Flickr.

I would say that the more tags you add to the photos the more chance people will find them using a search. Also in my case the few shots I have added to groups seem to get more hits. If you want more followers the best way seems to be follow more people yourself and then they may feel obliged to follow you.
 
You get out what you put in, in general the more people that you follow, the more comments you leave, the more images you favourite, the more comes back to your images.

Avoiding photodumping helps - upload no more than an image or two on any day, upload regularly every week, tag images accurately but not over-enthusiastically, join a few relevant groups, up the quality of your Flickrstream by being more ruthless in your self-editing.

Some good tips here that are still relevant - https://www.flickr.com/groups/stphotographers/discuss/72157618700046089/
 
TheAndyA said:
Add your photos to relevant groups, you may get more views doing so.
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Agree with Andy, join some groups and put some shots up but also comment of other photos. You will then get more views and comments on yours. Plus do what I did about half an hour ago, I joined the Talk Photography Flickr group.
 
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Think about the title of your image, carefully. 'car' wont get much attention, 'vintage Bentley' will.
Give a description of your image, a little background, where it was taken, what you were doing, any history.
I rarely fave or comment on images that just have a file number, I like to learn a little about a picture, not a file!
Plus as others have stated, join the relevant groups and add good tags.
 
Adding to the comments and suggestions above. You do get out what you put in but to really get a good following I think a good gallery is paramount and you have certainly got a good base to start from. Once you get a shot or 2 on to explore then the faves, comments and followers will come.

Some of you images have got real pulling potential so get them in the relevant groups and you will get interest (y)
 
Groups can be too big and too busy, a big group with lost of uploads has a very short frontpage dwell time (a couple of seconds in a very large group) which can mean they're a lot less effective than you'd expect at getting attention. A medium-sized group with submission caps (1 per day,1 per week) can result in more views and comments.

Avoid the ego spinach groups with the sparkly gifs and compulsory post/comment rules.
 
OldCarlos said:
How do photo's get in `explore`?
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It's a secret algorithm that Flickr run. It takes into account a lot of factors - rate of views, rate of favourites, rate of comments, there's a "quality" judgement on the views/favourites/comments to "punish" certain tools/groups that game the system, something around your tagging and description is measured but no one's sure what, every so often Flickr adjust the calculation to make it harder to fiddle your way to an Explore. Your personal Explore score ("Interestingness") patterns go into the calculation too - it's harder to appear in Explore on successive days or more than an unknown number of times in an unknown period. the one thing that is not assessed is any qualitative or subjective assessment of the actual image. It's done based primarily on the response to the image.

There are a few groups pretty much dedicated to trying to crack the Explore algorithm.
 
OldCarlos said:
How do photo's get in `explore`?
I got one in & didn't even know what it was o_O (7000+ views)
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Its one of those Flickr mysteries!
 
there ya go i just added you ,i will now see and comment on your pics if you add me and comment on mine it helps
 
OldCarlos said:
How do photo's get in `explore`?
I got one in & didn't even know what it was o_O (7000+ views)
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i have had around 300 in explore ,not had any for a few years now though ,might be something to do with sending that melissa mayer the CEO a message telling what i thought of her changes at the time OOPS

the best way to check on your explore photos is to log into bighugelabs.com and enter your flickr id , then check flickr dna
 
Never had one in explore. Some folk play the game to get views and comments. Seems a bit artificial to me. Faves being dished out on demand regardless of real opinions of the photo.
The two most viewed images I have both have titles that are searched for.
This one did nothing at all until about 6 months ago since when it has become my most viewed photo ever:-

Trump that if you can! by Frank Yates2010, on Flickr
and this one has a title that explains why it gets 2/3 views every day.

A good use for a condom by Frank Yates2010, on Flickr

I do get filckr members who find me and start dishing out faves and comments. When I look at them they seem to be full time on flickr. They soon give up on me when I don't reciprocate.
There's a guy elsewhere on here who claims to follow over 20,000 members. How he finds time to regularly look at all their postings is a mystery. He also is just playing the game. He's never claimed top have been on explore, so maybe that system doesn't work.
Flickr seems to be a bit like Twitbook in that folk join in because they can, not because they've anything useful to add. How often do you get any comments other than "Good shot" or similar? Very little real discussion of images takes place.
 
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On a loosely related note, what determines whether a photo appears on the flickr map? I realise it first must be geotagged but it seems that is not enough. There are generally very few images that actually appear on the map.
 
gad-westy said:
On a loosely related note, what determines whether a photo appears on the flickr map? I realise it first must be geotagged but it seems that is not enough. There are generally very few images that actually appear on the map.
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Not everyone geolocates their images in Organisr, and some (like me) will have geofences set-up to prevent locations being seen when they're located within a set distance of a family home. Others may have privacy options set-up to always hide the location.
 
Alastair said:
Not everyone geolocates their images in Organisr, and some (like me) will have geofences set-up to prevent locations being seen when they're located within a set distance of a family home. Others may have privacy options set-up to always hide the location.
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I'll take a look at it. I started using flickr map to try to scout locations a bit but rarely found much for anywhere I was looking. Now that I've tagged a few of my own, I notice they don't appear either though I can see their location on my own page. So you may well be right, I'll take a look at my settings.
 
