How can you tell what term was searched for when the image was downloaded (if that is what you meant).

By the way the keywords are ordered on the file page compared with their order as listed in the files actual keywords. They are rearranged to reflect something like the keywords which led to a click or sale. (Introduced with BM2.)

I think that particular photo isn't too bad for Christmas, and could see it being used as a background in Christmas compositions.

I know what you mean about Keywordzilla. S/he removed 'Europe' from a bird photgraphed in Europe, and whose range is in Europe. What if a buyer was trying to see all the available files of European birds to select from?

Yet an admin has just uploaded a series, all with the same keywords, of which 8 of which are just wrong (in the manner of, but not these specifics, 'apple' in a photo of oranges) and another 4-6 are very dubious but more 'vague'.

Thanks for clearing that up, I have been missing out on a really useful way of evaluating my keywords!

none of my recent uploads, from October 17 forward, are showing up in my portfolio or searches under any keywords.

The lack of urgency to fix these problems is astounding, especially after the recent cull by getty.

Last month I hit a low for this year for Istock sales (not PP). Month over month my sales continue to decline with about 2100 images there. Like most of you I have added somewhere around 500 more images this year but negative growth is my reward.  My PP sales were climbing to make up most of the losses from IS sales but Sept I did only avg with PP and for the first time this year I didn't make $500 for the month. I have a regular job so I feel really bad for those who rely on that income for a living. They have no voice, and just have to accept the inept responses from IS and struggle to make ends meet.

I'm a bit puzzled that the latest best match shifts have just about buried indie files (in the searches I check on) compared to a couple of days ago - but Monday I had an excellent day anyway. Possibly the best match results aren't useful so buyers are trying other searches? Or perhaps it's just sales from lightboxes made up days/weeks ago and things will plummet in a few days...

My two main 'test' searches have been changing constantly since this thread was started. Also, comparing with a friend, we get very different results on the same search. In one of them I just looked at, there are 5 indie files in the top 14. What is getting consistently slaughtered on my searches, as for many months, is E+ files my top selling image (E+) isn't in the top 200 in the best match, even when filtered to photos only. But a couple of days ago it was at 148 for me and about 189 for my friend.

My other main test also has 5 indies in the top 14, (and I noticed another two at positions 20 and 21, exactly the same as the first search). That's a search on which I had five files in the top 200 'photos only' the other day, and now none.

I'd get parnoid, but in another search, I've got five in the top 16. That search also has 5 indie files in the top 14, and another two exactly at positions 20 and 21.

It may settle down in a while. Or ...

I think the key thing to remember is the totally different search results different people are getting.