Author Topic: June algorithm change? (Read 42739 times)

sharpshot · « **Reply #100 on:** July 12, 2017, 02:11 »

My new images aren't selling at all. All my sales are from really old images and often ones that would of probably been rejected for LCV at one point. I might as well hold off on new uploads for now.

Artist · « **Reply #101 on:** July 12, 2017, 04:17 »

And I thought I was the only one. I uploaded around 180 new images and got 0 sale from them. Old stuff is selling as normal.

ngaga35 · « **Reply #102 on:** July 12, 2017, 04:22 »

If the old stuff selling I wouldn't have problem.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

derek · « **Reply #103 on:** July 12, 2017, 04:40 »

I didnt say new stuff sold well I said that if you re-upload an image with new data the search will of course treat it as a new image and all of a sudden it starts selling!

Pauws99 · « **Reply #104 on:** July 12, 2017, 06:59 »

Quote from: derek on July 11, 2017, 06:24

Quote from: Pauws99 on July 11, 2017, 05:19
Quote from: Mantis on July 10, 2017, 20:38
Quote from: derek on July 10, 2017, 00:01
None of this makes any sense at all. How do you explain the incredible drop of exactly 50% straight down the line and almost to the penny hitting everyone I know that joined about 10 years back and all with commercial high-value portfolios including myself of course.

No not a conspiracy but certainly the search is manipulated killing off many contributors and aiding some other sections.

I was looking at July sales today and holy cow. I will be lucky to make $300-$400 this month, compared to my normal three times that. Today I am at a under $150. I would give exact numbers but we are not allowed to share real data from SS. But you get the point. In June they changed something in the search and, well, you can do the math. I will be 66% down from my norm. Norm=last several years (except for a few search changes that adjusted back to "normal").
How are you doing on other sites? Personally I seem to be experiencing a similar slowdown/crash nearly everywhere. Certainly since May my SS sales have fallen markedly.

Youre right! but not everywhere. I see a rise at DT and DP but at nonbe of the main three.

I have had a rise at DT but my sales there are so few I think its a quirk.....Fotolia off a cliff at the moment....but it may average out.

pancaketom · « **Reply #105 on:** July 12, 2017, 10:35 »

For July SS is my number 3 agent so far - Sure the ones ahead are due to one off sales, but nearly half way through the month SS should be ahead of them anyway. It isn't.

derek · « **Reply #106 on:** July 12, 2017, 11:40 »

Quote from: Pauws99 on July 12, 2017, 06:59

Quote from: derek on July 11, 2017, 06:24
Quote from: Pauws99 on July 11, 2017, 05:19
Quote from: Mantis on July 10, 2017, 20:38
Quote from: derek on July 10, 2017, 00:01
None of this makes any sense at all. How do you explain the incredible drop of exactly 50% straight down the line and almost to the penny hitting everyone I know that joined about 10 years back and all with commercial high-value portfolios including myself of course.

No not a conspiracy but certainly the search is manipulated killing off many contributors and aiding some other sections.

I was looking at July sales today and holy cow. I will be lucky to make $300-$400 this month, compared to my normal three times that. Today I am at a under $150. I would give exact numbers but we are not allowed to share real data from SS. But you get the point. In June they changed something in the search and, well, you can do the math. I will be 66% down from my norm. Norm=last several years (except for a few search changes that adjusted back to "normal").
How are you doing on other sites? Personally I seem to be experiencing a similar slowdown/crash nearly everywhere. Certainly since May my SS sales have fallen markedly.

Youre right! but not everywhere. I see a rise at DT and DP but at nonbe of the main three.
I have had a rise at DT but my sales there are so few I think its a quirk.....Fotolia off a cliff at the moment....but it may average out.

I know DT is a strange place it can be dead for ages then suddenly comes droves of sales then dead again. Strange.

Minsc · « **Reply #107 on:** July 12, 2017, 13:06 »

Quote from: Chichikov on July 10, 2017, 05:04

Quote from: Mantis on July 09, 2017, 15:11
Quote from: Dumc on July 09, 2017, 13:37
If you have 10 days without a single sale, you should re-evaluate your images first, instead of trying to come up with some conspiracy theroies.

Completely wrong recommendation if you have a selling port. What if I have a year of great sales then those same images stop selling altogether for 10 days? I am to attribute that to my portfolio? That's just funny man.

Exact.

