The Mysterious Business of All of Alamy

[Ed Rooney]

I'm wondering what if any valuable or helpful information we get from All of Alamy. I do feel the wording of the subjects in "Search Term" is a  good guide to consider when doing keywording. (Maybe.) "Sales"? Since this almost always shows a zero, occasionally a one, there's not much to be learned from that. "Zooms" seem to show a keen interest from some enthusiastic researchers, not sure what it means though. Now "Views"? Hmm. The islands in the Caribbean are always at or near the top of both Zooms and Views. Dogs are also something people like to look at. Double hmm. I like dogs but I've never liked the Caribbean, so I find myself halfway into the main stream here. "CTR"?  Well, if I'm confused by everything else, I suppose I should just turn my back on CTR. 

 

It is a puzzlement. 

[John Mitchell]

Ed, I was born in the Caribbean (Antigua) and have very fond childhood memories. However, that was before the islands were overrun by mass tourism and celebrities. I also like dogs (with some exceptions such as pit bulls and yappy chihuahuas). However, I can't help you at all when it comes to unraveling the mysteries of "All of Alamy." Personally, I find "Your Images" to be much better suited to my limited brain power.

[John Mitchell]

I quite like this recent "Search Term" currently on "All of Alamy":

 

"house colorful not fun not bird not food not dish not girl not family not man not woman not cute not animal not dog not cat not child not baby"

 

What's left? One might ask.

[OneWay]

"Sales"? Since this almost always shows a zero, occasionally a one, there's not much to be learned from that. 

It is a puzzlement. 

Ed,

In All of Alamy, if you click on the menu data title, "Sales," the list of search terms will be reordered in order of sales (from most to least) and puts all the items that show 0 sales some three or four pages away (you have to click on the Sales title twice to get order from highest to lowest). I find this feature very useful to see what search terms buyers are using that generate the most sales...and if my own keywords are missing any of the terms if I have a similar image. 

 

I also find it useful to search for subjects (especially those I can find right around my house) I hadn't thought of shooting that have sold.

 

Dave

[John Mitchell]

I wonder how often the "Sales" data is updated. For instance, "All of Alamy" shows no sales at all for "Vancouver" searches during the past month. This isn't the case, of course.

 

P.S. Before leaving on a trip to Mexico earlier this year, I used All of Alamy to look for gaps in Alamy's coverage for each of the places that I would be visiting. This proved to be quite useful. However, I've yet to sell an image from the trip. Have had some zooms, though, so hope springs eternal.

[Alex Todd]

I often wonder if there's any point in checking out searches which have 0 results. If someone has searched for something and it returns 0, will they return to search again in the future?

 

I still like to play around with the results to give me ideas though.

[John Mitchell]

I often wonder if there's any point in checking out searches which have 0 results. If someone has searched for something and it returns 0, will they return to search again in the future?

 

I still like to play around with the results to give me ideas though.

 

Yes, I guess it makes more sense if there is more than one UCO for searches that yield zero results. Still, it's better than chasing subjects that are already over-represented on Alamy IMO. Lightning does sometimes strike twice in the same spot. At least, that's what I keep telling myself.

[Ed Rooney]

Oh, look at that, Dave! I'm gonna click on some other things, too. Thanks.

[OneWay]

Oh, look at that, Dave! I'm gonna click on some other things, too. Thanks.

Glad to be of help! Click away.

 

Dave

[Barking]

 

"Sales"? Since this almost always shows a zero, occasionally a one, there's not much to be learned from that. 

It is a puzzlement. 

Ed,

In All of Alamy, if you click on the menu data title, "Sales," the list of search terms will be reordered in order of sales (from most to least) and puts all the items that show 0 sales some three or four pages away (you have to click on the Sales title twice to get order from highest to lowest). I find this feature very useful to see what search terms buyers are using that generate the most sales...and if my own keywords are missing any of the terms if I have a similar image. 

 

I also find it useful to search for subjects (especially those I can find right around my house) I hadn't thought of shooting that have sold.

