letting the flickr pro account expire

[cardinal]

I'm not sure about this one. We have been using flickr less and less over the past couple of years. It doesn't seem as vibrant as it once was. Letting it go feels a bit like cleaning up. We used to use the API to host images on our website, but not anymore. I like hosting pictures locally and trying to drive people to view our blog. What's the general vibe on flickr's position out there?

[Eric Estlund]

Still doing it for me. I get new contact regularly, many views daily, and a decent shake of sales.

I might get that from another source if I used it, but it stays relevant for me.

[sonny]

it's how i follow builders' (and other artists') work in large part. if it were me i wouldn't stop populating (no matter your rate) nor move the content into a standalone site exclusively. i like the way atmo does it and keeps it raw on the flickr end and uses his site with flickr-hosted content to fill in the bigger picture. makes it easy for the punters (moi) to follow, but if it's business you are after, only you can quantify that atyo.


hey, i'll add you-

[Matthew Strongin]

I don't often visit flickr directly just to see what's around, but when I do end up on a flickr stream that I like (usually by linking from a blog that I like), I can get lost in it for a long, long time. Like most things on the web, its relevance and vibrancy will follow the quality and frequency of the content. I'm not implying that your flickr lacks quality content, but if you're using it less, you'll see less value from it. That said, I'm perusing your photos as we speak...

[holliscx]

I agree that Flickr has lost its vibrancy; Yahoo has taken a dump on the site since commanding the reins but hopefully all will not be lost. I don't have a pro account and haven't found an equal for viewing photos. I say keep the community going until you find a better alternative or lose interest altogether.

[Jonathan]

I use it as my back-up for all of my pictures, not really social media. It's a little expensive to use it like that But it gives me the most flexibility as to when and where the pics can be viewed. I upload almost everything to Flickr.

[the bottle ride]

I would agree that Flickr has lost its vibrancy (the conversation)- to paraphrase the buggles... Facebook killed the photo-star

I think that it is a great place to host pictures- some of the tools have gotten dull though. I still go to flickr all the time to check peoples work out.

[brucew]

Let me preface this by saying I'm an old-school web jockey. I made my first web sites in 1993 when Netscape 2.0 was new. I specialized in intranet sites before the word had even been coined. Asking me to make web sites that incorporate Flickr is like asking e-Richie to put down the torch and make bikes from carbon fiber--or bamboo. It ain't happenin'.

It should come as no surprise then that I say, leave it behind. Host your own. You get greater control over image sizes and quality, no online site holds a candle to what you can do with PhotoShop, GIMP or even ImageMagick (if you must do it on the server), you can change images at the same URL if need be, you have greater control over URLs for SEO, and WRT to SEO, searches direct users to one site rather than scatter them all over the web. It's also easier to maintain everything if it's all in one location.

[962]

Flickr was always just way too slow (and unpredictable in speed, from visit to visit) for me. And it didn't seem to me that you get more reliable serving if you pay for Pro. Other than that, the UI has been stale.

But I still think it's great for finding interesting photography...

I also think if you've got a business or something it is an easy place to look you up. Like, searching for [signal cycles flickr]. I have to say, one thing that's annoying to me as a consumer is blogs or branding that move around or change too much.

[aaronv]

I'm keeping Flickr for now. I keep it precisely because it is lightweight and focused and not a social media site. I get a few comments here and there so it is prefect. I keep photos there because it doesn't require a Facebook login nor does it have all the baggage, visual or otherwise, that service has. People can look at the photos and not get bombarded with ads or zombie pokes, etc. I also pay for it. With any free service you personal information, advertising, or both is what is paying for it. When Microsoft was interested in buying Flickr was the last time I thought about switching to something else.

[fortyfour]

Sorry to hear that Flickr's lost that zeal for you. Personally, I love Flickr as it's a "base of operations" for all my other accounts. I can share/post directly to my Tumblr, Facebook Page, Twitter, and Wordpress Blog from Flickr. In regard to twitter, I have it setup with Wordpress so that if I make a post via Wordpress, it is mirrored on Twitter - so an image post from Flickr to WP is reflected on Twitter. The fact that I can coordinate this from one source is pretty amazing. The integrated "analytics" is interesting to see the spikes, who's watching and who's coming from where. I can compare that with the google analytics via my website and WP blog. It's good to see the flow of sources.

The vibrancy for me is definitely still there as I work alone and am in a kind of vacuum so it enables me to connect with people all across the globe, see what everyone is up to, see what they are building in addition to being a tremendous resource for inspiration across many disciplines (Library of Congress, Takeabreak, Vintage Advertising Pool, and Depression Press photostream's to name only a few - Amazing stuff). The different groups that share images are also a great source of information/visual stimulus. Since I work in a vacuum, I constantly need to feed my brain. I keep an active image clipping file both electronically and in hard copy format (I have a lot of vintage images, catalogs etc in a filing cabinet). I find Flickr a great online resource for that just by searching directly for keywords on different subjects. For an example of something I recently stumbled on as I have been working on a new set of iconographic marks for 44 Bikes, check this one out: Vintage set of Matchbook Art.

