Author Topic: The 4/3/11 Istockphoto Best Match Change (Read 59740 times)

Atwim · « **Reply #25 on:** April 03, 2011, 12:41 »

Good business images are really strong, even with such a biased best match towards V&A is difficult to kill them all. Try a different search where there is not that much demannd and you will have difficulty in finding files from the regular collection.

gclk · « **Reply #26 on:** April 03, 2011, 12:45 »

Quote from: traveler1116 on April 03, 2011, 12:23

I'm not seeing the vetta agency images at the beginning, a search for "business" gets the first vetta/agency image at #26 while out of the first 200 results I only see 3 (2 agency and 1 vetta). Seems pretty good for me since I have 0 agency and only 3 vetta.

Maybe it's a location thing. Could you try a photo search for 'fashion'...

In the UK, with the slider in the middle, the first image that I spotted which was not Vetta or Agency was a Yuri blue flamer, in position #7284. That's on page 37 (200 results per page).

A two minute test of this change would've revealed that V&A are bunched up at the front of results. So either what we're seeing is the desired outcome, or absolutely no useful testing whatsoever was done. Not exactly a way to inspire confidence in the way the company is being run, nor a way to 'regain the trust' of customers or contributors.

But a great way to ensure that everybody knows that iStock could not give a flying 'h*ck'.

traveler1116 · « **Reply #27 on:** April 03, 2011, 12:51 »

"fashion" results mixed with slider to the right but almost all photos are vetta when in the middle, some illustrations and video made it. Southeast Asia btw for the search.

caspixel · « **Reply #28 on:** April 03, 2011, 12:53 »

Quote from: traveler1116 on April 03, 2011, 12:51

"fashion" results mixed with slider to the right but almost all photos are vetta when in the middle, some illustrations and video made it. Southeast Asia btw for the search.

Good thing they are doing away with the slider and making the "default" the middle position, right?

dnavarrojr · « **Reply #29 on:** April 03, 2011, 12:53 »

All of the moves iStock has been doing lately has me thinking they are intentionally trying to thin the herd of less attractive contributors. They want iStockers that are committed to iStock and their entire philosophy and the rest can take a flying leap...

traveler1116 · « **Reply #30 on:** April 03, 2011, 12:57 »

Quote from: caspixel on April 03, 2011, 12:53

Quote from: traveler1116 on April 03, 2011, 12:51
"fashion" results mixed with slider to the right but almost all photos are vetta when in the middle, some illustrations and video made it. Southeast Asia btw for the search.

Good thing they are doing away with the slider and making the "default" the middle position, right?

Hadn't heard that yet but to be a "best match" shouldn't the slider be set to most relevant? My guess is that anything else will result in a lot of complaints and a poor search.

caspixel · « **Reply #31 on:** April 03, 2011, 13:00 »

Quote from: traveler1116 on April 03, 2011, 12:57

Quote from: caspixel on April 03, 2011, 12:53
Quote from: traveler1116 on April 03, 2011, 12:51
"fashion" results mixed with slider to the right but almost all photos are vetta when in the middle, some illustrations and video made it. Southeast Asia btw for the search.

Good thing they are doing away with the slider and making the "default" the middle position, right?

Hadn't heard that yet but to be a "best match" shouldn't the slider be set to most relevant? My guess is that anything else will result in a lot of complaints and a poor search.

http://video.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=320612&page=1

And I think iStock's version of "best match" is different from what others think. Just like their idea of what makes people happy is different and their idea of trust is different.

ShadySue · « **Reply #32 on:** April 03, 2011, 13:02 »

Quote from: dnavarrojr on April 03, 2011, 12:53

All of the moves iStock has been doing lately has me thinking they are intentionally trying to thin the herd of less attractive contributors. They want iStockers that are committed to iStock and their entire philosophy and the rest can take a flying leap...

A lot of the agency suppliers aren't remotely 'committed' to iStock: they were 'brought in' - not working their way up - they can even sell their files RF off their own sites, which the really 'committed' exclusives can't.
(Lots of committed contributors also have Agency files).
They're just experimenting with what brings them the best 'profitability'.

lagereek · « **Reply #33 on:** April 03, 2011, 13:06 »

NO!! the simple truth is, the site is so incredibly screwd up that they havent got the faintest how on earth to handle it, meanwhile in deep crap they have to patronize the Vettas and exclusives from a total walk-out, saving the little face that is left.

