AVD AlphaDuctions wrote:
zivity is like FB except that people pay to like photos. yes, you heard me right.  and you can like more than once.

its good for photographers who like to tell a story, as you publish photosets instead of individual images. Porn isn't allowed, and each photoset is checked by zivity before approval. Nudity is not even a requirement.  I deliberately did not look at your port so i have no clue if it would work for you or not.

for me, its beer and pizza money every quarter for essentially zero work.

YMMV

EDIT. the main reason it benefits (other than that nice little check you get in the mail) is that it allows you to choose 20 images from a certain look or location (or more) and post them all as a story. there is no 'portfolio' and no limitation so you dont have to worry about "what goes in my port and what has to get nuked?".  If you have ever shot a sequence with a model walking from an open field into the woods then you have shot a set that could go on zivity.  how many 'likes' or votes you would get would depend on your creativity.  the focus is on the set rather than the individual image. the images in the sequence that dont work well they simply arent part of the set.

am I making sense?

Thanks, man. I was curious, and had the *general idea'r, but ppl who spoke of it were mostly non-members referring to what they "heard"

Ðanny
DBIphotography Toronto (Blog On Site) 
DBImagery Toronto (Website)

AVD AlphaDuctions wrote:
Porn isn't allowed, and each photoset is checked by zivity before approval.

Art of the nude wrote:
Some people buy several hundred votes a year.  Some don't.

Patrick Walberg wrote:
Really?  Several hundred votes?  You mean that some "fans" are spending hundreds pf dollars a year on the site?  Let's see ... if you have 100,000 members paying an average of $100 a year ... that's $10,000,000, correct?  Do they really pull in those numbers or is my math off?

For April (23 days), The top 20 vote buyers purchased 8100 votes, but it doesn't show how many total people bought votes.  Anyone purchasing less than 117 for April wouldn't show up on the list.

Art of the nude wrote:

Art of the nude wrote:
Some people buy several hundred votes a year.  Some don't.

For April (23 days), The top 20 vote buyers purchased 8100 votes, but it doesn't show how many total people bought votes.  Anyone purchasing less than 117 for April wouldn't show up on the list.

Isn't it a $1 a vote?  Let's say the site is pulling in $25,000 a month then ... still far from a million a year.   On the flip side, as a small time solo owner without a large debt, I'd be thrilled with that kind of revenue.  Maybe they overestimated their ability to pull revenue?

Art of the nude wrote:
For April (23 days), The top 20 vote buyers purchased 8100 votes, but it doesn't show how many total people bought votes.  Anyone purchasing less than 117 for April wouldn't show up on the list.

Patrick Walberg wrote:
Isn't it a $1 a vote?  Let's say the site is pulling in $25,000 a month then ... still far from a million a year.   On the flip side, as a small time solo owner without a large debt, I'd be thrilled with that kind of revenue.  Maybe they overestimated their ability to pull revenue?

I have no idea how many people voted less than 117 times, or how many total votes it would be.  I looked at photographers for the last 30 days, and 20 of them got a total of 8500 votes, with the least making the list getting 210.  I thought someone said the total revenue was $20 million a year.  I was just showing that there ARE plenty of people who spend thousands of dollars there in a year, it's not just a hundred thousand people at $15/month.

Overall, it's certainly no way to get rich, but you can pick up a few bucks.  And, for models, there's pretty much no downside.  Photographers have to finish off more pictures from a "look" than most of us typically do, and might not get any great return from it, but models just do the shoot they would have.  If they choose to actively network, it greatly increases the chances of significant money, but all that's required is filling out a short form, and clicking yes for each set.

Art of the nude wrote:
For April (23 days), The top 20 vote buyers purchased 8100 votes, but it doesn't show how many total people bought votes.  Anyone purchasing less than 117 for April wouldn't show up on the list.

ontherocks wrote:
so then if my math is right zivity got to keep $1,215 for those 8100 votes (the vote costs $1 but zivity only keeps 15%, the rest goes to the photographer and model).

but aren't some voters (especially some of the top ones) hidden by request? and they also get monthly subscription fees plus some money for individually unlocking sets.

Honestly, I have no idea. 

I know that you get votes with payment of your monthly fee, but not enough to be relevant to a discussion of the people I was talking about.  As to whether someone can be hidden from that list, I don't know.    I also don't know anything about "unlocking" a set.  I don't even know anything about "locking" my sets, doesn't that kinda defeat the purpose?

Art of the nude wrote:
I also don't know anything about "unlocking" a set.  I don't even know anything about "locking" my sets, doesn't that kinda defeat the purpose?

Art of the nude wrote:
I have no idea how many people voted less than 117 times, or how many total votes it would be.  I looked at photographers for the last 30 days, and 20 of them got a total of 8500 votes, with the least making the list getting 210.  I thought someone said the total revenue was $20 million a year.  I was just showing that there ARE plenty of people who spend thousands of dollars there in a year, it's not just a hundred thousand people at $15/month.

