MicrostockGroup
Agency Based Discussion => iStockPhoto.com => Topic started by: kelby on October 30, 2012, 01:49
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Looks like Sandy has brought a new Best Match shake over the night
http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=347769&page=9#post6770319 (http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=347769&page=9#post6770319)
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Oh one of those? best match? whats that?
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I can't say I can see any difference on my standard searches although I did have quite a good day for sales yesterday (relative to how things are nowadays anyway). The search results at IS now seem to take forever to actually appear.
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Why the link to page 9 of the bugs page ?
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Why the link to page 9 of the bugs page ?
Because originally there was a post by Leontura(?) I think, extolling the merits of the lastest best match shake. Meanwhile, it seems this post has been caught by a glitch in the matrix :o :-X
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Looks like an ongoing rumble - yesterday, one of my test files was 'up' at position 58; earlier when I read this thread, it was way down below 150, and what I noticed was a LOT of audio files above it. That was about half an hour ago. Now my test tile is at position 79 with only one audio file above it. And for those who care about such things, 24 independent files above mine.
Like all BMs in the past month, new files are very quickly submerged - within a day or two in my test searches.
Of course, everybody's best match results are different: mine are different logged in or logged out.
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Did a few christmas searches yesterday and today, and are getting completely different results. Some quite low selling files from last year is at the top and a couple of new bestsellers (uploaded about a month ago and with over 100 downloads) seems to be gone (I gave up after 16 pages).
So, yet another little step towards the iStock suicide. Let's put the old low sellers at the top. ;)
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Purpose self destruction of an agency, seen it before after so called take-overs. With all the problems, these constant absoloutely meaningless changes, its almost as if they want exclusives to leave, buyers from buying. So when its all washed up they can easily fold without too much heat.
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My sales yesterday was about 40% of what they usually are on a weekday. If that's because of the new moronic best match change I'm in BIG trouble... microstock is my only income and I can't afford a 60% cut.
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My sales yesterday was about 40% of what they usually are on a weekday. If that's because of the new moronic best match change I'm in BIG trouble... microstock is my only income and I can't afford a 60% cut.
Note that yesterday was a public holiday in many european countries. Most people won't work today neither.
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My sales yesterday was about 40% of what they usually are on a weekday. If that's because of the new moronic best match change I'm in BIG trouble... microstock is my only income and I can't afford a 60% cut.
Note that yesterday was a public holiday in many european countries. Most people won't work today neither.
10 European countries have a public holiday in Europe on Nov 1, out of the 45
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My sales yesterday was about 40% of what they usually are on a weekday. If that's because of the new moronic best match change I'm in BIG trouble... microstock is my only income and I can't afford a 60% cut.
Note that yesterday was a public holiday in many european countries. Most people won't work today neither.
10 European countries have a public holiday in Europe on Nov 1, out of the 45
Anout twelve, but besides UK, the biggest and richest, including Germany and France.
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My sales yesterday was about 40% of what they usually are on a weekday. If that's because of the new moronic best match change I'm in BIG trouble... microstock is my only income and I can't afford a 60% cut.
Note that yesterday was a public holiday in many european countries. Most people won't work today neither.
10 European countries have a public holiday in Europe on Nov 1, out of the 45
Anout twelve, but besides UK, the biggest and richest, including Germany and France.
Germany only some parts.
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Note that yesterday was a public holiday in many european countries. Most people won't work today neither.
10 European countries have a public holiday in Europe on Nov 1, out of the 45
Anout twelve, but besides UK, the biggest and richest, including Germany and France.
I never heard of a UK holiday on Nov 1st. Certainly not in Scotland.
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Note that yesterday was a public holiday in many european countries. Most people won't work today neither.
10 European countries have a public holiday in Europe on Nov 1, out of the 45
Anout twelve, but besides UK, the biggest and richest, including Germany and France.
I never heard of a UK holiday on Nov 1st. Certainly not in Scotland.
Me neither, nor in Northern Ireland or Ireland
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Nor England.
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Yes, I meant UK no (except Scotland). Sorry for my poor English. But there's also a lot or non european contries (South and Cental America mainly). In general, Catholic countries.
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Yes, I meant UK no (except Scotland).
Definitely not Scotland.
I'm sure Sandy is still having an effect. According to the Beeb this morning 6 million homes and businesses were still without electricity. And that's in one of the main buying zones, for whom stock photos are currently bottom of their agendas. As of now, still 3.5 million homes and businesses without electricity. And many of them will need to clear up and take stock before it's business as usual.
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Also, a moderator on the iStock forum has confirmed that the search is messed up at the moment. Really hope they'll fix it fast... many searches gives really weird and useless results.
pink_cotton_candy:
"hi folks, this is being addressed. I'll update as soon as I have more news."
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Also, a moderator on the iStock forum has confirmed that the search is messed up at the moment.
That's 'news'? I'd have thought it would be 'news' if iStock ever actually got their website working correctly. I'd be absolutely stunned if that should ever happen. It would be one of those moments that you could tell your grandchildren "I was there when, ever so briefly, iStock actually worked properly ..."
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Note that yesterday was a public holiday in many european countries. Most people won't work today neither.
10 European countries have a public holiday in Europe on Nov 1, out of the 45
Anout twelve, but besides UK, the biggest and richest, including Germany and France.
I never heard of a UK holiday on Nov 1st. Certainly not in Scotland.
I thought the Scots were always on holiday? sitting by the shores of Loch Ness, sipping Ale and looking for Nessie?