Its quite obvious we are dealing with some pretty scared people here. people that will do just about anything to keep their jobs, a whole bunch of yes-men.

fotografer · « **Reply #34 on:** April 03, 2011, 13:22 »

I can't even find the slider so don't know where it is set but I'm finding the opposite from the rest of you. On a search that I use as a reference to see how things have changed I usually have 2 images in the first 100 the first of them being at about no 50. I now have 7 on the first page with the first one being at no 6.
My current best seller which is in a different search has also moved up the first page from the bottom line to almost half way up.

gostwyck · « **Reply #35 on:** April 03, 2011, 13:50 »

Ouch! I think this one is going to hurt. I've just tried a few of my regular 'test searches' and it looks like we've had a huge shuffle of the pack. Images older than a year or so appear to have been punished badly in favour of newer images almost irrespective of how well either have been selling. If it stays like this it will produce some vast changes in the fortunes of individual contributors.

fotografer · « **Reply #36 on:** April 03, 2011, 13:58 »

Quote from: gostwyck on April 03, 2011, 13:50

Ouch! I think this one is going to hurt. I've just tried a few of my regular 'test searches' and it looks like we've had a huge shuffle of the pack. Images older than a year or so appear to have been punished badly in favour of newer images almost irrespective of how well either have been selling. If it stays like this it will produce some vast changes in the fortunes of individual contributors.

All of the images of mine that have better placement now are over a year old. I don't know why I've struck lucky on this. Makes a change as I usually get hit badly. A couple of them that have now made first page for the first time in ages are nearly 5 years old.
Maybe I'm being rewarded for the total hammering I took in the last fotolia re-shuffle

fotografer · « **Reply #37 on:** April 03, 2011, 14:02 »

OK I've found the slider now and it was totally to the right. Putting it to the middle makes my images dissapear!!!

lagereek · « **Reply #38 on:** April 03, 2011, 15:20 »

Quote from: fotografer on April 03, 2011, 14:02

OK I've found the slider now and it was totally to the right. Putting it to the middle makes my images dissapear!!!

Exactly!! I was just waiting for you to find that slider. BTW, the middle setting is going to be their default.

robynmac · « **Reply #39 on:** April 03, 2011, 15:35 »

I'm a diamond independent. By chance, I did a search a few days ago on "salad", and was really happy that several of my images were on the front page. I just tried that again, and they have disappeared from view. I stopped searching after the first few pages.

It's early Monday morning here, and I think I'll just go back to bed and have a little cry.

jamirae · « **Reply #40 on:** April 03, 2011, 15:48 »

Quote from: lagereek on April 03, 2011, 15:20

Quote from: fotografer on April 03, 2011, 14:02
OK I've found the slider now and it was totally to the right. Putting it to the middle makes my images dissapear!!!

Exactly!! I was just waiting for you to find that slider. BTW, the middle setting is going to be their default.

i can't find it. where's the slider? seriously.. are buyers supposed to know this

? is the default the middle of this slider thingy?

jamirae · « **Reply #41 on:** April 03, 2011, 15:51 »

okay.. wow. the slider is all the way at the bottom under "display preferences" .. how weird is that. I didn't move mine, it was in the middle and I searched on 'desert' the results were vetta followed by agency.. and pretty much that was it on the main page.

this will certainly help my sales on the other sites as it will definitely drive away customers who freak out on the outrageous pricing.

PaulieWalnuts · « **Reply #42 on:** April 03, 2011, 15:52 »

Quote from: jamirae on April 03, 2011, 15:48

Quote from: lagereek on April 03, 2011, 15:20
Quote from: fotografer on April 03, 2011, 14:02
OK I've found the slider now and it was totally to the right. Putting it to the middle makes my images dissapear!!!
Exactly!! I was just waiting for you to find that slider. BTW, the middle setting is going to be their default.
i can't find it. where's the slider? seriously.. are buyers supposed to know this ? is the default the middle of this slider thingy?

Do a search and at the bottom left will be a link named "Display Settings". Click it and you'll see the "Best match sort" slider setting.

