We were approached by the Eterstock team, a tech startup that combines a photo stock library with an AI platform. Their product is a unique symbiosis of creativity, technology, and economic freedom for creators.
But such an interesting and ambitious product was difficult to understand at first glance, so previous attempts at promotion did not yield the expected results. And that is why the team turned to us — Solve Marketing.
Main task:
Ensure a steady flow of targeted traffic to the platform and convert it into registrations, active use of functionality, purchases, or sales, depending on the user’s role.
In addition, an important part of the work was a detailed analysis of the marketing tactics and monetization models of key competitors to identify both opportunities for differentiation and market-proven approaches.
That was the beginning of our collaboration.
| How long did it take to develop the strategy? | 150 hours, 6 working weeks |
| What is the composition of the marketing strategy development team? | Head of Marketing Team, Project Manager, Head of Content Team, Operational Marketer, Head of PPC Department, PPC Facebook. |
| How were the results of the work used? | Independent implementation by specialists on the client’s side. |
More about the project
Our task was to conduct comprehensive marketing research and develop a strategy for Eterstock’s entry into international markets — primarily the US and European countries.
This included:
- Analysis of the competitive environment (photo stocks and AI solutions).
- Identifying the motivations of target segments.
- Formulation of a comprehensive promotion plan with an emphasis on differentiation and value communication.
Product
Eterstock is a next-gen platform where visual content creators get the highest royalties on the market, mix traditional content with AI-generated stuff, and set their own pricing.
- a unique hybrid of an AI platform and photo stock;
- the lowest cost of image generation on the market;
- roadmap of integrations with over 25 AI services;
- technology for creating a personal AI model from photos.
The database contains over 3.5 million images, 3 million of which were generated by artificial intelligence. Creators can set their own prices and sell AI content as regular stock.
Most importantly, new AI features based on Novita.ai paved the way for breakthroughs in working with video, deepfakes, and multimodal formats.
The platform opens up new horizons for freelancers, designers, marketers, and agencies as an ecosystem for monetizing creativity.
Insight: In digital products, it is not the one with more features that wins, but the one who understands how to fit their product into the needs and context of the user.
External environment analysis: how the rules are changing
When developing a marketing strategy for Eterstock, we started with the basics — market research, its structure, dynamics, and transformations. In the context of the rapid convergence of creativity and algorithms, photo stocks and generative AI services are no longer just competing — they are intertwined, influencing each other and shaping new behavioral scenarios for the audience.
2.1 Photo stock market: steady growth amid new competition
The global stock image market continues to show steady growth:
from $4.2 billion in 2022 to $7.3 billion by 2030.
This segment continues to evolve: from libraries of static photos to platforms with a high level of personalization and integration of new technologies.
📍 Demand for visual content also continues to grow due to the boom in social media, digital advertising, and video marketing.
Insight: There is no need to compete with big players by their rules — they have a different logic, different resources, and a different pace. Instead of copying corporate strategies, young brands can win thanks to their flexibility, deeper understanding of new audiences, and the relevance of their approach.
2.2 AI content market: growth outpacing the category itself
In 2022, the global AI image market was valued at $301 million, and it is expected to grow rapidly with a CAGR of 17.5%. This is not only due to innovation, but also because of a new type of demand — fast, customized, scalable content that is difficult to provide with traditional photo stocks.
📌 Trends:
- Generative models (DALL-E, MidJourney, Stable Diffusion) are gaining momentum in both B2C and professional use.
- AI images are most commonly used in media, advertising, and entertainment.
- North America leads in terms of revenue, while Asia leads in terms of growth rates.
AI services are a new progressive unit in the creation of visual content.
2.3 AI vs. photo stocks
We analyzed four main ways to meet the need for visual content:
- creating photos yourself;
- use of classic photo stocks;
- use of AI content in photo stocks;
- image generation via AI services.
🧩 Conclusions:
AI = uniqueness, flexibility, experimentation.
Photo stocks = speed, security, minimal effort.
The best option for users is a combination of both types of services, which creates Eterstock’s unique positioning as a hybrid platform.
We have identified a discrepancy between the speed of technological development and market adaptation, and this is where Eterstock’s strategic niche lies. The product has the opportunity to occupy a unique position — as a bridge between the stability of photo stocks and the dynamics of AI services.
Project analysis
When a business seeks strategy, the most valuable thing we can do at the outset is to see what stakeholders who have been immersed in their own product for too long fail to notice. That is why project analysis is a critically important step, without which the strategy will be either formulaic or flawed.
4.1 Service analysis
We analyzed the platform as potential users encountering the product for the first time. And here’s what we saw: Eterstock has great potential, but our first impression is mixed. The site looks like a generator, although in reality it is also a full-fledged photo stock. This immediately creates a barrier to perception.
We have described these points in detail in the form of case studies with examples and provided specific recommendations for each one. For example:
- how to reposition the main page so that it immediately shows the hybrid nature of the service;
- how to turn FAQs into a conversion tool from “a section that simply has to be on the website”;
- how to improve search, UX logic, and transparency of the financial model for creators.
