Author Topic: SS continues to deteriorate (Read 97453 times)

HalfFull · « **Reply #250 on:** November 05, 2022, 13:48 »

This year for Oct

SS - 47% down
AS - 60% up

SS continue to under perform, AS continue to push ahead. I’d swear down that SS are losing customers to AS.

Context, SS= several hundred, AS = several thousand p/month. The gap between the two is massive

TonyD · « **Reply #251 on:** November 06, 2022, 03:24 »

Quote from: Roscoe on November 04, 2022, 14:46

And secondly, the fact that newer images don't seem to really get traction.
My better selling images are nearly all dating back from two years ago, and I'm a far better photographer now then I was two years ago. (to my own personal taste)

Same here on SSTK my photos keep selling from at least a year ago. New uploaded images still sell but not as much. There was a huge gap in my sales for 3 wks from Oct 4 to 24th. but it's now back to normal

stoker2014 · « **Reply #252 on:** November 06, 2022, 04:15 »

The theme is general. Everyone is loading different things, someone is a vector, someone is a photo, someone is a video. It is necessary to write in your statistics what you are shooting. I only upload videos and have talked about my stats by video. I also have a lot of photos, but I haven’t uploaded photos professionally for a long time, so I don’t even look at statistics on income from photos. Although photo revenues have also fallen, 2 years ago and before, photos brought in more money.

KevinM · « **Reply #253 on:** November 06, 2022, 11:18 »

On Shutterstock I'm sometimes getting paid as little as 38 cents per video download, so it's no surprise to me that my income from the site has dropped each of the last few years - down 58% in total compared to the same YTD period in 2020. Declines have been steeper than with other agencies. I think it's reprehensible for a company in any industry to increase its profit share by drastically cutting the income of its suppliers. Now my commission at Adobe has dropped to $2-3 per video clip sale. These ongoing commission cuts show the industry to be highly unstable, so I've stopped shooting stock and am focusing elsewhere. Hope SS doesn't make Pond5 lower their commission, but it feels inevitable.

stocky · « **Reply #254 on:** November 06, 2022, 13:17 »

Quote from: HalfFull on November 05, 2022, 13:48

This year for Oct

SS - 47% down
AS - 60% up

SS continue to under perform, AS continue to push ahead. I’d swear down that SS are losing customers to AS.

Context, SS= several hundred, AS = several thousand p/month. The gap between the two is massive

Yes Adobe keeps going up while SS down.

Wilm · « **Reply #255 on:** November 06, 2022, 13:26 »

For me, AS is pretty constant - apart from small high and low deviations. Let's see if the pngs can possibly bring in a little boost. But SS is gradually going down the drain. I don't even want to think about the coming beginning of the year....

Jaggy · « **Reply #256 on:** November 06, 2022, 13:59 »

Quote from: Wilm on November 06, 2022, 13:26

For me, AS is pretty constant - apart from small high and low deviations. Let's see if the pngs can possibly bring in a little boost. But SS is gradually going down the drain. I don't even want to think about the coming beginning of the year....

Compared to 2021, I'm ahead on revenue at both SS and AS. AS downloads are also ahead of 2021. SS downloads are at about the same level as 2021 which isn't bad as a Covid related bestseller in 2021 has hardly sold at all this year and given the general economic downturn. RPD at both AS and SS is ahead of 2021.

Wilm · « **Reply #257 on:** November 07, 2022, 03:20 »

AS is 15% worse than January to October 2021 for me, but almost identical to 2020 and 2019. Last year was above average there.

SS is 33% worse than 2021, 49% worse than 2020 and 51% worse than 2019.

alan b traehern · « **Reply #258 on:** November 07, 2022, 09:21 »

Quote from: stoker2014 on November 05, 2022, 13:01

cascoly, read my posts in this thread, and not just one post, I described in detail why shutterstock went down, gave my personal examples, statistics. If you continue to make accusations against me, I will put you on ignore. I don't owe you anything. And I'm not a parrot to repeat and copy my posts. Who wanted to hear me, he heard. And I don't owe you anything.

Please ignore me and I'll do the same, you are nothing but a lost troll who has no clue that writes nonsense.

Wilm · « **Reply #259 on:** November 08, 2022, 04:26 »

I uploaded a new file after a long time. It was accepted quite quickly.
But when I search for this file within my portfolio, it is on the last page as the last image.
This is also true when searching the shutterstock database. So the image will never be found. Then there would have been no need to accept it.

Is this a bug?

Has anyone had similar experiences?

Her Ugliness · « **Reply #260 on:** November 08, 2022, 05:13 »

Quote from: Wilm on November 08, 2022, 04:26

But when I search for this file within my portfolio, it is on the last page as the last image.

