ZURBlog
ZURBplayground
ZURBword
ZURBnews
ZURBexpo
Imageshack Copies TinyPic's Layout
More than a year ago we began a comprehensive redesign of TinyPic.com, sister site of Photobucket. As a free image and video uploading and sharing service, we faced a unique task of handling several requirements in our redesign. After several iterations, we ended up very happy with an improved two-column layout for viewing images.
Our layout for TinyPic created a great balance between ads, tools, and the media itself.
Imageshack, longtime competitor of TinyPic, recently redesigned their full view page, too. And it looks just like TinyPic—save for a few "changes" their team made.
Imageshack copies the layout and adds tabs, lots of inappropriate "related" images, and poor negative spacing.
When we designed this page, we went through several different layouts including different columns, ad placements, image/video sizes, and most importantly the calls to action. That's where this design really took off for us. We had three goals in mind for the page when we started:
- Continue to monetize the page by serving up ads
- Ensure that the media (image or video) comes first and foremost
- Encourage sharing and uploading
We nailed each goal with this design. In our experience (with TinyPic and others), we have had a lot of success using med recs on ad-driven services. Even better, the large size of the images and video player, along with the "quick browse" at the bottom of the page, makes sure we're always thinking about your stuff. And with the unique toolbox area in the left column, along with an inline uploader for signed in members, sharing and uploading is our priority at all times.
TinyPic has some great minds behind the scenes, able to constantly improve the service, which is exactly what we've been helping them do. Their related images, the fast servers, unique tools (sharing, links, actions, etc) the cross-browser support, and much more give them the tools to pull this kind of layout off. However, Imageshack isn't able to create a sustainable environment on these pages. Tabs, ads, and random images make it rather dull, literally not what I want to see when looking at images online.
The fact that one of the other heavyweights in the same market as TinyPic has virtually duplicated our design shows that we did something right and—dare I say—revolutionary with our work. Moreover, our client's competitors are now trying to play catch up :).
8 comments
Thomas says
Of course, TinyPic's redesign does look an awful lot like youtube but with the columns reversed.
Mark (ZURB) says
@Thomas Of course it does. In fact, you'll find similarities in nearly every site you look at. We're not arguing that part.
What we're trying to say here is that this new design we did with TinyPic had impact, not just on users, but the business. Imageshack duplicated the toolbox below the med rec in the left column, highlighted pagination, and the related images. The pages are remarkably similar.
Thomas says
@Mark I'll give you that Imageshack does look very much like the TinyPic redesign including the specifics you point out. I'm even happy to assume they outright copied TinyPic being competitors and all.
I guess what I'm thinking is that I don't see anything particularly "revolutionary" in the TinyPic redesign that hasn't already been done or isn't just convention to begin with: tabs at the top is older than the web; highlighted pagination above or below the element being paged has been done since the beginning; "related" blocks containing whatever, images, other sites, etc has been around for ages. And they way they were put together here isn't particularly new, a la youtube.
Not sure why I felt the need to bring it up. Maybe it was the claim of being "revolutionary". After being in the business for a decade I get a little annoyed when people make claims, particularly in the UX or usability area, that I just don't see as substantiated.
But as I'm writing this I see I really could have just kept my mouth shut so for bringing it up, I'll apologize. And honestly I will say that the Zurb site is beautiful and the examples under the Work section are all very nice as well.
The last word is yours.
Mark (ZURB) says
@Thomas No worries at all. I'm glad you brought it up! I meant revolutionary as a joke, hence the italics, but it's obvious to me now that it wasn't read that way.
Please don't feel like you should hold your tongue around us. Give it to us straight; we're all for challenging other peoples' ideas, so why not let you challenge us?
Thomas says
@Mark Okay, undoing the last word. My bad on the missing the sarcasm. Like I said, I'm a bit burnt out on people actually making such claims in earnest and I didn't give the italics their, in retrospect, obvious connotation. I appreciate you taking my comments in good stride.
When I finally get around to posting my portfolio site I'll be sure to let you know so you can help keep me on my toes. ; )
Mark (ZURB) says
@Thomas: Keep us in the loop! We'll be looking forward to the opportunity to chop you up ;).
Jeremy (ZURB) says
Another way to look at this is to ask, was it the design or the business goals that ImageShack really copied here? My sense is that the real me-too was in borrowing the goals implied by the ad placement, links, and related images. The design was an afterthought.
Unlike TinyPic, where there's been a willingness to innovate and take calculated risks, there doesn't appear to be any role for design within ImageShack's organization based on their product updates. Which leads to the question, how does ImageShack plan to sustain itself or grow?
ZURB Photostream
The ZURBlog is where we discuss product design, business and strategy. We use design thinking to challenge businesses and designers to improve the products and services they create.
ZURB is a close-knit team of product designers who help companies design better web sites, services, and online products. We've worked with more than 150 start-ups since 1998.
Hmm, not a big talker? Email us to getstarted@zurb.com.
Get our monthly newsletter, ZURBnews.
Check out the latest news and buzz »