Too little, too late is the best review I have found of GoDaddy’s new photo hosting service they launched while the Web Hosting Show was taking a ‘bit of a holiday vacation. Not exactly the impact they wanted to make, but much like GoDaddy’s other services – I have a feeling they just wanted to do it so they could say they offer it.
They are calling the new service Photo Filer, a photo manager that enables users to share photos on the Web. Here is a good description of the service that I found via The WHIR:
Online Photo Filer helps users store and display their images on a specialized Web site, at their own domain name. By registering a personalized Web address, users can give their friends and family an easy address to view their photos. Viewers can order prints in various sizes directly from the application.
There is no doubt this is a good move for GoDaddy. Why? It is because it gives them one more reason you need to buy a domain name from them. Looking at it from the business perspective, it is very key for GoDaddy to keep growing. The bread and butter of GoDaddy is domain names, and if they keep inventing new reasons for you to get your domains from them, they keep the cash rolling in.
Now on the negative side of things, I have to say this has done before and for free at some places. Flickr is a good example of this type of service done right. Do I have to pay to use Flickr’s services? No. Do I? Yes. Flickr won me over with the free services they provide so much I had no problem paying a yearly subscription to get the premium content. Flickr still wins mind share because it is out there free to the public and it gets paid because they offer even more perks that people wish to take advantage of.
If GoDaddy wants Photo Filer to be a success they are going to have to copy a business model that looks much more like Flickr’s does. Don’t just wave premium services over somebody’s head and tell them to snatch it if they can. Give them a taste, give them a reason to come back and then give them a reason to want to pay you – instead of forcing them to pay you.
+ Check Out the Podcast This Was From! Listen to the Web Hosting Show, Episode 90!