 

Dave

an interesting exercise..but take `pumpkin' as a search word...it comes up with 45,000+ entries and many more links...I have a few pumpkin shots..but how would I ever find mine in such a big field of pumpkins? ...is there a generic search order if a potential buyer doesn't specify?  e.g. date order or ref number?

[spacecadet]

Your Alamy rank determines the order of results to some extent. I've had much better sales this year so I appear higher up in many searches. Not much higher, a bit higher.

IMO upload date has some effect as well.

[dov makabaw]

I have a quick look through All of Alamy most days. I find it useful to find search words which I don't have as well as alternative spellings and new buzz words. Only a fraction of searches appear in these statistics but it is still a useful albeit imperfect guide. The search facility is very helpful when I am shooting in a new location or different subject. At the end of the day forget about logic and good spelling. If we want to attract buyers we have to present our pix in the way that they search for them.

 

I always keep an eye on my CTR. When it starts slipping, again, I know that it is time to review and clean up my pseudos.

 

dov

[Alex Todd]

Your Alamy rank determines the order of results to some extent. I've had much better sales this year so I appear higher up in many searches. Not much higher, a bit higher.

IMO upload date has some effect as well.

 

I also think being willing to join the newspaper scheme, Novel Use & Distribution scheme where your images are sold for peanuts gives you a higher Alamy Rank.

[Vlad]

 

"Sales"? Since this almost always shows a zero, occasionally a one, there's not much to be learned from that. 

It is a puzzlement. 

Ed,

In All of Alamy, if you click on the menu data title, "Sales," the list of search terms will be reordered in order of sales (from most to least) and puts all the items that show 0 sales some three or four pages away (you have to click on the Sales title twice to get order from highest to lowest). I find this feature very useful to see what search terms buyers are using that generate the most sales...and if my own keywords are missing any of the terms if I have a similar image. 

 

I also find it useful to search for subjects (especially those I can find right around my house) I hadn't thought of shooting that have sold.

 

Dave

Forget the sales field from AoA, it gets populated only if a sale can be directly linked to that search, which seems to be seldom the case.

 

Vad

[Pearl]

 

Your Alamy rank determines the order of results to some extent. I've had much better sales this year so I appear higher up in many searches. Not much higher, a bit higher.

IMO upload date has some effect as well.

 

I also think being willing to join the newspaper scheme, Novel Use & Distribution scheme where your images are sold for peanuts gives you a higher Alamy Rank.

Novel use sales don't count towards Alamy Rank.

 

Pearl

[Alex Todd]

 

 

Your Alamy rank determines the order of results to some extent. I've had much better sales this year so I appear higher up in many searches. Not much higher, a bit higher.

IMO upload date has some effect as well.

 

I also think being willing to join the newspaper scheme, Novel Use & Distribution scheme where your images are sold for peanuts gives you a higher Alamy Rank.

Novel use sales don't count towards Alamy Rank.

 

Pearl

 

Thanks Pearl.

[OneWay]

 

 

"Sales"? Since this almost always shows a zero, occasionally a one, there's not much to be learned from that. 

It is a puzzlement. 

Ed,

In All of Alamy, if you click on the menu data title, "Sales," the list of search terms will be reordered in order of sales (from most to least) and puts all the items that show 0 sales some three or four pages away (you have to click on the Sales title twice to get order from highest to lowest). I find this feature very useful to see what search terms buyers are using that generate the most sales...and if my own keywords are missing any of the terms if I have a similar image. 

 

I also find it useful to search for subjects (especially those I can find right around my house) I hadn't thought of shooting that have sold.

 

Dave

Forget the sales field from AoA, it gets populated only if a sale can be directly linked to that search, which seems to be seldom the case.

 

Vad

That's true, Vlad...but Alamy also has researchers who find pics for buyers (most of my sales). I wouldn't want to miss keywords that an in-house searcher might use. My best seller is a most mundane subject that I clued into by looking at terms which resulted in Sales in AoA; it has sold six times for amounts ranging from $90 to $215. 

 

AoA is just another tool that can help, even if just a little.

[Ed Endicott]

...and all the while I'm thinking I need to go to the Caribean to photograph dogs.