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Author Topic: Are Shutterstock trying to fool their customers? Popularity Score / Usage Score  (Read 8754 times)

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« Reply #25 on: February 08, 2022, 04:14 »
0
I wonder how much attention customers really pay to it. Do they care? Maybe they know it's meaningless and are they more concerned with finding the right photo for their needs irrespective of how many times it has been used.

My own best seller sold around 140 times last year but is marked as 'never used'. Yet it continues to sell.
I agree with you. I chalk up the errors to Shutterstock sloth and incompetence. They don't care.
This seems to be a failed experiment SS does not want to immediately remove for fear of causing worse problems.
I don't see how this has any affect on my port. Highly rated images barely sell and low rated ones go like hot cakes.

Yeah. If I were a customer, and find some images that fit my needs, I would probably even go for the one that's "never been used", instead of using the one that everybody else does. I would want to have the content that I create to be unique, supported by rather unique images instead of blurting out generic and all over the place stuff. But that's maybe just me.

So I should be happy when SS says one of my best images has low sales and use?  ;D

Personally I don't care either way. The ratings are wrong and irrelevant and I really don't care to spend time worrying at every little detail of how the agency sites are messed up. It's like the search to me. I can't change it, I shouldn't dwell on what happens.

What we need is likes and a popularity score for photos. I like likes... (just kidding)

You should be happy that your best image is probably ranking high for it's main keywords, and indeed, all the rest like popularity score is irrelevant. I really don't care either, just as I don't care about "befriended photographers scratching each other's back" likes on social media or photography platforms. Regarding popularity score I think it can work both ways: some customers probably want a popular image, others would want a rather unique one.

Just had a look on how the search options look like at Shutterstock. Besides "Most Popular" and "Fresh", they also have "Random" and "Most Relevant". I remember they removed "Most Relevant" in the past, and now it seems to be back. This gives customers some more options again, and might enable buried images to sell every once in a while again.

But, as you said, worrying too much about all of that is wasted energy.
I usually go for fire and forget tactics.


Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #26 on: February 09, 2022, 12:16 »
0

You should be happy that your best image is probably ranking high for it's main keywords, and indeed, all the rest like popularity score is irrelevant. I really don't care either, just as I don't care about "befriended photographers scratching each other's back" likes on social media or photography platforms. Regarding popularity score I think it can work both ways: some customers probably want a popular image, others would want a rather unique one.

Just had a look on how the search options look like at Shutterstock. Besides "Most Popular" and "Fresh", they also have "Random" and "Most Relevant". I remember they removed "Most Relevant" in the past, and now it seems to be back. This gives customers some more options again, and might enable buried images to sell every once in a while again.

But, as you said, worrying too much about all of that is wasted energy.
I usually go for fire and forget tactics.

Interesting as I don't see - "Most Popular" and "Fresh", they also have "Random" and "Most Relevant" - Oops, now I do. Wasn't like that in the past.

I think the idea of unpopular would favor some of mine?  ;)

I don't care about how they list mine or what kind of rating, just send money.

thijsdegraaf

« Reply #27 on: February 13, 2022, 05:23 »
0
All it takes is one or two of their more technical employees to quickly sort out this "bug".

I'll check back in 6 months and probably there will be no changes...who wants to make bet with me?

I should have made a bet with you, Alex!  :)
Some that were incorrectly listed (like this photo https://www.shutterstock.com/nl/image-photo/netherlands-alkmaar-january-25-2021-petrol-1904107591  ) as never used have now been changed.

Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #28 on: February 13, 2022, 11:13 »
0
All it takes is one or two of their more technical employees to quickly sort out this "bug".

I'll check back in 6 months and probably there will be no changes...who wants to make bet with me?

I should have made a bet with you, Alex!  :)
Some that were incorrectly listed (like this photo https://www.shutterstock.com/nl/image-photo/netherlands-alkmaar-january-25-2021-petrol-1904107591  ) as never used have now been changed.

Changed is one thing, but who are they fooling and what does it mean is something else. For example:



1.3 downloads per year, and it did get one this month, which makes pretty much one a year? That doesn't strike me as High or Frequently used. No, the drop down doesn't list Frequently Used. I'd say it still has some flaws.  ;D

In text instead of screen capture, for the record.
'Popularity' measures the community's interest in an asset based on activities such as views and saves. Measurements: High, Medium, Low and None.
"The 'Usage' of the asset relative to other assets in Shutterstock's catalog, based on download activity. Measurements: Often used, Commonly used, Rarely used and Not used yet.

