MicrostockGroup
Microstock Photography Forum - General => Symbiostock => Symbiostock - Network Building => Topic started by: StefC on December 18, 2013, 16:18
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Hi everyone, I think it should be a requirement to link to symbiostock.info if one wants to be included in the global search engine, otherwise those websites will only receive and receive and not give anything back to the community. Or, if they choose to "go solo", they shouldn't be added to the global search engine either.
a quick question: I haven't added Dashphoto.eu to my network, yet it appears both on my network page and in my search results. How come?
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If any rule or requirement is applied to Symbiostock, I will go solo. No one tells me what to do with my own site. If you want to exclude me for that, so be it.
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I'm sorry if it sounded harsh, but what I mean is: do you want to be part of the network (hence be included in the global search engine)? Then link to it, too. Collaborations are not 1-way streets.
Does it sound fair to say: "OK I like this network thing, please everyone send me buyers. I won't give you any one, though, I want to fly solo..."
it's like those big link directories that send you lots of visitors and ask for a link back to be included in their index. If I don't want to link to them, I just don't apply (and choose not receive inbound traffic from them)
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If you want to throw me out of the global search, go ahead. If you want to remove my 1100 high quality images, be my guest. I am sure you dont need me.
Symbiostock was created with a networking option, which I use. I have linked to 5 people.
Someone then created a global search, on his own merit. Its a great feature, but if you want to make it mandatory to link to the global search, and threaten to throw me out if I dont, then I will delete all links in my network and go solo.
No one ever told me it was part of Symbiostock when I joined, and it wasnt actually, it came in a later stage. Changing the terms along the way, I have heard that before...
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Hi everyone, I think it should be a requirement to link to symbiostock.info if one wants to be included in the global search engine, otherwise those websites will only receive and receive and not give anything back to the community. Or, if they choose to "go solo", they shouldn't be added to the global search engine either.
a quick question: I haven't added Dashphoto.eu to my network, yet it appears both on my network page and in my search results. How come?
I think whoever makes site X should be free to run it how they want.
If symbiostock.info wants to run the site in a way that requires people to back-link to them to be listed in the directory, then that is fair and that is their decision. If they want to just create a directory regardless of backlinks.. that should be OK as well. Both ways of running the site make sense and neither way is more fair/unfair
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There are always parasites.
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Well its designed to have that option to opt in or opt out - so everyone is free to choose
However, there is something to be said about the namesake of the site - based on symbiosis - you benefit from me and I benefit from you
Try not to get too worked up about trivial matters, just concentrate on your site, and link with people that are like-minded with you. The rest will have to take care of itself
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To answer your question about results showing up from other sites that are not your partners, that's because of promoted keywords. You can remove any site you want not to see in searches done on your site via the list of sites in the Marketing tab - see this thread for details.
http://www.symbiostock.org/community/viewtopic.php?id=44 (http://www.symbiostock.org/community/viewtopic.php?id=44)
The only reason symbiostock works is that there aren't a lot of requirements for individual sites. Judging who gives what to the network is a very tough thing to do and I am fairly sure that (a) it's a bad idea on principle and (b) even if you don't rule it out for that reason, how do you judge it in practice.
Let's just say for argument that we have some spectacular new site that joins the network with images that buyers flock to and the network search serves them up along with other images from different sites. You could say that the new spectacular site was contributing to the network even without linking to the network search because it's bringing that most valuable commodity of all - buyers.
Some people bring niche content, some people might have a great blog - who knows the other ways that we can contribute to the success of the project as a whole?
Once you've been around the project a while longer, I think you'll "get" why the lack of mandates is important - I didn't get it at first and now I do.
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I've included the global link for the simple reason I want buyers to find what THEY want on the Symbiostock network and not have to venture outside or worse yet not come back! I want a buyer to feel they are on a large professional site where they can get what they need.
If I were a buyer and searched for New York and came up with only a handful of images, same for London, Yellowstone, Japan etc., you can be pretty sure I'd not come back.
