For at least as long as I’ve been involved with microstock I’ve been running into forum posts and being sent emails asking when should microstock images be uploaded/submitted for two specific reasons:
1) The best time for reviewers to be ‘generous’ with acceptance.
2) The best time for accepted images to appear in front of the most buyers.
Usually the forum threads end up as long chains of speculation and superstition, so here’s a quick attempt to settle when ‘most’ photographers really do choose to upload their images
I can’t be hugely specific about a best time for each of the specific goals above, but with some digging around in the database here’s basic information about when microstock photographers actually distribute their images to the agencies:
And a follow-up, when do most photographers upload to each specific agency:
Both charts suggest a tuesday is the most popular day for uploading to microstock, although this timeline is probably equally indicative of a weekend-shoot, mid-week processing cycle as of anything else, and the differences between days whilst significant is not a clear majority for either the normal-average OR the more experienced contributors, suggests that ‘most’ photographers don’t have a ‘magic day’ to do their submissions. Hopefully that’s that question settled, though I doubt it, I’m sure this question will continue to pop up, it’s the one I hear second-most after the whole microstock copyright stripping thing
My best answer… To sell more photos, submit your images when they are ready… no sooner, no later
When do you upload? Do you have a ‘magic day’?