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Also, a moderator on the iStock forum has confirmed that the search is messed up at the moment.
That's 'news'? I'd have thought it would be 'news' if iStock ever actually got their website working correctly. I'd be absolutely stunned if that should ever happen. It would be one of those moments that you could tell your grandchildren "I was there when, ever so briefly, iStock actually worked properly ..."
This thread is about the best match change, which turned out not to be a best match change but just another bug, which was a relief to know.
But of course I agree with you. I'm exclusive at iStock so nobody would be happier than me if things were fixed over there. It's hard to tell if it's because of poor management or incompetence among the staff that there are so many problems. Possibly both.
It would be absolutely fantastic if they could just hire a well reputed web agency with experience in building really complex systems (financial insitution web sites etc.) and rebuild the whole site from scratch, creating the most reliable and fastest microstock site in the business. If anyone can afford such an investment it's iStock. But I guess the greedy CEOs at the top would rather see maximum short term profits instead of investing for a better future.
I would also love to see prices lowered, collections (the Agency, E+, Vetta madness that are just confusing everyone...) removed and the same price for exclusive and non-exclusive files. It REALLY worries me that they seems compensate the decrease in sales by rising prices all the time. That's a great way to kill a business completely...
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Okay, search for Christmas using best match, and these files are on the first page (absolutely not a criticism of the quality of the files, so I think I am okay to link?)
Number 1 result, for perhaps the most competitive keyword of the year across all media:
http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-10871280-white-sparkles.php? (http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-10871280-white-sparkles.php?)
A very nice abstract background with no direct relevance
Number 4 result:
http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-21323212-new-year-2013.php? (http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-21323212-new-year-2013.php?)
A nice 3D render of "2013" with again, nothing directly Christmassy about it
And so on over the next 50 images
ETA
Another couple of very nice, but irrelevant images on page one
http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-illustration-21578369-decorative-menu-vintage-calligraphy-set.php? (http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-illustration-21578369-decorative-menu-vintage-calligraphy-set.php?)
http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-7472353-defocused-lights-xxl.php? (http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-7472353-defocused-lights-xxl.php?)
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Okay, search for Christmas using best match, and these files are on the first page (absolutely not a criticism of the quality of the files, so I think I am okay to link?)
Number 1 result, for perhaps the most competitive keyword of the year across all media:
[url]http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-10871280-white-sparkles.php?[/url] ([url]http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-10871280-white-sparkles.php?[/url])
A very nice abstract background with no direct relevance
Number 4 result:
[url]http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-21323212-new-year-2013.php?[/url] ([url]http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-21323212-new-year-2013.php?[/url])
A nice 3D render of "2013" with again, nothing directly Christmassy about it
And so on over the next 50 images
ETA
Another couple of very nice, but irrelevant images on page one
[url]http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-illustration-21578369-decorative-menu-vintage-calligraphy-set.php?[/url] ([url]http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-illustration-21578369-decorative-menu-vintage-calligraphy-set.php?[/url])
[url]http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-7472353-defocused-lights-xxl.php?[/url] ([url]http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-7472353-defocused-lights-xxl.php?[/url])
The first one has sold over 6000 times and the most searched for keywords are christmas background so it it totally relevant in my opinion.
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@ fotografer It seems that the images are showing up because they are popular, not because they are relevant. Not what I would want from a best match search myself.
How can you tell what term was searched for when the image was downloaded (if that is what you meant).
Just also noted that the contributor has said:
"Please note current Keywords were approved and updated by customer relations at Istockphoto on their end"
Which makes me think customers may have had the same observation as me.
Just to reiterate, it is a very nice and useful abstract background, but I suspect if I uploaded a new file like this one and used Christmas in the keywords I would get a soft reject for it now that they have tightened up on allowable keywords.
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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'.
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As ShadySue says the keywords for quite a while now are ordered depending on how often they were bought on a search for that word. Even the calendar one was bought on mostly searches for calendar and christmas.
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Thanks for clearing that up, I have been missing out on a really useful way of evaluating my keywords!
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Thanks for clearing that up, I have been missing out on a really useful way of evaluating my keywords!
Yes it's really interesting looking to see what keywords images sell on.
My previous post was incorrect I meant to put 2013 not calendar!
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none of my recent uploads, from October 17 forward, are showing up in my portfolio or searches under any keywords.
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none of my recent uploads, from October 17 forward, are showing up in my portfolio or searches under any keywords.
Well, ya know, they fix stats, they break portfolios and searches.
One step forward, two back.
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The lack of urgency to fix these problems is astounding, especially after the recent cull by getty.
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This is straight from the horses mouth!
Since they are in a total limbo. The smartest move they could ever make, would be a best match, suiting both independants and ofcourse their exclusives. That would stir, shake the pot.
Its quite obvious at the moment they are not getting much value out of their exclusives, exept anger and bitterness, so what have theyn got to lose?
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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.
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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...
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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.
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...I think the key thing to remember is the totally different search results different people are getting.
Understood.
I am seeing a change from last week though, so I think something has shifted. Also, I tried the searches not logged in on a browser I don't use (and from which I cleaned cookies and cache) and saw essentially the same results: Lots of agency and exclusive files up front and my file that had been in the top 20 somewhere in the 400s. It sold this morning though, so it's getting found somehow :)
It's not worth me spending much time on as I can't change any of it, but it does make me wonder what on earth they're thinking as they keep upending search results - and what buyers think who come back on a regular basis.