As a matter of fact I'd prefer all of the linked SymbioStock images to come in as a single large group rather than splitting them up individually! I want clients to come in and explore, look around and be able to bounce back and forth between Symbiostock sites without being forced into a dead end. As far as I'm concerned the more seamless the user experience the better.
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I've included the global link for the simple reason I want buyers to find what THEY want on the Symbiostock network and not have to venture outside or worse yet not come back! I want a buyer to feel they are on a large professional site where they can get what they need.
If I were a buyer and searched for New York and came up with only a handful of images, same for London, Yellowstone, Japan etc., you can be pretty sure I'd not come back.
As a matter of fact I'd prefer all of the linked SymbioStock images to come in as a single large group rather than splitting them up individually! I want clients to come in and explore, look around and be able to bounce back and forth between Symbiostock sites without being forced into a dead end. As far as I'm concerned the more seamless the user experience the better.
+1
With the big stock agencies they have libraries of 25M + images so it is a good thing for new users of Symbio to have as much choice as possible for their searches. I agree, that if a buyer comes in and only sees a couple dozen images to choose from and dead ends him there, that would result in pretty much losing that buyer.
And in this business you cannot afford to squander away potential buyers
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It would be nice if everyone got involved in the symbiosis one way or another, but I don't think you can (or should) require people to do things. Encourage, sure.
Leo has made such an enormous effort/contribution that none of us can come close to that, though some others also make very large contributions, some help when they can, and some go off on their own. C'est la vie.
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I guarantee the benefits that the global search and a few other sites are getting from me using the SY theme and my site being networked in far outweigh the benefits i have received from them.
I had the global search as the only site networked in with me for a few months and it made no difference than having ten members networked in. The result has been the same...one sale in eight months. Someone is benefitting and it isnt me.
Be careful who gets labeled a parasite.
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Same here but Symbiostock is still in it's infancy and hopefully will succeed and be able to compete in the future.
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Same here but Symbiostock is still in it's infancy and hopefully will succeed and be able to compete in the future.
Some in the network are already succeeding. Why do i have to wait, this is based on symbiosis, right? I have been linked to ten people, then just the global search, and now i am back to ten people. One sale in eight months? Rhetorical questions, no need for answers.
I am just pointing out that it is silly to mandate that we all link to the global search when that site is already high on the success list. I say we mandate that every single site links to me and my site be coded into the theme as a backlink, too, so i can see some of this symbiotic benefit. ;)
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It would be great than everyone would link to symbiostock.info and fellow Symbiostockers and I highly recommend it, but it is even greater that you don't have to link to anything if you don't want to, totally freedom is the most beautiful thing about Symbiostock! :)
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Basically you want to be an agency with 100% earnings. Thats what I get from some suggestions
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I agree it would be great if everyone linked to the global searches, but even though I host one of them, I'd oppose making it a requirement.
the whole point is symbiosis and that can't be considered as a zero sum game. some sites will do better than others, but the only thing that's certain is that if you don't participate in the network, you won't get views sent by other sites.
some people seem to think that unless they make more, it's not worth helping others; my view is that if I don't make a sale, I'd rather direct the buyer to another independent. the symbiosis idea was prevalent in the shareware movement in the late 90s, resulting in formation of groups like the Educational Software Cooperative (ESC)
it's called 'pay it forward' and has a long history....
wiki quotes Ben Franklin
I do not pretend to give such a deed; I only lend it to you. When you [...] meet with another honest Man in similar Distress, you must pay me by lending this Sum to him; enjoining him to discharge the Debt by a like operation, when he shall be able, and shall meet with another opportunity. I hope it may thus go thro' many hands, before it meets with a Knave that will stop its Progress. This is a trick of mine for doing a deal of good with a little money.
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I agree it would be great if everyone linked to the global searches, but even though I host one of them, I'd oppose making it a requirement.
the whole point is symbiosis and that can't be considered as a zero sum game. some sites will do better than others, but the only thing that's certain is that if you don't participate in the network, you won't get views sent by other sites.
some people seem to think that unless they make more, it's not worth helping others; my view is that if I don't make a sale, I'd rather direct the buyer to another independent.
Very well said, Steve.