And it is not always a question of the quality of the images.
It can be a question of the the quality of the description and keywords.
I had some good images not selling at all because the description was not accurate, and so the keywords.
6 - 8 months after I had edited the descriptions and the keywords these images have begun to sell.
Why 6 - 8 months, this is a mystery for me, but I think that it is the time needed to the system to reindex the full portfolio (?)

As far as I know, new images and changes get indexed within 24 hours. It probably took a while for someone to download your image for the first time. When that happens, the ranking of that image changes and depending on how many competing images are there, your image can move up a lot or very little. Once it moves up the search results, it makes it easier for people to find, resulting in more downloads.

YadaYadaYada · « **Reply #108 on:** July 12, 2017, 13:18 »

Quote from: Pauws99 on July 10, 2017, 11:29

Quote from: derek on July 10, 2017, 11:24
Quote from: Android Marvin (formerly mb) on July 10, 2017, 04:07
Quote from: Pauws99 on July 10, 2017, 00:25
Quote from: derek on July 10, 2017, 00:01
None of this makes any sense at all. How do you explain the incredible drop of exactly 50% straight down the line and almost to the penny hitting everyone I know that joined about 10 years back and all with commercial high-value portfolios including myself of course.

No not a conspiracy but certainly the search is manipulated killing off many contributors and aiding some other sections.
I'm still not sure whether you consider SS geniuses for being able to construct such an amazing algorithm or idiots. I reckon if they can manipulate the internet market like that they should be nominated for the nobel prize for economics. is it exactly 50% over the same period?

Big words, in reality they "manipulate" only with their own search engine to achieve their goals, financially related goals like maximizing profit and non-financial related like fighting against spam.
Btw all our newly uploaded images in compare to older ones are currently treated like a spam by SS search engine until proved otherwise (you have to get some sales to deserve non-spam ranking), which is the main reason why new images are rarely sold since 2016. Exceptions are new contributor's images and images which are very specific.

OK, time for data mining part 2:
Q:What is the reason of capped income?
A:To keep largest possible number of contributors satisfied (with dimes).
FACT: Despite the strong words, 99% percent of contributors will be satisfied with any income no matter how small it is.
COMMENT: Comrade Stalin wasn't stupid at all, he figured it out without computers and fancy search engine algorithms.

p.s. I'm doing just fine with monthly variation of income less than 2% for the last 12 months. May was exception and up because of two huge direct sales at the end of the month (last two days) but June was down for exactly the same percentage, and both combined had variation of less then 1% from monthly average. This is still good source of income for me, but I'm just a little unsatisfied because I'm not in control of anything anymore if I want to play legally. Just like * casino.

Yep! that just about sums it all up. Capped earnings the whole charade. Good one!
What happened to everyone going down 50%?

Wait a week, he'll make up something new and avoid this weeks made up claims. Obviously we know different people, who upload new, not the claim that re-upload old with new words, from someone who says he doesn't upload at all? Plus I'm not down 50% and I know many other people who aren't and aren't capped, but are growing with new uploads and ideas.

My earnings are up, not for subs, which are lower, but because of OD sales for new and better images.

Minsc · « **Reply #109 on:** July 12, 2017, 13:32 »

New images sell, but contributors need to learn how the system works. You can't just upload something and then expect it sell when there are over 100 million images on SS. From what I've seen, new uploads does get some favorable treatment...they don't start at the bottom. They start somewhere above the middle of the heap and depending on whether it gets downloaded or not, it can rise or it can fall and make room for new images. Images with with a lot of downloads continue to occupy the top of the search results and rightfully so.

So for new images to sell, it has to be found. And for it to be found, it has to have good keywording. And for it to be downloaded, it has to have good execution and good commercial value. If it's missing one of the key ingredients, it won't sell well.

Pauws99 · « **Reply #110 on:** July 12, 2017, 15:31 »

Quote from: Minsc on July 12, 2017, 13:32

New images sell, but contributors need to learn how the system works. You can't just upload something and then expect it sell when there are over 100 million images on SS. From what I've seen, new uploads does get some favorable treatment...they don't start at the bottom. They start somewhere above the middle of the heap and depending on whether it gets downloaded or not, it can rise or it can fall and make room for new images. Images with with a lot of downloads continue to occupy the top of the search results and rightfully so.

So for new images to sell, it has to be found. And for it to be found, it has to have good keywording. And for it to be downloaded, it has to have good execution and good commercial value. If it's missing one of the key ingredients, it won't sell well.

