Shutterstock launches the Keyword Trends Tool for Contributors

Shutterstock is introducing a new Keyword Trends Tool. It will be accessible to all logged-in contributors through the Shutterstock Darkroom, a page of new features we are testing, the URL is:

http://submit.shutterstock.com/darkroom/keyword_trends.mhtml

It’s the first tool of its kind in our industry, and represents an innovation in the sharing of information between an agency and its contributors.
What it does: It offers a first-of-its-kind glance at what customers search for on Shutterstock. Contributors can enter up to five search terms (keywords) and see a graph of the words’ search volume over the last year.
Why it’s useful: Contributors often ask for more and better information about what customers want and when they want it. They want to connect with and understand their customers so they can create the right images and videos, keyword them accurately, and thereby sell more licenses. Keyword Trends gives Shutterstock contributors access to some of this information.

How it helps contributors:

• Understanding seasonality in the stock business: As an example, many contributors are uploading Christmas images in November. Yet the Keyword Trends tool reveals that searches for “Christmas” start picking up in August – see the graph below. That's when contributors should be shooting and uploading Christmas images. Use Keyword Trends to search for words like summer, spring, autumn, winter, beach, football, fireworks, or snow and see what it reveals.

Shutterstock Keywords Trends - Christmas

Here a comparison Christmas vs Easter, you can appreciate the different volume of searches and the seasonality.

Shutterstock Keywords Trends – Christmas vs Easter

• Emerging trends: Contributors who think they have an idea for an image concept can use this tool to check their hunches. For example, do a search for ‘carbon fiber' and you’ll see that search volume has been increasing steadily since last year. Search for the terms ‘retro' or ‘lace' and see their popularity is on the decline. Another example is in the below graph, comparing some tech keywords you can see the uptrend of tablet and the preferred use of the term laptop vs notebook.

Shutterstock Keywords Trends – Technology

Customization for each contributor: When contributors log into the tool, they’ll see some suggested keywords based on their own portfolios–words they use most often, and the words in their collection that customers look for most frequently.

Shutterstock Keywords Trends – my keywords

Also please consider: In cases of keywords with low popularity, the data may look uneven or odd, due to errors introduced by data sampling. The tool will improve over time as Shutterstock collects more data.