Overall, it's certainly no way to get rich, but you can pick up a few bucks.  And, for models, there's pretty much no downside.  Photographers have to finish off more pictures from a "look" than most of us typically do, and might not get any great return from it, but models just do the shoot they would have.  If they choose to actively network, it greatly increases the chances of significant money, but all that's required is filling out a short form, and clicking yes for each set.

There are members spending thousands a year????    Tell me who?   I can't help but doubt you.  I'd say that if photographers and models are making "pizza money" at $50 to $500 a check, then it's not likely that the website is doing much better either.

Look at a website like Modelmayhem with around a half million users.  Only about 1% participate in the forums, and perhaps 10% are using their accounts at all.  This is basically a free website!  I can assure you that there are not as many active users on Zivity as there are here.

So let's say you've got about 100,000 members on Zivity.  If you have 100k members on Zivity paying $100 a year average, then you'll reach your $10 million mark.  I don't think it's happening.   We're talking about $1 and $10 purchases at a time, not thousands of dollars.

Patrick Walberg wrote:
There are members spending thousands a year????    Tell me who?   I can't help but doubt you.

Doesn't really matter if you doubt me.  It's real.  I've gotten about $100 in votes from one person, in a week or so, and I'm FAR from the most popular.  I've seen cases where one person voted 100, or even 500 times for a single set.

If you're a member,you can look up the total votes for the top people.

ontherocks wrote:
they had started a thing where a fan could purchase the right to view a single set for like $2. as an option to paying the monthly dues and being able to see all the sets.

How would you even know about the set if you're not a member?  I suppose, if I sent someone who isn't a member a link to a specific set, that might be relevant, but I thought it just forwarded them to the main page.

Art of the nude wrote:
Doesn't really matter if you doubt me.  It's real.  I've gotten about $100 in votes from one person, in a week or so, and I'm FAR from the most popular.  I've seen cases where one person voted 100, or even 500 times for a single set.

If you're a member,you can look up the total votes for the top people.

Ok, so you've had one person pay $100 in "votes" but I'm sure that's the exception and not a usual occurrence.  It's still a far cry from reaching the $20 million mark.   Out of that $100 in votes. you get how much?

I can believe $1 million in revenue is possible, but if $20 million was the goal for that website, it is not likely to have succeeded.

Art of the nude wrote:

Doesn't really matter if you doubt me.  It's real.  I've gotten about $100 in votes from one person, in a week or so, and I'm FAR from the most popular.  I've seen cases where one person voted 100, or even 500 times for a single set.

If you're a member,you can look up the total votes for the top people.

I'm finding it hard to imagine why someone (or lots of someone's) are going to spend $500 just so someone they don't know, "wins."

I would believe it if this were an auction site and the bidder wins something, like a signed photo, sex with photographer and model, whatever.

But to drop $500 so that a set that they like but have no reference point or connection to?   It doesn't make sense to me.

Maybe this big ticket voters are Zivity sock puppets to help generate excitement, or even wins for sets they like.

Patchouli Nyx wrote:
I'm finding it hard to imagine why someone (or lots of someone's) are going to spend $500 just so someone they don't know, "wins."

I would believe it if this were an auction site and the bidder wins something, like a signed photo, sex with photographer and model, whatever.

But to drop $500 so that a set that they like but have no reference point or connection to?   It doesn't make sense to me.

Maybe this big ticket voters are Zivity sock puppets to help generate excitement, or even wins for sets they like.

It makes absolutely no sense to me either.   The link above regarding the traffic does little to explain anything either ... as it's not that impressive.   It doesn't add up!

If I wasn't a photographer, and I were to want a particular "set" of a model, I'm sure that I could for example, approach you to produce such a set for me, correct?  You would do it for $500, right?  Maybe less?  As a photographer, I could find perhaps 5 models to shoot with me at $100 a piece?  Actually I am sure I could find 2 great models at $250 a piece!  So someone is buying votes in the amount of $500 or spends "thousands" voting on sets where they don't get anything more that the next member who could just as easily pay the subscription rate for the same content?

The thing that I don't like the push to sell "votes" as a way of making anything at all from the uploaded sets.  So the models & photographers get some recognition and pizza money?  What do the paying members get out of it?

Patrick Walberg wrote:
What do the paying members get out of it?

they get to see boobs, lots and lots of boobs

NicoleNudes wrote:
they get to see boobs, lots and lots of boobs

-sigh-  but I can see those for free.  I know how to use a camera and where to go on the net.  Boobs for free all over the place!   

Patrick Walberg wrote:

It makes absolutely no sense to me either.   The link above regarding the traffic does little to explain anything either ... as it's not that impressive.   It doesn't add up!

