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My Journey
with Shutterstock

designer’s guide to making money in stock media

My Story

Hello Everyone!

I’m Mohamed Farhan, a Visual Designer and Animator with over five years of
experience in this field. I am thrilled to share my story with all of you.

When the pandemic hit us hard, many of us found ourselves in a struggle to keep our jobs. As a designer myself, I was searching for ways to generate income in the online world. I began exploring new opportunities, and that’s when I stumbled upon selling digital assets—assets that I created—on platforms like Shutterstock and Adobe Stock. I joined them on October 09th, 2020.

At first, I started by uploading some random background photos and vectors, with no real research behind it. It worked, but let me tell you—it was slow. Very slow. I didn’t make my first $1,000 until August of 2023, almost three years in. By that time, I had uploaded over 300 videos and 50+ photos and vectors.

That’s when I realized I needed to change something, to step it up. After a few months of research and A/B testing, I discovered a critical truth: It’s not just about creating high-quality images or videos or staying on trend. The real key lies in simplicity—good quality content, paired with the right keywords and titles.

After this breakthrough, I made an extra $3,500 within just a year. And the best part? It’s still growing month after month. Nowadays, I only spend 2 to 4 hours on weekends maintaining this. It’s become my mainstream passive income, freeing me up from relying so much on my day job in the future.

Thank you!

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