Whenever you read guides or watch vids on how to increase your following on 500px/Flickr/Instagram etc the same "rules" crop up time and time again - firstly, post only your really really good stuff (seems obvious, but if you look at Flickr especially there's a lot of quick snap type stuff), after that it's a case of finding time to comment (and comment constructively) on other peoples work and follow others that you like. I tried an "experiment" of finding 10 images on Instagram and 500px each day that I liked and commented on (and more than just "great photo") for a week to see if it had any impact on my return comments or follows. Instagram it had a definite effect on, with a clear increases in followers and likes, 500px less so, but it still made a difference. Since then I've not really had the time and/or inclination to do it again or for longer, but I might as I have plenty of time off over Christmas.

Mostly though, become a really good photo editor of your own work.
 
just had a brief look through your flickr stream and it seems a bit of a mis-mash ,i.e wildlife ,views ,holiday stuff ,wall murals all mixed in together .to be harsh a teenager with a i phone could have done the same . you need to look up groups that specialise in your subjects and join them then add the photos to them .if someone comments on your pics reguarly then add them as a contact and comment on theres .do not fave every single photo just ones that in your opinion are worthy of one ,gradually you will grow a stream of like minded joggers and contacts .
i would highly recommend specialising in one type of subject though .
 
Groups and strong themes mainly.
I wouldn't follow anyone spamming photos with "great pic!" type comments, but I might follow someone I feel has similar interests or equipment.
 
the black fox said:
just had a brief look through your flickr stream and it seems a bit of a mis-mash ,i.e wildlife ,views ,holiday stuff ,wall murals all mixed in together .to be harsh a teenager with a i phone could have done the same . you need to look up groups that specialise in your subjects and join them then add the photos to them .if someone comments on your pics reguarly then add them as a contact and comment on theres .do not fave every single photo just ones that in your opinion are worthy of one ,gradually you will grow a stream of like minded joggers and contacts .
i would highly recommend specialising in one type of subject though .
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Well that's very below the belt and I'd like to disagree.

Also, I'm not willing to specialise, I take photos of things I like, simple as that.
 
Sorry it wasn't meant to be below the belt tom just truthfull ,sometimes the written word doesn't come across as intended . You asked for help I have suggested ways to help .re read what I said it's intended to notch you up a gear .my first impression of your Flickr stream will be the same as others who view it . You asked how to get more views on Flickr I have suggested how to .
Then you take unbridge at the suggestions and reasons why ,I have around 6000 pics on Flickr ,god knows how many million views ,sold and had published quiet a few pics from Flickr ,had just under 300 explored without playing the odds , I have added you as a contact but I can change that if you wish . Advice is free it's your option whether or not you follow that advise
 
the black fox said:
Sorry it wasn't meant to be below the belt tom just truthfull ,sometimes the written word doesn't come across as intended . You asked for help I have suggested ways to help .re read what I said it's intended to notch you up a gear .my first impression of your Flickr stream will be the same as others who view it . You asked how to get more views on Flickr I have suggested how to .
Then you take unbridge at the suggestions and reasons why ,I have around 6000 pics on Flickr ,god knows how many million views ,sold and had published quiet a few pics from Flickr ,had just under 300 explored without playing the odds , I have added you as a contact but I can change that if you wish . Advice is free it's your option whether or not you follow that advise
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No problem. I just feel that to say a teenager with an iPhone could have taken those photos is relatively harsh. In fairness, I know what you mean r.e. the organisation of it, I had a few images up there for a friend to look at that have now been deleted. I have looked at your flickr and it's impressive, I do not wish you to change that no. Thanks for your view.
 
No problem here either tom sit down now absorb what myself and others have said .put it all together as a package and then make something out of it all .somewhere in the middle you will find your own niche

P.s if you go back to the start of my Flickr stream you will see that myself and probably a lot of others started the same way as you then gradually developed and grew with it
 
Tom Green said:
Also, I'm not willing to specialise, I take photos of things I like, simple as that.
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As others have already said, tagging your photos appropriately and posting them in relevan groups is a good way to attract attention. As is following people whose work you like. But if you don't want to specialise, there's no real reason you should. While getting likes and followers on Flickr can be a rewarding feeling, unless your primary goal is to please others, then the only person whose opinion really matters is your own. Do what you enjoy.
 
Tom Green said:
I had a few images up there for a friend to look at that have now been deleted.
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You don't have t delete if you use the privacy options available on Flickr, I have many more images on my Flickrstream than are visible on Public view.
 
Tom Green said:
Also, I'm not willing to specialise, I take photos of things I like, simple as that.
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Whilst that's absolutely your choice, all I would say is that if your original goal to get more followers still holds true, you are more likely to get them if you show a particular theme to your work - whether through content, style, processing etc. Looking through the accounts that I follow, pretty much all of them post in a particular theme or style - the only accounts I follow that post more 'random' content are people I know personally.
 
Yeah,I kind of wondered how to get in the "Public feed",but then I've noticed it's reserved for the "Arty/Film Noir"type photography,that seems like some sort of business arrangement with the site..

I just follow the "recommended"posts on there,and you have a "following"list,for what you like and are interested in.

There's plenty of groups with themes,that you follow then add your same theme shots to,and that's just right for me..

If you want to change subject matter,just follow the group relevant to it! All good
 
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I have 345 followers on Flickr, I don't know how bad or good is it, but I never used special tags, just very simple title. I like Flickr and post there only for pleasure.
 
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