Microstock agencies and social networks – reloaded

© Miss X – Photocase.com

Last year on August I published a post about the use of social networks by the microstock agencies. In the meanwhile other initiatives have been implemented so I've decided to reprise that post and update it here.

Microstock agencies are progressively entering in the social network arena to enhance their online business, spread the word, improve branding and for direct customer care.

The biggest agencies are active, with different effort, on Twitter and Facebook. The first Facebook Applications and Twitter services have been launched. Let's see a list of the Twitter accounts, Facebook pages and new applications.

Twitter

Here a list of the Twitter accounts of the microstock agencies that I'm keeping up-to-date on the Stock Agencies list page and that you can follow, all at once, in the @mystcokphoto/stock-agencies list (members of the list):

• iStockphoto @istockhelp @istock @istockitalia @istockshows
• ThinkStockPhotos @thinkstock
• Shutterstock @shutterstock
• Fotolia @fotolia has replaced @fotoliaUSA
• Dreamstime @dreamstime
• Bigstock(photo) @bigstock has replaced @bigstockphoto
• Crestock @crestock
• 123RF @123rf
• Veer @veerupdate
• Phtocase @photocase
• The 3D Studio @The3dStudio
• Depositphotos @deposit_photos
• Moodboard @moodboardblog
• Cutcaster @cutcaster
• Pixmac @pixmac
• Panthermedia @panthermedia
• Yaymicro @yaymicro
• Clustershot @clustershot
• Polylooks @polylooks_com
• Pixamba @pixamba
• Snapixel @snapixel
• Mostphotos @mostphotos
• Vivozoom @vivozoom
• ReflexStock @ReflexStock
• Arctic Stock Images @ArcticStock

Snapixel @snapixel permits to tweet your new uploads directly after the upload phase and to invite your followers to vote for your photo to be published on the Snapixel Magazine.

Shutterstock @shutterstock has launched Shuttertweet that gives you the ability to instantly send out tweets regarding new images added to your portfolio and/or about your daily download count. They added your referral ID to the Twitter URLs so if someone makes a purchase after clicking the link, you’ll make a referral commission.

Twitter “traditional” agencies

This is a list – incomplete – of the twitter accounts of traditional (RM and RF)  stock agencies (also added to the @mystcokphoto/stock-agencies twitter list):

• Gettyimages @gettyimages @gettyimagesedit @gettycopyright @gettyimageswant
• Corbis @corbisimages
• Alamy @AlamyContribs @AlamyMarketing
• Blendimages @blendimages
• Photolibrary @photolibrary
• Imagesource @imagesource
• Stockshop @stockshop
• Photospin @photospin
• Masterfile @masterfile
• Inmagine @inmagineLLC
• AllTo1 @allto1

Facebook

Here a list of the Facebook pages/groups of the agencies:

• iStockphoto http://www.facebook.com/pages/iStockphoto-Inc/20425620824
• iStockphoto Italia https://www.facebook.com/istockphotoitalia
• Dreamstime http://www.facebook.com/dreamstime.us
• Shutterstock http://www.facebook.com/Shutterstock
• Fotolia http://www.facebook.com/Fotolia
• Fotolia Italia http://www.facebook.com/FotoliaItalia
• BigStock http://www.facebook.com/BigStockPhoto
• Pixmac http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pixmaccom/47843782736
• Panthermedia http://www.facebook.com/pages/PantherMedia-Stockagency-Fotocommunity/124146895258
• Moodboard http://www.facebook.com/moodboard.stock.photography
• Vivozoom http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=91130261291

Dreamstime has launched a Facebook application that allows members to connect their portfolios directly to their Facebook accounts. You can announce  your latest activities:  Downloads | Uploads | Sold photos | Blogs.

Pixmac has launched a similar application called My Pixmac. With this application, all Pixmac photographers can place their photo sales statistics in their Facebook profile or  send the 5 newest pictures from Pixmac to their Wall.

Recently also Shutterstock has introduced a new app for Facebook that let you make posts on your Wall. You can set it to post a daily summary when your images or videos are accepted to Shutterstock, a daily summary of your Shutterstock sales stats, or both. It works with both images and footage, and you can set it to make posts automatically, or you can make them manually. Referral links are used like in Shuttertweet.

If you know other twitter / facebook / social network applications related to the stock photography world, please leave a comment, it will be much appreciated.

© Photosani – Fotolia.com