If I wasn't a photographer, and I were to want a particular "set" of a model, I'm sure that I could for example, approach you to produce such a set for me, correct?  You would do it for $500, right?  Maybe less?  As a photographer, I could find perhaps 5 models to shoot with me at $100 a piece?  Actually I am sure I could find 2 great models at $250 a piece!  So someone is buying votes in the amount of $500 or spends "thousands" voting on sets where they don't get anything more that the next member who could just as easily pay the subscription rate for the same content?

The thing that I don't like the push to sell "votes" as a way of making anything at all from the uploaded sets.  So the models & photographers get some recognition and pizza money?  What do the paying members get out of it?

I have NO IDEA what a paying member gets out of buying votes.

I understand paying access for sets.  That's basically what SG and met art does, you get to look at a whole set of a model you have the hots for.

But why buy $500 of votes so that the model and photographer "win?"  Is this some huge exercise in transference or something?

are people hoping to establish a relationship with the model and photographer by basically post crowd sourcing their finished sets?

Patrick Walberg wrote:

-sigh-  but I can see those for free.  I know how to use a camera and where to go on the net.  Boobs for free all over the place!   

I don't get it either but I'm not saying it doesn't happen.

Over the years I have got paid to shoot some freaky shit and I have learned that The wealthier people are, the freakier the shit they are likely to be into.
I have also learned that people with money are also often bored and have a different outlook on things to people of more average means.

I remember years ago a friend coming back from Japan telling me about used girls underwear sold in vending machines on railway stations. It took confirmation by a few different people over some years before I actually believed that was real.
If people will pay for that, well I guess Zivity is a walk in the park in comparison.

Looking at the site, to me most of what I saw on the previews I thought was pretty sub standard. Think of it what you will but there is some bloody high quality porn out there where no effort has been spared in making the shots as high a quality as can be done.

Why people would pay to look at the crap on Zivity when there are other sites that offer better quality or the same' Home Grown" type material for free, is beyond my comprehension.

Art of the nude wrote:
Doesn't really matter if you doubt me.  It's real.  I've gotten about $100 in votes from one person, in a week or so, and I'm FAR from the most popular.  I've seen cases where one person voted 100, or even 500 times for a single set.

If you're a member,you can look up the total votes for the top people.

Patchouli Nyx wrote:
I'm finding it hard to imagine why someone (or lots of someone's) are going to spend $500 just so someone they don't know, "wins."

I would believe it if this were an auction site and the bidder wins something, like a signed photo, sex with photographer and model, whatever.

But to drop $500 so that a set that they like but have no reference point or connection to?   It doesn't make sense to me.

Maybe this big ticket voters are Zivity sock puppets to help generate excitement, or even wins for sets they like.

What you can, or cannot, imagine, isn't really relevant.

It's not uncommon for there to be "incentives" beyond the normal incentive of a personal "thank you" message.  It would be a bad idea to underestimate the value of personal communication with the models though.  That has a lot of appeal to quite a few people.

Here, for example, is the incentive package for my work with Sky (Promoted by her, with my full approval; voters like the feeling of things coming from the model.)

I appreciate your votes! Here's what I would like to give my fans. These incentives apply to both "Sky in the woods" and "Sky in the barn," as well as my self-shot set "Hides in the Corner."

10 votes - 1 photo of your choice from the set
20 votes - 5 photos of your choice from the set
50 votes - all photos from the set
100 votes - signed 8x10 print of your choice plus a download of all photos from the set

As an extra "thank you," I will send a signed and personalized wallet-sized print to everyone who helps "Sky in the woods" win the New Model contest by voting 5 or more times, but only if it wins. The more you vote, the more likely it is to win, so please keep an eye on how well it's doing in the contest and do what you can. Let's see if we can win the new model contest together!

Patrick Walberg wrote:
There are members spending thousands a year????    Tell me who?

Patchouli Nyx wrote:
are people hoping to establish a relationship with the model and photographer by basically post crowd sourcing their finished sets?

Patrick Walberg wrote:
The thing that I don't like the push to sell "votes" as a way of making anything at all from the uploaded sets.  So the models & photographers get some recognition and pizza money?  What do the paying members get out of it?

Eye of the World wrote:
For those bashers who think "creatives" should be getting a better deal, if you (or anyone) can build a better mousetrap for selling their work, have at it. Or recommend a better existing alternative. Otherwise all the "I don't get it" and "why would anyone do that" type of comments just come across as whining and sour grapes. People spend tens of thousands of dollars (or time) on things I find worthless. So what, it is their time or money.

I am working on building a website that combines much of the best things about zivity and modelmayhem among others.  It's just taking me a long time ... as there isn't another like it!  I'm sure I'm not the only one working on it. 

Patrick Walberg wrote:
I am working on building a website that combines much of the best things about zivity and modelmayhem among others.  It's just taking me a long time ... as there isn't another like it!  I'm sure I'm not the only one working on it. 

When you get it done let me know!!