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I agree it would be great if everyone linked to the global searches, but even though I host one of them, I'd oppose making it a requirement.
the whole point is symbiosis and that can't be considered as a zero sum game. some sites will do better than others, but the only thing that's certain is that if you don't participate in the network, you won't get views sent by other sites.
some people seem to think that unless they make more, it's not worth helping others; my view is that if I don't make a sale, I'd rather direct the buyer to another independent. the symbiosis idea was prevalent in the shareware movement in the late 90s, resulting in formation of groups like the Educational Software Cooperative (ESC)
it's called 'pay it forward' and has a long history....
wiki quotes Ben Franklin
I do not pretend to give such a deed; I only lend it to you. When you [...] meet with another honest Man in similar Distress, you must pay me by lending this Sum to him; enjoining him to discharge the Debt by a like operation, when he shall be able, and shall meet with another opportunity. I hope it may thus go thro' many hands, before it meets with a Knave that will stop its Progress. This is a trick of mine for doing a deal of good with a little money.
+1 ;D
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I am paying it forward by linking to other sites, but it seems if you dont add the global search you are a parasite.
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sym·bi·o·sis (s(http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/ibreve.gif)m(http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/lprime.gif)b(http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/emacr.gif)-(http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/omacr.gif)(http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/prime.gif)s(http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/ibreve.gif)s, -b(http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/imacr.gif)-)n. pl. sym·bi·o·ses (-s(http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/emacr.gif)z) 1. Biology A close, prolonged association between two or more different organisms of different species that may, but does not necessarily, benefit each member.2. A relationship of mutual benefit or dependence.
SY was touted as #2. Sounds like the new mission statement is more like #1.
Wow.
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I am paying it forward by linking to other sites, but it seems if you dont add the global search you are a parasite.
parasites can be helpful too! without them we wouldn't have fermentation or bleu cheese or penicillin! or my all time favorite Huitlacoche (delicious!)
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sym·bi·o·sis (s([url]http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/ibreve.gif[/url])m([url]http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/lprime.gif[/url])b([url]http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/emacr.gif[/url])-([url]http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/omacr.gif[/url])([url]http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/prime.gif[/url])s([url]http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/ibreve.gif[/url])s, -b([url]http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/imacr.gif[/url])-)n. pl. sym·bi·o·ses (-s([url]http://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/emacr.gif[/url])z) 1. Biology A close, prolonged association between two or more different organisms of different species that may, but does not necessarily, benefit each member.2. A relationship of mutual benefit or dependence.
SY was touted as #2. Sounds like the new mission statement is more like #1.
The definition is wrong. With symbiosis both parties benifit.
What you describe is commensalism.
parasitism is when only one party benifit.
Wow.
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I am paying it forward by linking to other sites, but it seems if you dont add the global search you are a parasite.
yes.
You should stop thinking only about you, yourself and your freedom and choice and alll that.
Think of the customers.
The CUSTOMERS!
So that symbiostock can become attractive in the market and so it can grow into an organism instead of 100 peoples personal scattered attempts to snatch a crum here and there.
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...I moved my post to its own thread
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I am paying it forward by linking to other sites, but it seems if you dont add the global search you are a parasite.
yes.
You should stop thinking only about you, yourself and your freedom and choice and alll that.
Think of the customers.
The CUSTOMERS!
So that symbiostock can become attractive in the market and so it can grow into an organism instead of 100 peoples personal scattered attempts to snatch a crum here and there.
Love it when people without being part of the network have their opinion about it without even knowing how it actually works.
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yes, and I love it when people who are part of it, dont know what networks are about.
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yes, and I love it when people who are part of it, dont know what networks are about.
You dont know what I know, and you dont seem to grasp what I explained yesterday. If you did, you would know I am linked to the network and that your comment makes no sense, Jens.
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I have one of the smallest collections and have removed myself for a while from the Network, it will take time for this to work, but everyone here is in the same boat. I would rather see a fellow symbiostock member make a sale than a sale being made at a agency.
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I must confess, the OP kinds made sense to me even before reading it, but after reading this thread, got convinced otherwise. Everybody should link or not as they please.