Shutterbugs across the country may rejoice the recent updates to Flickr, and Yahoo is certainly hoping the changes will be well-received. The Yahoo-owned photo posting site has been updated to emphasize its focus on user images, offering Flickr’s millions of devotees larger images that are easier to navigate.
To maximize the nuances of users‘ photos, the site has enlarged its photo pages to 640 pixels, explains the official Flickr blog. Images can also be lined up with updated features on the Action toolbar, and users can peruse photos with a new dark background option to eliminate distractions.
The new photo experience offers users the ability to "discover, share and organize [their] visual stories in a new and improved way," say Flickr officials. The site increases its social component by allowing users to more clearly tell visitors about their photo journeys with new title placements.
It also promotes that users tell a story in their photo line ups – easier navigation tools to make it easier to go from one photo to the next in an album. Additionally, there are new options for comments to appear in real time and guests to designate a photo as a "favorite."
The slightly more social component of the site could be Yahoo’s attempt to help Flickr gain ground on other internet user favorite sites, such as Facebook’s photo pages. The New York Times relays that Facebook photos as well as Google’s Picasa are currently growing at faster rates than Flickr.
The Flickr updates stand to draw more users to the picture posting site, especially in a moment when it seems Americans have photo fever. According to a recent report from comScore, more than half of U.S. internet users visited a photo sharing site in the month of April alone.
Posting pictures of quality products or services online can be a good way to engage consumers who embrace this rising photo frenzy. Flickr enables marketers to submit photos in relevant industry groups where they might catch the eyes of those most interested in a particular business‘ offerings.
