Author Topic: iStock's sudden dip in traffic on 2011 Q1 (Read 5446 times)

davidgoh · « **on:** February 05, 2013, 00:52 »

I've attached a screenshot of iStock's latest Alexa traffic graph. Every time I check iStock's ranks on Alexa, this little detail fascinates me - What exactly happened during the Q1 of 2011 that would have caused such a harsh drop in traffic? Do anyone of you old timers know?

nicku · « **Reply #1 on:** February 05, 2013, 01:14 »

Do you realize we are in Feb. 2013......

tickstock · « **Reply #2 on:** February 05, 2013, 01:17 »

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #3 on:** February 05, 2013, 01:21 »

Lots of changes - negatives for buyers and contributors - during that time. Can't recall about site outages or functionality losses as that's all so hard to track. Sept 2010 was when they announced the RC scheme and Jan 2011 was when it started. Vetta prices went up, Agency Collection on iStock was introduced and a bunch of Getty content started flooding over to iStock

davidgoh · « **Reply #4 on:** February 05, 2013, 01:23 »

Quote from: nicku on February 05, 2013, 01:14

Do you realize we are in Feb. 2013......

Aye, I do... no harm in being curious of the past though, is there?

nicku · « **Reply #5 on:** February 05, 2013, 03:08 »

Quote from: davidgoh on February 05, 2013, 01:23

Quote from: nicku on February 05, 2013, 01:14
Do you realize we are in Feb. 2013......

Aye, I do... no harm in being curious of the past though, is there?

Maybe was (hope) the critical point that started the accelerate decline of IS.

ShadySue · « **Reply #6 on:** February 05, 2013, 04:29 »

Wasn't that the time there was allegedly a difference in the way Alexa counted visitors?
The only thing is, IIRC that slump didn't affect the other micros.

gostwyck · « **Reply #7 on:** February 05, 2013, 04:33 »

Quote from: davidgoh on February 05, 2013, 00:52

I've attached a screenshot of iStock's latest Alexa traffic graph. Every time I check iStock's ranks on Alexa, this little detail fascinates me - What exactly happened during the Q1 of 2011 that would have caused such a harsh drop in traffic? Do anyone of you old timers know?

I believe it was predicted by the Mayans, 500-odd years ago, as a forerunner to the apocalypse.

wolfman · « **Reply #8 on:** February 05, 2013, 05:21 »

I'd say that's when many companies, review budgets for the year and instigate new cost saving measures

Microbius · « **Reply #9 on:** February 05, 2013, 05:46 »

Quote from: jsnover on February 05, 2013, 01:21

...Sept 2010 was when they announced the RC scheme and Jan 2011 was when it started. Vetta prices went up, Agency Collection on iStock was introduced and a bunch of Getty content started flooding over to iStock

There you go. I would say a lot of us stopped referring buyers to our IS ports around that time because of the new RC scheme

goober · « **Reply #10 on:** February 05, 2013, 07:59 »

Makes sense. For years a made $10 every few weeks by referral but after the change I've only had one referral - 18 credits. I've been going to take down my links by haven't got around to it yet.

davidgoh · « **Reply #11 on:** February 05, 2013, 20:59 »

Quote from: jsnover on February 05, 2013, 01:21

Lots of changes - negatives for buyers and contributors - during that time. Can't recall about site outages or functionality losses as that's all so hard to track. Sept 2010 was when they announced the RC scheme and Jan 2011 was when it started. Vetta prices went up, Agency Collection on iStock was introduced and a bunch of Getty content started flooding over to iStock

I see.

Thanks for the info!

lisafx · « **Reply #12 on:** February 06, 2013, 11:34 »

Quote from: ShadySue on February 05, 2013, 04:29

Wasn't that the time there was allegedly a difference in the way Alexa counted visitors?

Yes, there was a lot of discussion about it at the time and Istock's explanation was what you wrote above.

cthoman · « **Reply #13 on:** February 06, 2013, 11:54 »

I always just assumed it was because I stopped uploading. Buyers just didn't have a reason to show up anymore.

jamirae · « **Reply #14 on:** February 06, 2013, 17:16 »

Quote from: cthoman on February 06, 2013, 11:54

I always just assumed it was because I stopped uploading. Buyers just didn't have a reason to show up anymore.

actually I think you wrote this sort of jokingly, but a lot of regular istockers got burned with the RC scheme. though not a huge contributor myself, this is when I dropped exclusivity and stopped visiting the IS forums every minute/hour/day. It was my regular hangout and the complete lack of respect we all got with the Sept 2010 announcements ("money won't make you happy") stuff I think caused a lot of regular visitors (contributors) to stop visiting the site so much. It was just too depressing.

Since Alexa is on traffic only it makes sense that if contributors who spend their days hanging out in the IS forums suddenly stop or visit a lot less frequently, that will have an impact on the visits. Not to mention the fact that we also stopped buying from IS and started directing other buyers to other sites.

just my guess, anyhow. I have no actual data to back that up.

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Author Topic: iStock's sudden dip in traffic on 2011 Q1 (Read 5446 times)

davidgoh

nicku

tickstock

Jo Ann Snover

davidgoh

nicku

ShadySue

gostwyck

wolfman

Microbius

goober

davidgoh

lisafx

cthoman

jamirae

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