Originally Posted by Jmz
Image host is a hard one, the market is very saturated and bigger sites can make it hard especially when starting up.
My idea for an image hosting site would be something like, get some pens or something with the sites name on, then someone needs to upload an image and they're trying to think where to upload it and voila! There's a pen with your url on right in front of them.
What I'm trying to say is, to really break through in that market you'll have to think outsite the normal online marketing confines.
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To be honest, I think this is a terrible idea... first off, as Seb said pens cost quite a bit. As a percentage, Im guessing that it'll be low for cost -> traffic. Secondly, how will you distribute the pens? Where will they go? Who would you target?
Im thinking that if you were to advertise an image host 'offline', a small advertisement in the papers would be more effective (however even this isn't a decent method of traffic).
An image host, in my opinion, is best advertised on the net. However, if it was to get big enough, it could be advertised offline. Maybe a few leaflets in shops, or places where you must wait (I.e. the underground etc.). But realistically, advertising on the net is a lot cheaper, and due to the type of traffic your looking for, a lot more effective.
Advertising on sites such as eBay, and other auctioning sites, is a good place to start. This is because eBay offer free hosting for one image, but you must pay for further images (or even a gallery). So people host them for free elsewhere.
Another good place to advertise would be graphics forums/sites. There are many forums out there that are dedicated to people learning/showing off their graphical talent. Many of these people don't have web space, and so will need an image host.
Hope it's helped a little, and good luck
Marky