4.2 Analysis of the advertising office
At the time of the audit, we found a typical situation in Eterstock’s advertising account: the account was set up with an automated strategy called “maximum conversions.” Since there was nothing for the system to learn from, the advertising was not working to achieve results. In addition, most of the traffic went to Ukraine, which was not among the priority markets.
Our specialists provided a number of recommendations at the current stage, which made it possible to spend the advertising budget more effectively.
4.3 Content and design analysis
At the time of developing the strategy, Eterstock had a working website, but it did not convey the brand’s values and did not lead the user to action. Therefore, Eterstock decided to redesign it and gave our specialists the structure in Figma for analysis and expert conclusions.
It is important that the website is not only visually appealing, but also leads to conversion. Therefore, we have described in detail the recommendations for improvement:
- adapt structure and communication for each audience;
- add interactive, promo codes, expert blog, block “How it works” in visual format;
- synchronize the web and mobile versions.
The benefits of a marketing strategy in comprehensive situation analysis and a systematic approach to development.
By auditing the product, customer experience, competitors, and channels, you can identify problem areas and create tools that are likely to lead to business goals, given the current state of affairs.
If you want to scale your product, start with an honest analysis. We don’t build strategies based on assumptions. First, we conduct in-depth research on the product, experience gained, communication, and digital architecture. Sign up for a free consultation to discuss the path to your business goals.
Competitor analysis
Users often evaluate you by comparing you to those who have already satisfied their request.
That is why, as part of our strategy, we always conduct an in-depth competitive analysis to understand what has already become the market standard and what has the potential to become your unique competitive advantage.
We study:
- user behavior logic;
- brand positioning;
- combination of promotion channels;
- social networks, referral programs, content strategy.
We researched projects that already combine photo stocks and AI-based image generation, and learned how their interaction with users is structured and what scenarios they implement on the website and in communications.
What did we see?
- The presence of AI functionality is no longer an innovation. It is now a must-have.
- Most competitors are actively building communities, particularly through Discord, blogs, gamification, and influencers, because the content business thrives on trust.
- Clear user segmentation: some pages are for buyers, others are for creators, and still others are for businesses. This allows you to personalize the experience from the very first seconds.
- Most of the traffic comes organically — meaning SEO and brand awareness are critical for scaling.
- The websites of strong players have an intuitive structure, clear benefits on the first screen, and lead magnets that immediately motivate users to register.
Get a strategic approach for achieving your goals!
Factors of choice
Customers choose what meets their expectations and needs + is understandable at the moment of choice.
That is why we do not work with an abstract “target audience.” It is important for us to understand the factors that influence each user’s decision-making.
In developing a marketing strategy for Eterstock, we used our own framework, “Choice Factors,” to research and compile the key factors that influence customer behavior at different stages of the funnel: from initial contact to repeat use of the platform.
While most businesses view competition solely in terms of product or price, the winner is the one who incorporates more choice factors into their marketing than others.
If your business has implemented most of the choice factors that are important to the customer, they will choose you.
Therefore, at the strategic stage, we identify which choice factors are implemented, which are missing, and which should be incorporated into communication, UX, value proposition, and interaction experience.
For Eterstock, we created a list of 110+ choice factors.
For more details about the framework and real results from the implementation of choice factors, read this article.
SWOT analysis
Every brand has factors that drive its growth and factors that can slow it down. SWOT is a way to make the key features that influence business development visible.
In order to conduct a high-quality SWOT analysis, we have already:
- conducted market analysis;
- compared 5+ competitors;
- studied customer behavior at the entrance to the funnel;
- examined the factors influencing choice;
- analyzed the current product and business model.
Thanks to this comprehensive approach, SWOT analysis becomes an additional strategic tool.
Basic marketing strategy
In the last section of the marketing strategy, we outlined the stages of development of the Eterstock platform based on preliminary research and identified consumer choice factors. Here is a list of stages without detailing the steps in each of them:
Stage 1. Product refinement
Stage 2. Active promotion
Stage 3. Development and scaling.
Marketing is not limited to advertising. If you feel that the product is strong but there are no results, the issue is not with functionality, but rather with the absence of a system.
This is where a marketing strategy comes in handy — a logically structured plan that starts with an audit, takes into account customer behavior, product strengths, and market dynamics, and transforms into a funnel, communication, actions, and metrics.
The Eterstock product had unique capabilities, but did not communicate them at the appropriate level.
In our approach, strategy is a managed system of development:
- gives the team a clear understanding of the steps;
- focuses communication;
- simplifies decision-making;
- turns marketing into a tool for achieving business goals.
🎯 If you are currently at the stage of:
- product launch or rebranding;
- scaling the platform to new markets.
This means that it is time to develop a clear and comprehensive action plan, because simply “launching an ad campaign” will most likely not be enough.
📩 Sign up for a free consultation, and we will show you where to start.
