What is?
A Image Hosting Service
An image hosting service allows individuals to upload images to an Internet website. The image host will then store the image onto its server, and show the individual different types of code to allow others to view that image.
How A Image Hosting Service Works
Typically image hosting websites provide an upload interface; a form in which you specify the location of an image file on your local computer file system (using a browse button). After pressing a “Submit” button the file is uploaded to the image host’s server. Some image hosts allow you to specify multiple files at once, in this form, or the ability to upload one ZIP file containing multiple images. Additionally, some image hosts allow FTP or File Transfer Protocol access, where single or multiple files can be uploaded in one session using FTP software or an FTP-capable browser.
After this process, your image is hosted on the image hosts server. Typically this means it is available on the web (to the public). You may also be allowed to make online links to the web hosted image, to embed it on other websites e.g.
- Linking with HTML code
- Linking with BBcode or Bulletin Board Code (used in message boards and forums)
- A clickable thumbnail that is linked to the full image
Usually, the image host will put restrictions on the maximum image size allowed, or the maximum space or bandwidth allowed per user. Due to bandwidth costs, free image hosting services usually offer relatively modest size limits per image when compared to paid image hosting services, but allow users hot linking their images. Individuals needing to host or store large images should consider purchasing image hosting services or purchasing web hosting services, so that they may operate their own website.
Image Hosting Service Tools
Image hosts also provide tools such as the ability to create photo blogs or photo galleries with your images, or add them to a slideshow for easier viewing. Some image hosting services provide more advanced tools such as the ability for an individual to add text notes to an image they uploaded, sideloaders, or browser sidebars. Other image hosts have introduced novel features, such as the ability to automatically resize images down to a user-selected size. More recent image hosting services provide web tools which allow you to upload photos using a camera phone with email capability.
Image Hosting Service Costs
Many image hosts are free. Of the free image hosts, the vast majority are supported by advertisement, mostly on their top pages, thumbnail pages, or 'not found' pages. Showing advertisements to users has enabled image size and bandwidth limits to increase.
Some free image hosts have optional paid image hosting features, while other image hosts offer only paid image hosting services. Features and storage available are generally better for paid image hosting services, while image hosting service cost is still much less than the cost of purchasing web hosting to operate a website. Paid image hosting services allow you to have password protected photo albums, customizable skins, and customized sub domains. There are many other paid image hosting services available that offer different packages of features, options, and costs.
Colo is a full service web hosting and networks operation center and provides its clients a wide variety of secure web hosting and server services. You can read further about Colo’s Web Hosting Features here, request a call back (top right) or call toll free at 1-866-316-2656 and we will help you select the services that best meets your needs.