Skip to main content

SmugMug acquires Flickr from Yahoo, says ‘the future is bright’

Flickr gets snapped up by fellow photo-sharing site SmugMug

SmugMug + Flickr

In an exclusive interview with USA Today, it was revealed that Flickr, a photo-sharing site purchased by Yahoo Holdings (Oath Inc.) in 2005, has been bought out by SmugMug. 

SmugMug, a family-owned photo-sharing site launched in 2002, says Flickr will remain in its current form and even receive updates down the road as SmugMug plans to dedicate resources into the development of the long-neglected service. 

In the exclusive interview with USA Today, SmugMug CEO Don MacAskill said he and his team are “committed to breathing new life into the faded social networking pioneer, which hosted photos and lively interactions long before it became trendy.”

MacAskill, who said he’s been a “longtime fan” of Flickr, mentioned he doesn’t have a definitive roadmap for the platform going forward. “I don’t know what the future holds. This is a new model for me,” he told USA Today, adding, “We certainly think we need to operate it with an eye to our cash flow and our profitability. We are going to have to take a detailed look at the business and make sure it’s growing and healthy.”

What exactly this means for the various free and paid tiers Flickr currently offers remains to be seen, but MacAskill emphasized the importance of making sure the future of Flickr remains in the hands of its users and employees in terms of feedback. “We try to listen to our customers and when enough of them ask for something that’s important to them or to the community, we go and build it.”

Despite the pleas to improve Flickr after Marissa Mayer took over as CEO of Yahoo in 2012, little has been done to keep it up to date after the initial redesign of Flickr’s mobile apps and increase in free storage. Even so, hundreds of thousands of photographers have remained loyal, posting regularly and propping up the platform’s rich groups and forums. 

Maybe now, the patience and persistence of those users will finally pay off. Maybe Flickr can be revived, if only it’s given the attention it deserves.

We’ve reached out to both SmugMug and Oath Inc. for a statement, and will update this article accordingly when we hear back. 

Editors' Recommendations

Gannon Burgett
Find exceptional talent: the best hiring platforms for small businesses
For hire sign used by small businesses on hiring platforms to find top-tier talent.

This content was produced in partnership with ZipRecruiter.
Without the right talent or the right people rather, no business could thrive, big or small. But finding top talent is extremely crucial for small businesses, especially when it comes to remaining competitive in today's market. Smaller operations generally have limited resources, so it's necessary to improve productivity and efficiency wherever possible, which is precisely where securing good talent comes into the picture. But how do you find those people? The answer is via hiring platforms a la ZipRecruiter. They not only bring in the talent but also help you better understand the people, their work histories, and their overall expertise. Moreover, they help streamline the hiring process making it easier to find relevant candidates.

In light of that, here are the seven best hiring platforms for small businesses that can help you secure a competitive edge with top-tier talent:

Read more
Need Help? These Are the Best places to hire people online
ZipRecruiter Job Board Lifestyle Post

This content was produced in partnership with ZipRecruiter.
Hiring the right people is a crucial part of developing your business. The best person for the job will be one that shares your vision, is highly responsible, appropriately skilled, and is an efficient worker. You know what you want from your next employee but what do you do when it comes to finding that person? With many different sources out there for finding the best way to hire employees, we've picked out the best places to hire people online including ways to find employees online fast or for a long-term commitment. There are dozens of sites available but it's important to pick the best outlet for the task, so you can spend less time on your recruitment drive and more time interviewing the best candidates for the job. Take a look below at the best places to hire people online.
ZipRecruiter

One of the most reliable names in the job posting world, ZipRecruiter is a great way of finding staff and quickly. It aims to make the hiring process as smooth as possible. It works by connecting to more than 100 job boards so the moment you create a job listing for your firm, ZipRecruiter posts it across the huge network so you're casting the net as wide as possible without having to manually create job listings at numerous sources.

Read more
The best 17-inch laptop bags and backpacks for 2023
Close up view of a zipper on an Asus ROG Nomad V2 backpack.

You need a bag to safely transport your laptop with you to work or school, but not all laptop bags are created equal. Some bags aren’t robust enough to carry heavier models or large enough to carry your charger and extra supplies. Some bags come at an affordable price, while other options are more of an investment.

Whether you’re in search of a sleek briefcase or a tricked-out gaming backpack, skip the guesswork and read on to find out the best ways to carry your laptop in 2023.

Read more