But thats far too logical and straightforward ;-)

etudiante_rapide · « **Reply #111 on:** July 12, 2017, 20:55 »

Quote from: Minsc on July 12, 2017, 13:32

So for new images to sell, it has to be found. And for it to be found, it has to have good keywording. And for it to be downloaded, it has to have good execution and good commercial value. If it's missing one of the key ingredients, it won't sell well.

you're talking like you're a bigtime expert to all those contributors reporting a shortfall of 50% like you were with sh*tterstock longer than them . like as though they are green behind their ears and not know how to keyword properly. they were making lots of money for many years and then suddenly they forgot how to keyboard properly , except for you LOL

derek · « **Reply #112 on:** July 12, 2017, 23:03 »

Quote from: Minsc on July 12, 2017, 13:32

New images sell, but contributors need to learn how the system works. You can't just upload something and then expect it sell when there are over 100 million images on SS. From what I've seen, new uploads does get some favorable treatment...they don't start at the bottom. They start somewhere above the middle of the heap and depending on whether it gets downloaded or not, it can rise or it can fall and make room for new images. Images with with a lot of downloads continue to occupy the top of the search results and rightfully so.

So for new images to sell, it has to be found. And for it to be found, it has to have good keywording. And for it to be downloaded, it has to have good execution and good commercial value. If it's missing one of the key ingredients, it won't sell well.

Far too logical and straight forward!

Minsc · « **Reply #113 on:** July 12, 2017, 23:51 »

Quote from: etudiante_rapide on July 12, 2017, 20:55

you're talking like you're a bigtime expert to all those contributors reporting a shortfall of 50% like you were with sh*tterstock longer than them . like as though they are green behind their ears and not know how to keyword properly. they were making lots of money for many years and then suddenly they forgot how to keyboard properly, except for you LOL

In the beginning, you don't need to keyword properly. All you had to do was upload, put in some basic keywords and everything sells like hotcakes without much competition. It's no different than websites in the early days of the internet that doesn't require meticulous SEO like today. With so much competition today, mediocre keywording just doesn't cut it anymore.

I've looked at a lot of portfolios and majority of contributors don't know how to keyword properly. Most contributors rely on single keywords instead of longtail keywording techniques. Some use too few keywords. Many contributors treat keywording as a chore, so they put very little effort into it. So yes, you can still be inexperienced despite being in the game for a long time.

It doesn't matter to me if some people think I'm some pretend expert. Results are the only thing that matters to me. I had 3 large SODs a few days ago, all from the same set. If the buyer didn't find one of my images, he wouldn't have bought all 3. Those sales could have gone to someone else. I see keywording as being in the right place at the right time.

derek · « **Reply #114 on:** July 13, 2017, 00:29 »

Quote from: etudiante_rapide on July 12, 2017, 20:55

Quote from: Minsc on July 12, 2017, 13:32

So for new images to sell, it has to be found. And for it to be found, it has to have good keywording. And for it to be downloaded, it has to have good execution and good commercial value. If it's missing one of the key ingredients, it won't sell well.

you're talking like you're a bigtime expert to all those contributors reporting a shortfall of 50% like you were with sh*tterstock longer than them . like as though they are green behind their ears and not know how to keyword properly. they were making lots of money for many years and then suddenly they forgot how to keyboard properly , except for you LOL

I know! like all whose been with them for 10 years and more are just morons and all who are doing this full-time suddenly have forgotten how to take pictures. Little wonder the agencies treat us the way they do.
In these 20 years Ive been doing stock I have got to privately know people inside the actual business and owners of actual agencies I am even a sleeping partner in a smaller micro-agency and to top it all had my own library since the days of dawn but we know nada!

sharpshot · « **Reply #115 on:** July 13, 2017, 03:05 »

Quote from: Minsc on July 12, 2017, 23:51

Quote from: etudiante_rapide on July 12, 2017, 20:55
you're talking like you're a bigtime expert to all those contributors reporting a shortfall of 50% like you were with sh*tterstock longer than them . like as though they are green behind their ears and not know how to keyword properly. they were making lots of money for many years and then suddenly they forgot how to keyboard properly, except for you LOL

In the beginning, you don't need to keyword properly. All you had to do was upload, put in some basic keywords and everything sells like hotcakes without much competition. It's no different than websites in the early days of the internet that doesn't require meticulous SEO like today. With so much competition today, mediocre keywording just doesn't cut it anymore.