"Usage and Popularity show how the Shutterstock community is engaging with this asset."

powerhouse "We're seeing significant engagement with this asset." rare gem "Theres a lot of interest in this image but it hasnt been licensed much. Be among the first and start a trend!" rising star "This asset has some traction but few have discovered it yet." superstar "Shutterstock customers love this asset!"

The 'Usage' of the asset relative to other assets in Shutterstock's catalog, based on download activity.

And some other coded tags:  "High","Low","Medium","None","Frequently used","Never used","High usage","Rarely used" also show as: Often used, Commonly used, Rarely used and Not used yet?

I'm missing this part? "This score is an AI-based prediction of the rating a group of people would give this image for its visual appeal","This image will likely resonate with people interested in:" "See how your image resonates with your audience:",Top audiences this asset resonates with:" How do I see that? Might be I just didn't look in the right section.



« Last Edit: February 13, 2022, 11:30 by Uncle Pete »

thijsdegraaf

« Reply #29 on: February 13, 2022, 11:41 »
0
All it takes is one or two of their more technical employees to quickly sort out this "bug".

I'll check back in 6 months and probably there will be no changes...who wants to make bet with me?

I should have made a bet with you, Alex!  :)
Some that were incorrectly listed (like this photo https://www.shutterstock.com/nl/image-photo/netherlands-alkmaar-january-25-2021-petrol-1904107591  ) as never used have now been changed.

Changed is one thing, but who are they fooling and what does it mean is something else. For example:



1.3 downloads per year, and it did get one this month, which makes pretty much one a year? That doesn't strike me as High or Frequently used. No, the drop down doesn't list Frequently Used. I'd say it still has some flaws.  ;D

In text instead of screen capture, for the record.
'Popularity' measures the community's interest in an asset based on activities such as views and saves. Measurements: High, Medium, Low and None.
"The 'Usage' of the asset relative to other assets in Shutterstock's catalog, based on download activity. Measurements: Often used, Commonly used, Rarely used and Not used yet.

"Usage and Popularity show how the Shutterstock community is engaging with this asset."

powerhouse "We're seeing significant engagement with this asset." rare gem "Theres a lot of interest in this image but it hasnt been licensed much. Be among the first and start a trend!" rising star "This asset has some traction but few have discovered it yet." superstar "Shutterstock customers love this asset!"

The 'Usage' of the asset relative to other assets in Shutterstock's catalog, based on download activity.

And some other coded tags:  "High","Low","Medium","None","Frequently used","Never used","High usage","Rarely used" also show as: Often used, Commonly used, Rarely used and Not used yet?

I'm missing this part? "This score is an AI-based prediction of the rating a group of people would give this image for its visual appeal","This image will likely resonate with people interested in:" "See how your image resonates with your audience:",Top audiences this asset resonates with:" How do I see that? Might be I just didn't look in the right section.

I'm not saying everything is great now Pete. Just that I could have won a nice amount (or bottle of wine?) with a bet with Alex. Because there are definitely changes when I look at some photos, which were previously underrated.
Not that this nonsense is now wonderfully arranged at Shutterstock.
« Last Edit: February 13, 2022, 13:55 by thijsdegraaf »

Brasilnut

  • Author Brutally Honest Guide to Microstock & Blog

« Reply #30 on: February 14, 2022, 01:23 »
+1
All it takes is one or two of their more technical employees to quickly sort out this "bug".

I'll check back in 6 months and probably there will be no changes...who wants to make bet with me?

I should have made a bet with you, Alex!  :)
Some that were incorrectly listed (like this photo https://www.shutterstock.com/nl/image-photo/netherlands-alkmaar-january-25-2021-petrol-1904107591  ) as never used have now been changed.

There goes my left brasilnut! :D

Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #31 on: February 14, 2022, 12:50 »
0

I'm not saying everything is great now Pete. Just that I could have won a nice amount (or bottle of wine?) with a bet with Alex. Because there are definitely changes when I look at some photos, which were previously underrated.
Not that this nonsense is now wonderfully arranged at Shutterstock.

Right I was thinking in terms of "fixed" not "no changes".   :) It changed, or at least updated some of yours, so you're right. And now it has one of mine with 4 sales in 4 years as a high usage Trendsetter. So still broken, but yes it is updating.

All it takes is one or two of their more technical employees to quickly sort out this "bug".

I'll check back in 6 months and probably there will be no changes...who wants to make bet with me?

I was the one who bet with you, meaning in agreement.


 

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