, there are specialized microstocks selling music, AE templates, 3D, program code, etc. 

This material, like the described method of additional income, is suitable only for CG specialists: photographers, videographers, 3D designers, illustrators, programmers, and musicians. That is, everyone who knows how to create digital content at a good level. Who is this material for? First of all, for those who have no idea what microstocks are, do not understand how you can make money selling photos, videos, or other creative content, how it works, and where to start. There are many microstocks, they differ in design, functionality, rules, but basically these are minimal differences, the constructive part is very similar, so if you are dealing with one microstock, you can easily figure out the rest.

And yes, you can upload the same picture to different microstocks and get income from each, but before running and registering everywhere, we advise you to focus on one thing - this way you will quickly understand microstock specifics, understand the uploading procedure, and other technical issues. 

Microstock is a specialized site intermediary on which any interested author (who has passed registration) can post his work for sale:

• photo 

• videos 

• raster and vector illustrations

In addition, there are specialized microstocks selling music, AE templates, 3D, program code, etc. 

Do you need to be able to draw / photograph/shoot video to get on microstock?

You don't have to be a super pro in your field to work in the microstock industry, but you do need some basic skills. To prevent expectations and hopes from microstocks being smashed against the stones of reality, you need to soberly assess your level.

For most authors, microstock is a springboard that they use to improve their skills. Even if after a couple of years of work you decide to change your occupation, go, for example, to freelance, then you will already have certain knowledge and skills that will allow you to move on. You don't need to be able to draw in the classical sense of the word to pass the exam (or even to start making money). Drawing skills are a bonus, but not a necessity.

You already know how to draw, just haven't found your tool/style yet, or haven't given enough time to practice. It is impossible to learn to draw in theory, you need to practice. 

Take time to work daily 

Drawing microstock is like a sport. If give up training for a couple of weeks - the muscles lose their tone, become lethargic, and all that. Moreover, the better you are in shape, the longer the tone will last without effort. 

So, in terms of the microstock industry - if you've already hit 1,000$ a month, then a month or two won't make much of an impact on your income. Therefore, if you have already decided to start, be ready to do it regularly. It is impossible to start from scratch and make a good income working with stocks in the background one or two hours a week. This simply does not happen in today's competitive environment, because you have to draw a lot, well, and on the right topics. But this story has a downside: if you work hard every day, you will get the feedback pretty quickly.

Honestly admit to yourself why you need a microstock

"To make money!" - you might say. And then you should be well aware that if you come to microstocks for money, you should treat them as a business, and not as a hobby. Get ready for the fact that you have to step out of your comfort zone, draw something that is not interesting to you, simply because the buyer needs it.

You need to understand that microstock is not primarily for making money, they are important for learning, for motivation to learn new tools/techniques, for self-realization, in the end. Consider the money you've earned as a bonus. Because if you come to microstock with zero knowledge and no experience, but with a request to “make  500$ in three months,” you will almost certainly be disappointed in the microstock industry. On stocks, money comes slowly and not as easily as promised in the notes five years ago. If your main motivation is money, constantly remind yourself of this. Do not allow yourself to waste time on “drawing flowers because you want to,” just concentrate on finding themes and only then on drawing.

How to start making money on microstock

The very first step an author should take before starting to make money on microstock is to go through the registration process. Consider ways to make money.

• Photo

To make money selling photos, you should do the following: 

1. Select photos to upload to the stock photo after processing them. Processing includes color correction, removal of noise, unnecessary details and inscriptions, retouching.

2. Write down the title of the work, a short description, and then select the keywords (you can just copy the ones that are already in the catalog).

The photo must be at least 4 megapixels and the format must be JPG.

• Illustrations

To sell illustrations on a photo microstock, you need to do the following:

1. Install the program that will help to create the illustration.

2. Create an illustration.

3. Upload in JPG format on site.

Illustrations are allowed for sale in EPS 8 format (almost all microstocks work with it), color model - RGB, size - up to 15 Mb. In addition, you need to separately prepare a preview file in JPG format and size from 4 to 25 megapixels.

• Video

The advantage of making money on video is that there is no redundancy in this case, as with illustrations and photographs. This is due to the high level of requirements for the qualifications of the seller. You will need to be able to work with video editors and create interesting video sequences.

To sell a video on a microstock, an author must do the following:

1. Have a good camera that shoots at a resolution of at least 1920x1980.

2. Film a video.

3. Select and download a program for processing.

4. Upload the processed video to the photo stock via FTP.

Photo stocks have different requirements for videos, but mainly these are: 

1. Duration - from 5 sec. Up to 1 min., Size - up to 1 GB.

2. Format - QuickTime.mov, Mp4, Mpg. 

3. Resolution - 2K, 4K DCI, Ultra HD TV, HD, NTSC D1, NTSC, PAL.

Microstock allows photographers, illustrators, and video operators and from all over the world to make money online. Earnings depend on the professionalism and the number of works in the portfolio, but its size is not limited. On our site, you can find examples of the best photos for microstock. Look for examples of work and do self-development in this area.