I've looked at a lot of portfolios and majority of contributors don't know how to keyword properly. Most contributors rely on single keywords instead of longtail keywording techniques. Some use too few keywords. Many contributors treat keywording as a chore, so they put very little effort into it. So yes, you can still be inexperienced despite being in the game for a long time.

It doesn't matter to me if some people think I'm some pretend expert. Results are the only thing that matters to me. I had 3 large SODs a few days ago, all from the same set. If the buyer didn't find one of my images, he wouldn't have bought all 3. Those sales could have gone to someone else. I see keywording as being in the right place at the right time.

Good keywording is important but if the "Buyer searched for" info with DT is accurate, I don't think it needs to be as sophisticated as you think.

Pauws99 · « **Reply #116 on:** July 13, 2017, 03:14 »

Quote from: sharpshot on July 13, 2017, 03:05

Quote from: Minsc on July 12, 2017, 23:51
Quote from: etudiante_rapide on July 12, 2017, 20:55
you're talking like you're a bigtime expert to all those contributors reporting a shortfall of 50% like you were with sh*tterstock longer than them . like as though they are green behind their ears and not know how to keyword properly. they were making lots of money for many years and then suddenly they forgot how to keyboard properly, except for you LOL

In the beginning, you don't need to keyword properly. All you had to do was upload, put in some basic keywords and everything sells like hotcakes without much competition. It's no different than websites in the early days of the internet that doesn't require meticulous SEO like today. With so much competition today, mediocre keywording just doesn't cut it anymore.

I've looked at a lot of portfolios and majority of contributors don't know how to keyword properly. Most contributors rely on single keywords instead of longtail keywording techniques. Some use too few keywords. Many contributors treat keywording as a chore, so they put very little effort into it. So yes, you can still be inexperienced despite being in the game for a long time.

It doesn't matter to me if some people think I'm some pretend expert. Results are the only thing that matters to me. I had 3 large SODs a few days ago, all from the same set. If the buyer didn't find one of my images, he wouldn't have bought all 3. Those sales could have gone to someone else. I see keywording as being in the right place at the right time.
Good keywording is important but if the "Buyer searched for" info with DT is accurate, I don't think it needs to be as sophisticated as you think.

Yes I don't see why buyers would enter particularly complex search terms though I do wonder about the DT info..itsnot unusual for me to get sales totally unrelated to the image ;-). Its a shame more agencies don't provide this information

Tabimura · « **Reply #117 on:** July 13, 2017, 04:25 »

I wonder if all my latest sales coming from below equator is a coincidence. Given the completely abnormal numbers I'm getting in my stats (my nearly 30k size portfolio produces half the sales of 2 years ago), I'm not convinced.

jonbull · « **Reply #118 on:** July 13, 2017, 07:59 »

why people don't simply accept that at 1 million new images added every week....millions of photos in instagrama and zillion in all web....it's clear that the cause of the falling of earning for single contributor is ue to this....people sold people sold a lot because there was zero competition...take lifestyle...in the last 4 5 yeats many big contributors have entered, a lot of talented have entered...nowadays if yuri arcurs began from scratch he would sell much much less...when he uploaded god lifestyle he was one of the best now he would be one of the bunch.
so the only way to keep up with earning is shooting and uploading content.

Mantis · « **Reply #119 on:** July 13, 2017, 09:24 »

Quote from: jonbull on July 13, 2017, 07:59

why people don't simply accept that at 1 million new images added every week....millions of photos in instagrama and zillion in all web....it's clear that the cause of the falling of earning for single contributor is ue to this....people sold people sold a lot because there was zero competition...take lifestyle...in the last 4 5 yeats many big contributors have entered, a lot of talented have entered...nowadays if yuri arcurs began from scratch he would sell much much less...when he uploaded god lifestyle he was one of the best now he would be one of the bunch.
so the only way to keep up with earning is shooting and uploading content.

Wrong. While we accept that millions of images are being added, it does not explain the overnight circumscision of our income. If it were more gradual, then your hypothesis would be more acceptable. But we are talking nearly, almost literally, over night. That is pulling levers and kicking the tires.

derek · « **Reply #120 on:** July 13, 2017, 09:26 »

I know Yuri since many years back and make no mistake he is earning packets! so dont worry about him. He pulled his port ages ago at SS. I know somebody right now who might just go the same way and with a port of 60000 files not that it makes a dent at SS but when people with such big ports start removing ports and in favour of RF's well....makes you wonder dont it. Something is not right.

