Author Topic: Fotolia search - still problems (Read 5819 times)

leaf · « **on:** July 10, 2008, 05:08 »

Has anyone figured out why some images just don't show up in the search, perhaps more accurately why some some keywords don't seem to work.

Try this search
http://www.fotolia.com/search?k=vigeland

No images come up, yet that keyword is these four files for sure and probably others
http://www.fotolia.com/id/7812178
http://www.fotolia.com/id/7812176
http://www.fotolia.com/id/6264592
http://www.fotolia.com/id/6264475

leaf · « **Reply #1 on:** July 10, 2008, 05:10 »

ok.. actually i might have found my answer. Check this thread

http://www.fotolia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=125279#p125279

There Sophia Winters says that images don't show up if the words are not in the fotolia dictionary. Seems to be right.

vonkara · « **Reply #2 on:** July 10, 2008, 07:35 »

Well thanks for the input, but my files wasn't showing using "cereal bowl hand". Then I guess they need more words in their dictionary.

Peter · « **Reply #3 on:** July 10, 2008, 12:39 »

Quote from: leaf on July 10, 2008, 05:10

There Sophia Winters says that images don't show up if the words are not in the fotolia dictionary. Seems to be right.

I must correct you: I have come up first with that theory long time ago. hh

louoates · « **Reply #4 on:** July 10, 2008, 12:55 »

I repeat. Their search function is broken. Terminally so with images uploaded before Version 2. Near as I can tell it works only if you search for 1 key word. In numerous tests of my best images there I can find them only with 1 key word. If I use, say, my best 3 keywords, even though they are all common words, my images are so far down the list to be worthless. They may have solved some of the keyword problems with images uploaded after V2. But unless you re-upload those golden oldies and follow some mystical formula, you don't have a prayer with real-world searches. For me their measly commissions make it just another way to waste time.

jsnover · « **Reply #5 on:** July 10, 2008, 13:57 »

I had no idea that it was this bad - that they had to "know" about a word for it to be found in a search.

I can understand that for translations to work it has to be in the dictionary, but it makes sense (to me) that you'd allow someone to type in supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and if that word happened to be on an image it'd be found.

What about latin plant or species names, as an example of words that need no translation? Why require those to be in the dictionary for search to work?

I asked in the FT forums if there's any way we can tell if a keyword is in the dictionary (other than by seeing that it doesn't show up in a search). It seems nonsensical to ask people to suggest keywords to add if you don't give them any way to know what's not there...

sam100 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 10, 2008, 15:15 »

Their whole search is a mess. Drop down on sales of about 50-60 % compared to a few months ago. Seeing it doesn't affect my ranking much the logical conclusion is the higher ranked are also doing poor on sales.
Take on top of that the intro of the subs.. not doing much good...

Patrick H.

Alatriste · « **Reply #7 on:** July 10, 2008, 15:30 »

If you look for "Plentzia" (name of a Village) yo find some of my images in the spanish site where I uploaded the files.
You dont find anything if you search in the US site.

The engine doesnt translate Names whitch are not in its dictionary but you find the image if you look for it in the correct site.

For me FT works as usual. Not excelent but not bad

jsnover · « **Reply #8 on:** July 10, 2008, 16:51 »

Quote from: Trebuchet on July 10, 2008, 15:30

The engine doesnt translate Names whitch are not in its dictionary but you find the image if you look for it in the correct site.

I don't think this is correct. I have two images of Hever Castle, but the word "Hever" isn't in the dictionary (it's a town name as well as the castle name). On the US site - where I submitted the photos - that image can't be found using the keyword Hever.

What's worse is that if you do get to the image itself, there are some bolded keywords (I assume the first 7 as there are 7 of them). Click on the big bold hever and get a search saying 0 results. Buyers must just love this.

vphoto · « **Reply #9 on:** July 10, 2008, 17:07 »

the conciseness of FT dictionary appalls me. Who is the devil creator of it?

louoates · « **Reply #10 on:** July 10, 2008, 17:25 »

My overall ranking there is 1615. I have no idea if that's good. But what's bad is the rotten sales there this year for me. And more and more of those sub-standard subscription sales. I'm not sure if I can opt-out of subs there. Might as well, if possible. I opted out at StockEx a few months ago and am pleased with the results.

cphoto · « **Reply #11 on:** July 10, 2008, 17:50 »

I used to be in the 600, but now I sank to 1200 since the change in search engine (and my sales dropped 50%), so someone else must be having better sales...

I think Fotolia has the worst search engine of all, and the most unpredictable.

jsnover · « **Reply #12 on:** July 10, 2008, 20:49 »

You can only opt out of subs on FT for exclusive images (and the Infinity collection is all excluded).

My sales at FT have dropped like a rock in the last couple of weeks. I was in the 120 all time/250 7 day rank and now I'm 168/750 or something like that. It's been catastrophic.

IOW it isn't me that's having all your sales

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Author Topic: Fotolia search - still problems (Read 5819 times)

leaf

leaf

vonkara

Peter

louoates

jsnover

sam100

Alatriste

jsnover

vphoto

louoates

cphoto

jsnover

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