That's usually the case, unless you sort by "Fresh image". Then it should be the first image.

Wilm · « **Reply #261 on:** November 08, 2022, 06:05 »

Quote from: Her Ugliness on November 08, 2022, 05:13

Quote from: Wilm on November 08, 2022, 04:26

But when I search for this file within my portfolio, it is on the last page as the last image.

That's usually the case, unless you sort by "Fresh image". Then it should be the first image.

Until now, the new images within the portfolio appeared on page 1 or 2, but never on the last page.

And if it also ends up on the last page in the general search, it is absolutely worthless. Then I might as well delete it again.

Her Ugliness · « **Reply #262 on:** November 08, 2022, 06:18 »

Quote from: Wilm on November 08, 2022, 06:05

And if it also ends up on the last page in the general search, it is absolutely worthless.

You can probably find that out by simply seraching for your image in the general search, but from my experience the sorting in your portfolio and the general search have absolutely no connection.
I have images that are on the last pages of my port, but on the first page for relevant keywords in the general search.

RalfLiebhold · « **Reply #263 on:** November 08, 2022, 06:38 »

Quote from: Wilm on November 08, 2022, 06:05

Quote from: Her Ugliness on November 08, 2022, 05:13
Quote from: Wilm on November 08, 2022, 04:26

But when I search for this file within my portfolio, it is on the last page as the last image.

That's usually the case, unless you sort by "Fresh image". Then it should be the first image.

Until now, the new images within the portfolio appeared on page 1 or 2, but never on the last page.

And if it also ends up on the last page in the general search, it is absolutely worthless. Then I might as well delete it again.

Wilm, after your posting here I checked my new submissions of the last days and searched Shutterstock sorted by popular. The result was completely inconsistent. With an average of 10.000 - 15.000 hits I found some of my new images on pages 1 - 3, with others I gave up with the search after 10 pages.

Wilm · « **Reply #264 on:** November 08, 2022, 08:24 »

Quote from: Her Ugliness on November 08, 2022, 06:18

Quote from: Wilm on November 08, 2022, 06:05

And if it also ends up on the last page in the general search, it is absolutely worthless.

You can probably find that out by simply seraching for your image in the general search, but from my experience the sorting in your portfolio and the general search have absolutely no connection.
I have images that are on the last pages of my port, but on the first page for relevant keywords in the general search.

I am aware of the difference. Nevertheless, it never happened that a new picture ended up in last place in my own portfolio and in the general search (searching with relevant keywords).

Nevertheless, thank you for your answer!

Wilm · « **Reply #265 on:** November 08, 2022, 08:29 »

Quote from: RalfLiebhold on November 08, 2022, 06:38

Quote from: Wilm on November 08, 2022, 06:05
Quote from: Her Ugliness on November 08, 2022, 05:13
Quote from: Wilm on November 08, 2022, 04:26

But when I search for this file within my portfolio, it is on the last page as the last image.

That's usually the case, unless you sort by "Fresh image". Then it should be the first image.

Until now, the new images within the portfolio appeared on page 1 or 2, but never on the last page.

And if it also ends up on the last page in the general search, it is absolutely worthless. Then I might as well delete it again.

Wilm, after your posting here I checked my new submissions of the last days and searched Shutterstock sorted by popular. The result was completely inconsistent. With an average of 10.000 - 15.000 hits I found some of my new images on pages 1 - 3, with others I gave up with the search after 10 pages.

Ralf, the last image I uploaded before this is shown as number 1 in my portfolio. And the new one now ranks 1319 out of 1319 images.

That makes no sense to me.

RalfLiebhold · « **Reply #266 on:** November 08, 2022, 10:14 »

Quote from: Wilm on November 08, 2022, 08:29

Quote from: RalfLiebhold on November 08, 2022, 06:38
Quote from: Wilm on November 08, 2022, 06:05
Quote from: Her Ugliness on November 08, 2022, 05:13
Quote from: Wilm on November 08, 2022, 04:26

But when I search for this file within my portfolio, it is on the last page as the last image.

That's usually the case, unless you sort by "Fresh image". Then it should be the first image.

Until now, the new images within the portfolio appeared on page 1 or 2, but never on the last page.

And if it also ends up on the last page in the general search, it is absolutely worthless. Then I might as well delete it again.

Wilm, after your posting here I checked my new submissions of the last days and searched Shutterstock sorted by popular. The result was completely inconsistent. With an average of 10.000 - 15.000 hits I found some of my new images on pages 1 - 3, with others I gave up with the search after 10 pages.