Artist · « **Reply #121 on:** July 13, 2017, 10:30 »

Quote from: jonbull on July 13, 2017, 07:59

why people don't simply accept that at 1 million new images added every week....millions of photos in instagrama and zillion in all web....it's clear that the cause of the falling of earning for single contributor is ue to this....people sold people sold a lot because there was zero competition...take lifestyle...in the last 4 5 yeats many big contributors have entered, a lot of talented have entered...nowadays if yuri arcurs began from scratch he would sell much much less...when he uploaded god lifestyle he was one of the best now he would be one of the bunch.
so the only way to keep up with earning is shooting and uploading content.

This can be one of the reason but not entirely acceptable.
You are correct with the million added every week and zillion in all web. But note there is no commercial license to all zillion web photos.
So we are left with million... if you watch closely almost 70% of the content is useless. Check the newest first and you will know.

Now, looking other side of the industry. Though the images database is increasing there is also increase in demand. Things are becoming digital and people need images to build their online presence. Millions of new blogs are formed every month, those bloggers somewhere look for royalty free images.
And then there is advertising market which is vast in itself. There are so many of new youngsters who want to build their identity and form new brands, they too need images.
There are so many new companies registered everyday and royalty free option is the best solutions for startups.

derek · « **Reply #122 on:** July 13, 2017, 11:00 »

This is true^^ I am seeing a constant rise at the RM/RF outlets and sales are not gigantic but they are plenty and good enough to actually leave micro-stock and put the portfolio there. Personally I am just waiting for an OK from one of my Macro agency to use some similars sister images and thats it. It will take a bit of guts I recon.

Youre right though looking at new and its like getting a coronary occlusion and it really makes you realize there is no chance. This is what we get and its not going to get any better.

jonbull · « **Reply #123 on:** July 13, 2017, 11:56 »

Quote from: Artist on July 13, 2017, 10:30

Quote from: jonbull on July 13, 2017, 07:59
why people don't simply accept that at 1 million new images added every week....millions of photos in instagrama and zillion in all web....it's clear that the cause of the falling of earning for single contributor is ue to this....people sold people sold a lot because there was zero competition...take lifestyle...in the last 4 5 yeats many big contributors have entered, a lot of talented have entered...nowadays if yuri arcurs began from scratch he would sell much much less...when he uploaded god lifestyle he was one of the best now he would be one of the bunch.
so the only way to keep up with earning is shooting and uploading content.

This can be one of the reason but not entirely acceptable.
You are correct with the million added every week and zillion in all web. But note there is no commercial license to all zillion web photos.
So we are left with million... if you watch closely almost 70% of the content is useless. Check the newest first and you will know.

Now, looking other side of the industry. Though the images database is increasing there is also increase in demand. Things are becoming digital and people need images to build their online presence. Millions of new blogs are formed every month, those bloggers somewhere look for royalty free images.
And then there is advertising market which is vast in itself. There are so many of new youngsters who want to build their identity and form new brands, they too need images.
There are so many new companies registered everyday and royalty free option is the best solutions for startups.

it's a mix of things...sure the overzilion images is a key factor....this week i'm selling mostly images older than a year..last month i sold mostly images uploaded in 2016 2017...so it's clear that something happen in search engine...anyway hn i stop uploading content my sales get in stall mode...as soon as i upload everything improve...

jonbull · « **Reply #124 on:** July 13, 2017, 11:57 »

Quote from: derek on July 13, 2017, 09:26

I know Yuri since many years back and make no mistake he is earning packets! so dont worry about him. He pulled his port ages ago at SS. I know somebody right now who might just go the same way and with a port of 60000 files not that it makes a dent at SS but when people with such big ports start removing ports and in favour of RF's well....makes you wonder dont it. Something is not right.

probably u not read good....i said that if yuri began right in this moment with that material he would struggle as many here...persoanlly he has a clean style but if i browse through content here or in stocks is not at all what i call somebody to follow.

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Author Topic: June algorithm change? (Read 42739 times)

sharpshot

Artist

ngaga35

derek

Pauws99

pancaketom

derek

Minsc

YadaYadaYada

Minsc

Pauws99

etudiante_rapide

derek

Minsc

derek

sharpshot

Pauws99

Tabimura

jonbull

Mantis

derek

Artist

derek

jonbull

jonbull

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