In many ways, I use it as a way to document my work and have a viral portfolio of work that doesn't have to be super polished (which I like). Often clients ask questions, want to see work samples or I need to show someone a bit of a process I've done in the past or currently working on, and having that resource that is Flickr is invaluable to me. I simply send them to that specific link on my flickr page. But if I were to put them in order of importance, I'd place my Website as 1, blog as 2, Flickr as 3. Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr are often well below the top 10 sources of traffic via my website. And that is the point of having all these "arms" on the internet. It throws a broad but targeted set of key words and images that all ultimately drive traffic back to the home base (website) where all the important information resides and for me is the goal - get them to the site after being stoked on what they've seen or experienced via another medium. I don't frequent Tumblr, Facebook or Twitter but I realize that others do and that is just another way to spread the word. Flickr actually enables me to manage all of these if I want to from one interface and interact in a targeted fashion with people who are cyclists and enjoy watching the process unfold. So in many ways, I'm seeking out like company, and so are they.

But the key takeaway is that I use Flickr like an online portfolio or journal of work. There are much stronger tools for different jobs that I have here locally in the studio to build websites, manage photo correction and build / design catalogs, logos etc. I suppose it's how you use the tool and realize what it's limitations are and how you can leverage the things it does well to your advantage.

[big shanty]

Keep it, post often.

[cardinal]

I'll have to mull it a bit. If it's an unused tool, it isn't worth much. I'm just trying to create a workflow that is manageable for me. So far nothing touches instagram for the ease of using, but it isn't as good for referring people back to old bikes as reference like you were saying.

I use it as a way to document my work...

I've been feeling a bit pinned under a rock WRT social media obligations, and one less lightens the load.

[fortyfour]

There should be no obligation. You should use the tools that help you build your brand and best illustrate/document your work. I feel that showing your work is important - the level of exposure is up to you as well as the number of mediums. I only recently added Tumblr and Twitter as there were small add-ons Flickr came out with that enable you to link the two accounts. I would say that Tumblr definitely brings more traffic to Flickr, which resides high on the traffic list for me which then funnels to the website or vice versa (Website to flickr as I have a flickr link directly off of my website in the main menu up in the header). And I'm only using them temporarily to see what kind of awareness it can bring to my brand right now. The reason why I have used flickr so much, is that it's the place where I upload my work, and then deploy it using their embed code on other forums, my blog, facebook page, etc. Having to upload/directly embed images into my wordpress blog is a time suck I've found so once they are on flickr, the game is on.

If I were to only use 3 it would be my website, my Wordpress Blog, and Flickr. All 3 of these work in harmony for me and are easily managed (and the second 2 I can access as long as I have an internet connection). The first provides concrete information and reveals the story of the brand. The second provides dynamic content and a forum for me to talk more openly about what I'm up to, building, or experiencing - cyclists get to hear what I have to say if they want to read it. And the 3rd enables me to document and quickly share my work across multiple platforms.

But if you asked me what is the essence of social media I would say you first need a foundation for the brand that tells the story, shows your work and enables clients to contact your directly. Second would be a place where you can expand on that story with new content, and 3rd is a place where you can actively show / share your work in a quick way that is flexible for you, you understand, and you can work in harmony with. Those 3 things could be one platform, 2 or many.

Honestly, all of the options are ridiculous, so you should try them and then pick which ones work best for you.

[billrick]

As a custom bike consumer, I love following my favorite builders on Flickr. About five years ago, I secretly paid for a "pro account" upgrade for a certain builder, after watching him hit the upload limit a few times.

[suspectdevice]

fFickr is my virtual harddrive for photos.
With how much social media stuff I do I need a central place to dump my stuff.
90% of the time I upload the pictures wirelessly direct from my iPhone.
Hard to beat that sort of ease.

[zetroc]

I like Flickr a lot but Yahoo needs to do more to support it. I will be renewing it though - it's a great way to keep up with many of my favorite builders.

[alexstar]

FWIW the new Yahoo management has doubled down on their Flickr segment. They say they are hard at work vis-a-vis improvements and the like. Take that with a grain of salt, given how long they let Flickr languish.

I love Flickr and use it every day. The community has shrunk but it's still a good tool.

[suspectdevice]

Also,
Tumblr, so hot right now.

[sonny]

Also,
Tumblr, so hot right now.

yeah, i just reblog mickey all day ong