Ralf, the last image I uploaded before this is shown as number 1 in my portfolio. And the new one now ranks 1319 out of 1319 images.

That makes no sense to me.

Ok, then I misunderstood your problem, that actually makes really no sense. This has not occurred with me so far.

Firn · « **Reply #267 on:** November 08, 2022, 10:25 »

Wilm, I actually have an idea what the problem is. Does your new image by any chance happen to have a keyword related to Christmas? I looked at your port and noticed it is having the same weird behavior regarding Christmas images than mine: They are all glued to the back of your port.

To me this suddenly happened maybe 2 years ago. Suddenly all my Christmas images went to the back of my port. I never bothered reporting the problem to Shutterstock, because I didn't expect any of their "expert contributors" to understand my problem anyways. They would probably have replied something like that how images a sorted in my port are a secret or something like this. But the other reason why I didn't bother reporting it is that it didn't seem to have an effect of the overal sorting in the whole Shutterstock database or my sales. My all time best seller on Shutterstock is a Christmas images, but it kept selling.
And then, sometime in December all my Christmas images suddenly were sorted back to were they belong - and then after Christmas they all went back to the last pages of my port. So maybe it's not even a glitch, but an intended feature where Shutterstrock sorts Christmas images different out of season. But I never noticed anything similar with for example easter or Halloween images.

Either way, seeing as in your port all your Christmas images seem to be sorted on the last page, I suspect it's the same with your port as with mine. I don't know whether it's specificially the keyword "Christmas". Might just as well be something like "december" or "winter" or any other of the keywords one would commonly use for Christmas images.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #268 on:** November 08, 2022, 11:00 »

Quote from: Wilm on November 08, 2022, 08:29

Ralf, the last image I uploaded before this is shown as number 1 in my portfolio. And the new one now ranks 1319 out of 1319 images.
That makes no sense to me.

Nope, new images are all on top of Top Images".

Quote from: Firn on November 08, 2022, 10:25

Wilm, I actually have an idea what the problem is. Does your new image by any chance happen to have a keyword related to Christmas? I looked at your port and noticed it is having the same weird behavior regarding Christmas images than mine: They are all glued to the back of your port.

To me this suddenly happened maybe 2 years ago. Suddenly all my Christmas images went to the back of my port. I never bothered reporting the problem to Shutterstock, because I didn't expect any of their "expert contributors" to understand my problem anyways. They would probably have replied something like that how images a sorted in my port are a secret or something like this. But the other reason why I didn't bother reporting it is that it didn't seem to have an effect of the overal sorting in the whole Shutterstock database or my sales. My all time best seller on Shutterstock is a Christmas images, but it kept selling.
And then, sometime in December all my Christmas images suddenly were sorted back to were they belong - and then after Christmas they all went back to the last pages of my port. So maybe it's not even a glitch, but an intended feature where Shutterstrock sorts Christmas images different out of season. But I never noticed anything similar with for example easter or Halloween images.

Either way, seeing as in your port all your Christmas images seem to be sorted on the last page, I suspect it's the same with your port as with mine. I don't know whether it's specificially the keyword "Christmas". Might just as well be something like "december" or "winter" or any other of the keywords one would commonly use for Christmas images.

Yup, you got it! I just looked and eight Christmas themed images are now holding down the bottom of my collection "Top Images" This one is absolute last... When I go to edit images, by "Most Popular" it's the same way, last images on the last page. Yes Christmas is in the keywords.

Search Christmas turkey charcoal grill I'm #2, which tells me, location in my portfolio has no connection to a buyers search or actual image rank. 👍

Wilm · « **Reply #269 on:** November 08, 2022, 11:58 »

Quote from: Firn on November 08, 2022, 10:25

Wilm, I actually have an idea what the problem is. Does your new image by any chance happen to have a keyword related to Christmas? I looked at your port and noticed it is having the same weird behavior regarding Christmas images than mine: They are all glued to the back of your port.

To me this suddenly happened maybe 2 years ago. Suddenly all my Christmas images went to the back of my port. I never bothered reporting the problem to Shutterstock, because I didn't expect any of their "expert contributors" to understand my problem anyways. They would probably have replied something like that how images a sorted in my port are a secret or something like this. But the other reason why I didn't bother reporting it is that it didn't seem to have an effect of the overal sorting in the whole Shutterstock database or my sales. My all time best seller on Shutterstock is a Christmas images, but it kept selling.
And then, sometime in December all my Christmas images suddenly were sorted back to were they belong - and then after Christmas they all went back to the last pages of my port. So maybe it's not even a glitch, but an intended feature where Shutterstrock sorts Christmas images different out of season. But I never noticed anything similar with for example easter or Halloween images.

