Stock photography sites are moving towards free, with either free samples (Photoxpress) or ad-supported images (Fotoglif, GumGum, PicApp). In an effort to encourage a broader distribution of its ad-carrying photos, Fotoglif is opening up a revenue-sharing API for developers. The first 500 people to sign up using the promotion code “Techcrunch” will get into the beta program.
The API gives developers access to millions of photos and related data, which they can mashup into widgets and other apps. The developers get to keep 20 percent of any resulting AdSense dollars generated by the images. Fotoglif pays the photographers 50 percent, and publishing sites another 20 percent, which doesn’t leave much for the startup.
The ads are little contextual text ads at the bottom of the image. They are not horrible, but they aren’t beautiful either. Attaching ads to stock photos is a good idea, but these companies still need to work on presentation. Maybe that is where a developer using the API can help.
Difficult to see where this can go, when you have a non advertising resource (and robust 3rd party api’s) as good as Flickr to compete with.
Signed up for an API key to test with, and it hasn’t been emailed yet. #ouch
You’re not alone. I didn’t get an API key either!
Just wanted to mention you need an basic fotoglif account to request an api, but didn’t get mine either… don’t really care either, ah well…
There seems to be an error on the form. It says correct above errors but does not state what the error is, hmmmmm
Countach, never liked it.
I’ve seen Picadmedia on some blog photos and it looks pretty slick in comparison to this. Just not sure how good the ads will be, though.
error error on the form,
fix the problem & make it perform!
wow!
Tron much?
With a cut like that i’ll try my odds with ripping off Flickr pictures and putting an adsense unit under them. The guys behind this probably just noticed that Google Adsense had an API and wanted to mess around with it.
Kind of borrowing the idea of displaying ads from YouTube. Everybody is thinking now how to make their sites generate huge amount of money http://www.mone...ag/millionaire/
My apologies for the delays in issuing keys. They will be out to those of you who registered shortly. In the event that you are having issues with the form, please do not hesitate to send an email along to support@fotoglif.com along with your Fotoglif user name and we will make sure you are taken care of as well. Thanks and again my apologies for the delays in getting these keys out to folks.
Regards,
Mike
The PayPal section seems to be broken, it does not save the email you typed. Fotoglif was not ready for the TC effect?
Good start, though.
Hector, that’s actually just a small UI bug, after you have entered your PayPal ID and hit “confirm” that data is logged on our side for payment distributions. The bug is that the field doesn’t stay populated. I have logged a ticket on it and we will get it fixed ASAP. Thanks very much for pointing it out though.
Best,
Mike