I've been digesting the various thoughts here and came up with this analogy:We've all seen third parties come into the forums and blogs to spam the topics with their online malls and other retail merchandise. We all know it's spam and for [Read more...] posted in Views are worth for something?

I've been digesting the various thoughts here and came up with this analogy:We've all seen third parties come into the forums and blogs to spam the topics with their online malls and other retail merchandise. We all know it's spam and for the most part refuse to cater to these people but I'm sure there are a few who are curious and will visit the web sites. Of those, it's highly unlikely if they will make an actual purchase. Even if they do, the money spent will hardly be enough to pay off the spammer for their efforts.In other words, the work involved for spamming is a complete waste of time.Tweeting images is not spam but it has the same result in terms of generating traffic. People say they get maybe a few dozen views when they tweet an image but take away the web crawlers, you're only getting a handful of random hits from the curious.If you'd get 10,000 views after a tweet or similar strategy, then yeah, maybe it'd be worth the effort. Tweeting and similar strategies fails to target actual Buyers."Getting exposure" is a sore subject with me. I mentioned I've done other types of art. I was getting published in newspapers and magazines, all for little or no money. I came to realize that getting published is easy, making money is something else. Periodically I would get requests from people asking if I would work for them for free in order to enhance their publications at my expense. The caveat was always "You would get more exposure."If the goal is to get a couple dozen views, it's my opinion you'd be better off putting your energy in other areas.If you want more exposure, throw some of your images out for free. At least there is circumstantial evidence you will actually generate SALES. And that's the goal, SALES, not views.In the end, it's all about marketing. If you want to improve your marketing capabilities, I would suggest getting one of those cheap web sites where you don't need much skill to create. Throw up your images, link them to DT, and you will generate more interest in your images that way from prospective Buyers. This is partly because Google picks up on that, the more links to DT, the better DT fares in searches.There have been numerous threads on views and I have yet to see any value in the obsession with views. I can understand how amateurs are excited people are actually looking at their images. You're rubbing elbows with the big boys here and you get giddy with excitement. You let out a low whistle when you see a blog about someone having their image used on a book cover. Another blog tells how their image was used in a calendar. You're in the same game and have an equal chance of making a score and being able to say you're a professional photographer.Being able to say you're a professional photographer who's having moderate success is nice for the ego. It's a gratifying accomplishment. But doing that means making the right decisions. Being giddy with excitement because of views, you're letting things go to your head. When that happens you begin to lose your focus.Essentially, I am saying people try to read too much from views. There have been blogs devoted to long term studies of views. Counter that it's a waste of time, then the flaming starts.Yes, views are useful; views taught me that pictures of scarecrows in a garden is a poor stock concept. You will find that image now in my free section.Quality images, well executed concepts, good keywording, Buyers will find you if focus your energy on that.That's what I think about Views. Thus I offer my opinion to the gentle reader with hopes they consider their approach to the stock game and how best their energies may best be spent. :-) posted in Views are worth for something?