Either way, seeing as in your port all your Christmas images seem to be sorted on the last page, I suspect it's the same with your port as with mine. I don't know whether it's specificially the keyword "Christmas". Might just as well be something like "december" or "winter" or any other of the keywords one would commonly use for Christmas images.

Firn, what you write is correct.

Within my own portfolio, the Christmas pictures are at the very end. And the keyword christmas is included.

But if I search for "gold badge embellishment" in the general search, for example, it is also at the last place - relevant, popular or random.

Or if I search for "ornament gold vintage decoration gray black", for example, I get 95 pages. The picture is on page 94.

Probably the picture is just bad or unusable. In any case, I have never had anything like this before. I will delete it.

stoker2014 · « **Reply #270 on:** November 08, 2022, 12:33 »

Wilm, no wonder, SS has long broken search algorithms and promotes authors in manual mode. Obviously you are not in favor. The SS has sunk to the bottom, worse than ever, the income is meager, the authors are being fooled.

Zero Talent · « **Reply #271 on:** November 08, 2022, 13:48 »

Quote from: stoker2014 on November 08, 2022, 12:33

Wilm, no wonder, SS has long broken search algorithms and promotes authors in manual mode. Obviously you are not in favor. The SS has sunk to the bottom, worse than ever, the income is meager, the authors are being fooled.

Is not that simple. SS is not just manually promoting any random pleb.

There is a secret society with its own rules, rituals, obligations, hierarchy and a very strict admission.
The higher you are on that hierarchy, the more sales you get. I am only level 7, "provost" (see the yellow highlight) so I have plenty of room to grow.
I share this secret in confidence, please keep this for yourself.

Wilm · « **Reply #272 on:** November 08, 2022, 14:02 »

Quote from: stoker2014 on November 08, 2022, 12:33

Wilm, no wonder, SS has long broken search algorithms and promotes authors in manual mode. Obviously you are not in favor. The SS has sunk to the bottom, worse than ever, the income is meager, the authors are being fooled.

I don't know the algorithm either.

I assume that constant uploads are rewarded. But only if high-quality images are delivered on a regular basis.

I assume that you will be penalized if you simply upload anything for the sole purpose of increasing your portfolio.

And you will be penalized if - like me - you upload next to nothing over a long period of time.

In this particular case, however, I rather have the feeling that the AI assumes keyword spamming. But I have no idea which keywords that could be. Or the image is just bad and unusable. But I can only judge that when I know how it develops with the other agencies.

But I agree with you on one point: I did something at shutterstock in the younger past that didn't do my portfolio any good. I suspect it was my inactivity.

stoker2014 · « **Reply #273 on:** November 08, 2022, 14:13 »

Quote from: Wilm on November 08, 2022, 14:02

I assume that you will be penalized if you simply upload anything for the sole purpose of increasing your portfolio.

If the SS accepts the job, then the job suits him. The CC bears the cost of storing the work.
Yes, good works should sell better than bad ones. But I would say that stock works should sell better. But when the SS is in such a mess as the last 2 years, the authors of good works also have poor incomes. These are at least those authors whom I personally have known for a long time.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #274 on:** November 08, 2022, 14:51 »

Quote from: Zero Talent on November 08, 2022, 13:48

Quote from: stoker2014 on November 08, 2022, 12:33
Wilm, no wonder, SS has long broken search algorithms and promotes authors in manual mode. Obviously you are not in favor. The SS has sunk to the bottom, worse than ever, the income is meager, the authors are being fooled.

Is not that simple. SS is not just manually promoting any random pleb.

There is a secret society with its own rules, rituals, obligations, hierarchy and a very strict admission.
The higher you are on that hierarchy, the more sales you get. I am only level 7, "provost" (see the yellow highlight) so I have plenty of room to grow.
I share this secret in confidence, please keep this for yourself.

Not supposed to tell him, rule number one, no one on the inside, talks about the SSTK Secret Society.

Yes being a member comes with the perks of better rank and being promoted over people who don't have the secret membership or the advanced degrees in Shutterstock.

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Author Topic: SS continues to deteriorate (Read 97453 times)

HalfFull

TonyD

stoker2014

KevinM

stocky

Wilm

Jaggy

Wilm

alan b traehern

Wilm

Her Ugliness

Wilm

Her Ugliness

RalfLiebhold

Wilm

Wilm

RalfLiebhold

Firn

Uncle Pete

Wilm

stoker2014

Zero Talent

Wilm

stoker2014

Uncle Pete

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