I have just added a Discussion board to texturevault, to allow members to interact and help shaping the site.
We currently have over 790 photographers and 2577 members that have signed up for the site, so I’m positive that a discussion board will prove useful.
So if you have anything to share, please visit the boards at http://www.texturevault.net/forums
I’m happy to announce that we have enabled subscriptions at texturevault.net
We are offering a monly subscription at $49 (save $51), which includes 25 high resolution textures. We also offer a yearly subscription for $499 (save $541) which includes 260 high resolution textures. It’s a great deal for those who need a steady flow of fresh textures. We add new textures daily.
Current members can now choose to upgrade/renew their account if they want to buy a subscription.
As for the photographers, we are paying a flat $1.20 per subscription download. The 60% cut still applies to all “Pay as you go” purchases.
Affiliates will earn 10% of all subscription sales they refeer, so it’s a great opportunity to earn some extra cash.
This lineup is based on page-views during December 1st. 2009 to January 31st. 2010. The list does not reflect sales, but shows the most popular categories viewed by visitors.
#1, Paper Textures (6.409 views)
#2. Abstract Textures (5.746 views)
#3. Grunge Textures (4.498 views)
#4. Fabric & Fiber Textures (4.418 views)
#5. Bokeh Textures (4.228 views)
#6. Glass Textures (3.820 views)
#7. Metal & Rust Textures (3.820 views)
#8. Wood Textures (3.777 views)
#9. Architecture Textures (3.690 views)
#10. Skin Textures (3.344 views)
The Paper category has surpassed Abstract since last time, which gives you an idea what people are looking for.
Traffic
The site traffic is steady and as yo can see from the image below, we have around 45-50 thousand unique visits per month.
This lineup is based on page views in the period July 1st to September 1st. 2009
The list below does not reflect what textures are selling best, but only the general interest of people that visit the site.
However, this gives us an idea on what people are looking for when they visit the site.
#1, Abstract Textures (7.759 views)
#2. Paper Textures (6.644 views)
#3. Plants & Foliage Textures (5.476 views)
#4. Glass Textures (5.156 views)
#5. Bokeh Textures (5.015 views)
#6. Grunge Textures (4.874 views)
#7. Fabric & Fibers Textures (4.780 views)
#8. Clouds Textures (4.573 views)
#9. Liquid Textures (4.554 views)
#10. Wood Textures (4.382 views)
As before, the Abstract and Paper categories are the top ones, but Plants & Foliage has gotten more attention since last time due to more uploads and quality photos.
Since our launch back in May 2009, we’ve had good traffic and positive feedback. The sales slowly started coming in, but the traffic in the beginning wasn’t converting as much as I had hoped for. I knew that I would have to work hard and wait for a few months to see a positive increasement in conversion, and keep the flow of quality content and traffic coming to the site.
I’m going to share with you how traffic and sales have been evolving since the launch, and I’m very happy to say that it’s been going upwards. Although the traffic has settled, Im seeing a higher conversion rate than in the beginning.
The graph above shows a 400% growth in revenue from sales during May to August. However, it does not illustrate the number of textures sold.
The graph above shows the traffic to texturevault.net in “unique visitors”. Although the traffic in August is less than in June and July, the sales went up, meaning that the conversion rate is higher due to more targeted traffic and repeated visits.
The conclusion is that this is positive for our photographers and affiliates, and shows that we are on the right track to success.
After receiving multiple requests, we have added the option for buyers to purchase an extended license which allows them to use the textures in material (digital and print) intended for re-sale.
The extended license has a fixed price of $99 per image.
I’ve had a few requests from buyers if they can use the textures in web templates or graphic material intended for resale. According to our standard royalty free license, the textures may not be resold on a mass scale.
Now, we do have the possibility to add an extended license to the shop system here at texturevault, but the questions is, how do we price it?
Here is a draft of the license:
Texturevault Extended License for physical and electronic sale and distribution.
A) Use our photographs in electronic devices with no limitations! (i.e. computer, iPhone, phones, etc.) software applications, website templates, wallpapers, screen savers, e-cards and email or brochure templates.
B) Use our photographs in items for resale, including: cards, stationery items, stickers, paper products, posters, calendars, mugs, mousepads, t-shirts, apparel items, games, toys, entertainment goods, or framed artwork.
There would be some restrictions to the license, like selling the unaltered image on stock sites and etc.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this.
Since we launched May 3rd. 2009, texturevault.net has had over 50.000 visitors and over 300.000 pageviews. Based on those numbers the following categories get the most views:
#1. Abstract Textures (6.800 views)
#2. Paper Textures (5.900 views)
#3. Glass Textures (5.000 views)
#4. Bokeh Textures (4.900 views)
#5. Clouds Textures (4.700 views)
#6. Liquid Textures (4.700 views)
#7. Grunge Textures (4.600 views)
#8. Fabrics & Fibers Textures (4.600)
Judging by this line up, the Abstract section is the most popular one. It also has the most sales. Why abstract textures sell more than others? I’m not sure, but it can have something to do with how buyers think when choosing a texture to buy. Do they have to spend time editing the photograph, or can they used it “As is” with minimal effort and changes.
This is something I think you photographers should think about when submitting images to sell. Do some extra work on the photos, make them appealing to the buyers, and you will get more sales.
The list above also gives you a hint on what to shoot next, right?
Comment system online
Today I’ve added a comment system to the gallery.
All members can now comment on their favorite textures.
The texture “ratings” have also been changed to “Members only”.