ETA: Beat me to answering it

caspixel · « **Reply #43 on:** April 03, 2011, 16:03 »

Quote from: jamirae on April 03, 2011, 15:51

okay.. wow. the slider is all the way at the bottom under "display preferences" .. how weird is that. I didn't move mine, it was in the middle and I searched on 'desert' the results were vetta followed by agency.. and pretty much that was it on the main page.

this will certainly help my sales on the other sites as it will definitely drive away customers who freak out on the outrageous pricing.

Odd, because mine, by default was set all the way to the right, which actually shows a more mixed search. However, in yet another dumb move, iStock is going to remove the slider (that no one even knows exists) and make the default the middle position. Should really help your sales at other agencies then!

mlwinphoto · « **Reply #44 on:** April 03, 2011, 16:29 »

There's only one sure fire way of beating the best match search fiasco and that's to shoot subject matter which isn't already saturated in the files. Not sure what that might be but.....

ShadySue · « **Reply #45 on:** April 03, 2011, 16:34 »

Quote from: mlwinphoto on April 03, 2011, 16:29

There's only one sure fire way of beating the best match search fiasco and that's to shoot subject matter which isn't already saturated in the files. Not sure what that might be but.....

There are plenty of untapped subjects, but the real secret is finding ones that buyers want. I haven't cracked that one! Otherwise there's no point in having an iStockwhack.

Beach Bum · « **Reply #46 on:** April 03, 2011, 16:52 »

Quote from: robynmac on April 03, 2011, 15:35

I'm a diamond independent. By chance, I did a search a few days ago on "salad", and was really happy that several of my images were on the front page. I just tried that again, and they have disappeared from view. I stopped searching after the first few pages.

It's early Monday morning here, and I think I'll just go back to bed and have a little cry.

Yep. My best sellers have dropped several pages. This doesn't look good.

gostwyck · « **Reply #47 on:** April 03, 2011, 16:55 »

The more I look at the results of searches the less I think that buyers will like what they see. If Vetta/Agency don't happen to be in their budget then they're going to have to spend longer searching to find the good stuff. That'll be the same buyers whose patience has already been severely stretched over the last few months.

Istock do appear determined to cook their golden goose as quickly as possible. They seem to have forgotten that they came into existence mainly due to greedy agencies with over-priced images. Now they are rapidly trying to re-invent themselves into what they once used to despise. To me it looks like a recipe for disaster and the customers' goodwill is being squandered in a short-term cash grab. Heigh-ho.

pancaketom · « **Reply #48 on:** April 03, 2011, 17:36 »

Quote from: gostwyck on April 03, 2011, 16:55

The more I look at the results of searches the less I think that buyers will like what they see. If Vetta/Agency don't happen to be in their budget then they're going to have to spend longer searching to find the good stuff. That'll be the same buyers whose patience has already been severely stretched over the last few months.

Istock do appear determined to cook their golden goose as quickly as possible. They seem to have forgotten that they came into existence mainly due to greedy agencies with over-priced images. Now they are rapidly trying to re-invent themselves into what they once used to despise. To me it looks like a recipe for disaster and the customers' goodwill is being squandered in a short-term cash grab. Heigh-ho.

Agreed.

The other thing that helped bring IS into existence was the high priced agencies keeping the little guy out (and the rapid advances in digital imaging). They seem to be working on messing that up too. I don't think they can destroy the advances in digital imaging though, but I wouldn't be surprised if they somehow appeared to be trying at this point.

jsmithzz · « **Reply #49 on:** April 03, 2011, 18:27 »

Is what they fail to appreciate (and I don't care how many times they say otherwise), is that many peoples' livelihoods are tied to iStock. I don't rely on the site for 100% of my income but know a couple that do. With the site wackiness, callous i-don't-give-a-crap comments from lobo, it's looking more and more like Getty, iStock or whoever just doesn't care. The entire site is broken. How can anyone effectively manage their photo business when their agent shifts the playing field every 5 days on a whim or if an IT person fat fingers the best match algorithm? You can't.

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Author Topic: The 4/3/11 Istockphoto Best Match Change (Read 59740 times)

Atwim

gclk

traveler1116

caspixel

dnavarrojr

traveler1116

caspixel

ShadySue

lagereek

fotografer

gostwyck

fotografer

fotografer

lagereek

robynmac

jamirae

jamirae

PaulieWalnuts

caspixel

mlwinphoto

ShadySue

Beach Bum

gostwyck

pancaketom

jsmithzz

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