How Photobucket Works

Photobucket uses two different programming languages and a multimedia software suite to deliver services to members. They are:

You can think of Java as the platform upon which the Flash and JavaScript components stand. Paired with the HTML code for Photobucket's Web site, these three elements are what make Photobucket work.

Behind the scenes, Photobucket stores images and video on a network of servers and data storage devices housed in various facilities in Colorado. Photobucket partners with companies like Data393, and Switch and Data, which provide data center facilities. A data center is a specialized warehouse -- its design incorporates the cooling, bandwidth, networking and power capabilities necessary to keep a large network of physical machines running. Photobucket uses its own hardware and software in these data centers.

Next, we'll take a look at some things you can do with your Photobucket account.

The heart of Photobucket's service is digital image storage. But images can come in many sizes and file types. Photobucket supports the following image file formats:

There are a few ways to describe images on the Internet. One way is to refer to the file size -- the number of bytes of information in a file. Another is to consider the resolution of the image, represented by the height and width of an image in pixels. Photobucket places limits on image and file sizes depending on the type of account the user has (more on accounts later). A basic account holder can upload images of up to 1 megabyte (MB) or up to 1024 x 768 resolution. Pro account holders can upload images that are up to 5 MB or have a resolution of 2240 x 1680 [source: Photobucket].

When you create an account with Photobucket, you have to agree with the site's terms of use. Part of that agreement states that Photobucket can delete or refuse to post any content for any reason. The purpose of this policy is to prevent users from posting offensive, pornographic, disturbing or illegal material. A user who uploads a taboo image and then direct links it to another site may find his or her photo link is gone after a few hours. Instead of the image, people visiting the site will only see a message stating the image's owner violated Photobucket's terms of use.

­Users can add labels to photos called tags. Tags help categorize photos, which comes in handy when you're searching for pictures of a specific person or event. The photo tagging function makes Photobucket more than just a photo storage site -- it's also a social networking site. Photo tags make it easy for users to connect with one another through simple searches.

Now we'll take a closer look at the account options Photobucket offers.

The basic Photobucket account is free of charge and comes with the following:

For $39.95 per year, users can upgrade to a Pro account. Pro accounts have all the features of a basic account as well as:

Photobucket allows users to create direct links on Web pages to pictures in their accounts. But that means every time someone loads the respective Web page, Photobucket must send the image data to the appropriate server. As more people view the Web page, Photobucket has to send more image data across the Internet. Most Internet service providers (ISPs) charge individuals or companies for heavy use of their networks. That's why Photobucket institutes bandwidth caps -- to reduce the possibility of having to pay fees for its direct links.

Whether you have a basic or a pro account, you can choose to make your account public or private. Anyone can view pictures posted in a public account, which is the default setting on all user accounts. If you have a public account and label a photo with a tag, anyone searching Photobucket for that tag can see your image.

­Private accounts are different. Users with a private account can choose who can view the images and videos they've stored. Private account members create a guest password that they can share with trusted friends and family. Whether an account is public or private, the user must still adhere to Photobucket's terms of use. Just because an account is private doesn't mean the account holder can upload photos prohibited for public accounts.

If you decide you no longer want your Photobucket account, you can cancel it. Free account holders can cancel an account through their account options on their profile page. Users must enter a reason for deleting the account and include a security code to prevent fraudulent deletions. After 48 hours, Photobucket deletes the account and all the media stored there -- there are no backups, so it's important to save all media locally.

Pro account holders have to contact the Photobucket support team in order to cancel an account. Only by contacting the team can a user ensure that Photobucket doesn't automatically bill the user.

Next, we'll take a look at how Photobucket turns a profit.

Alex Welch and Darren Crystal founded Photobucket in 2003. In 2007, Fox Interactive Media acquired Photobucket for an undisclosed amount. The site claims to be the number one photo-sharing Web site on the Internet, with more than 39 million unique visitors every month. How does the service make money from all that traffic?

Pro accounts are one source of revenue. Members can choose to pay for a Pro account on an annual, tri-monthly or monthly schedule. But Pro accounts aren't the only way Photobucket earns money.

Advertising plays a large role in Photobucket's revenue strategy. Photobucket hosts online advertising from various vendors. And it's not just on the main page -- members with free accounts will see advertising on their respective profile pages, too. Photobucket omits advertising on Pro account pages.

Photobucket's advertising options are diverse:

W­hile Photobucket has become more popular over the years, not all of the attention has been positive. In June 2008, a group of Turkish hackers defaced the Photobucket homepage by redirecting incoming traffic to an alternate site. The site displayed a message in Turkish to would-be Photobucket visitors. The message admonished the world for forgetting the hacker group. Fortunately, the hackers didn't gain access to any personal information from Photobucket's members [source: ZDNet].

To learn more about Photobucket and other related topics, take a look at the links on the next page.