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I have analyzed the data for my website and have found that in the middle of September there was a change that took affect at Google. Before the middle of September, Google Search was the predominant referrer. But after the middle of September, Google Search referrals dropped dramatically. This was probably caused by the change in the Google algorithm.
On the contrary, Google Image Search referrals have risen since the middle of September and are now the predominant referrer, but I would attribute that to the increased number of images that I have uploaded.
This is becoming pretty frustrating.
I have been slowly adding image to my site and I noticed the the “Impressions” were slowly rising from 0 to 90.
But then 2 weeks ago a sudden collapse from 90 to 12 within a week and now stabilizing around 22 to 12 impressions.This is killing me as I don’t know why this just happens.
I’m seeing the same thing, Jan. And I bet we’re not alone. Something has definitely changed in the last couple of months.
Just an FYI.
I have been using Google Web Master HTML Improvement to identify duplicate descriptions. As I have been elminating these my index count has been going up.
I don’t really know if they are related, but it seems to tie into what is being discussed.
That may be true, David. We know that Google doesn’t like duplicate anything.
I’ve been making sure all my titles are new and different, not what I used when I uploaded to SS, DT, FT, etc. And most of my descriptions are unique… but not all are. There are only so many ways one can vary the basic info in similar images.
Do you know if it helps if one rearranges the words and paragraphs, or does the entire text have to be totally different?
@quailrunphotos wrote:
I have been using Google Web Master HTML Improvement to identify duplicate descriptions.
Could you tell me where to find that tool?
Within Google WebMaster Tools click on the menu item Search Appearance. You will see an item titled HTML Improvements. It has lots of information about your links.
@quailrunphotos wrote:
Within Google WebMaster Tools click on the menu item Search Appearance. You will see an item titled HTML Improvements. It has lots of information about your links.
Thanks for that, David. I’ll check it out tomorrow.
Your help is much appreciated! 🙂
impressions or visits aren’t necessarily the best indicators… our problem as image sellers is attracting people who are interested in buying pictures, but most of the seo work focuses on keywords, etc that people would also use when trying to find information
google’s trying to make searches more relevant, so that may mean fewer impressions — eg, I can see that the searches most people are doing are more likely looking to BUY spices, etc, rather than looking for images of someone buying spices.
bottom line is impressions don’t matter as long as you’re making sales
I don’t know but I think if we don’t have some big buyers backing us up we need exposure. Or better said Impressions, without impressions no exposure!
The graph below are the impressions of my site. I was so glad to reach 90 and even after the 90 impressions I have been uploading on a daily basis. The result is now 12 impressions. I know I have to do more marketing and need more links, etc. I have no duplicates.
Basically I have done nothing different or strange to cause this drop.
The frustrating part is that I have daily sales via agencies but struggle to get traffic on my own site.I’m really not a tech head and while I understand SEO it makes my head go foggy LOL! I agree with Cascoly that just page views are not something to go by. What we need are buyers to come look at the images.
I had an idea last night and would like some ideas/input/suggestions/knowledge. I was thinking that what drives business is exposure. Pinterest seems to be a fast growing phenomenon. What do you think of this idea I’m going to outline below to generate some traffic and attention?
If one uploads a fairly decent image without watermarks (not large enough to really steal it and perhaps a little compressed too) and then link those images back to our actual product for sale on SymbioStock, is this a good/bad/pointless exercise?
My thoughts is that if you take some of the better photographs that have some “Arty Pinterest” appeal and promote them then there is a chance people will repin them. With further repinning (by others) may come some clicks and awareness of the site?
Any further ideas? After all it is free and not much to lose but perhaps there is a downside or negative aspect I haven’t thought of?
Jo
@jan wrote:
I don’t know but I think if we don’t have some big buyers backing us up we need exposure. Or better said Impressions, without impressions no exposure!
The graph below are the impressions of my site. I was so glad to reach 90 and even after the 90 impressions I have been uploading on a daily basis. The result is now 12 impressions. I know I have to do more marketing and need more links, etc. I have no duplicates.
Basically I have done nothing different or strange to cause this drop.
The frustrating part is that I have daily sales via agencies but struggle to get traffic on my own site.The microstock agencies have major ad agencies running campaigns for them…most probably with multimillion dollar ad budgets. And PR firms placing press releases. I see their paid advertising all over the web, and of course we all get emails from them (I do, at least). They pay for higher ranking on google. They also run print ads in all the major trade publications.
@cathyslife stockphotos wrote:
Personally, I will not be interested in participating in anything to do with Pinterest. They promote copyright infringement of images and that is the wrong message to send people regarding images we are trying to sell.
I have read of others who think this is a good idea (on the MSG forum) so I will be interested in finding out if it does any good. It will somehow have to be tied to google analytics so that results can be tracked, otherwise how will you be able to track the conversion of pins and repins to actual sales? After all, looking at your site is one thing; having people actually buy images is another, and for me, the end goal.
Do graphic designers and people who BUY images really sit and surf through pins to find images to buy? I don’t know.
I do understand what you are saying. In fact I was reading about it just the other day and I recall they are changing things because of the points you bring up.
I don’t think it will lead to direct sales as such and there is no way to really track it. I think that people share a lot of stuff on Facebook and some of it is linked to Pinterest. So what I was thinking was to create a brand, an awareness so to speak.
I sort of follow the philosophy that you should always look presentable when you leave the house because you never know who you will meet. Similarly I feel that getting the awareness or the images out there might help in the long run. Who knows who is looking for what and where when they see your work.
On the other hand it may also amount to nothing more than people sharing pretty photos. LOL!
Jo
@shelma1 wrote:
The microstock agencies have major ad agencies running campaigns for them…most probably with multimillion dollar ad budgets. And PR firms placing press releases. I see their paid advertising all over the web, and of course we all get emails from them (I do, at least). They pay for higher ranking on google. They also run print ads in all the major trade publications.
That’s exactly right, and there’s no way any one of us (or all of us collectively) are going to be able to compete with those huge advertising budgets.
If only there were some way to let the buyers who see and like our stuff on SS, FT, DT, IS, etc, know that we artists have additional images on our own sites that are not available for sale on SS, FT, ET, IS, etc. At least… I have that, and I assume others do as well. I’m holding back my own “newest best” for sale on my site alone, not uploading them to the big agencies. Over the next year, my exclusive collection should grow large enough to attract potential buyers.
I’ve been wondering if we individually could start checking out ad agencies or publications that specialize in the kind of work we do. It’s possible we could get the names of individual buyers and either write them directly or connect with some of them via Twitter, Linkedin, etc, to begin getting the word out about SYS. There must be networks of such people that could be tapped. The first step would getting our SYS foot in the door.
Jo, I have the “Pinterest block” plugin active on my site. Exact opposite direction as you.
Blocking Pinterest may or may not be smart, I don’t know. But I do know I haven’t wanted to be involved with Pinterest at all.
Now, if they change their rules/policies, that might make a difference to me. Will you keep us posted on that?
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